Ever since Airbnb launched in 2007, the home-sharing website has revolutionized the travel industry — for better or for worse. Gathering homeowners and customers onto a single app opened up thousands of homes worldwide to short- and long-term renting.

For hosts, it's been a way to earn income — even off of unused rooms in homes they still live in. In fact, new private rooms listings added to the platform are up 31% between the third quarter of 2021 and the same period in 2022. 2021 and Q3 2022. And in 2021, globally, the typical host on Airbnb earned $3,971, according to the company.

For guests, Airbnb can be a way to sometimes save money versus traditional lodging such as hotels. And it's also an opportunity to book more unique accommodations than a cookie cutter hotel.

That said, Airbnb brings along plenty of pros — but plenty of cons too. And while Airbnbs are especially popular for long-term rentals, they aren't always the best. Here are some benefits of Airbnb for long-term rentals, as well as some of the shortfalls:

What is Airbnb?

Airbnb is a home-sharing platform on which you can find all types of properties. From glamping to private islands and treehouses, homes on this website truly run the gamut.

Booking an Airbnb is simple. You’ll need an account, but once you’re signed up, it’s easy to input your desired travel location and dates of travel. There are a multitude of filters from which you can choose, including those with flexible cancellation and availability for long-term stays.