AirDNA Review: Supercharging Short-Term Rental Investing

Last Updated: 

February 2, 2025

AirDNA has emerged as a popular tool for real estate investors and Airbnb hosts in the short-term rental industry.

The software helps in providing data analytics, market insights, and competitor information for short-term rentals. This helps the Airbnb investor to make informed decisions when investing in short-term rental properties.

You need to look at AirDNA to see if it is the right fit for your investing needs. In this article, we’ll explore the offerings and capabilities of this platform.  

We are hoping the information we have given you can help you to decide if it’s worth the investment. From pricing and features to comparisons with other platforms like Mashvisor. The goal is to give you a well-rounded overview of what to expect from AirDNA.

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What is AirDNA?

AirDNA is a robust data analytics platform that specializes in providing real estate investors and Airbnb hosts with data on short-term rental properties.

This software offers valuable insights into property performance and other data for the short-term rental markets. The data is used to help owners with their current listings, identify profitable investment properties to buy, and maximize profits.

At the core of AirDNA’s platform are its data-driven algorithms and extensive market data. The data has been carefully compiled from millions of short-term rental listings across various online platforms.

By utilizing AirDNA, you gain access to key performance indicators, such as occupancy rates, daily rates, and revenue potential. The software can also provide in-depth market reports that deliver a comprehensive understanding of the short-term rental landscape.

How Can AirDNA Help Me to Buy AirBNBs?

Utilizing AirDNA can help you in making smart choices when investing in an Airbnb property. By offering comprehensive data on short-term rental markets this platform empowers you to thoroughly analyze the profitability and potential of your investment.

When looking to buy an Airbnb, it’s crucial to understand the current market trends and surrounding properties’ performance.

AirDNA offers insightful data like occupancy rates, seasonal pricing variations, and average revenue generated for specific locations. By analyzing this data, you can identify lucrative markets where your investment may yield higher returns.

This will give you an idea of how much you can potentially earn from your Airbnb property and help you make better investment decisions.

Another advantage of using AirDNA is its ability to help you stand out from other hosts in your area. By examining the competitor data provided on the Overview page, you can identify ways to improve your property and offer unique features that attract more guests.

You can even learn from the top-performing vacation rentals in your desired location and apply those successful strategies to your own property.

To sum up, AirDNA can be an invaluable resource for potential Airbnb investors. By utilizing the platform’s extensive AirDNA data and analytics, you can make well-informed decisions on purchasing profitable properties. This will ultimately lead to increasing your revenue as an Airbnb host.

Let’s be honest, everyone wants to make more money.

I use AirDNA to look at properties in Ohio that we wanted to invest in for Airbnb. We looked up by Lake Erie and I also looked at Hocking Hills. Both areas are just on fire for short-term rentals.

The information was very helpful on what a vacation rental can make in profit a year. We had looked at a condo, but the price went 20% above asking so we decided to wait till prices adjust.

What Do I Get Using AirDNA?

MarketMinder

MarketMinder is a powerful tool that provides you with comprehensive AirDNA data on short-term rental markets. It helps you understand the performance of Airbnb and VRBO listings in your target market or location. With MarketMinder, you can:

  • Analyze occupancy rates, revenue, and booking trends
  • Discover the most profitable properties and areas
  • Compare your own property’s performance against the local market

The data-driven insights provided by MarketMinder enable you to make informed decisions in your short-term rental investments and optimize your property’s performance.

AirDNA Map

Rentalizer Tool

The Rentalizer tool is a user-friendly solution that helps you determine the potential revenue of a short-term rental property. By simply entering your property’s address, you can access:

  • Estimated nightly rates and revenue
  • Occupancy rates and booking trends
  • Benchmark comparisons of similar properties within the area

This tool allows you to assess the investment potential of a property quickly and accurately, enabling you to make smart choices in your short-term rental portfolio.

