The Apartment
Airbnb operates a global two-sided marketplace connecting hosts and travelers across 30+ countries, offering short-term accommodations, curated experiences, and professional services; revenue is generated via marketplace commissions on bookings facilitated through its web and mobile platforms.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Apartment does
Airbnb operates a global two-sided digital marketplace that connects hosts offering short-term accommodations, curated local experiences, and professional services with guests seeking to book them. Its core platform consists of three product lines surfaced through web and mobile applications: Alloggi (accommodations), Esperienze (experiences), and Servizi (services). The platform is augmented by a portfolio of modules and sub-brands — AirCover (host/guest protection), the Superhost program, gift cards, Airbnb for Work, co-host services, and the Airbnb Friendly apartment-building program — creating a layered ecosystem around the core booking flow. A separately organized nonprofit, Airbnb.org, Inc. (501(c)(3)), provides crisis housing and is integrated for donations.
The technology architecture is a self-serve marketplace with payment infrastructure operated through dedicated regulated subsidiaries: Airbnb Payments, Inc. (holding money transmitter licenses across 50+ US jurisdictions), Airbnb Payments UK Ltd. (FCA-authorized, FCA reg. 900596), and Airbnb Payments Luxembourg S.A. (CSSF-authorized, reg. Z21). Airbnb Ireland UC serves as the EU DSA-designated intermediary and primary European entity. The platform exposes APIs for host services and integrates third-party payment rails including Klarna (BNPL) and virtual credit card payouts. Distribution is principally direct via airbnb.com country sites and iOS/Android apps, supplemented by physical gift-card retail partnerships in Italy (Carrefour, Esselunga, Unieuro, Puntolis, La Feltrinelli) and a loyalty partnership with Delta SkyMiles.
Revenue is generated through marketplace commissions: hosts and guests each pay service fees calculated as a percentage of the booking subtotal, with hosts setting their own nightly pricing. The company is publicly traded on NASDAQ under ticker ABNB since its 2020 IPO, was founded in 2008 in San Francisco by Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nathan Blecharczyk, and is reported to have approximately 35.4M average monthly active service recipients in the European Union alone (period Aug 2025–Jan 2026) per Digital Services Act disclosure.
The Apartment firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Apartment
- Legal name
- Airbnb Ireland UC
- Website
- https://airbnb.it
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Airbnb operates a global two-sided marketplace connecting hosts and travelers across 30+ countries, offering short-term accommodations, curated experiences, and professional services; revenue is generated via marketplace commissions on bookings facilitated through its web and mobile platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Apartment industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Travel Marketplace
- NAICS
- Traveler Accommodation (7211), Accommodation (721)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vacation Rental & Short‑Term Stay Marketplaces (THALAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Lodging & Vacation Rental Booking Platforms (BPAMAIAC), Co-Host / On-the-Ground Operations & Guest Services (BPAJAIAI), Whole-Home Rentals (Houses, Villas, Cabins) (THAGANAA)
Keywords
Where The Apartment is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dublin
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
The Apartment business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Booking Commission: Airbnb charges service fees on bookings completed through its platform for both hosts and guests
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Host and guest service fees on bookings |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Apartment product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Airbnb operates an online two-sided marketplace where individual hosts list short-term vacation rentals, homes and unique stays, and travelers (guests) search, book and pay for these accommodations globally. In addition to stays, the platform offers bookable Experiences led by local hosts and Services offered by individual professionals, all delivered through the same web and mobile applications. Supporting products include AirCover protection, gift cards, Airbnb for Work for business travel, and Co-host Services for delegated property management.
Product overview
Airbnb is a multi-sided marketplace platform operating with a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core platform connects travelers with hosts through three primary product lines: Alloggi (accommodations/lodging), Esperienze ( Experiences), and Servizi (Services). The platform is augmented by add-on modules including AirCover protection, the Superhost recognition program, gift cards, and Airbnb for Work. A charitable initiative, Airbnb.org, operates as a separate nonprofit entity integrated into the platform for donations. Co-host services and the Airbnb Friendly program provide additional property management tools for hosts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Airbnb.org: Non-profit platform helping people in crisis connect with temporary housing, operated by Airbnb.org, Inc. (separate 501(c)(3) entity)
- Superhost Program
- Airbnb Gift Cards
- AirCover
- Superhost Badge
- Co-hosting
Products and services
- Accommodations marketplace (stays) Online marketplace where individual hosts list short-term vacation rentals, homes, apartments and unique stays, and individual travelers search, compare and book them globally through web and mobile apps.
- Experiences marketplace Online category within the Airbnb platform where local hosts offer bookable activities and tours that travelers can add to their trip alongside accommodation bookings.
