Booking Platforms for Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb

The default OTA for short-term rentals — the largest single source of bookings worldwide.

Audience

Leisure travellers globally; especially strong with millennials, families, and group travel.

Fees

Hosts: 3% (split-fee, default). Guests: 14–16%. Or host-only: ~15% (no guest fee).

Reach

7M+ active listings; ~150M users.

HQ & founded

San Francisco, USA · 2008

• Smart Pricing + Search rank algorithms
• Identity verification + insurance (AirCover)
• Plus / Luxe curated tiers
• Integrated direct messaging + Co-host model

Cavmir take: Required for any serious STR distribution strategy. Algorithmic — small listing changes move bookings.

Vrbo

Whole-home, family-focused OTA — strongest in US, Canada, and beach/ski markets.

Audience

Multi-generational families, group travel, longer stays. Skews older than Airbnb.

Fees

Hosts: 8% (5% commission + 3% payment processing). Guests: ~6–12%.

Reach

2M+ listings; majority US-centric.

HQ & founded

Austin, USA (Expedia Group) · 1995

• Whole-home only (no shared rooms)
• Premier Partner status programme
• Linked to Expedia Group + Hotels.com
• Strong on weekly + monthly bookings

Cavmir take: Older demographic, higher average booking value. Often complements an Airbnb listing.

Booking.com

Largest hotel + accommodation OTA in the world — increasingly relevant for STR.

Audience

International travellers, especially Europe and Asia. Hotel-style booking behaviour.

Fees

Hosts: 15% commission (most countries; 18% in some markets). No guest fee.

Reach

7M+ properties (mostly hotels but growing STR share).

HQ & founded

Amsterdam, Netherlands · 1996

• Free cancellation flexibility (often required)
• Genius loyalty programme
• Open Pricing dashboard + analytics
• Same-day + last-minute booking strength

Cavmir take: Strong for international travellers. Cancellation policies tilt towards the guest.

Expedia

Hotels-led OTA whose vacation-rental inventory feeds Vrbo and partner sites.

Audience

Bundled travellers (flight + hotel) and points-driven consumers.

Fees

Effectively rolls up via Vrbo for STR (8% host).

Reach

Same Vrbo inventory exposed across Expedia, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Orbitz.

HQ & founded

Seattle, USA · 1996

• Cross-promotion across Expedia Group brands
• Loyalty: One Key
• B2B distribution to thousands of OTAs

Cavmir take: You don't list directly here for STR — you list on Vrbo and inherit Expedia exposure.

Agoda

Asia-Pacific powerhouse OTA, increasingly relevant for STR in APAC and beyond.

Audience

Asian outbound + intra-Asia travellers; growing in Australia and Europe.

Fees

Hosts: 15–18% commission depending on market and booking type.

Reach

4M+ properties.

HQ & founded

Singapore (Booking Holdings) · 2005

• Strong APAC localisation (currencies, languages)
• AgodaHomes vertical for STR
• Aggressive last-minute discounting

Cavmir take: Essential if your inventory is in APAC or you want APAC demand. Less relevant for US-only properties.

Plum Guide

Curated boutique OTA — only ~3% of homes that apply are accepted.

Audience

Design-conscious, premium-price travellers in major global cities.

Fees

Hosts: ~3% commission. Guests: ~15%.

Reach

~30,000 curated homes in major cities globally.

HQ & founded

London, UK · 2015

• Application-only inclusion (rigorous screening)
• Editorial-led photography + descriptions
• Concierge + 24/7 guest services
• Premium positioning + price

Cavmir take: High bar to qualify. Excellent demand if you make the cut.

Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott's curated luxury VR programme — points-eligible inventory for Bonvoy members.

Audience

Marriott Bonvoy loyalty members — high-spend, brand-conscious travellers.

Fees

Through approved property managers; commission via your manager.

Reach

~140,000 homes in 700+ destinations.

HQ & founded

Bethesda, USA · 2019

• Bonvoy points earn + redeem on stays
• Curated, professionally managed only
• Marketed to Marriott's 200M+ Bonvoy members
• Quality bar enforced

Cavmir take: You list via an approved professional manager, not directly. Excellent demand for premium homes.

HomeToGo

Meta-search aggregator that surfaces listings from 600+ partners in one place.

Audience

Comparison shoppers — travellers who want to scan many sites at once.

Fees

No direct host fee — listings are pulled from partner OTAs.

Reach

15M+ aggregated listings via partners.

HQ & founded

Berlin, Germany · 2014

• Meta-search across Vrbo, Booking, smaller OTAs
• Acquired Interhome 2024
• Travel-tech leader in EU public markets
• Direct-booking option via HomeToGo Pro

Cavmir take: Extra discovery surface — your existing OTAs may already feed it. Worth knowing exists.