Airbnb vs Vrbo vs Booking.com: where stays go wrong
Three apps book the same kinds of stays. Which one do travelers fault for fees, cancellations, listings that do not match, or support?
Shared comparison by OneStar · updated Oct 26, 2026By OneStar
Find remarkable homes, unforgettable experiences, and incredible services all in one app.
Store ratings: App Store 4.8 · Google Play 4.62,253 reviews read · Oct 26, 2025 to Oct 25, 2026Open the Airbnb reportVrbo is a vacation rental app for booking top-rated homes—beach houses, cabins, condos, cottages, and villas—so your family or group gets the entire place to yourselves.
Store ratings: App Store 4.8 · Google Play 4.82,215 reviews read · Oct 26, 2025 to Oct 25, 2026Open the Vrbo reportFind great hotel or apartment deals and book in just a few minutes.
Store ratings: App Store 4.8 · Google Play 4.83,000 reviews read · Oct 27, 2025 to Oct 25, 2026Open the Booking.com reportVrbo leads on 1 of 7 measures; 6 are too close to call.
Scorecard
Each value comes with its 95% range. A leader is named only when the gap holds up to the test.
| Measure | Airbnb | Vrbo | Booking.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| ComplainShare of reviewers who complain about something, lower is better | 62%95% range 60% to 64% | 44%95% range 42% to 46% | 46%95% range 44% to 48% |
| PraiseShare of reviewers who praise something, higher is better | 41%95% range 39% to 43% | 53%95% range 51% to 55% | 54%95% range 52% to 55% |
| Said they leftShare of reviewers who say they quit or are leaving, lower is better | 10%95% range 8% to 11% | 6%95% range 5% to 7% | 5%95% range 4% to 6% |
| Blame a changeShare of complaints tied to an update, redesign or price change, lower is better | 16%95% range 14% to 18% | 5%95% range 4% to 7% | 5%95% range 3% to 6% |
| SpecificShare of reviews that name something concrete | 89%95% range 87% to 91% | 92%95% range 90% to 94% | 91%95% range 89% to 92% |
| Ask for featuresShare of reviewers who ask for something new or something back | 6%95% range 5% to 7% | 2%95% range 2% to 3% | 2%95% range 2% to 3% |
| SentimentMean feeling in the review text, 0 very negative to 4 very positive, higher is better | 1.65 | 2.42Leads | 2.22 |
| Star ratingMean stars of the reviewers the sample stands for, higher is better | 2.85 | 3.55 | 3.36 |
| Developer repliesShare of reviews with a developer reply, unweighted, higher is better | No data | 95%95% range 93% to 96% | 98%95% range 97% to 99% |
Top findings
- Booking.com is weak on charges and refunds: 10% of reviewers mention it against 5% for Vrbo, and those reviews average 2.4 stars lower.
- Booking.com is weak on customer support: 13% of reviewers mention it against 7% for Vrbo, and those reviews average 2.3 stars lower.
- Vrbo is praised more for great service or staff: 24% of reviewers against 7% for Airbnb.
- Booking.com is praised more for easy to use: 26% of reviewers against 15% for Vrbo.
Where complaints differ most
Share of each app's complaints
Where praise differs most
Share of each app's praise
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