Airbnb is one of the biggest trends in regional and international travel, but the rates and lengths of stay differ from stop to stop. Whether you can rent an Airbnb for a day or not depends on a variety of different factors.
An Airbnb can be rented for anywhere from a day to fourteen days in a row during most rental agreements. There are also long-term Airbnb rental arrangements available from twenty-eight days to six months for extended travel options.
The prices of Airbnb rentals depend on where you’re staying and the amenities provided. Keep reading to learn more about Airbnb day rentals.
How Much is an Airbnb for the Day?
The range of prices of a daily Airbnb rental varies wildly from rental to rental. The main reason for this is because each person renting out their property as an Airbnb is allowed to set their own prices for how much they went to charge as the per-night rental fee. It’s also the result of the following factors:
- Geographic location: Airbnb properties located in areas that are popular with tourists are likely to charge more than properties that are located in regions that are off the beaten path. However, popular tourist destinations are also more likely to involve a wide range of price options available for rent. For example: an Airbnb in the Texas Hill Country is likely to cost less than one of the coolest Airbnbs in the US.
- Size of the rental space: Most Airbnb rentals are charged based on a percentage of the property’s market value. The larger the rental property that is being rented, the more expensive the daily rental fee will be.
- Amenities provided: Airbnb rental charges often factor in the property’s amenities such as free WiFi access, kitchenware, cleaning supplies, and urban parking. Providing these extra touches can allow an Airbnb property owner to charge more per daily rental.
- Suggested rate: Airbnb suggests a rate to charge for Airbnb rentals, and many property owners use this suggested rate as a jumping-off point to determine their rental price. However, some property owners warn that the algorithm for Airbnb’s suggested rate is not accurate enough to depend on when setting rental charges.
- Positive reviews: Positive reviews can make a huge difference in what an Airbnb property can charge. The more positive reviews an Airbnb attains through the experience of its guests, the more the Airbnb rental at that property is worth.
- Number of guests: Many Airbnb rentals will charge an additional fee per night for extra guests in the residence. Other property agreements will allow extra guests up to a certain number.
- Additional fees: On top of the amount that the property owner wants to charge for their daily Airbnb fee, renters also have to pay other additional fees such as cleaning fees, Airbnb service fees, local taxes, and security deposits. These additional fees are dependent on the Airbnb property’s location and the local regulations. (Source: Airbnb)
Regardless of where you seek out Airbnb rentals, you’re going to get rentals that range from $50 up to several hundred dollars a night. Below you’ll find a table of a dozen different Airbnb rentals and their daily rates to show the diversity of rental fees charged.
It’s easy to find an Airbnb rental for a day, but it’s not quite so easy to determine what that daily rental is going to cost. Luckily, Airbnb makes it easy for patrons to check ahead of time to see what kind of daily Airbnb rentals will be available in the area they’re traveling, and for what fees.
How to Find Cheap Daily Airbnb Rentals
If Airbnb rental fees span the gamut from fifty bucks a night to hundreds of dollars a night, how do potential patrons determine where to find the cheapest Airbnb rentals? If you want to find a low daily rate for an Airbnb rental, here are some things you should look into:
- Check the filters at Airbnb. If you’re looking for Airbnb rentals for a single night within a certain time period, you can filter your results by price to find rentals that fit your budget.
- Look for less popular travel destinations. You’re going to find much better Airbnb rental deals in rural areas such as Kentucky and central Florida versus major tourist hot spots like San Francisco or New York City.
- Look for modest accommodations. You’ll pay much less for a one-bedroom studio apartment rental than you will for a four-bedroom log cabin, so filter your rental results by number of rooms to find cheaper (and smaller) rental properties.
Finding a good deal on a daily Airbnb rental may take a little digging, but there are plenty of listings to choose from.
How Many Days Can I Rent My Airbnb?
While it’s possible to rent an Airbnb for extended rental stays, once a property owner charges more than fourteen days of rent, they must report the income for tax purposes. Property owners can rent their properties for up to fourteen days a year tax-free but otherwise must claim this income on their income taxes.
The number of days an Airbnb property is rented out is determined by the property owner. However, even if a property owner lists their Airbnb as a short-term rental, potential renters may reach out and contact the property owner seeking a long-term engagement.
Can I Rent an Airbnb for a Month?
