# Vrbo Owner — Manage your vacation rental

> Mobile app for vacation rental owners to manage bookings and guests. (iPhone/iPad app by HomeAway.com, Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vrbo-owner/id1071907841 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [HomeAway.com, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/416091680)
- Category: Travel, Business
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 151,264 App Store ratings · 875 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 381 MB
- Languages: American English, Canadian French, German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, European Portuguese, European Spanish
- Released: 2016-02-02
- Data updated: 2026-08-28
- Monetization: ad-supported
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vrbo-owner/id1071907841/reviews.md

## What is Vrbo Owner?

The Vrbo Owner Mobile App makes it easy to manage your vacation rental. Stay connected with travelers, manage your bookings, and run your business, anytime and anywhere. 

NEVER MISS A BOOKING
Get alerted every time you receive an 
inquiry or booking request! You can reply to an inquiry and approve or 
decline bookings directly from your smartphone.


QUICKLY REPLY TO MESSAGES
It’s easy to stay connected to guests 
before, during, or after their booking. You can read and reply to your 
messages quickly, with all of your conversations in one place.


EASILY UPDATE YOUR CALENDAR
Add, edit, or cancel a reservation in your calendar in just a few taps. Need to block dates? That’s easy, too.


AND MORE
Edit your listing, update your house rules and policies, and stay in control with the convenience of an app.

## Key features

- Receive booking alerts
- Reply to inquiries
- Approve/decline bookings
- Manage guest messages
- Update reservation calendar
- Edit listing details

## What do users think of Vrbo Owner?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful customer service
- 💡 Useful marketing tool
- 🚀 Great exposure for listings

**Cons**

- 🐛 Glitchy app and website
- 🔒 Lacks guest verification
- 💰 High fees and commissions
- 👎 Poor communication with owners
- 🔒 Inadequate owner protections
- 👎 Confusing and unintuitive platform

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Calendar sync issues
- Booking request problems
- Unreliable notifications
- Frequent login issues

**Most requested features**

- Improved mobile app functionality
- Better calendar management tools
- More transparent pricing and fees
- Enhanced owner-guest communication
- Stronger fraud prevention measures

## Recent user reviews (10 of 875)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vrbo-owner/id1071907841/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Flawed service that refuses to evolve

*2026-08-26, version 2026.35.0*

VRBO has significant tech debt with the site continuing to load slowly, stall page views, and demand cumbersome workflows for obvious common scenarios. Mobile app mimics the deficiencies of the website and introduces new flaws of its own, including that links from VRBO text message alerts default to opening a marketing banner over the mobile app each time, inexplicably. Demand for bookings is sporadic at best. For all these flaws, VRBO still demands a richer commission than Airbnb.

### 1/5 — Terribly not user friendly

*2026-08-25, version 2026.35.0*

This is really not a well done app. Typing messages alone does not work well. I tried to decline a booking request, and after typing in my explanation and clicking okay, some kind of error occurred and pulled away my message, so when my thumb hit the button to confirm the denial, it instead hit the button underneath which was to accept the booking. You would think there would be some further button for me to confirm this, especially in the context of just going through the process to deny, but no it was just one button press to fully confirm the booking. Vrbo does many things that are anti-renters, but this was just ridiculous.

### 1/5 — Service is getting worse...

*2026-08-23, version 2026.34.0*

I loved using VRBO up until this past year. Nothing seems to work, Customer Service is argumentative. It has become my nightmare.

### 5/5 — Laggy

*2026-08-23, version 2026.34.0*

It’s a good app but some bugs need to be to be fixed or updated

### 1/5 — The worst

*2026-08-23, version 2026.34.0*

VRBO has refused to give us any of our money. They’re stealing over 30k from us. I’ve called now 11 times and no one helps. It’s time to get lawyers involved. Livid. Do not use them!!!

### 1/5 — Freezing in Calendar and terrible pricing

*2026-08-22, version 2026.34.0*

The app has been horrible lately! I just updated and same thing. 

Issues:
1. Cannot customize anything on individual dates. It just shows the loading bottom sheet but doesn’t bring up the details so literally cannot change anything
2. Auto-generated pricing is really bad. It’s raising our normal pricing by double and nothing getting booked.