This is the key to making money with a short-term rental. The condo up by Lake Erie worked at the price of $200,000 but once the bidding went 20% over asking it was not worth what we were wanting to do. The condo also needed a lot of rehab so it was not turn-key.

AirDNA Smart Rates

Pricing your short-term rental correctly is crucial for maximizing revenue and occupancy rates. AirDNA Smart Rates is a dynamic pricing solution designed to help you achieve this. With Smart Rates, you can:

  • Receive daily rate recommendations based on local market conditions
  • Monitor and adjust your prices automatically, ensuring optimal revenue
  • Access historical data on rate performance to inform future adjustments

By using AirDNA Smart Rates, you can ensure that your property stays competitive and profitable in the constantly shifting short-term rental market.

Pros and Cons

AirDNA is a popular data analytics tool for short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO. While it offers valuable insights for property investors and hosts, it also has its limitations. In this section, we’ll outline the pros and cons of using AirDNA to help you make an informed decision.

Pros:

  1. Excellent Data Mining Strategy: AirDNA has an all-encompassing data mining strategy by gathering and examining data from Airbnb and VRBO platforms. By employing this method users gain the convenience of accessing crucial insights into their property’s performance. They will also obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the overall market dynamics.
  2. Predict Where to Invest: With AirDNAs’ cutting-edge property analytics tools at your disposal. Accurately predicting potential investment property opportunities turns into an effortless task for users like yourself. Armed with these insightful indicators making sound investment property decisions becomes second nature ultimately enhancing chances of profitability.
  3. Interactive Charts and Maps: Recognizing the significance of visualizing AirDNA data to comprehend market trends effectively AirDNA provides an array of interactive charts and maps for its users.
  4. Neighborhood Analytics: In addition to offering comprehensive market analysis AirDNA goes above and beyond by providing personalized neighborhood analytics reports as well. These detailed insights grant users a clearer perspective on how their property might perform in specific locations, further enabling effective strategizing.
  5. Competitive Analysis: Utilize AirDNAs’ comp reports to stay ahead in the fiercely competitive vacation rental industry. A thorough evaluation against other listings allows you to identify both prominent strengths and discern areas for improvement in your property strategy.

Cons:

  1. Pricing by Market Size: The pricing strategy used by AirDNA is less advantageous for those operating in larger markets, as costs may be higher compared to other available tools.
  2. No Pricing Automation: AirDNA doesn’t offer an automated pricing tool, meaning you’ll have to manually adjust your rates based on the data provided.
  3. Limited Features for the Price: Some users feel that the features offered by AirDNA may not justify its relatively high price, especially when compared to more economical alternatives with a wider range of features.
  4. No Mobile App: AirDNA currently doesn’t offer a mobile app, which may limit accessibility for users who prefer to manage their properties on the go.

In summary, AirDNA provides valuable insights and analytics for short-term rental hosts and investors, but its limitations, particularly in terms of pricing and features, may make it less appealing compared to other options on the market.

AirDNA Reviews

AirDNA has been gaining popularity in recent years, providing valuable data and insights for real estate investors and Airbnb hosts in the short-term rental industry.

While some users rave about the platform’s excellent data mining strategy and predictive analytics, others have found the accuracy of its data in certain markets to be questionable.

So, what do users think of AirDNA? Here is a snapshot of some online AirDNA reviews:

  • Some users appreciate the platform’s property analytics and ability to predict where to invest. They find it useful for both Airbnb and VRBO listings. I also found this handy and I would not invest in an Airbnb unless I used a tool like this to confirm the data.
  • On the flip side, negative AirDNA reviews indicate that the pricing recommendations may take up to two weeks to work in a selected region. Moreover, there is no possibility of a refund in such cases.
  • A common concern among users is the accuracy of AirDNA’s data. Some users, with firsthand experience of running short-term rental businesses, suggest that the data might be missing, wrong, or outdated in certain regions.
  • Despite these concerns, many users benefit from AirDNA’s excellent data mining strategy, in-depth property analytics, and ability to predict where to invest.