It’s possible to rent an Airbnb for a month or even for longer periods (up to six months). This makes Airbnb a tempting option for travelers who have to spend long periods away and want a temporary property that has all the comforts of home.
Anyone who rents their property through Airbnb for short-term rentals can also rent their Airbnb property out for long-term rentals. However, rental owners who plan to rent their properties for long-term Airbnb engagements should consider the following (Source: Airbnb):
- Long-term rentals open up property owners to squatters. Local laws and regulations can sometimes make it very difficult for a rental property owner to evict a long-term resident even with due cause, and this can be months of hassle without rental income if the renter decides not to pay.
- Long-term rentals will require a more extensive rental agreement. If you end up with problem renters for a short-term rental (1-14 days) it may be a bit of an annoyance, but it’s generally not a major concern for the rental owner. However, if that same problem renter has rented out the property for months, you’re dealing with a much bigger problem if rules get broken.
There are advantages and disadvantages to renting an Airbnb for a month, but for travelers who are spending months abroad, an Airbnb rental can offer a comfortable place to land.
Long Rentals vs. Short Rentals
When it comes to renting out a property for Airbnb, long-term rentals come with a different set of advantages and disadvantages compared to short-term rentals. Here are some of the pros and cons you can expect to run into with each type.
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term Rentals | Flexible rental schedule, more profitable than long-term rental, tax breaks | High turnover of guests means poor screening, greater risk of damage, less reliable rental income |
| Long-term Rentals | Steady income, less disruption to neighbors, lack of access to the property | Less income, may have difficulty with evictions, have to report rental income for taxes |
In many ways, whether a rental property is a better fit for a long-term or a short-term Airbnb arrangement depends on how the space is used otherwise. A person who only plans to rent out their property when they’re out of town on their own vacation is going to have different goals than someone who has invested in a secondary property for constant Airbnb rentals.
Is Airbnb Cheaper Than Renting?
Those travelers looking at Airbnb as a cheaper alternative over month-to-month renting may come away from their research disappointed. The truth is that most Airbnb property owners are not especially interested in establishing long-term rental properties because of the risks stated in the section above.
This means that long-term Airbnb rentals are often priced at a higher rate than what a person would pay to rent a home traditionally in the same area. In some cases, renters can rent out Airbnb properties in the long-term for cheaper than they would get a traditional rental. Renters through Airbnb can avoid some of the following rental expenses:
- Broker’s fees
- Utilities
- Internet access
- Furniture (most Airbnb properties come fully furnished)
Long-term renters save money on some traditional rental amenities. In some areas this means a long-term rental through Airbnb can end up cheaper than renting an apartment or a house in the same area.
Savings in Long-term Airbnb Rentals
Because Airbnb properties are rented out by individuals rather than by corporations, they tend to be more lenient when it comes to terms like security deposits and other secondary fees in comparison to corporate rental companies.
Airbnb renters can also use their Airbnb rentals to charge points onto a credit card to earn free miles at major airlines. This means that even if it ends up being slightly more expensive, an Airbnb rental has added value that a traditional rental doesn’t.
Advantages of Airbnb Rentals
Whether an Airbnb is rented for six days or six months, there are many advantages that these rental properties offer both to the people renting them and to the people renting them out. From an economical standpoint, here are the two biggest benefits of Airbnb rentals (Source: Economic Policy Institute):
- Airbnb allows small property owners to invest in short-term rentals. This can help provide a secondary income stream for middle-class Americans to diversify their income and establish more financial security for themselves.
- Airbnb increases diversity and competition among traveler accommodations. The wide range of prices available for Airbnb rentals in any given major city is good for both travelers and small businesses too.
- Airbnb encourages grassroots tourism and boosts the local tourism industry. Even in parts of the country that aren’t traditionally tourist towns, Airbnb properties allow visitors to put some of their money back into the local economy.
Even though Airbnb can sometimes be just as expensive or even more expensive than local hotel rentals, the benefits of patronizing the service far outweigh the disadvantages.
Daily Airbnb Rentals Are Good Business
Airbnb has made it easy for property owners to rent their spaces out on either a short-term or a long-term basis. This practice provides a good income for landlords. It also offers renters a wide variety of unique and comfortable residences to rent out on their travels. That’s an arrangement that works out well for every party involved.
If all of this excites you, maybe you should host an Airbnb experience in your city!