A Complete Guide About How To Develop An App Like Airbnb

App-Like-Airbnb
  • Ankit Patel Ankit Patel
  • July 03, 2020
  • 4 min read

With the advent of the internet and the availability of smartphones, the way people live their daily lives has significantly changed. Today, people no longer just use their phones for communication but also for many different things like gaming, entertainment, work, business, shopping, and education.

Smartphones also connect travelers from different parts of the world who are looking for apartments and accommodation facilities where they can stay during their vacation to property owners who are looking for tenants to rent their space. Thanks to mobile travel applications like Airbnb, apartment search has become more accessible, easier, and quicker on one platform.

Airbnb is an established and globally renowned mobile travel application that provides people with an easy to access platform where they can find apartment rental opportunities. Not only does this travel app allows travelers to find different rental opportunities, it likewise allows them to compare prices, amenities, and facilities in one look without the need to manually search and contact each rental property one by one for their inquiries. And the best thing about it is that they no longer have to go to places to do so as they can do all these things just by using their smartphones.

Truly, the travel app industry has become one of the hottest industries today. And though there are already several companies that develop an app like Airbnb, the trend continues to rise and so far, it has shown no sign of stopping yet. This encouraged more developers to invest in Airbnb clone app development.

Whether you are a property owner who is looking for a more effective, efficient, and faster way to find people who will rent your space or a businessman who wants to become a mediator who connects travelers and property owners, developing an Airbnb clone app can help you realize your goals.

But how do you develop an app like Airbnb? This article will guide you towards how you can develop an app like Airbnb. Also included here are the features and functionalities that are essential in creating the best travel app.

How to develop an app like Airbnb?

The process of Airbnb clone app development includes 4 primary stages- idea formation and research, design creation, app development, and Airbnb clone app deployment.

Idea Formation and Research

A travel app like Airbnb is a complex app that offers tons of functionalities, features, and services to different users. Before you proceed with the app creation, you need to understand the logic of the platform first from the client’s point of view.

Once you already have a solid idea of what you want your Airbnb clone app to become, you will then need to do thorough research about how you can bring that idea to life. You need to check the useability and viability of your ideas, carry out market trend analysis, find a way how you can stand out from the rest, and probably study the Airbnb clone app source code.

Use your idea and the results of your research in creating a realistic business plan. The business plan will guide you along the way. It will help you stay organized and in line with your goals.

Design Creation

Design Creation

The design of your app should meet the needs of the users. Airbnb serves two primary kinds of users- the landlords and the guests. The guests include business travelers, travelers who are looking for a simple and affordable place, group travelers who are traveling with friends or families, and backpackers who are looking to explore and visit new places. The landlords, on the other end, are those property owners who are looking for travelers and tenants who will rent their space.

1. For Guests

The design should include features and functionalities that allow the guests to:

  • Register and log-in to their account as a guest.
  • Create a profile and add necessary data like ID number, profile photo, name, and/or basic financial information.
  • Filter searches based on specific categories like the type of space, location, and price.
  • Easily look for and compare available spaces.
  • Reserve and/or pay for their chosen space through the platform.

2. For Landlords

The Airbnb clone app should include features and functionalities that allow the landlords or hosts to:

  • Register and log-in to their account as the host.
  • Register and list their property through the platform.
  • Add essential information about their property like actual images, location, accommodation type, amenities available, size of the space, and price.
  • Get in touch with guests who are interested in renting their space and discuss all the necessary details.
  • Approve or reject the rental requests pitched by the guest.
  • Receive the reservation, booking, or rental fee.

3. Basic features and functionalities of a travel app

  • Sign in and Sign up
  • User Account ( including user profiles, payment methods, notification, recommendations, transaction history, wishlist, reviews, and a referral from Facebook (or other social media network) or email)
  • Search filter functionality ( including price slider, check-in and check-out dates, location or destination, property type, and no. of guests)
  • Messaging functionality
  • For hosts – Manage listing, policies, and reservations
  • Security features

App Development

This is where the actual development of the travel app takes place. Once you already have decided on the features, functionalities, and design, you can then proceed with app development. This stage should be done by a professional app developer who knows the Airbnb clone app source code by heart.

To create an app similar to Airbnb, you need to know the Airbnb clone app source code and how to implement it. During this stage, you will also need to have the app undergo and pass a series of testing, and improvement works.

The app should be carefully tested to make sure that the key features are functional and that your app can provide users with a great experience. Testing also allows you to check, eliminate, and fix bugs.

App Deployment

The last stage of the process is app deployment. You need to decide whether you want your app to be available on iOS, Android, or both. Note that deploying a travel app to these platforms involves different strategies and processes.

The process does not only end at deploying and launching the Airbnb clone app. Even after you already have released your travel app on the market, you need to do regular updates. Updating and maintaining the app regularly will help you ensure that your travel app continues to provide users with a great experience. It is also a great way to add new and exciting features.

In order to develop an app like Airbnb, you will need the help of an experienced app development team who are experts in creating similar applications. You can either hire an in-house team of developers or outsource to a third-party service provider.

Aside from the basic features, you can also add some advanced features and functionalities to make your travel app unique. Note that users quickly abandon apps that do not feature a user-friendly design. Needless to say, the design should also be built in a user-friendly interface that is both easy-to-use and intuitive.

About: Ankit Patel

Ankit Patel is a Sales/Marketing Manager at XongoLab Technologies LLP and PeppyOcean, A leading mobile app development companies. As a hobby, He loves to write articles about technology, marketing, business, web, and mobile. His articles featured on Datafloq, JaxEnter, TechTarget, eLearninggAdobe, DesignWebKit, InstantShift and many more.

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