### 2/5 — Difficult site

*2026-08-21, version 2026.34.0*

I’ve left several notes complaining about maneuvering through the site! Very frustrating and time consuming!! Please fix!!!

### 1/5 — Sooo many bugs!

*2026-08-20, version 2026.34.0*

I don’t know who you have hired to QA and test the features of the iOS app but it has sooo many bugs, it’s unbelievable. Here are just 3.

1. When I try to upload & share a photo through the messaging feature. It just shows a spinning wheel forever.

2. When I try and do a partial refund to a guest it keeps saying it failed and try again. I try again and it fails no matter how many times I try.

3. I tried to “share feedback” through the iOS app and the button doesn’t do anything when I press it! How ironic!

All of these features work on the desktop website but the Apple iOS app is just terrible. Fix these bugs!!!

### 2/5 — Paperweight App (HATE IT)

*2026-08-19, version 2026.34.0*

I’ve been a VRBO owner since 2013. Anyone who gives this app more than 3-stars has very little experience using it. It’s clunky, slow, and inefficient. First complaint. DEVELOPERS, WHY does the app split up conversations once someone books??? Sometimes there’s very pertinent info in the original communications that is critical to the guest’s stay. Once they book, however, it starts an entirely new string? Why, why, WHY??? MONTHS can go by and that pertinent info that is sometimes important to the guest that they conveyed to us from the original conversation is LOST! Makes me think very horrible things about you as the developer. Shameful things! ONE CONVERSATION PLEASE!!! 

Second complaint. WHY DO I NEED TO GO TO THE WEBSITE LOGIN TO UPLOAD DOCUMENTS, ETC. BEFORE ITS USABLE IN THE APP???                   D  U  M  B!!!!!

Third complaint. When a guest sends an attachment, WHY can’t I expand it to make it larger????  
S T U P I D!!!!

WHO SIGNED OFF ON THESE INCOMPETENT DESIGNS??? 

L A Z Y!!!!!

### 1/5 — Used to be wonderful now it’s AWFUL

*2026-08-18, version 2026.34.0*

Vrbo Needs to Reconsider Its New Premier Host Policy

I’ve been a Vrbo owner for years, and I’ve watched the platform evolve considerably. Unfortunately, some of the changes being made in 2026 leave me questioning whether Vrbo still understands the business model of many of the owners who helped build the platform.

My biggest concern is the new Premier Host/Performance Milestone structure.

Under the current 2026 requirements, a property must maintain a 4.6+ rating, a 99%+ acceptance rate, zero owner-initiated cancellations, at least five Vrbo reviews, and at least five bookings OR 60 booked nights. Premier Host is then reviewed quarterly based on the preceding 365 days.

On the surface, that sounds reasonable. I completely understand rewarding owners who provide excellent guest experiences.

The problem is that booking frequency and guest experience are not the same thing.

Vrbo is simultaneously marketing itself as a destination for extended stays, including monthly rentals and stays of 28 nights or longer. That’s a very different business model from turning a property over every three or four nights. A property that specializes in monthly, seasonal, or otherwise extended stays can have excellent occupancy, excellent revenue, excellent guests, and excellent reviews—while generating dramatically fewer individual reservations and reviews.

That’s where the new Premier Host structure becomes counterproductive.

If I rent my property to one guest for three months, that guest may occupy the home for 90 nights. I have successfully generated 90 booked nights for Vrbo from one reservation. But I may receive only one review from that entire stay.

Compare that with a property turning over every weekend. That property can generate multiple reservations and multiple opportunities for reviews in the same period.

Why should the second property be considered more deserving of Premier Host recognition simply because it produces more transactions?

If Vrbo wants to market and encourage longer stays, it needs to recognize that long-stay hosts naturally generate fewer reviews per occupied night.

This is especially frustrating because Premier Host isn’t just a vanity badge. Vrbo says Premier Host properties receive benefits including increased search visibility, a Premier Host filter, improved search positioning, and priority support. In other words, the designation can materially affect a property’s ability to compete on the platform.

That creates a strange cycle:

Vrbo promotes longer stays → longer stays create fewer reservations and reviews → fewer reviews can make Premier Host qualification harder → losing Premier Host can reduce visibility → the host is then effectively encouraged to pursue shorter bookings simply to satisfy the algorithm.

