7 Airbnb Hosting Business Success Stories [2024]

Updated: November 19th, 2023
Start An Airbnb Hosting Business

Do you have an extra room or an unoccupied house in your home? You can turn that property into a revenue-generating asset by starting an Airbnb listing. Airbnb is one of the world’s largest accommodation platforms. According to experts, Airbnb’s future is undoubtedly bright.

Therefore, starting an Airbnb business can be rewarding. To start, prepare your Airbnb listing and set it up accordingly. To increase bookings, offer the best services, and encourage the guests to leave a positive review.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a airbnb hosting business:

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 22,084 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 10,215 founders

So... can you actually make money with a airbnb hosting business?

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

Impressive case study detailing how a bootstrapped tech startup grew its revenue by 300% in just one year through strategic partnerships and targeted marketing campaigns, showcasing the power of lean, scalable business growth strategies for aspiring founders looking to achieve rapid success in competitive markets.

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

This case study goes indepth on how one entrepreneur took their business from zero to $1 million in revenue in just one year, revealing their strategies for success, key milestones, and lessons learned along the way to inspire and guide aspiring founders on their own entrepreneurial journey.

Revenue
They grew the business to $1.33K/month
Read by 90 founders

So... can you actually make money with a airbnb hosting business?

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