The term ‘vacation rental’ refers to fully furnished apartments, homes, or professionally managed resorts that are available for rent to tourists. These act as a replacement for hotels. With affordable rates, vacation rentals allow a tourist to fully experience the local culture fully, keeping their comfort in mind. They can be booked both online and offline.
Key Takeaways
- VRBO is a platform connecting property owners and travelers, while Vacasa offers full-service vacation rental management.
- Vacasa handles property management tasks like cleaning and maintenance, whereas VRBO relies on homeowners to manage these aspects.
- Both companies provide user-friendly websites and apps, but Vacasa also offers professional photography services to showcase rental properties.
Vrbo vs Vacasa
VRBO is a platform allowing property owners to manage their vacation rentals. Vacasa is a platform that offers a more hands-off approach for property owners who do not have the time or expertise to manage their rentals. Vacasa takes care of all the details of renting out a vacation property.
Owned by Expedia Group, Vrbo is a vacation rental site. The name ‘Vrbo’ stands for ‘vacation rental by owners.’ It offers complete homes, which means that its users do not have to share their place with anyone. The whole property is put on rent as a result no one else can rent it at the same time.
Vacasa is another vacation rental site that uses the best of technology to cater to your needs. It works to make both homeowners and tourists happy with their services with attractive returns. It offers 24/7 customer support via phone and e-mail, helping customers every step of the way.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Vrbo | Vacasa |
|---|---|---|
| Incorporated in | 1995 | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Austin, USA | Portland, Oregon |
| Number of Properties | 2 million + | 25000+ |
| Presence | In 190+ countries | In 31 states and 17 countries |
| Vision | To allow families to spend quality time together during their stay | To make their stay as hassle free as possible |
| Virtual Walkthrough | Not provided | Provides a 3 D walkthrough of the property available on rent |
| BBB (Better Business Bureau) Rating | F, not accredited | A+, accredited since 2014 |
What is Vrbo?
Starting in 1995, Vrbo is one of the oldest vacation rental websites. Expedia Group owns it and has acquired a number of small vacation rental sites like Stayz, HomeAway, Bookabatch, Abritel, FeWodirekt, etc. Their main focus is to provide families with a perfect getaway by providing a myriad of rental property sites.
Vrbo’s website offers one of the maximum number of options to choose from when it comes to choosing the right rental property for a vacation. Over 2 million properties are listed on its website, available in more than 190 countries. Besides traditional rental places, one can also choose a bungalow, villa, castle, or tower.
After entering the required information regarding the location, date of arrival, and departure, you can find various options. It has useful filters to help you find your suitable place faster. It offers complete information regarding each listing on its website. It contains everything from trusted pictures to the number of beds available.
It even allows the user to connect to the property manager and ask him questions regarding his property. The best part about using this website is its useful save feature which allows the user to get back on the listing later.
What is Vacasa?
Started in 2009, Vacasa is another vacation rental website that uses the best technology to cater to consumers’ needs. It boasts of a world-class management system that relieves property owners of all responsibilities. It offers round-the-clock service to take care of every tiny detail in property management.
It currently operates in 17 countries only. So, one cannot find any listings in a maximum of the Midwest and Carribean. None at all can be found in Asia or Australia. Though, it has plans to expand soon. One can check back later to find the property.
Like Vrbo, one can find a rental place of their choice by filling in on the necessary details and using filters to arrive at the required results. One thing that distinguishes Vacasa from other vacation rental sites is the 3D walkthroughs it offers. It provides a virtual walkthrough for each of its listings, making it easier for the users to choose a viable place.
Vacasa has received an A+ rating from Better Business Bureau(BBB) as well as accreditation. The Vacasa family is very responsive when it comes to negative reviews. A quick apology and problem-solving techniques make it a very good website for booking a rental place.
Main Differences Between Vrbo and Vacasa
- While Vrbo has been in the vacation rental industry since 1995, Vacasa came into the industry in 2009.
- Vrbo has its headquarters in Austin, whereas Vacasa’s headquarters is in Portland, Oregon.
- Vrbo offers a higher number of listings in comparison to Vacasa. It has more than 2 million options in 190+ countries, while Vacasa has only 25000+ options in 17 countries.
- Vrbo does not offer a virtual walkthrough of its listings. It only has pictures of the property. While Vacasa offers a digital walkthrough in addition to the pictures of its listings, making it easier for its users to select a property.
- Vrbo has received an F rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), without accreditation while Vacasa has an A+ rating and has been accredited as well.
- While Vrbo’s aim is to provide families with a perfect getaway vacation rental, Vacasa aims to use technology to make the user’s stay as hassle-free as possible.
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13683500.2019.1711027
- https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/101653
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. Her goal is to simplify finance-related topics. She has worked in finance for about 25 years. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. Read more at her bio page.
Vrbo offers a higher number of listings in comparison to Vacasa, with over 2 million options in 190+ countries. In contrast, Vacasa offers 25000+ options in 17 countries.
Vrbo’s website offers a wide range of options to choose from when it comes to selecting a rental property for a vacation. Its useful filters make it easier to find a suitable place faster.
Vacasa has plans to expand its operations, and though it may currently operate in 17 countries, it has concepts to expand soon. It’s worth checking back later to find the property.
It is important to note that Vrbo is owned by the Expedia Group, and it offers complete homes for rent. On the other hand, Vacasa handles property management tasks and offers professional photography services to showcase the rental properties.
Yes, Vacasa indeed offers a more hands-off approach for property owners who do not have the time or expertise to manage their rentals.
Vrbo allows the user to connect to the property manager and ask questions regarding the property on its website. This level of connectivity can be beneficial to prospective renters.
It is interesting to note that Vacasa has received an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and has been accredited since 2014, while Vrbo has an F rating without accreditation.
Both Vrbo and Vacasa offer user-friendly websites and apps, but Vacasa goes a step ahead by providing a 3D walkthrough of the property available for rent.
The main difference between Vrbo and Vacasa lies in Vrbo’s aim is to provide families with a perfect getaway vacation rental, while Vacasa aims to use technology to make the user’s stay as hassle-free as possible.