Nowadays, traveling starts long before you take a plane. A few months before the holidays, you start making up routes, searching for an apartment to stay, booking tickets, etc. And you do all those things online and via a mobile app.
Today, we’re going to shed more light on how to make an app like Airbnb and make it thrive. We’re going to answer the most popular questions, including how long it takes to develop an app, how much it costs, etc.
Did you know that Airbnb works in 100,000 cities and 191 countries all over the world? In short, Airbnb revolutionized the way people look for and book holiday apartments. With the app, you don’t have to buy an all-inclusive package tour to experience the local life and feel the spirit of the country. Airbnb offers unmatched flexibility and ease of use for both experienced globetrotters and first-time travelers.
Table of contents
Intro How Airbnb became so popular How Airbnb works Essential features for apps like Airbnb How to develop an Airbnb-like app How much does it cost to develop an app What is Airbnb’s revenue model Summing up
How Airbnb became so popular
There are no secrets of what makes Airbnb so popular. People love the app because it brings traveling to the next level, it offers a completely different experience, and it’s easy to use and navigate. Let’s trace back the full history of how Airbnb became a holiday rental giant.
Long before Airbnb raised $38 billion, it was an awesome idea to buy extra beds to earn a few bucks make rent. Airbnb started with three guys renting out air mattresses in their apartment and turned their idea in a $38-billion business. After the first stayers, they realized they’re into something new that no one saw before.
Gebbia sent Chesky an email where he described his idea to turn their loft into a BB hotel and make a few bucks. And 13 years later, the idea is worth $38 billion. Below you can find the life-changing email that gave rise to the Airbnb empire 🔽
Source: Bill Gross on Twitter
Did you know what Airbnb actually means? It’s an abbreviation for Air Bed and Breakfast. But the company wasn’t a huge success at the first go-off. Airbnb was relaunched several times before it became a $38-billion company.
Everything starts with an idea and even the greatest app ideas may fail for the first time but can become a huge success when launched once more. But the idea isn’t enough to build a multi-billion company from scratch. Let’s find out how to create an app like Airbnb.
How Airbnb works
Airbnb works for two types of users - hosts and travelers. It features a complex logic. And before building up Airbnb-like services, you need to understand how it works for both types of users.
How can guests book an apartment with Airbnb?
The user needs to register or log in as a guest to get access to the property listings
Then users need to complete the profile. Upload a profile picture, ID card number, etc.
Users can search for the right holiday apartments using filters like location, price, etc.
The user sends a request to book a stay and gets a confirmation.
After the user receives a confirmation, Airbnb reserves the money.
The final step is to enjoy the stay.
How can hosts earn money with Airbnb?
The user needs to log in or register as a host and confirm that they’re full-aged.
Then, the user can register the property on Airbnb and add all the essential information, including location, the number of beds and guests, apartment type, etc.
Hosts should upload the actual photos of their property and fix the price.
The hist can start a conversation with their quests to negotiate all the details of their stay when quests request a stay.
If everything is ok, the host approves the stay. But the host can also veto the stay.
The host gets the money in 24h after the quests arrive and confirm the apartment is as good as expected.
Taking into account everything mentioned above, you’ll need to make two apps like Airbnb with different functionalities - one for guests and one for hosts.
Essential features for apps like Airbnb
The app has lots of features to be implemented during the app development process. Of course, you don’t have to add them all to your first MVP. You can start with the core ones.
Registration
Any Airbnb-like cannot help without registration. Your primary option is to add a simple email-and-password registration. And don’t forget to create a “Terms and Policy” page since users have to get acquainted with your policy of use.
Login
When there is a registration, there should be a login screen. Consider adding several login options like email, Facebook, Google, or cell phone number. Note, each login integration takes at least 7 hours of development for each platform. And don’t forget about such sections like “Recover password” and “Log out”.
Search
A “Search” section is the most important part of all vacation rental mobile apps. It’s better to provide a fully-featured search option even in your MVP. Allow users to filter apartments by price, dates, the number of guests, location, etc.
For example, after users set the dates and the location, they get a list of suitable holiday apartments with photos and short descriptions. Then they need to choose one and pay for their stay. It seems so user-friendly, doesn’t it?
Favorites
The following feature eases the search for users. With a “Favorites” section, users can add the most liked apartments to the list and share it with their families and friends.
