Airbnb vs MakeMyTrip vs Vrbo for Indian Hosts (2026)

By StayScan Editorial Team · Published · Last updated

Airbnb, VRBO and MakeMyTrip compared for Indian hosts: commissions, guest types, payouts and reach. See which platform suits your property.

The Platform Question Every Indian Host Faces

When I first started hosting, I listed on Airbnb and assumed that covered it. Three months later, I noticed that a similar property nearby was achieving 30% higher occupancy. Their secret: they listed on four platforms.

Here's a clear-eyed comparison of the main options for Indian hosts.

Airbnb in India

Who Books Through Airbnb in India

  • International tourists (especially in Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan, Himachal)
  • Urban young professionals (metro city stays for weekend trips)
  • Digital nomads and remote workers
  • NRI visitors to India

Airbnb's domestic Indian traveller reach is more limited than its international reputation suggests. For properties in major tourist destinations with significant international visitor footfall, it's essential. For properties in less internationally-visited locations, Airbnb alone won't fill your calendar.

Airbnb Fees for Hosts

Airbnb uses a split-fee model: hosts typically pay 3% of the booking subtotal (higher for hosts with strict cancellation policies, hosts with Plus listings, and some regions). Guests pay a separate service fee. This makes Airbnb one of the lower-fee platforms for Indian hosts.

Airbnb's Strengths for Indian Hosts

  • Strong brand trust with international guests
  • Good search discovery for travellers planning India trips from abroad
  • Superhost program creates quality differentiation
  • Host guarantee insurance (subject to terms)

MakeMyTrip (MMT) / Goibibo

Who Books Through MMT

The domestic Indian traveller is the core MMT user. This means:

  • Families on domestic holidays (the single largest segment of Indian tourism)
  • Couples on weekend getaways
  • Budget and mid-market domestic travellers

If your property is in a location that attracts Indian families, Goa, Ooty, Coorg, hill stations generally, religious destinations, and you're not on MMT, you are not visible to a very large portion of your potential market.

MMT Fees for Hosts

Commission-based model. MMT typically charges 15–22% commission depending on property type and commission tier. This is higher than Airbnb's host fee but builds it into your pricing rather than passing it to guests separately.

What's Different About MMT Guests

  • More likely to book last-minute
  • More likely to negotiate or ask for special deals
  • May have less familiarity with short-term rental etiquette vs. hotel stays
  • More likely to communicate in Hindi or regional languages

VRBO (Vrbo)

VRBO's Position in India

VRBO is a Expedia Group platform more dominant in Western markets (especially the US, UK, and Europe) than in India. For properties in tourist destinations that attract Western visitors, it provides access to a guest segment that Airbnb also reaches but through a slightly different channel.

VRBO requires a minimum of one full property listing (no room shares), so it's relevant for dedicated short-term rental properties, not shared spaces.

When VRBO Makes Sense for Indian Hosts

  • Goa villas and holiday homes with Western visitor appeal
  • Kerala premium homestays and backwater properties
  • Rajasthan heritage properties

VRBO Fees

Two options: an annual subscription (~$499/year USD) with no per-booking fee, or an 8% per-booking commission. For high-occupancy properties, the annual subscription is more economical.

Booking.com

Booking.com is strong in India for urban business travel and international tourists familiar with the platform globally. Commission is typically 15–18%. For urban apartments in cities with significant international business travel (Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad), it's worth listing.

The Multi-Platform Strategy

The occupancy maximisation approach used by experienced Indian hosts:

  1. List on all relevant platforms, Airbnb for international, MMT for domestic, Booking.com for business travel, VRBO if your market warrants it
  2. Use a channel manager, to avoid double bookings. Options with good India support include Hostaway, iGMS, and Staah. This is necessary once you're on three or more platforms.
  3. Adjust pricing per platform, your MMT price should factor in higher commission; your Airbnb price factors in the guest-paid fee
  4. Build a direct booking channel, after a year of platform-based bookings, you'll have returning guests and referrals. A WhatsApp business number and a simple direct booking process saves you commission on repeat guests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth paying for Airbnb Plus listing in India?

Airbnb Plus (now largely replaced by Airbnb's quality standards program) requires meeting Airbnb's property quality criteria. Properties that meet the standard often see better search visibility. The incremental revenue generally justifies the time investment in meeting the standards.

How do I avoid double bookings when listing on multiple platforms?

A channel manager (iGMS, Hostaway, Cloudbeds, or similar) synchronises calendars across platforms in near real-time. This is the only reliable approach for multi-platform listing. Manually updating calendars across four platforms is error-prone and will eventually result in a double booking.

Should I prioritise direct bookings over platform bookings?

Direct bookings save commission (typically 3–20% depending on platform) but require marketing effort to generate. Platform bookings provide guest insurance, payment processing, and discovery at the cost of commission. The sustainable approach: build your platform presence first, then develop a direct booking channel for repeat guests and referrals over time.

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