7 Airbnb Host Success Stories [2024]

Updated: November 19th, 2023
Become An Airbnb Host

If you are interested in becoming an Airbnb host, the first step is to create a listing for your property or a portion of it on the Airbnb platform.

This will allow travelers from all over the world to rent your space and enjoy a personalized and unique accommodation experience.

By creating a welcoming atmosphere and providing excellent service to your guests, you can enhance your profile and attract even more visitors to your property.

With the potential to earn a steady stream of passive income, becoming an Airbnb host can be an excellent way to monetize your property.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a Airbnb host:

1. Host Butlers ($420K/year)

Gary Fox, founder of HostButlers, came up with the idea for his business while staying in various Airbnb rentals during a trip to Washington. After experiencing mixed hosting experiences and realizing the time-consuming nature of hosting, he saw the opportunity to create a professional property concierge service for Airbnb hosts. He validated the idea through a SurveyMonkey form and launched the business with a basic website, targeting potential hosts during a tech event in Dublin. One article in The Irish Times changed the future of his business, resulting in a flood of inquiries and customers.

How much they make: $420K/year
Current team size: 4

article

How I Bootstrapped An Airbnb Management Service To $35K/Month

HostButlers is Ireland's first professional property concierge service for short-term rentals on Airbnb, boasting over 200,000 hosted guests and profitability from month 5.

About
Gary started Host Butlers over 8 years ago
Revenue
Gary grew the business to $35K/month
Read by 22,035 founders

2. Home Sweet City ($3.24M/year)

Lara and her husband started Home Sweet City during the 08/09 crash when they needed to generate income. Starting with their own basement on Airbnb, they quickly realized the potential and scaled the business to now managing 75 properties and generating a $2.7M+ annual turnover. They have been able to create a profitable and flexible business while being present for their young family.

How much they make: $3.24M/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
Current team size: 6

article

How We Started A $270K/Month Business Managing Vacation Rentals

A D.C. based full-service short-term home rental management company that began out of a small studio earning $2.4k-$3k per month has now grown to managing 75 properties, generating a $2.7M+ annual turnover, with plans to roll out a digital product, proving that testing an idea in the cheapest and fastest way possible can lead to success.

About
Lara started Home Sweet City over 15 years ago
Revenue
Lara grew the business to $270K/month
Costs
It cost Lara $2000 to start the business
Read by 10,208 founders

So... can you actually make money with a Airbnb host?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

3. Our Rich Journey | Sharing Ways to Achieve Financial Independence & Retire Early (FIRE) ($102K/year)

How much they make: $102K/year
Current team size:

We Made $7,000-$10,000/Mo. Hosting on AirBnB
Revenue
They grew the business to $8.5K/month
Read by 106 founders

4.

Login • Instagram ($16K/year)

How much they make: $16K/year
Current team size:

I made an extra $16,000 a year by renting out my spare bedroom on Airbnb
Revenue
They grew the business to $1.33K/month
Read by 90 founders

So... can you actually make money with a Airbnb host?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now