It’s essential to evaluate your needs as a real estate investor and balance them with user reviews. Remember, every tool has its strengths and shortcomings.

This tool is much better than anything used in the old days. Software today can help significantly with pulling data and making better decisions.

Subscription and Pricing

When considering AirDNA as a platform for your real estate investment needs, it’s important to understand the subscription and pricing options. AirDNA offers several types of subscription plans designed to cater to different users.

The range could be almost anyone from short-term rental owners to large-scale investors.

Monthly Subscriptions: AirDNA offers monthly subscription plans. Providing you with the flexibility to choose the duration of your commitment to the platform. This option is perfect if you wish to try it for a short period or if your needs may change over time. It’s important to note that monthly plans typically have higher costs per month compared to annual plans.

Annual Subscriptions: If you have long-term investment goals that align with AirDNAs’ services. It may be beneficial for you to select an annual subscription. By committing to a yearly plan, you can save money in the long run as these plans often come at a discounted rate compared to the monthly ones.

Investment Explorer Account: The Investment Explorer account is specifically designed for potential real estate investors who are interested in gaining valuable insights into multiple markets across the United States. This account enables you to analyze which areas generate high revenue from short-term rentals. Empowering you to make informed decisions on where to invest your resources wisely.

In summary, when selecting a subscription plan, consider your specific needs and investment goals. Be sure to evaluate both monthly and annual options and don’t be afraid to choose a more flexible plan if you are unsure of your long-term commitment to the platform.

Data Accuracy and Reliability

How accurate is AirDNA’s data?

When it comes to AirDNA’s data accuracy, you might get mixed reviews. According to CBRE, AirDNA’s data is estimated to be 97.5% accurate for the supply of active short-term rentals and 96.2% accurate for earned revenue.

However, some hosts have reported issues with data accuracy, particularly for non-major locations.

Using AirDNA for Investment Decisions

As a real estate investor, you need complete and accurate data for making informed decisions, especially when it comes to short-term rental properties.

I have done the numbers by manually looking up the data and calculating everything. The great thing about AirDNA is that the software now does data gathering. This allows you to pull data quickly to see trends and live data that can help in your decision process.

That is way better than doing it old school. I would check the numbers and info from the software before buying an Airbnb.

AirDNA Online

Limitations and Cautions

When using AirDNA, you should be cautious about the following:

  • Data accuracy: As mentioned earlier, AirDNA’s data accuracy can vary depending on the location. Smaller or non-major locations might have less accurate data compared to larger markets. You may want to call around to see if the data matches what other AirBNB owners are telling you on the phone.
  • Historical data: Although AirDNA provides historical data, it’s crucial to remember that past performance is not always indicative of future results. Always consider recent changes in market conditions and regulations that could impact your investment.
  • Reliability: While many users have found AirDNA’s insights valuable, it’s essential to have a diversified approach when making decisions. You should always cross-reference with other sources, such as Mashvisor, which obtains data directly from MLS, typically considered more reliable.

What are some Alternatives to AirDNA?

There are several alternatives to AirDNA available in the market. These platforms offer similar features and services for vacation rental data analysis.

In this section, we’ll explore three of them: Mashvisor, PriceLabs, and Rabbu. By comparing these alternatives to AirDNA, you can make an informed decision about which tool is best suited for your needs.

How does AirDNA compare to Mashvisor?

Mashvisor offers comprehensive market and property-level analysis, similar to AirDNA. You can access rental statistics, rental income projections, rental demand, and occupancy rates for specific properties.

While both platforms provide valuable insights for hosts and property investors, AirDNA has more advanced features like competitor tracking and revenue management strategies.

In terms of pricing, Mashvisor offers a different subscription model based on the features you require, whereas AirDNA has packages tailored for different user types.

