A vacation rental income calculator estimates Airbnb and VRBO gross revenue, net income after platform fees and expenses, and annual ROI from short-term rental properties.
Rental Income Inputs
Annual average (check AirDNA for your market)
Mortgage, utilities, insurance, taxes
How to Estimate Vacation Rental Income
This vacation rental income estimator calculates expected Airbnb or VRBO revenue after platform fees, cleaning costs, and operating expenses. Use it to evaluate whether a property makes financial sense as a short-term rental before purchasing.
Finding Realistic Occupancy Rates
Occupancy is the most important and most over-estimated input. New hosts often assume 80-90% occupancy — experienced operators average 55-70% in good markets. Tools like AirDNA, Mashvisor, and Pricelabs provide real market data on occupancy rates, average daily rates (ADR), and seasonality for specific markets and property types.
Understanding Platform Fees
Airbnb charges hosts a 3% service fee on the booking subtotal. VRBO offers a per-booking fee (8%) or subscription plan ($499/year for unlimited bookings). For high-volume properties, the VRBO subscription often pays for itself. Some owners list on both platforms to maximize occupancy.
STR Regulations: Check Before You Buy
Short-term rental regulations have tightened dramatically in many markets. Many cities now require permits, limit rental days per year, require owner-occupancy, or ban STRs entirely in certain zones. New York City, San Francisco, and many resort towns have restrictive ordinances. Verify local regulations with your city's planning department before purchasing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this vacation rental income calculator free?
Yes, completely free with no signup required. All calculations run in your browser.
Is my data private?
Yes. All calculations run locally — nothing is transmitted to any server.
What is a realistic occupancy rate for a vacation rental?
Occupancy rates vary widely by location and season. Popular tourist destinations average 50-70% annually. Urban markets may see 60-75%. Rural or off-season locations may be 30-50%. Check AirDNA or Mashvisor for local market data before projecting income.
How much does Airbnb charge hosts?
Airbnb's standard host service fee is 3% of the booking subtotal (before taxes). This covers payment processing and host protection services. Guest service fees are 14.2% on top of what the host receives. VRBO typically charges hosts 8% on bookings (subscription plan available for frequent hosts).
Should I buy a vacation rental property?
Vacation rentals can yield 2-3x the income of long-term rentals in good markets but have higher operating costs: cleaning, supplies, platform fees, and higher maintenance from frequent guest turnover. Local short-term rental regulations (permits, restrictions, HOA rules) are critical to verify before purchasing.