Why nobody books with Airbnb anymore
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I've had all positive experiences with AirBNBs, but one of the initial draws was the cost was low compared to hotels. Nowadays that's far from the truth and as a result I only use it when I need more of a house experience vs. a hotel.
Airbnb became one of the most valuable companies in the world by turning spare rooms into a global marketplace. In this business breakdown, we look at how Airbnb grew so fast, what happened to Airbnb after its peak, and why trust became the biggest risk in the entire model.
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Did it once. Had to buy all paper goods and towels. Never again. Prefer better hotels, best surprise is no surprise
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So i started using air b&b years ago. 2017/2018 and it was awesome. There were some really nice spots you could rent and very cheap. A little shack in someones garden next to the beach, hot tub, ac, wifi included or a totally off the grid cabin on a mountain top. These places were $60-$80 per night which was awesome because i was broke. Thid opened the door to totally new regions for exploration and i had a ton of fun. Well, not anymore. The base prices for most places is insane and if you find a decent price, you get scammed with the $150 cleaning fee, service charges and also taxes from local municipalities. So i stopped. I started camping instead.
Furthermore, i also had to deal with the scam artist side of it too; properties that were carefully pictured so as to look like a quiet, remote location, but ended up being an apartment. I even rented an apartment that was made to look like a cabin in pictures. It was 2 little cabins shoved together in the owners back yard. The other cabin was used for an airbnb and this whole thing was the worst experience. The owner would invite himself over to my unit or the airbnb unit and just linger around having awkward conversations and prying for information. Nope. Never again.
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In addition to the issues you listed I stopped listing on Airbnb when the founders donated to Trump’s campaign and joined DOGE. Another product I’ll never buy.
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YearOperational RevenueNet Income / (Loss)Profit Margin (%)
2016$1.70 Billion~($137 Million)N/A (Loss)
2017$2.56 Billion($70 Million)N/A (Loss)
2018$3.65 Billion($17 Million)N/A (Loss)
2019$4.81 Billion($674 Million)N/A (Loss)
2020$3.38 Billion($4.53 Billion)*N/A (Loss)
2021$5.99 Billion($352 Million)N/A (Loss)
2022$8.40 Billion+$1.89 Billion22.5%
2023$9.92 Billion+$4.79 Billion48.3%
2024$11.10 Billion+$2.65 Billion23.9%
2025$12.24 Billion+$2.52 Billion20.6%
Wow airbnb is really failing , by having record revenue and profits year to year
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Every time I've stayed at an Airbnb I've been stunned. Horrible sheets, horrible towels, falling apart. Completely mismatched ugly furniture that looks like they don't care if you live in a dump. Then you have to DO CHORES even though you're paying for housekeepers to come in and clean. And literally EVERY property I've stayed at misrepresents their properties terribly online. The last Airbnb I stayed at, I ended up in a ghetto and cried myself to sleep. The ad made it look like it was going to be beautiful and claimed it had mountain views. It literally had only a view of the nasty wall of the towering apartment building next door. It was a 1 story shack, wedged between THREE tall apartment buildings. None of this crap is what people want when they are on vacation.
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I booked it right now in Napoli 😋 sometimes is better then Booking
This is the rise and fall of Airbnb, from air mattresses in a San Francisco apartment to a platform worth more than Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott combined at its peak. The company built a powerful two-sided marketplace, benefited from a negative cash conversion cycle, and rode a wave of millennial travel behavior that made “living like a local” feel more appealing than staying in a hotel.
But the same model that made Airbnb powerful also created structural weakness. Hosts, guests, regulators, and local communities all had different incentives, and over time Airbnb had to absorb the blame for hidden fees, inconsistent property quality, bad support experiences, safety concerns, and the spread of professional operators across the platform. For viewers wondering what happened to Airbnb, the answer is less about one bad quarter and more about a long erosion of trust.
I prefer to stay in apartments, so I still use them.
The video also covers how Airbnb survived the pandemic, why its IPO still became a huge success, and how Brian Chesky eventually swung back into founder mode to fix parts of the product. But fixing pricing and interface problems is different from rebuilding customer belief once people start asking why Airbnb declined and why hotels are starting to look better again.
For founders and operators, this Airbnb documentary is really a lesson in protecting the core promise of a business. If the whole product depends on trust, then every fee surprise, policy decision, and bad experience compounds. Airbnb may still be huge financially, but the deeper story is how a beloved product can lose the trust that made it work in the first place.