Chats
After guests send a request to book the apartment, they can also message the host and discuss all the details. Consider adding an opportunity to send photos, videos, and share a location. Moreover, various statuses like offline, typing, or read can also come in handy.
Personal profiles
Airbnb features two types of users - hosts and guests. Both need personal profiles to use Airbnb. As a sequence, they do need to edit their profiles and specify all the details, including full name, age, sex, nationality, etc.
Payments
Adding several payment options is always a good idea. It helps make the paying process secure and fast. Moreover, your users should have an opportunity to add new cards and remove the old ones.
Request
The final step of all booking apps is sending a request for a stay. The users choose the apartment they like most and book it if it’s still available.
Core features for hosts
Apartments
The main app feature for hosts is an “Apartment” section where they can list their flat or house and host travelers. Here hosts create a so-called advertisement for their apartment describing all the details, including location, the number of guests, facilities, etc. Additionally, hosts can upload photos or videos and fix the price for a stay.
Booking requests
Hosts need a separate screen where they can check the requests, approve or decline them in a few clicks. The following screen will be a working station for all hosts.
Notifications
Notifications make it easier to keep in touch with users. For example, the host gets a message as soon as the guest sends a request to book an apartment. Moreover, the app can also notify hosts on booking changes, unchecked requests, etc.
GPS
The features mentioned above make the core of your app. Later, you can add more advanced features to power up your app. Consider adding the following features:
Premium apartments for picky travelers
Superhost and superguest
Multiple language support
Support for multiple currencies and built-in currency converter
Not long ago, Airbnb added a new section called Experience where locals can show you around and help you immerse in the real atmosphere. In other words, Airbnb Experience helps you feel and live like a local.
How to develop an Airbnb-like app
Create an Airbnb-type app doesn’t differ a lot from building any other mobile application. There are several important steps you need to follow while developing your Airbnb-like app:
Your step 1. Make a research and business plan. Coming up with a great app idea isn’t enough for building a successful business.Your step 2. Find and hire your development team. You need to hire an experienced development team to develop another app like Airbnb. You can either hire an in-house development team or outsource app development services. At mova.io, we’ve built apps similar to Airbnb. To check all our projects, visit Our Portfolio .Your step 3. Pay your particular attention to the app design. Your app interface should be as simple as possible.Your step 4. Figure out the core features of your app. It’s better to start your app with a few basic features. The following will help you test the app idea at a much lower cost.Your step 5. Test your app. Before launching an app, you should test it to fix all possible bugs and provide your users with a superior experience.Your step 6. Release and update. App development doesn’t stop after release. It’s time to analyze user behavior, add new features, and update the app.
How much does it cost to develop an app
Besides the app features, several additional factors can also influence the final project price. These are design, location, admin panel, and mobile operating platforms. For a detailed estimation, feel free to contact us.
Development time
Price
Design
1-2 months
$1,000 - $2,000
Mobile Development
3-4 months
$15,000+
API Development
2 months
$6,000+
Admin Panel Development
1+ month
$4,000+
Total
5+ months
$25,000+
All in all, it will take you around $25,000 to create a vacation rental app like Airbnb. Note, the following estimate features approximate numbers. The final price of your Airbnb-like project may differ from that mentioned in the table above.
What is Airbnb’s revenue model
Airbnb is a service that allows hosts to earn additional money by renting out their apartments. And via the app, users can book a room, flat, or house in 100,000+ cities all over the world.
The main way Airbnb earns money is its booking fees 🔽
Guests pay 6-12% booking fee, depending on the duration of their stay
Hosts pay 3% from every transaction
But there are other ways to generate money with services like Airbnb. Built-in ads are the easiest way to make money. Moreover, you can keep in touch with cafes and restaurants and offer them advertisements.
Don’t you like adding ads to your mobile application? Schedule a booking app like Airbnb call with us and we’ll find out how you can generate money with your mobile app.
Summing up
Travelling is one of the things that people cannot live without. It generates billions of dollars every year. Obviously, it cannot grow without high technologies. And the reason why Airbnb became so popular is its ease of use and mobility.
With Airbnb, users can easily book a stay and arrange their leisure time. Creating an app similar to Airbnb may take around 5+ months and cost approximately $25k+ . And it’s high time to start developing your app before there are the demand and resources.
Have a question? Just write to us at:
📮 mail@mova.io