- Services marketplace Online category within the Airbnb platform where individual professionals offer services (such as chefs, photography, or in-home services) that travelers can book through Airbnb.
- Airbnb Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards redeemable on Airbnb for stays, Experiences and Services, available for purchase directly and through retail and online partners.
- Airbnb for Work Business travel offering built on top of the Airbnb platform, providing companies with tools to book, manage and expense stays for employees, including longer-term work trips.
- Co-host Services Service enabling property owners to delegate the day-to-day management of their Airbnb listing to an approved co-host who handles operations on their behalf.
Companies that use The Apartment
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Apartment technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
The Apartment partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Delta SkyMilesminorAirbnb has a partnership with Delta SkyMiles allowing members to earn miles when booking eligible stays on Airbnb. Users can register for the program and earn one mile per dollar spent on qualifying bookings.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Apartment competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Booking.com: Booking.com is the largest direct competitor in online vacation rental and short-term stay bookings, operating a global two-sided marketplace with similar host onboarding, take-rate economics, and guest experience. It competes head-to-head with Airbnb across accommodations in nearly every major market.
- Agoda: Agoda, part of Booking Holdings, runs a global online travel marketplace with growing vacation rental inventory. It is a direct peer particularly in Asia-Pacific and offers comparable take-rate marketplace economics and self-serve host onboarding.
- Vrbo: Vrbo, owned by Expedia Group, is a dedicated vacation rental marketplace with similar inventory focus on whole-home rentals. It is a direct competitor to Airbnb's core Alloggi product, particularly in family and group travel segments in North America and Europe.
Broad incumbents
- Expedia Group: Expedia Group operates a broad online travel agency portfolio including Vrbo, Hotels.com, and Expedia, competing with Airbnb across accommodations, packages, and experiences. As a publicly traded incumbent with deeper hotel inventory, it represents a broader competitive threat beyond vacation rentals.
- Hotels.com: Hotels.com, part of Expedia Group, is a global hotel-focused booking platform that competes with Airbnb for travelers who would otherwise choose traditional lodging. It is a broad incumbent that pushes back against Airbnb's alternative accommodation value proposition.
- Tripadvisor: Tripadvisor operates a global travel platform with vacation rental listings alongside hotels, restaurants, and experiences. Its breadth across travel categories and large user base make it a broad incumbent competing for guest mind share and host supply that Airbnb targets.
Emerging players
- Hopper: Hopper is a mobile-first travel app offering accommodations, flights, and cars with AI-driven pricing. It is an emerging player that overlaps Airbnb's accommodations marketplace with a younger, app-native user base and proprietary price-prediction technology.
- Sonder Holdings: Sonder operates tech-enabled apartment-style accommodations in multiple cities, blending hotel-like service with short-stay rentals. It overlaps Airbnb's Apartments and Airbnb Friendly supply segments while competing for the business traveler subset.
- Hostelworld: Hostelworld runs a global online booking platform for hostels and shared accommodations. While focused on a different price tier, it competes for budget and experiential travelers and represents an adjacent peer in the broader short-stay booking category.
- Plum Guide: Plum Guide is a curated, high-end vacation rental marketplace focused on quality-vetted whole-home stays. It overlaps Airbnb's premium segment of accommodations with a sharper quality curation angle and a more limited geographic footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Apartment social profiles
Digital presenceThe Apartment compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
The Apartment financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Apartment leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
The Apartment subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Apartment funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Apartment M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Apartment
What does The Apartment do?
Airbnb operates an online two-sided marketplace where individual hosts list short-term vacation rentals, homes and unique stays, and travelers (guests) search, book and pay for these accommodations globally. In addition to stays, the platform offers bookable Experiences led by local hosts and Services offered by individual professionals, all delivered through the same web and mobile applications. Supporting products include AirCover protection, gift cards, Airbnb for Work for business travel, and Co-host Services for delegated property management.
Is The Apartment a public or private company?
The Apartment is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was The Apartment founded?
The Apartment was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Apartment based?
The Apartment is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does The Apartment make money?
One revenue line is on record: booking Commission.
Who are The Apartment's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Booking.com, Agoda and Vrbo. Broad incumbents are Expedia Group, Hotels.com and Tripadvisor. Emerging players are Hopper, Sonder Holdings, Hostelworld and Plum Guide.
Does The Apartment have an API?
Yes. Airbnb provides an API to facilitate a variety of Host Services and other functionality on or in connection with use of the Airbnb Platform (each referred to as an API Program).
What industry is The Apartment in?
The Apartment's product category is Online Travel Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THALAFAC, Vacation Rental & Short‑Term Stay Marketplaces, with a secondary code of BPAMAIAC, Lodging & Vacation Rental Booking Platforms. Its NAICS code is 7211 and its SIC code is 7000.