PriceLabs vs AirDNA

PriceLabs focuses on dynamic pricing and market data analytics. It helps you optimize your property’s nightly rates based on supply, and market trends.

AirDNA, on the other hand, provides a more comprehensive suite of features, including detailed market reports and competitor analysis.

While PriceLabs might be a better fit if you’re specifically looking for dynamic pricing solutions, AirDNA could be a more comprehensive tool for all aspects of your vacation rental data needs.

Rabbu vs AirDNA

Rabbu offers property management solutions, including market analysis and pricing optimization. It positions itself as an all-in-one platform for managing your vacation rental business.

AirDNA focuses on providing Airbnb and vacation rental market data to improve your particular property’s performance.

If you’re looking for a platform that offers both property management features and data analytics, Rabbu might be the right choice. However, if you need in-depth market insights and analysis, AirDNA remains the best option in the industry.

Customer Service and User Interface

AirDNA values user-friendliness above all else when it comes to its platform’s design.

With their clear and easy-to-navigate interface, they aim to make gathering valuable data and insights easy. As you walk through the platform you will appreciate how comprehensive and accessible data is to find.

This will help you in understanding and implement its findings into your short-term rental strategy.

Recognizing the significance of customer support, AirDNA commits itself to great customer support with a responsive service team.

This is why AirDNAs customer service comes into play. Ensuring you have a successful and smooth experience with their platform.

Ultimately AirDNAs’ main priority is to deliver an enjoyable and user-friendly experience while also tending to your individual needs and concerns.

Conclusion

In your quest to find reliable and accurate data for your short-term rental investments, you’ve likely come across AirDNA.

This platform has gained popularity among real estate investors and Airbnb hosts for its comprehensive tools designed specifically for short-term rental businesses. As you weigh your options, it’s essential to consider what you value most in a data-driven solution.

One of AirDNA’s strongest features is its accurate data mining strategy, which helps you view property analytics and predict where to invest.

This is important for users like you who want to make informed decisions based on trends in the market. Additionally, AirDNA works with both Airbnb and VRBO, making it a versatile platform for managing multiple profitable investment property types.

On the other hand, consider that AirDNA’s pricing by market size may be less advantageous for those operating in larger markets.

This might affect your overall experience with the platform, depending on your specific needs and location.

AirDNA does not offer pricing automation, which could be a disadvantage if you’re looking for a platform that handles all aspects of your short-term rental business.

To decide if AirDNA is the right platform for you, weigh these features and drawbacks against your needs and expectations.

Consider what aspects of the short-term rental market are most important for your success and look for a tool that best aligns with your strategy.

Remember, investing in the right data platform can make a significant difference in optimizing your rental income and maintaining a competitive edge in the market.

FAQs

Can I access AirDNA for free?

Unfortunately, you cannot access AirDNA for free as it is a subscription-based platform. However, they do offer multiple pricing plans to cater to the individual needs of property managers, Airbnb hosts, real estate investors, hoteliers, and tourism boards.

You can explore their pricing options and choose the one that suits your requirements best.

How do I use AirDNA effectively?

To use AirDNA effectively, you should familiarize yourself with its suite of tools and features. Start by exploring their market reports, interactive dashboards, and property search tools to examine and analyze detailed information on Airbnb and vacation rental data.

You can also customize your data preferences to focus on your target locations and stay up to date on industry trends and competitor activity.

What does a good AirDNA score mean?

A good AirDNA score reflects positive performance and overall quality in a short-term rental listing. AirDNA assigns a “grade” to each listing based on a variety of factors such as customer satisfaction, Super Host status, the number of reviews, instant bookings, and host responsiveness.

When your listing scores high, it implies that your property is well-maintained and professionally managed, aligning with the expectations of potential guests. A high AirDNA score can also help you stand out from the competition, attract more bookings, and command higher rates, ultimately leading to increased income from your short-term rental.

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