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Sites Like Airbnb for Every Type of Traveler in 2025
This article will explore some sites like Airbnb for your next trip. Alternatives to Airbnb include Vrbo, Booking.com, Plum Guide, Hipcamp, Agoda, and Sonder.
Travel demands are changing, and new technology is impacting the travel accommodation industry. As a result, this industry is moving from using one booking platform to competing in different market segments. As travel recovers around the world, traditional booking sites can no longer meet the needs of every type of traveler.
Airbnb has revolutionized the traditional accommodation industry, connecting people and culture through the “sharing economy” model. It allows landlords to post their own listings and tenants to book on demand. However, its model also poses quality control challenges. With more commercial landlords entering the market, listings are becoming similar. Costs are even rising during peak seasons. There are restrictions on short-term rentals, and demand is shifting toward personalized options.
Today, Airbnb is not the only choice for travelers. There are so many Airbnb alternatives for vacation rentals, such as Vrbo, booking.com, and Plum Guide. Whether you are a high-end traveler seeking luxury experiences, a backpacker valuing price and quality, or a parent in need of family-friendly facilities, you can find the best booking sites.
Here is the list of sites like Airbnb for every type of traveler in 2025. Find alternatives to Airbnb to unlock your unique trip experience.
Why Should You Consider Airbnb Alternatives?
Airbnb was once synonymous with the travel and accommodation revolution, but it is no longer the only answer. Many listings on the platform look alike because there are so many commercial landlords. This goes against Airbnb's original motive. Regular apartments and routine services have replaced the unique local experience. Besides, the hidden costs have led to a continuous decline in cost performance. The total price of an ordinary homestay even surpasses that of high-end hotels. The demands of travelers have far exceeded that of a bed. For example, family travelers need child safety certifications. It is difficult for Airbnb to meet the niche needs accurately.
The rise of vertical alternative platforms has just filled this gap. They directly hit the pain points with an accurate positioning. For instance, booking.com shows the pricing advantage. Sonder provides facilities for digital nomads, and Hipcamp integrates camping and outdoor resources. Many rental sites like Airbnb are redefining the ideal destination for a journey.
Best Sites Like Airbnb for Every Type of Traveler in 2025
1. Vrbo: Exclusive Whole Homes for Families & Groups
Founded in 1995, Vrbo (Vacation Rental By Owner) is one of the largest global vacation rental sites like Airbnb. It specializes in whole-house rentals, particularly suited for families and group travel. Different from Airbnb, Vrbo focuses on providing a more private and comfortable accommodation experience. This avoids tenants sharing space with others, which can ensure privacy. Vrbo has about 2 million listings in 190 countries around the world, mostly villas, chalets, and beachfront vacation homes. Vrbo allows landlords to rent out their properties, such as homes, condos, villas, or vacation rentals, to short-term renters. Travelers can communicate directly with the owner and arrange the details of their stay. This makes Vrbo a diversified accommodation platform that can meet the needs of different travelers.
Vrbo provides rates and reviews to help travelers make informed choices. Listings on Vrbo must be self-contained, emphasizing “shared space for the whole family”. A flexible policy supports free cancellation within 48 hours for some properties. Vrbo has a unique function called Trip Board, which is convenient for multiple people to collaborate on trip planning. It also offers features such as a secure payment system and landlord authentication to provide users with trust and security. Thus, Vrbo is a good option among Airbnb alternatives for family travelers, multi-person groups, and users seeking privacy.
2. Booking.com: A Global Accommodation Platform
Price is one of the key considerations when travelers reserve rooms. If you want to choose cheap Airbnb alternatives, you have to turn to booking.com. As the world’s largest online hotel booking platform, booking.com has vigorously expanded its B&B and apartment segments in recent years. Its advantage lies in its hybrid search of “hotel + B&B”, which allows users to compare prices and services in one click. Sites like Airbnb tend to have relatively limited listings, but booking.com offers over 28 million options. It has hotels, apartments, villas, and B&Bs in more than 220 countries and territories. The listings range from beds in hostels to luxury five-star hotels, catering to all budgets.
Booking.com provides a variety of booking and cancellation policies. Its Genius members can enjoy up to 20% off and more exclusive benefits such as complimentary upgrades, late check-out, and more. This site provides real-time price comparison. It shows the total price, including tax, to avoid hidden costs. The offers may be relatively less compared with other Airbnb alternatives.
Booking.com is suitable for business and leisure travelers who care more about value for money and need a flexible cancellation policy. When booking, people should also pay attention to the transparency of fees and the choice of payment methods.
3. Hipcamp: Airbnb of Camping
Hipcamp is a booking site like Airbnb, but it is not for booking rooms or houses. It caters to camping enthusiasts, adventure travelers, and nature photographers. Known as the “Airbnb of camping”, it specializes in unique outdoor stays in campgrounds, farms, and nature preserves. The platform covers more than 400,000 campgrounds in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, including treehouses, RV spots, and wilderness tents. Users can filter by “Instant book, Pets allowed, Campfires” to select the best option to get deeper into nature.
