Airbnb App Features To Consider In Your Housing Rental App

Let’s talk about the Airbnb app features!

Remember when hunting for the perfect accommodation was a huge hassle? You had to ensure that it is near to the city, fits perfectly under your budget, and has spot-on amenities. 

However, with the inception of Airbnb, this tedious search process is long gone. 

We’re all familiar with what Airbnb is, and if you travel frequently, you must have stayed in an Airbnb housing rental at least once. For the unacquainted – it is a platform that connects people looking for accommodation with those who provide properties in the locality. 

So, whether you’re looking to go on a business trip, weekend getaway, or vacation, you can use their platform to book rental homes of your choice. It could be an apartment, condo, or the perfect beach house. 

Additionally, if you have an empty property waiting to be used in the right way, you can list your space on the platform too. As a result, you can earn some good additional income. 

Many startups today have come forward to make a similar app like Airbnb. In our last blog post, we discussed the top 7 Airbnb-like applications that are thriving in the industry today. The reason behind their success is that they offer services that are economical, convenient, and very homely. 

Therefore, trying your luck in the housing rentals and lodging space can be a good option.

If you’re a budding entrepreneur or a start-up who is looking for some inspiration from Airbnb, you’re in the right place. In this blog post, we’ll be discussing the Airbnb app features and much more! So, without further ado, let’s get started. 

A Brief History – How Did Airbnb Start? 

Before we proceed to the Airbnb app features, let’s have a quick look at the company’s history. 

Airbnb was founded in 2008 by Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nathan Blecharczyk out of the need to change the way people book hotels. It all started when the three founders decided to rent out their living space and turn it into bed and breakfast. This sparked an idea. 

They realized that the hospitality industry is getting saturated, and this concept can help people book hotels and spaces without any hassle. Thus, they officially launched their website airbedandbreakfast.com in August 2008, where they offered rental homes and breakfast to those looking for a pleasant stay. 

Over the years, the company relentlessly worked to improve its services and cater to the unmet needs of the customers. After receiving multiple fundings from investors and expanding its reach, Airbnb became what it is today. 

Airbnb Stats and Facts 

Company Name	Airbnb
Type	Public
Industry	Lodging
Founded In	2008
Founders	Brian CheskyJoe Gebbia Nathan Blecharczyk
Services	Lodging and Hospitality
Area Served	Worldwide
Website	www.airbnb.com

Airbnb App Features For Renters and Hosts

Airbnb and similar housing rental apps have three variants: the renter app, the host app, and the admin panel. Although the renter and host variants have identical features, some of them are distinct from each other. If you’re looking to make an app like Airbnb, you must ensure that all these versions are robust and have all the necessary features. 

Airbnb App Features For Renters

The customer or renter app variant has the following core features: 

• Profile

The renters can register on the platform by opting for a social login or adding their email addresses. If they choose the latter, they’ll be asked to add their first and last name, password, birthday and agree to the terms and conditions. 

• Property Listings 

Once they’ve created their profile, they can browse through the app and view the available properties. They can also filter their results by adding property types, amenities, price range, and much more. 

• Communication Requests 

This Airbnb app feature allows renters to reach out to hosts and discuss their needs and requirements. They can also chat with them in case they have a query related to the property. 

• Making Payments

The Airbnb app has an integrated payment gateway that allows renters to book and pay for their stay via the app itself. They are required to pay a portion of the fee while booking, and the remaining balance is to be paid before checking in. 

• Manage and View Bookings 

The renters can view and manage all their previous and current bookings from one place. They can see the details such as date, duration of stay, etc. 

• Ratings and Feedback

Once the renters have completed their stay, they can give feedback to the host for their service and hospitality. They can also rate the rental home and provide suggestions if needed. 

Airbnb App Features For Hosts

The host app variant has the following core features: 

• Add Property 

Hosts can list their property on the platform and add images, pricing, and other details that they wish to let the customers know. This feature is free of charge. Additionally, they can also add their house rules. 

• Update Property Listing

Once their property is up on the platform, hosts can update their listing as they need. They can make changes to the title, description, calendar, and pricing. However, these changes will only be applicable to the new bookings and not to those that have already been made. 

• Set Up Calendar

This Airbnb app feature ensures that hosts only receive booking requests from renters when the space is available. Thus, they can set up their calendar and mention details such as how far in advance reservations can be made. 

• Transaction and Booking History

Hosts can view all the transactions and bookings that have been made till the present date. This includes the past, current, upcoming ones. 

• Communication Requests 

Hosts can connect with potential guests and ask more about their needs and requirements—for instance, the itineraries and if they wish to have any additional inclusions in their stay. 

