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2026 is going to be here before we know it, and we’re already planning some exciting new initiatives for the year to come. But before we get ahead of ourselves, we want to take a moment to share and celebrate some of the top resources to come out of 2025.
Over the past year, we’ve covered everything from industry shifts and emerging trends to practical advice and templates you can actually put into action. The goal? To provide clear, reliable resources that support smarter decisions and more efficient vacation rental operations.
Below, we’ve rounded up the blog posts and guides that made the biggest impact with our readers in 2025.
Most popular blog posts of 2025
20. 25 Beautiful Vacation Rental Websites Built Using Lodgify
When it comes to creating a website for your vacation rental business, a little inspiration goes a long way. That’s why our Most Beautiful Lodgify Websites blog is a favorite among new users.
Inside, you’ll find a curated selection of standout websites built with Lodgify—featuring examples for single-property owners, multi-property managers, and B&Bs. With images and direct links to each site, it’s packed with ideas to spark your own website design.
19. Lodgify’s Independent Host Summit: Empowering a New Generation of Hosts
Our Independent Host Summit was the largest online event specifically for independent hosts ever to be held, so it’s no surprise that our blog recap of it has also taken off! If you missed the live event, this blog is the perfect way to get all the highlights—plus a link to watch all the sessions on demand.
18. How to Make Money With Airbnb Without Owning Property: 15 Ideas
When you think about making money with Airbnb, the first thing that comes to mind is probably renting out your property on its platform—but that’s not the only way. This blog details 15 different ideas to turn a profit through Airbnb, whether you’re looking to build a side hustle, grow a service-based business, invest without becoming a homeowner, or something else altogether.
17. Airbnb Hosting Fees: What Percentage Does Airbnb Take?
It’s no surprise that Airbnb collects fees from hosts—after all, the platform provides a simple way to get your rental listed, increased exposure, and a range of helpful services.
But how do Airbnb host fees actually work, and what can you expect to pay? Our guide explains everything in detail, so you can manage your listings confidently and avoid any surprises.
16. Lodgify’s Summer 2025 Report: The State of the U.S. Vacation Rental Industry
How did the vacation rental industry fare over the summer season? Lodgify’s Summer 2025 Report is the best way to find out, packed with year-over-year trends for the most important metrics as well as the 10 most booked destinations of the summer period.
15. Free Airbnb Co-Host Agreement Template (2025)
Managing a vacation rental can be a lot of work, and having a trusted co-host can make a big difference.
Our Airbnb co-host agreement template helps ensure both you and your co-host understand your responsibilities and sets the stage for a smooth, professional partnership.
14. The 10 Best Airbnb Management Companies in 2025
Need help managing your Airbnb? You’re not alone, as our Best Airbnb Management Companies blog is one of our most-read. Check it out to learn what Airbnb property management companies actually do, why hiring one might be a good idea, and which ones you should consider.
13. How to Start an Airbnb Business With No Money: 16 Ideas
We’ve already shared that you can make a profit on Airbnb without owning property, but did you know you can start an Airbnb business without any money as well?
This blog outlines 16 ideas to help you start an Airbnb business even if you don’t have extra cash to spare. Take a look—some of the ideas might surprise you!
12. Airbnb Expenses Spreadsheet (Free Template) for Hosts & Property Managers
An Airbnb expenses spreadsheet makes managing your Airbnb’s finances much simpler, helping you track income and expenses with ease.
To get you started quickly, we provide a free, customizable template that you can download and adapt to your own business needs.
11. The U.S.’s Best Short-Term Rental Markets for Investing (2025)
If you’re thinking about buying a property to operate as a vacation rental, choosing the right market is critical—location really does make all the difference.
That’s why we update this guide annually, analyzing factors like demand, revenue growth, local regulations, and cap rates to highlight the top short-term rental markets for investment. Keep an eye on this blog for our latest 2026 recommendations!
10. Airbnb House Rules: Template and Examples
While we hope every Airbnb guest treats your property respectfully, that’s not always guaranteed. That’s why clear Airbnb house rules are essential—they set expectations for what’s allowed and what isn’t.
