❓ Is It Time to Quit Airbnb? What Hosts Are Doing Instead

Airbnb started as a revolutionary idea—affordable, local stays that felt like borrowing a friend’s place rather than checking into a sterile hotel. But by 2025, it’s morphed into something closer to a high-fee hotel aggregator with all the corporate headaches and few of the perks.

It’s not “trash” yet—demand is still up 24% year-over-year in many markets—but the shine has worn off. Hosts are dealing with stricter rules, like the October 2025 shift away from “Strict” cancellation policies and a new 15.5% fee on property management software integrations, which squeezes margins further. Guests complain about surprise cleaning fees, inconsistent quality, and poor support when things go wrong. For many, the platform feels more extractive than empowering.

Why Some Hosts Are Thinking of Leaving

• Regulations and saturation: Cities like Barcelona and Los Angeles are capping or banning short-term rentals, while markets like Phoenix are oversaturated with 4x more listings since 2017.
• Platform greed: Rising fees, biased dispute resolutions, and new add-ons that don’t benefit hosts.
• Workload vs. reward: Constant turnover, cleaning stress, and guest issues leave many hosts burned out. Read more about hosting challenges in 2025.
• Ethical backlash: Some hosts are leaving over corporate moves they disagree with.

Why Some Hosts Stay

Despite frustrations, Airbnb still provides:

• Massive global reach and instant exposure to millions of travelers.
• Built-in trust and secure payments.
• Profitability in high-demand cities like Phoenix or Nashville, if managed strategically with tools like PriceLabs or Smartbnb.

For many, the question isn’t whether Airbnb is broken—it’s whether their ROI still makes sense. If your margins drop below 10–15% after fees and cleaning, it may be time to rethink.

What Hosts Are Doing Instead

Leaving Airbnb doesn’t always mean quitting hosting. Many are diversifying:

• Multi-platform listings: Combining Airbnb with Vrbo, Booking.com, and niche sites to reduce risk.
• Direct bookings: Hosts are creating their own websites and retargeting past guests to keep 100% of the revenue.
• Mid-term or long-term stays: Renting to traveling nurses, corporate clients, or monthly guests for steadier income.
• Niche platforms: Eco-stays, luxury-curated sites like Plum Guide, or ethical models like Fairbnb.

Roomsium Pro Tip 💡

If you’re staying on Airbnb but struggling with reviews, don’t overlook the small details. Guests rarely mention “policies” in reviews—but they rave about comfort. Adding thoughtful amenities like luxury toiletries or even keeping Fruxe Odor Eliminator Spray handy for post-smoking freshness can make the difference between a 4-star and 5-star review.

Finding Your Middle Ground

Not every host needs to quit Airbnb outright. Smarter moves include:

• Diversify across two or three platforms.
• Create a self-updating house manual to reduce guest questions.
• Automate pricing, messaging, and cleaning coordination.
• Focus on niches where quality matters more than quantity.

Conclusion

2025 feels like a tipping point. Airbnb is still profitable in many markets, but it’s no longer the easy, friendly platform it once was. Some hosts will stay and adapt; others will leave or diversify. The smartest hosts treat it like a portfolio—Airbnb is just one channel, not the whole business.

Related Reading

• Vacation Rental Host Challenges in 2025
• How to Write House Rules Guests Will Actually Read
• Luxury Toiletries for Airbnb
• The Living Guidebook: Build a Self-Updating House Manual with AI

✨ Create Memorable Stays with Roomsium

At Roomsium, we believe hosting isn’t just about filling nights—it’s about creating experiences that guests remember. Whether you stay on Airbnb or branch out, the details matter.

👉 Explore amenities that elevate your hosting game at Roomsium.com.