• Ratings and Feedback 

The hosts can give feedback to their guests as well. Once the renters have completed their stay at the rental home, the hosts can provide them with a rating on a scale of 1-5, depending on how good they were. 

Want to build an app like Airbnb? Look no further! Get in touch with us today and make a world-class homestay booking app. 

Airbnb App Features For Admin Panel

The admin panel has the following core features: 

• Dashboard

This Airbnb app feature allows the admin to manage and supervise the hosts and guests. They can have a quick overview of them in a single glance via the dashboard. 

• Managing Hosts

Admins can access each host’s profile. They can access all the information related to their total earnings, penalties, incentives, and ratings. 

• Managing Renters

Admins can handle all the renters’ queries and access information such as cancellation fees, discount codes, referrals, invites, total bookings, etc.

• Real-time Tracking

Admins can track the on-going bookings and transactions that are happening on the portal in real-time. 

• Analytics and Reporting

The admin dashboard’s analytics feature gives a clear picture of all information related to the hosts, renters, and the total number of services booked. 

These were the core features of your Airbnb that you can include in your three variants. Apart from these, there are some exclusive features that you just cannot afford to miss if you want your housing rental app to stand out.

Let’s have a look at them, and you can decide which one works best for you and your app. 

5 Exclusive Airbnb App Features To Include In Your Housing Rental App 

Here are the top 5 features you can add to your app to get a competitive advantage over the other existing apps. 

• Same Day Bookings 

Those days are gone when people used to book their stays months in advance. Now, they plan things in a jiffy and look for last-minute accommodation. By adding this Airbnb feature to your housing rental app, you allow the renters to book and stay in a home on the same day. Thus, you can include a search filter for same-day bookings in your application that the renters can choose to refine their housing rental options. 

• Save For Later 

There are times when renters like a particular housing rental or come across one on the app they’d love to stay in. In both cases, they can save the selected homestay in the app and come back to it whenever they want. Thus, it is a great feature to include in your housing rental app as your users won’t have to worry about looking for their favorite home again. 

• One-Click Invite

Planning a trip with friends can be much more fun with this feature. Your app users won’t have to continuously switch between apps to discuss the best options for a homestay. All they’ll need to do is select the one-click invite feature, and their friends and family can view the apartment together. This feature would make the entire planning process hassle-free, and all the guests will be able to choose an option that fits everyone’s needs. 

• Real-time Alerts and Notifications 

Adding Airbnb app features such as real-time alerts and push notifications to your application keeps users informed at all times. Both the hosts and guests can view the confirmation, booking details, and other important updates from their notification panel itself. Moreover, this feature also comes in handy for promotional and engagement purposes. You can send personalized messages to your users according to their browsing and booking preferences. 

• In-app Chat Feature 

This is one of the most important Airbnb app features. It allows both hosts and guests to communicate with each other and resolve their queries. Apart from this, the hosts and guests can also use the chat feature to get in touch with customer support. Imagine this – what if a renter faces some issue regarding their booking? Or a host encounters an error while receiving the payment? In such cases, the chat feature comes in handy and enhances the overall experience. 

FAQs – Housing Rental Application

As we’ve covered all the core and exclusive features for your housing rental application, let’s get you the answers to some of the most common questions asked. 

• How much does it cost to build a housing rental booking app like Airbnb? 

The cost to build an Airbnb-like application would vary depending on the developer, the platform, features, and the payment contract you choose. For instance, your price can differ if you opt for a native app over a hybrid app. Further, you’ll need to decide whether you want to go for fixed or hourly app development. Finally, a major deciding factor for the overall cost would be the features you want to include in the app. A rough estimate for a native iOS app for your housing rental would range anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000.

• How much time does it take to build an app like Airbnb? 

Each feature takes a set amount of time to be integrated into your app. For instance, the feature to create a profile may take upto 24 hours to be incorporated. Similarly, adding the option of search filters, room variants, and messaging can take anywhere between 24 to 48 hours. Thus, it depends on the features you want your app to have. Creating a basic app with the core features can take upto 800 hours. 

• How should I get started with my housing rental app? 

You should take all the necessary steps required once you have an app idea. Once you’re ready with your plan, you should look for freelancers or a team of the right developers. Once you’ve found your dream team, you can go on and elaborate your idea and seek a feasible solution.

Idea Usher has built over 1000+ successful projects. As each customer is different, we strive to offer solutions that are as unique as them and their ideas. Get in touch with us today and build a world-class homestay booking app to be the next market leader, Airbnb, or simply you. 

Don’t forget to check out our portfolio of mobile applications.