Wondering what to include? You don’t have to reinvent the wheel—our guide offers practical examples and a ready-to-use template to help you create effective house rules from the get-go.
9. Airbnb Rental Agreement: Free Template for Hosts
Not every Airbnb guest reads the fine print, but having a clear guest agreement is still essential. It helps ensure your house rules are followed, amenities are used appropriately, and your property stays protected.
Recognizing its importance, we provide a free template to help you get started, along with a detailed breakdown of everything your agreement should cover.
8. Best Short-Term Rental Insurance Companies for 2025
Making our list of the top 20 blogs for the first time, this resource addresses one of the absolute must-haves for vacation rental properties: insurance. To help you make the best choice for your business, we outline the best short-term rental insurance companies available, as well as key considerations to take into account.
7. The Perfect Airbnb Welcome Book Template to Impress Guests
We’re firm believers that a well-crafted Airbnb welcome book is key to making a great first impression when guests arrive—but the real magic is in how you put it together.
This guide walks you through everything your welcome book should include, offers an example for inspiration, and shows you how to share it with your guests. Plus, we provide a free, ready-to-use template so you can start creating yours right away.
6. Short-Term Rental Expense Spreadsheet (Free Template)
We’ve already shared our Airbnb expense spreadsheet above, and now comes our OTA-agnostic version. Download this handy spreadsheet to track your income and expenses regardless of where you list your vacation rental—your 2026 financials will thank you!
5. Lodgify’s 2024 Vacation Rental Industry Report
At the beginning of the year, we released our most comprehensive report to date: our 2024 U.S. Vacation Rental Industry Report. This report includes not only key market trends pulled from Lodgify’s internal data, but also survey responses from nearly 800 vacation rental hosts and an analysis of over 116,000 reviews performed by review management platform Revyoos.
Even a year later, it continues to be an incredibly valuable insight into the recent state of the vacation rental industry—so if you haven’t gotten a chance to read it yet, now’s the time!
4. Airbnb Essentials: The Ultimate Amenities Checklist for Hosts
Another fan favorite: Airbnb Essentials. This blog offers a comprehensive checklist of everything your Airbnb should include, ensuring no detail is overlooked. Since amenities play a big role in the guest experience, it’s easy to see why this blog remains so popular year after year!
3. Free Short-Term Rental Agreement Template (2025)
While we’ve highlighted our Airbnb-specific rental agreement, many hosts need a more flexible option that works across multiple booking platforms. That’s why we also offer a general short-term rental agreement template.
This guide consistently ranks among our top-read blogs—No. 3 this and last year and No. 2 the year before—thanks to the essential role a solid rental agreement plays in protecting both hosts and guests.
2. How to Start an Airbnb Business: 8 Steps for Success
A lot of people see Airbnb as an easy way to earn extra income, but it’s important to remember that managing a rental is a real business—and it deserves a professional approach.
For anyone ready to take it seriously, our guide to How to Start an Airbnb Business lays out eight clear steps to help you launch smoothly while covering all the essential bases.
1. Airbnb Guest Reviews: How to Write the Best Reviews for Guests (With Examples!)
Taking the top spot as our most-read blog of the year is Airbnb Guest Reviews!
This blog walks you through crafting thoughtful guest reviews, explains the Airbnb rules you need to follow, and even includes a downloadable with 101 ready-to-use review examples—everything you need to make reviewing your guests quick, easy, and effective.
New year, new blogs!
Creating these resources has been incredibly rewarding, and we hope they’ve provided guidance and inspiration as you tackled market shifts, operational hurdles, and new opportunities in 2025. Your engagement is what makes this work meaningful, so a huge thank you to everyone who visited, read, and shared our content throughout the year!
As we move into 2026, we can’t wait to keep supporting your vacation rental journey with even more practical insights, trends, and tips to help your business thrive.
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The post Lodgify’s Top Vacation Rental Blog Posts of 2025 appeared first on Vacation Rental Owners & Property Managers Blog – Lodgify.
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