A Complete Guide to Developing an App Like Airbnb

Airbnb has single-handedly changed how accommodation options are booked and served to users worldwide. The service makes it easier for users to find affordable, high-quality accommodation options while letting property owners list their properties without hassles.

The app's simplicity and ease of use have made it one of the most used services in the hospitality industry. In fact, it has a market capitalization of USD 93.04 billion in 2023.

The growth of Airbnb has encouraged many businesses to hire travel app development services to develop an app like Airbnb.

And if you are considering the same, here is all you need to know about:

• The cost of developing the app.
• What features do you need to add to the app?
• How to hire an online travel app development agency.

Airbnb is a vacation rental booking services provider. In a nutshell, it is an online marketplace where users can search and book rental options anywhere. Since its inception in 2008, the app has transformed the world of travel booking.

It has now become a respected brand offering everyone impeccable services and user experiences.

The app has two chief panels, a Host Panel, and a Guest Panel.

Host Panel.

A host is a property like a resort, hotel, villa, etc., that wants to list themselves for booking. They create a host profile on the Airbnb application.

The listing contains the following information.

• Location of the property.
• The type of the property.
• Number of rooms.
• Amenities like beds, bathrooms, etc.
• Maximum number of guests.

The property also needs to upload various photographs of its property and price.

A guest will contact the property via the app to book it, and the host can share further details of the property to finalize the booking. The Airbnb app requires the guests to pay for the accommodation via the app.

But only after the guest checks in and approves the property as satisfactory on the app does the host receive the payment.

Guest Panel

The guests who search for properties on the Airbnb app can apply filters like location, number of guests, date of traveling, etc. They can book the stays in a property they like by providing adequate information, such as:

• Name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Profile picture ID

Once the guests like the property, they can interact with the host to get more details and finalize their decision. If they decide to stay, a request for approval is sent to the host.

After the host approves the request, the guests need to make the payment for the stay via the Airbnb app along with the necessary taxes and fees.

Developing an app like Airbnb is not an easy task. You must work hard to develop an excellent app with a top-notch user experience.

Here are a few things to remember if you are considering developing an app like Airbnb in India.

• Identify the target audience.
• Define your app requirements.
• Finalize the app’s features.
• Pick a platform for development.
• Choose an app development team.
• Design the app’s UI first.
• Develop your app like Airbnb.
• Carefully test the app before release.
• Launch the app for users.
• Monitor and release updates.

Related Article: How We Helped an eCommerce Brand Get 80k+ Impressions in 2 Months

While developing a travel app solution like Airbnb, you must include the following features to improve the user experience.

Host panel management.

This feature allows hosts to create their profile in the app and effortlessly manage it. They must be able to add property details hassle-free and quickly.

Property management.

Using this feature, the hosts add properties and manage the same. This is where they can add images, type of property, area of property, etc.

Intuitive dashboard.

This is another feature that every app like Airbnb must have. This allows the hosts to view all the analytics and details about their properties. It can range from the number of viewers, requests, booking, etc.

Reservation management.

Every host needs to manage their reservations accurately with ease. They can view the number of reservations and requests on the dashboard. This lets them accept or decline the requests based on various factors. The option makes it easy for the hosts to avoid over and under-booking of their property.

Payment management.

The hosts must be able to manage the payments for their properties. They can manage their payment methods, check the payments received, commission paid, etc. This gives them full control of their revenue from the app.

Guest profile management.

This feature enables the guests to create and manage their profiles on the app. They can create an account, add and remove details, update contact information, etc., from the profile management section.

Search capabilities.

Searching for properties on the app must be easy and quick. The guests must also be able to apply filters to find the best property that matches their requirements. The search capabilities allow them to streamline their search.

Reviews and ratings.

The guests must be able to read reviews and ratings of the properties they want to visit. This section helps them choose the best property based on positive ratings and reviews. Further, the guests can also use this feature to leave their reviews of the property after their stay.

Booking management.

Guests would want to check their bookings and manage the same from the app. Adding the booking management feature makes it easier for them to manage their apps without any hassles.

Customer service.

Adding a customer service line or chat support is a great feature to elevate the user experience on the app. This will help all users get timely customer service if they face any issues.

Analytics and reporting.

You can add an analytics feature to the app to get analytics about booking, guests, and booking-related data. You may also add capabilities to integrate Google Analytics, Tableau, etc., for marketing insights.

User management for admins.

This is an important feature for admins to manage both guests and hosts. Admins can use this feature to approve new hosts to make them public and approve guests to search for new properties.

Diverse factors influence the cost of developing an app like Airbnb. Let’s discuss each of them here.

Your app requirements.

The cost of development goes up and down based on your requirements. A highly complex app with numerous features can cost a lot.

Similarly, a smaller app is cheap to develop. Hence, develop an app with essential features when developing the app to keep the travel app development cost low.

You can add more features later if your customers need them.

Size of the development team.

The development team must have a project manager, developers, designers, strategists, testers, etc. When developing a larger travel app solution, the number of people working on it increases.

When you have more people working on the app, the cost naturally goes up.

App for single or multiple platforms.

Most businesses develop apps for both Android and iOS platforms. Developing apps for both shoots, the travel app development cost is high as you need separate apps for both.

You can develop the app for one of the platforms based on the target audience. Or you can build a cross-platform app that works on both platforms.

The design of the app.

An app with a unique design and user experience naturally costs more to develop as it requires more time to realize.

The best way to keep the cost down in the design department is to use a standard design that is easy to develop without compromising the user experience.

The location of development.

Where you develop a travel app like Airbnb is another factor that determines the overall travel app development cost.

For example, developing apps in the US, Canada, etc., is extremely expensive as the labor charges in those regions are high.

On the other hand, choosing to develop an app like Airbnb in India and other Asian countries is more affordable. The cost of labor in these countries is very low.

From our experience as an app development company in general, the following are the standard hourly rates for development.

Picking the right app development offering travel app development services is a huge challenge.

Here are 7 tips for choosing the best app development agency.

• Check the agency’s portfolio.
• Ask for quotes from multiple providers.
• Interact with the agency’s previous clients.
• Talk to the development team of the company.
• Post-development support by the agency.
• Security for the app and business info.
• Check the preferred communication channels.

Related Article: How Much Does It Cost to Develop an eCommerce Mobile App

We have hands-on experience in the field for more than 10 years. But that’s not the only element that makes us the best agency in the market offering the best travel app development services.

Here are the top reasons our clients prefer us as their go-to online travel app development agency over others to develop a travel app like Airbnb.

• Work with a team of experts.
• Get custom service packages.
• Develop apps at minimum cost.
• Benefit from advanced infrastructure.
• A reliable, timely customer service to help.
• Impeccable quality with multiple QA processes.

Investing your money in the right idea at the right time is crucial for its success. But when developing a travel app solution like Airbnb, the most crucial element is choosing the right agency that can offer customized travel app development services that your business requires. Thanks to our experience and expertise in app development, AddWeb Solution can help you here.

Our team of expert engineers can transform your idea into an app that brings you constant revenue and growth opportunities. For over a decade, we have been helping our clients realize their visions for profitable apps.