Still better prices than the competition when it comes to holiday house rentals.
More User Perspectives
You should do Priceline & Traveloocity.
@TxGal4EverI gave up on AiBnB when the cleaning fees started and they didnt include them in the advertised price. It was annoying.
@TheBuildOrderFirst of all, it's not true, the title is a clickbait. There are things on AirBnb that are annoying, certainly.
But it is still a better option than a hotel when you are with a family. Hotels are much more expensive for families, and many times they don't even have the rooms to accommodate a family.
It is still better if you want to cook for yourself, it is still better if you need a place that is more than a bed and a shower. We stayed in AirBnb many times. Most of the experiences were positive. Yes, if even if you are a clean person, which not all people are- the host still needs to clean the place- toilets, floors, vacuum, etc.
Do you think that you are not paying a cleaning fee in a hotel? You do, it's just included in the price of the room. If this would be included in the price- would you still consider booking the same place?
Where does it get annoying? First of all- if you are a host and you have problematic guests- which happened more than once to a relative that is renting his home.
AirBnb clearly prefers to take the side of the renters as they are the ones brining money- even if it is VERY clear that the guest was the wrong one, and it is a pattern, not a single incident.
It is also gets annoying when a place is not as advertised, which happened to me once.
As consumers, we need to read the recommendations carefully, and when someone is complaining- check what does he complain about.
But as an alternative for a hotel when you have family or pets- it is still better.
AirBnB was always a bad idea. It was like asking everyone to suddenly be a qualified hotel manager. Crap places, crap equipment, and clean it before you leave. No thanks.
@ThePolaroid669We booked an Airbnb, in Croatia. It was just me and my partner and two small back packs. Ok that time we slept twice and showered, apart from that, we weren’t in the Airbnb at all. Left the apartment in the same condition as we found it( sparkling). Then we got a fine for €80, we asked for what, email back said we’d left the place untidy, we argued and sent photos, of each room. But no we were fined. Later we learned this was a trick air bnb, did to keep prices down on booking and fine you after to make extra income. That was 2023 last time we used air bnb, stuck with hotels since then
@gingerssmelllikecabbageand8708I think saying ‘the fall of Airbnb’ is a bit dramatic! I’ve had plenty of fantastic stays through the platform, even recently. I’ve also hosted my spare bedroom on & off for the past 2yrs and have found that I’m booked up as much as I want to be - often more than I really want. Guests have always been lovely (except one who hated dogs, yet booked despite the dogs being clearly pictured in the photos and mentioned in the description). He was there for 2 nights, so it wasn’t too bad.
The trust remains for me on both ends as I only accept bookings from people who have their identity verified through the app, and I have my identity verified. I also don’t take bookings from people with no reviews, as none of my bedroom doors have locks on them currently. (Previous house did)
I think Airbnb can be a great platform for people like me renting out a bedroom; perhaps less so for those looking for an entire home/condo. In my case, I have chickens & a veggie garden in a suburban location near the CBD and airport, so I guess it’s a somewhat unique experience. It helps me cover my rent, and is easier for me than housemates as if you don’t ‘jell’, at least it’s short term!
Brilliant ending!
@emjigirl09Hey , now I'm nobody :)
@aliaksandr-mucLol, I use AirBnB all the time. This guy talks such shit so often. 'Nobody', yeah right. Maybe it's a US thing.
@BackFromTheMadeUpWhat's with all the ads
@stopmotionstudent3975Good i live in a tourist town , they killed the hotel/motel industry around here , the "tourists" dont spend money anymore and last they killed rentals
@mathewkelly9968I feel like there’s something personal for you there, Michael. I can’t say I like Airbnb, but it is definitely not the most evil thing or startup, I hate Ticketmaster million times more. Sometimes you just don’t have another option than Airbnb.
@PaulB-zq5nkI used to love airbnb, but now it’s no different than a hotel
@joset.garcia8714the title is a lie. it is ok as airbnb history. be truth. 👎
@dreamervanroomf airbnb i love hilton super 8
@jarrodbarkley7573This guys just smiles while he talks about businesses that are struggling
@DavidDaugherty-o2jI just want to listen and your walking is distracting. You keep walking and sit still to talk to us. Thanks
@WA10009I only use AirBnB for long term stays. After an owner complaining I didn’t clean the grill sufficiently, I switched back to hotels. That was after hosts not providing sheets for the bed, not providing air conditioning in Panama, listing a gym but the gym had been closed for a year. Too many scammy hosts. It’s 50/50. I have had some great stays, too. But I don’t take the risk anymore unless it’s a month or longer, and I need the space for mental health.
