With several long-time veterans and a wave of newcomers to the vacation rental website market, here are 10 reasons Airbnb is going to be the undisputed champ.

1. Google-Like SEO

Airbnb rewards hosts that are responsive and have stellar reviews with improved search visibility. Unlike the others vacation rental sites that highlight properties that pay a premium, Airbnb uses an intelligent search engine to match guests with their perfect place.

 2. No Hassle Transactions

By acting as the financial mediator, Airbnb drastically simplifies the payment process by removing the need to hold deposits, process wire transfers, or obtain credit card information. This streamlined process provides hosts more freedom to book short-term stays and same night reservations.

 3. One-Click Reservations

By enabling the “instant book” option you no longer have to vigilantly hover over your computer to respond to incoming reservation requests. Guests can now instantly reserve your place without any personal communication. Instant bookings reduce the time you must spend responding to reservation requests.

 4. Best Review Process Hands Down

Airbnb was the first vacation rental site to harness the power of social media and user-generated feedback. By linking accounts to Facebook and other social media platforms users only have one chance to make a good first impression. Reviews are prominently displayed and put pressure on hosts and guests alike to provide an exceptional experience.

 5. International Popularity

Airbnb has the largest number international users. This past summer, almost all of my guests were visiting from overseas. International guests tend to stay longer, have deeper pockets, and treat places with greater care, making them the ideal people to rent your place to. Over time you will develop a network of global friends that are willing to host you when traveling abroad.

 6. One-Stop Marketing Platform

It’s surprising how many vacation property owners have to resort to multi-channel marketing because they aren’t getting the results from their standard listing. Don’t get buried under the 500 other listings in your area, or waste money advertising across multiple sites. Set up one listing, manage it well, and the visitors will come.

 7. Better User Interface

Does VRBO make you cringe when you see your search results? It’s bad enough that the interface is archaic, but the results that come up are often not available for the dates or length of stay that you’ve requested. Airbnb’s superior search engine and map interface gets people more engaged and more likely to find your perfect place.

 8. Flexibility

Whether you are looking to make a few bucks while traveling over the holidays, trying to monetizing a spare bedroom, or establishing a full-time rental property, Airbnb accommodates the full spectrum of rental-preneurs.

 9. Up-to-Date Calendars

How frustrating is it to reach out to several places only to discover they are not available on your specified dates? Airbnb rewards hosts that actively manage their calendars to ensure that the properties that appear in search results are actually available to book.

 10. Results

The bottom line is that Airbnb provides results. I’ve been able to obtain a 90% occupancy rate and earn over $150,000 in one year all the while working less than 4-hours a week.  It’s hard to argue with results like that.