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Airbnb review

Updated September 28, 2026 · NomadCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Airbnb suits groups who want one booking that covers a stay and the tours attached to it, with a range on offer that runs to hotels and tours. The trade-off is money added at checkout, where guest booking fees take 14.1% to 16.5% of booking subtotal (guest).

Key facts

Best for
Groups booking a stay plus tours in one place, on a mobile app.
Products
Hotels, Tours↗
Booking fees
14.1% to 16.5% of booking subtotal (guest)↗
Cancellation terms
Free cancellation window set by each host↗
Mobile app
Yes↗
Legal entity
Airbnb, Inc.↗
Headquarters
United States↗
Founded
2008↗
Support channels
Help-centre, Community, Phone, Email↗
Official website
airbnb.com

Facts checked September 26, 2026, 5 sources

Apps and profiles

Get the app
App StoreGoogle Play
Elsewhere
WikidataWikipediaLinkedInX

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Covers two travel needs at once: hotels and tours sit under the same account
  • A mobile app is available, so searching and messaging run on a phone
  • Cancellation terms are set per host, which is Free cancellation window set by each host rather than one fixed rule
  • Support runs through help centre, community and phone, so phone and email sit alongside self-service
  • Narrower than the transport-first names: MoMo lists flights, rail and bus but reaches the stay only after the journey is booked

Cons

  • Guest booking fees of 14.1% to 16.5% of booking subtotal (guest) sit on top of the stay price, so a family budget needs the fee built in before checkout
  • Products are limited to hotels and tours, so rail and ferry legs must be booked elsewhere, unlike WayAway's flights, rail and bus
  • The free cancellation window is Free cancellation window set by each host, so flexibility depends on the individual host and not the platform
Airbnb

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Scored 9.0 / 10 by NomadCue.

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Who it suits

  • Families and small groups splitting one stay across several travellers
  • Travellers pairing a stay with tours in the same destination
  • Anyone who prefers searching and messaging on a mobile app

Who should look elsewhere

  • Travellers whose trip depends on rail or ferry legs should look at WayAway, which lists flights, rail and bus in one place
  • Groups on a hard budget should weigh MoMo first, where hotels and tours sit in one booking flow across flights, rail and bus
  • Anyone who needs one fixed cancellation rule should check 12Go, which covers flights, rail and bus

What you can book

Airbnb sells two things under one account: hotels and tours. A stay is the core of it, and tours sit alongside, so a group can pair a home base with the activities it wants rather than stitching two sites together. That pairing is what separates it from the transport-first names in this roundup. MoMo covers flights, rail and bus, WayAway runs to flights, rail and bus, and 12Go covers flights, rail and bus, so all three reach a stay, but each gets there from the transport side. A group already holding rail or ferry tickets picks its base on the same screen. A mobile app is available, which matters for a group trip: the search, the messages to a host and the confirmation all run on a phone in a pocket rather than on a desktop that stays at home. The gap is ground transport. Nothing in hotels and tours covers the journey between the arrival point and the check-in door, so groups landing at an airport or a station plan that leg on a separate site.

Fees and cancellation

The cost to watch is the guest booking fee, which runs at 14.1% to 16.5% of booking subtotal (guest). It sits on the subtotal rather than on a single flat charge, so a family booking several rooms or a longer stay sees the percentage work across a larger base. A group comparing total spend should read the fee against the subtotal, not against a nightly rate. Cancellation is the second lever, and here the platform steps back. The terms are Free cancellation window set by each host, so flexibility is a property of the individual listing rather than a promise from Airbnb itself. Two bookings on the same trip can carry different windows, which makes a flexible plan harder to price. Combined, the two decide what a group actually keeps. A booking with a generous window still carries 14.1% to 16.5% of booking subtotal (guest), and a cheaper stay with a tight window can cost more when a date moves. Checking the window at the listing stage costs nothing and settles the question early.

The company behind it

The operator is Airbnb, Inc., headquartered in the United States and founded in 2008. A long operating history is useful context for a group placing a large booking: the company behind the booking is established rather than new to the market. Support runs on help centre, community and phone, which mixes self-service with human routes. A group that hits a problem mid-trip has phone and email available, while a group sorting out a date before departure can use the help centre and the community boards. No licences are listed for this brand, and none are claimed here. Booking a stay means relying on the terms and the host's cancellation window as the practical safeguard, which returns the choice to the listing rather than to the company.

How Airbnb compares

Where Airbnb is available

Available
Everywhere except Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What does Airbnb charge guests on top of the stay price?+

Guests pay booking fees of 14.1% to 16.5% of booking subtotal (guest). The charge applies to the booking subtotal rather than to a single night, so a group booking several rooms or a longer stay should read the fee against the subtotal when comparing options.

Can I cancel an Airbnb booking for free?+

Cancellation depends on the host, because terms are Free cancellation window set by each host. Some listings give a free window and others do not, so a group that may need to shift dates should read the policy on the listing before it books.

What can I book on Airbnb besides a place to stay?+

The catalogue runs to hotels and tours, so tours are bookable on the same account as the stay. Groups that want the base and the activities in one place get both without opening a second site.

Does Airbnb cover trains, buses and ferries?+

No. Products stop at hotels and tours, which leaves rail, bus and ferry connections to another platform. WayAway lists flights, rail and bus, so groups whose route depends on those legs may prefer to hold everything there.

Is there an app for planning and booking?+

Yes, a mobile app is available for searching listings, messaging hosts and confirming a booking. It suits a group trip where planning happens away from a desktop, with each traveller able to check details on a phone.

How do I reach Airbnb if something goes wrong?+

Support runs through help centre, community and phone. That mixes self-service with human routes, so a group sorting a problem during a trip can reach phone or email, while a group checking details beforehand can use the help centre or the community boards.

Which company runs Airbnb?+

The service is operated by Airbnb, Inc., headquartered in the United States and founded in 2008. A long operating record is worth weighing for a group placing a sizeable booking with a single host.

Is Airbnb regulated or licensed?+

No licences are listed for this brand, and none are claimed. The practical safeguard is therefore the listing itself: the cancellation terms are Free cancellation window set by each host, so the protection a group gets depends on the host it books with.

Sources

  • apps.apple.com/us/app/airbnb/id401626263 checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Mobile app

    “trackName=Airbnb; sellerName=Airbnb, Inc.”

  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbnb checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Founded

    “Airbnb was founded in 2008 by Brian Chesky, Nathan Blecharczyk, and Joe Gebbia”

  • play.google.com/store/apps/details checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity, Support channels

    “888 Brannan St FL 4 San Francisco, CA 94103-5070 United States”

  • airbnb.com/help/article/1857 checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Booking fees

    “Guests pay a service fee ranging from 14.1% to 16.5% of the booking subtotal”

  • airbnb.com/terms checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Cancellation terms, Products

    “the amount refunded to you is determined by the Host's cancellation policy that applies to that Reservation”

Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Airbnb

Airbnb

Groups booking a stay plus tours in one place, on a mobile app.

9.0/10See alternatives