Title: Vrbo Was First: So Why Is It Playing Catch-Up to Airbnb?
When it comes to short-term rentals, most people think of Airbnb first. But here’s the twist: Vrbo was actually first to market. Launched in 1995, nearly 13 years before Airbnb, Vrbo (originally “Vacation Rentals by Owner”) had a head start and yet today, it feels like they’re sprinting to keep up.
So, what happened?
Airbnb Didn’t Just Offer Homes—They Reimagined Travel
While Vrbo stuck to traditional vacation homes, Airbnb came in with a different vibe:
More than homes – Airbnb marketed experiences, urban stays, treehouses, castles, and even shared rooms.
Modern UX – Airbnb nailed the user interface. It felt like Apple meets Expedia: clean, easy, mobile-first.
Brand personality – Airbnb wasn’t just another travel site; it was cool, quirky, and millennial-friendly. “Live like a local” beat “rent someone’s beach house.”
Vrbo Played It Safe—for Too Long
Vrbo focused on large, traditional vacation homes—mostly family-oriented, often beach or mountain destinations. Smart, but limited.
While Airbnb scaled globally and embraced new forms of travel, Vrbo didn’t adapt fast enough. No rooms. No shared spaces. No urban edge.
They missed the explosion of:
Solo travelers
Digital nomads
Experience-seekers
Instagram-driven travel culture
By the time Vrbo started modernizing (especially post-Expedia acquisition), Airbnb had already stolen the spotlight—and the market share.
Airbnb Built the Ecosystem. Vrbo Built a Directory.
Here’s the brutal truth:
Airbnb built community. Profiles, reviews, badges, Superhost status, response time tracking.
Vrbo felt like a listings board. Less interaction, less trust, less transparency.
Even today, Vrbo’s booking flow, cancellation policies, and messaging system feel clunkier. Their app is catching up, but it’s playing from behind.
Pricing, Fees, and Flexibility
Airbnb has its own issues (service fees, host saturation, changing algorithms), but its pricing transparency, instant booking, and smart tools for hosts have made it the go-to for both sides of the transaction. Vrbo has added similar features—but only after Airbnb made them industry standard.
So Where Does Vrbo Win?
To be fair:
Vrbo dominates in multi-family, multi-bedroom homes, especially for long-standing vacation rental markets.
Their guest demographic trends older, more affluent, more traditional.
Some hosts prefer Vrbo’s platform for its simplicity and less frequent guest churn.
But that’s not growth. That’s legacy.
The Bottom Line
Being first doesn’t mean staying ahead. Vrbo had the head start, but Airbnb outran them by reinventing the category, building community, and adapting to modern travel behavior. Today, Vrbo is modernizing fast—but it’s still reacting, not leading.
If you’re a host, traveler, or investor, the lesson is clear: innovation beats seniority.