@michaelrhodes73Its built on taking a cut of other people's work. Period.
@fs3579do you want to give an animal risk to destroy your home for using a generic email and debit card and not even use id. They dont check any background BS!
@fs3579I use AirBnB but I’m not as sure the accommodations will be available like I am with a Hotel. It would be extremely unlikely a hotel not to have a room for yo7 but I could see a AirBnB host flaking on me.
@ducknorris233My number 1 complaint with AirBnB, besides all the extra fees, is the CLEANING FEE.
I'm not a dirty person and I leave the place in super clean order. I think paying $350 cleaning fee is just ridiculous. I'll never use AirBnB again.
Hotel always for me. Why?
Air bnb have a list of chores for me to do when I go for a holiday, yet still slam me some hidden and cleaning fee..
And can’t beat the buffet breakfast offered by the hotel too, and just for a fraction more of dollar
Air Bnb party is over
Two factors it’s a Gypsy hotel and the hosts suck
@sunnohhIt's still a viable option. Get rid of the extra fees and they will survive
@tuffstarr1026I book AirBnB’s frequently and have been doing so for the last 2 years. My stays are usually 2-3 months at a time. A hotel is usually much more expensive, especially considering the monthly stay discounts. My experience has been mostly positive with a few apartments being not as nice as depicted. However even the worst case was not terrible just not great. Most units that were really great. I’m careful about selecting units, perhaps that is why it’s working for me.
@FunnyUncleJokesNobody? That's quite hyperbolic, the company is a very long way from failing. I didn't know about the states, but they're used everywhere I travel. Having a house is so much more comfortable. Having a kitchen, washer and dryer is important for me, I travel for extended periods. Also often having a yard and friendly neighbors adds to the fun. I'm in Japan for the next few months, they're all short term rentals, cross posted on all sites including airbnb. It's great, no extra fees, and cheap. Never had an issue, been in hundreds.
@Al-StormFor someone who travels for work
Air bnb comes in clutch at times especially since hotels are greedy and they don’t seem to have a cap on how much they can charge you. Even if your a long term guest they will up charge the room for a higher price for no reason..The hotel industry in general is a money making machine with no cap on how much they charge you a day
I operate more than 62 homes on Airbnb in so cal and let me tell you the amount of damage parties and noise and destruction the Airbnb tenants make. Makes it none profitable for us to operate it. Most renters leave trash all over the property and are loud
@rezatashakori2Why don’t you ever look at more successes? All you do is bring bad news about how companies are “failing”. It really makes me wonder if you’ve ever been able to build a successful business or you just like to tear them apart.
@AlexEckelberrycongrats on the weight loss. i bet you feel better everyday.
@NWOslaveI’m perfectly willing to stay in an Airbnb. When I look for a place at a destination, what I’m seeing is all of the hotels in the area listed, and then some homes that cost 3x to 10x more. The problem is that there’s nothing wrong with a decent hotel. Owners are crazy with their rates. Checking Airbnb is basically a waste of time at this point.
Edit: unless you’re looking for a destination with very few hotels. Like a near a ski resort like Big Bear. Even then there are other options.
Bro... I'm not staying at somebody's house. Way too much trust involved. You have to trust that they clean the house and disinfect..... that they're not doing anything weird with cameras.... and that they wouldn't try to harm you or your family. Yeah I'll pass.
@jonathanr2417Show us where the stock price is down 30% because I just checked and it's slightly higher that what it was when it first went public.
@smbwxKinda surprised renting out those air mattresses didn't break municipal codes in a place like San Francisco.
@imafreakinninja12We stopped using AirBnB after a particularly nasty host. Not worth it when we can get rooms cleaned and other services from a hotel.
@mplbooks97% of my bookings still come from AirBnB. My listings are on every platform. 2026 has been booked solid.
@MrHamletWalk on brother! I love it!
@j.robertbois610Oh no Airbnb house owners are not making what they used to oh no
@IndigoBellyDanceAirbnb now is better for long stay or with animals
@mach_r