That makes absolutely no sense for a platform that is simultaneously telling owners to embrace extended-stay demand.

And now there is another layer to the problem: Vrbo and Expedia Group are increasingly emphasizing paid advertising and sponsored visibility. I understand that advertising is a legitimate business model, but it becomes frustrating when long-term, loyal owners are told to meet increasingly stringent performance metrics to earn organic visibility while paid placement is simultaneously becoming another avenue for visibility.

After years of listing properties, investing in homes, maintaining them to a high standard, responding to guests, and generating revenue for Vrbo, I don’t think an owner’s value to the platform should be measured primarily by how many individual transactions and reviews they can generate.

Measure the quality of the stay—not simply the number of times the door turns over.

If a property has outstanding reviews, excellent acceptance, zero host cancellations, strong occupancy, and a significant number of booked nights, that should be enough evidence that the host is performing exceptionally well.

I would strongly encourage Vrbo to reconsider the Premier Host criteria and create a fairer path for properties that specialize in extended stays.

For example, Vrbo could distinguish between short-term and long-term booking models and evaluate hosts based on booked nights, revenue, guest satisfaction, review quality, acceptance rate, and cancellations, rather than applying essentially the same review-volume expectations to every property.

I have been loyal to Vrbo for years, and I want to continue being a successful Vrbo partner. But the current system feels like it is penalizing some of the very owners Vrbo should be trying hardest to retain.

If Vrbo truly wants to be the marketplace for both vacation rentals and longer-term furnished stays, its policies need to reflect that reality.

Right now, the marketing says one thing while the incentive structure says something very different.

Vrbo can—and should—do better for its long-standing property owners.

## Frequently asked questions about Vrbo Owner

### What does the Vrbo Owner app do?

The Vrbo Owner app allows vacation rental property owners to manage their business remotely. It provides tools to stay connected with travelers, manage bookings, update calendars, and edit listing details directly from a smartphone.

### How can I manage bookings with this app?

You will receive alerts for new inquiries and booking requests, allowing you to reply and approve or decline them directly through the app. The app also lets you easily update your reservation calendar, add, edit, or cancel reservations, and block dates.

### Is the Vrbo Owner app free to use?

The app itself is free to download and use. However, like many apps, it may display advertisements to support its development and maintenance.

### What devices is the Vrbo Owner app compatible with?

The app is designed for mobile use, meaning it is compatible with smartphones. Specific operating system requirements (like iOS or Android versions) are typically detailed in the app store listing.

### Can I communicate with guests through the app?

Yes, the app makes it easy to stay connected with guests before, during, and after their booking. You can quickly read and reply to messages, with all your conversations conveniently organized in one place.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2026.35.0 — 2026-08-24

This release of the Vrbo Owner App features improved security and fixes some bugs.
 
We are working hard to rapidly improve the mobile experience for Vrbo Owners, and we welcome your feedback.
 
Enjoy!

### 2026.34.0 — 2026-08-17

This release of Vrbo Owner app features improved security and fixes some bugs. We are working hard to rapidly improve the mobile experience for Vrbo Owners, and we welcome your feedback. Enjoy!

### 2026.33.0 — 2026-08-11

This release of the HomeAway Vrbo Owner App features improved security and fixes some bugs.
We are working hard to rapidly improve the mobile experience for Vrbo Owners, and we welcome your feedback.

Enjoy!

### 2026.32.0 — 2026-08-04

This release of the HomeAway Vrbo Owner App features improved security and fixes some bugs.
We are working hard to rapidly improve the mobile experience for Vrbo Owners, and we welcome your feedback.

Enjoy!

### 2026.31.2 — 2026-07-30

This release of the HomeAway Vrbo Owner App features improved security and fixes some bugs.
We are working hard to rapidly improve the mobile experience for Vrbo Owners, and we welcome your feedback.

Enjoy!

## Apps similar to Vrbo Owner

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
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## More apps by HomeAway.com, Inc.

- [Abritel - HomeAway](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abritel-homeaway/id642441300)
- [Vrbo: Vacation Rentals](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vrbo-vacation-rentals/id1245772818)

All apps by HomeAway.com, Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/416091680

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*
