About Vrbo
Vrbo (Vacation Rental By Owner), owned by Expedia Group, is one of the world's leading vacation rental platforms connecting travelers with privately owned vacation homes, cabins, beach houses, and condos for short-term rental. Unlike hotel booking, Vrbo specializes in whole-property rentals—not shared spaces—making it the preferred platform for families, groups, and travelers who want the privacy, space, and amenities (full kitchen, multiple bedrooms, living areas) that vacation homes provide over hotel rooms.
The platform covers vacation rental properties across all US destinations and international markets: beach houses in Florida and the Carolinas, ski chalets in Colorado and Utah, mountain cabins in the Smokies, lake houses in the Midwest, and city apartments and condos for urban travel. The whole-home rental model is particularly cost-effective for groups (4–10 travelers) where splitting a vacation home rental costs less per person than booking equivalent hotel rooms.
Vrbo competes primarily with Airbnb for the vacation rental market, with Vrbo positioning more strongly toward families and whole-home rentals while Airbnb has a stronger presence in shared spaces and urban markets. Comparing the same dates and destination across Vrbo, Airbnb, and direct property management company websites sometimes reveals pricing differences—property managers occasionally offer lower rates directly to avoid platform fees.
Quick Savings Tips
- Compare the same property or equivalent properties across Vrbo and Airbnb—platform fees differ and affect total cost
- Properties with 10+ reviews and 4.8+ ratings are the most reliable predictor of a positive vacation rental experience
- Weekly rental pricing often works out to 20–30% less per night than booking night-by-night
- Total cost includes platform service fees (10–15%) and cleaning fees—enable all-in pricing view before comparing
- Contact property managers directly after finding their listing—some offer lower rates to avoid platform commissions