Comparison

Google Earth vs Airbnb

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Google Earth

Explore the world with high-resolution satellite imagery and 3D terrain. Dive into streets with Street View and create collaborative, data-driven maps from anywhere.

Highlights
  • High-resolution satellite imagery
  • 3D terrain and building exploration
  • Street View 360° perspectives
  • Create and collaborate on maps
  • Data-driven mapping
Currently charting
Read full description

Create and collaborate on immersive, data-driven maps from anywhere, with the new Google Earth. See the world from above with high-resolution satellite imagery, explore 3D terrain and buildings in hundreds of cities, and dive in to streets and neighborhoods with Street View's 360° perspectives.

About

Airbnb

Discover and book unique accommodations, local experiences, and professional services worldwide. Find the perfect stay for any trip, explore authentic activities hosted by locals, and enhance your visit with convenient on-demand services.

Highlights
  • 8+ million vacation rentals
  • Thousands of local experiences
  • On-demand professional services
  • Personalized trip recommendations
  • Offline trip details
  • In-app messaging with hosts
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AIRBNB MORE THAN AN AIRBNB The world is endlessly interesting and with Airbnb, you can explore it in more ways than ever. Find remarkable homes, unforgettable experiences, and incredible services all in one app. Get inspired, book, and go. BOOK A HOME AND GO WHERE HOTELS CAN’T Explore 8+ million vacation rentals in 240+ countries and regions to find the perfect stay for every kind of trip, whether you’re traveling alone or with a group. Use over 80 filtering options to find the amenities you want, like a pool, a kitchen, or accessibility features like step-free entry. View all the details of a place at a glance on the listing page and check out the ratings and reviews to see what other guests who’ve stayed there think about it, too. DON’T JUST SEE A PLACE, EXPERIENCE IT Find thousands of experiences around the world, hosted by locals who know their city best—all vetted for quality based on a host’s expertise, reputation, and authenticity. Uncover unique perspectives on landmarks and museums. Get a taste of local cuisine through cooking classes and food tours. Enjoy the great outdoors, an art workshop, a live performance, and much more. Plus, check out Airbnb Originals—extraordinary experiences hosted by the world’s most interesting people, designed exclusively for Airbnb. MAKE YOUR STAY EVEN MORE SPECIAL WITH INCREDIBLE SERVICES Make the most of your stay by booking incredible services right at your Airbnb, like private chefs, photography, catering, prepared meals, hair styling, nail treatments, makeup, massages, personal training, and spa treatments—each offered by experienced service hosts who have been vetted for quality. You can book thousands of professional services at nearly every price, all in one app, all over the world. Best of all, you don’t need to stay at an Airbnb or even be on a trip to get these services. Schedule a blowout, training session, and more right at home. GET A TRAVEL APP THAT TRAVELS WITH YOU After you book a home, you’ll get personalized recommendations on the homepage suggesting services and experiences for your trip, tailored to where you’re staying and who you’re traveling with. And the redesigned Profile gives you a snapshot of all the places you’ve been to on Airbnb, and the people you’ve met along the way. FIND ALL YOUR TRIP INFO IN ONE PLACE Quickly find or share the details of your reservation—making it easier for everyone to get there, get inside, and get connected to wifi with just a tap. Our in-app messaging means every guest on the trip can easily communicate with hosts to say hi, ask questions, and receive up-to-the-minute booking updates. You can also share photos, videos, and even customize an Airbnb Service, all in the same chat. And with a day-by-day view of everything you booked in the updated Trips tab, it’s simple to keep track of your plans and get key details like check-in times, special instructions, and entry codes all in one place, even when you’re offline. WANT TO HOST? AIRBNB MAKES IT EASY. Whether you want to host a home, experience, or service, you can reach millions of people traveling and grow your business on Airbnb. List your home in a few simple steps. Or, you can apply to host an experience or service and once approved, you’re ready to welcome the world. YOU’VE COME THIS FAR—NOW GO FARTHER Stop reading and fire up the app to book yourself a one-of-a-kind trip on Airbnb.

Screenshots

Google Earth4 screens
Airbnb4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Airbnb at 4.8 against Google Earth's 4.0. Airbnb also leads on ratings volume (703K vs 47K) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). Google Earth's advantage is review sentiment (45% vs 14%) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Airbnb holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Airbnb has 703K ratings behind it against 47K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 45% of Google Earth's written reviews are positive against 14% of Airbnb's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Google Earth ships an update fortnightly, Airbnb weekly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Google Earth versus Airbnb: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGoogle EarthAirbnb
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (47K ratings)4.8 (703K ratings) — better
Positive reviews44.6% of reviews — better14.1% of reviews
Number of ratings47K703K — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#19#2 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size158 MB342 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGoogleAirbnb, Inc.

Customer experience

Google Earth

All ratings47,293 ratings
Positive73.9%
Neutral6.6%
Negative19.5%
Written reviews1,442 reviews
Positive44.6%
Neutral9.8%
Negative45.6%

Airbnb

All ratings702,806 ratings
Positive94.9%
Neutral1.4%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews4,097 reviews
Positive14.1%
Neutral6.0%
Negative80.0%

User reviews

Google Earth

From 47K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌎 Ability to explore the world
  • 👍 Useful for geography and education
  • 🌍 Detailed satellite and street view imagery
  • 🎨 3D mode for immersive experience

Room to improve

  • 🕰️ Outdated imagery and maps
  • 🔍 Difficulty finding specific locations
  • 🚧 Blurred or missing details in some areas
  • 🛑 Restricted access to certain regions

Airbnb

From 703K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great customer service
  • 💡 Expanded app features
  • 👍 Variety of accommodation options

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable calendar and messaging
  • 🔒 Lack of host verification and accountability
  • 💰 Deceptive pricing and hidden fees
  • 🤖 Poor outsourced customer support

Bugs and requests

Google Earth

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes and freezes on mobile devices
  • Inconsistent performance and quality across platforms
  • Issues with loading and displaying street view

Requested features

5 requests
  • Update satellite and street view imagery more frequently
  • Improve search and navigation functionality
  • Add more 3D coverage for cities and landmarks
  • Introduce a night mode or time-of-day feature
  • Allow users to report outdated or missing information

Airbnb

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes and lags
  • Incorrect calendar and date information
  • Inability to update payment methods

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to leave negative reviews for hosts
  • Better search filters for location and distance
  • More host verification and security measures

In-app purchases

None

Google Earth

No in-app purchases

None

Airbnb

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Google Earth free?
Google Earth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Airbnb free?
Airbnb is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Google Earth or Airbnb?
Airbnb is rated higher. Google Earth averages 4.0 out of 5 from 47K ratings, while Airbnb averages 4.8 from 703K ratings.
Do Google Earth or Airbnb have ads?
Neither Google Earth nor Airbnb shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Google Earth or Airbnb?
Google Earth ships an update fortnightly, and Airbnb weekly. Most recently, Google Earth was updated on September 24, 2026 and Airbnb on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, Google Earth or Airbnb?
Google Earth currently peaks at #19 in the App Store charts, and Airbnb at #2. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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