4. Plum Guide: King of the Accommodation Design Aesthetics
Plum Guide is one of the recommended alternatives when you search sites like Airbnb on Reddit. It is a property booking platform that focuses on providing high-quality vacation rentals and short-term B&B rentals. It caters to travelers who have high expectations of the B&B stay experience but are worried that B&B services are not up to hotel standards. The listings are mainly located in first-tier cities such as London, Paris, and Tokyo. Plum Guide is known for its strict selection of luxury B&Bs. Its team conducts over 500 checks, from design aesthetics and facilities to host services, to select the top 1% of the world’s best properties. It supports customization for high-end needs such as private chefs and yacht charters. Plum Guide would be a good alternative to Airbnb if you pursue boutique experiences and have a generous budget for travel. It is especially ideal for honeymoon couples and design lovers.
5. Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy: More Homely Than Hotels
Marriott Homes & Villas is a high-end vacation rental platform under Marriott International. It focuses on hotel-style service plus home comfort. Different from other booking sites, all rooms on the platform are required to meet the standards of five-star hotels and are managed by a professional team. Users can enjoy Marriott Bonvoy points and membership benefits, such as late checkout and free breakfast. A wide range of high-end accommodation options is available. You can choose from urban luxury apartments, seaside vacation villas, ski chalets, medieval castles, and private European estates. Marriott Homes & Villas offers daily housekeeping and a 24-hour concierge service. It has strict safety and hygiene standards.
6. Agoda Homes: Oriental Stays Guide
Agoda covers more than 200 countries and regions around the world, with more than 3 million listings. It offers economy hotels, high-end resorts, vacation apartments, and characteristic B&Bs. It has multi-currency payments, a free cancellation policy, and localized customer service. Agoda is more competitive in pricing compared to other international rental sites in the Asian market. This is particularly true in Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea, where Agoda has exclusive properties. These include capsule hotels in Tokyo and bamboo houses in the rainforest in Bali. It usually launches promotions such as limited-time discounts and point rebates to help users save money on their stays.
Therefore, if you are planning to travel in Asia, Agoda is one of the top alternatives to Airbnb. It's good value for money. There are many large properties for Asian travelers on a budget, young couples, and people on short vacations.
7. Sonder: Smart Urban Nests
Sonder has introduced standardized hotel services to the short-term rental industry. The company designed and managed all properties. Unlike rental sites like Airbnb, Sonder is famous for technology-driven accommodation. It is suitable for digital nomads and business travelers. Its apartments are equipped with smart door locks, high-speed WiFi, and branded toiletries, and users can check in via an App by themselves. The company mainly covers business center cities in North America, Europe, and Asia. You can enjoy workday long-term rental discounts, 24/7 concierge service, and free co-working space.
8. Glamping Hub: Enjoy Luxury Wilderness
If you are looking to enjoy camping out and live comfortably at the same time, Glamping Hub is an alternative to Airbnb that offers luxury glamping. Glamping Hub is the world’s leading luxury glamping booking platform. It offers over 5,000 unique listings around the world, excluding Antarctica. You can find options like star domes, treehouses, desert tents, and spa camps. It aims to provide travelers with novel experiences.
Unlike regular camping on rental sites, you can enjoy modern amenities in the Glamping Hub properties. For example, en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning, and fine bedding. They even offer private chefs and spa services. Users can filter properties by “landscape type”, such as beach, snowy mountains, or rainforest. Glamping Hub also provides extra traveling activities such as mountain biking, spa, and wine tasting. These enrich users’ travel experience.
Whether you look for a novel way to stay or a quality travel experience, you can find the right place on Glamping Hub.
9. Homestay: Authentic Cultural Experience Starts at the Host’s Table
Homestay focuses on the authentic experience of staying with a host. It is suitable for backpackers and international students. Hosts must provide breakfast and at least one interactive activity, such as a cooking class or guided city tour. The platform is particularly popular with language learners and students, with 70% of listings located in Europe and Asia. It offers discounts for long-term stays as low as $500 per month, so it is a good option if you want to find sites like Airbnb for long-term rentals.
Homestay targets travelers who wish to immerse themselves deeply in the local culture or professionals who need to live in a foreign country for a short period for work reasons. You can filter landlords by language skills, for example, French-speaking. You don’t have to worry about accommodation safety. There is a rigorous landlord background check and evaluation system. The host family will be responsible for your safety and will provide the necessary help and support.
10. Stayz: Best Choice in Australia and New Zealand
If you are looking for alternatives to Airbnb in Australia, Stayz would probably be your preferred platform. Stayz is the market leader in Australia and New Zealand with over 50,000 listings. These include everything from apartments by Sydney Harbour to ski chalets in Queenstown. Stayz also combines the functions of travel websites. Its team of local experts provides travel planning services, such as recommending surf coaches. Airbnb’s listings in Australia and New Zealand are fragmented and of varying quality. However, Stayz ensures uniform standards with localized operations. Stayz would be a better choice for in-depth travelers in Australia and New Zealand than other sites like Airbnb.
Final Thoughts
Although Airbnb dominates the short-term rental market, its user retention rate is decreasing. 40% of the lost users of Airbnb have turned to vertical platforms like Plum Guide and Hipcamp. Other sites like Airbnb are changing the travel accommodation industry. Room types range from luxury villas to forest tents, city apartments to rural farms. The needs of travelers have upgraded from "a bed" to "a lifestyle". Rental sites need to find a new balance between standardization and uniqueness. No matter how niche your demands are, there’s always a platform that can meet your needs for vacation rentals. Bookmark this guide for your next trip!
More opportunities than ever have emerged in the travel market, so why not try Wegic to create a rental site?
Written by
Kimmy
Published on
May 23, 2025
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