What is Hopper and How Does it Work for Vacation Rentals?

Hopper Homes is a new and exciting way to list your vacation rental homes. With travelers opting for one-of-a-kind getaways over traditional hotel stays, finding the right platform to list your vacation rental is key. Competing against a host of online travel agencies, Hopper Homes is gaining popularity and has quickly made a name for itself ranking sixth on Apptopia’s list with 19.8 million downloads. 

In this article, we’ll explore what Hopper is, how it works and why it might be the right choice for your vacation rental needs.

What is Hopper?

Hopper is a travel booking application that helps simplify finding deals for flights, hotels, vacation rentals and car rentals. Founded in 2007 in Montreal, Hopper uses cutting-edge data science and machine learning to predict prices and score you the best deals. 

Originally focused on flights, it now includes hotels and vacation rentals. It offers an easy-to-use interface and great customer support.  Hopper was named the world’s best travel app for 2023 and ranked No. 29 among the world's 50 most innovative companies of 2024.

With over 75 million users and as the most downloaded OTA app in the US, Hopper's growth is impressive. Their annual bookings reached $5.9 billion in 2023 alone, backed by heavyweights like Goldman Sachs. 

Hopper's unique fintech products offer flexibility and peace of mind, especially loved by Gen Z and Millennials, who make up 70% of its user base. Hopper’s journey from startup to industry disruptor shows its dedication to improving travel for millions of users. 

Why Hosts Should List Their Rental on Hopper

Choosing Hopper to list your vacation rental is a great choice for hosts looking to maximize their bookings and revenue. In 2023, Hopper raked in an impressive $700 million in revenue, with a significant chunk coming from its flexibility and security add-ons. 

The platform's annual bookings soared to $5.9 billion, and 35% of that came from its innovative fintech products like Price Freeze and Cancel for Any Reason. With an estimated 35 million users accessing the app in 2023, Hopper offers remarkable exposure and tools to help hosts succeed in the vacation rental market.

Here are some key things rental hosts and property managers need to know about Hopper. 

Exclusive in-app bookings 

Bookings can only be made through the Hopper application, ensuring a streamlined and secure process.

No Commission fees

Hosts aren't charged a commission. Instead, Hopper asks for a discounted net rate and adds a dynamic markup, making prices lower for guests and cheaper for hosts compared to other OTAs.

Transparent guest information

Hopper does not hide guest details from hosts, allowing for better communication and a more personalized hosting experience.

Comprehensive search filters

Guests can easily find properties by using search filters such as the number of bedrooms, location, price and more.

How does Hopper Work?

Hopper operates on a unique business model that leverages predictive algorithms to forecast future prices for flights, hotels, car rentals and vacation rentals. By analyzing billions of price points daily, Hopper can predict the best times to book accommodations, saving users up to 40% on their bookings. Unlike other online travel agencies, Hopper restricts its booking capabilities to its app, though price information and hotel bookings can also be accessed via its website.

For hosts, this means more exposure to potential guests who are actively seeking the best deals. Hopper's technology not only benefits travelers but also provides hosts with valuable insights into pricing trends and booking behaviors. 

This data-driven approach allows hosts to optimize their pricing strategies and maximize occupancy rates, ensuring they attract more guests and increase their revenue.

What are the Key Advantages of Hopper?

Price prediction tool

Hopper's flagship feature is its price prediction tool, which forecasts future prices with up to 95% accuracy. This tool helps travelers book at the best times, ensuring they get the best deals. For hosts, this means attracting more bookings by aligning their prices with market trends.

User-friendly interface

The app's interface is designed with simplicity and usability in mind. Travelers can easily search for flights, hotels and vacation rentals, while hosts can manage their listings and monitor performance through an intuitive dashboard.

Flexible booking options

Hopper provides flexible booking options, allowing travelers to choose between instant booking and requesting to book. This flexibility caters to different traveler preferences and helps hosts manage their properties more effectively.

Customer support

Hopper offers 24/7 customer support, ensuring that any issues or queries are promptly addressed. This level of support is crucial for both travelers and hosts, providing peace of mind and enhancing the overall experience.

Host resources

Hopper provides hosts with a wealth of resources, including analytics and insights to help them optimize their listings. Hosts can access data on booking trends, occupancy rates and pricing strategies, enabling them to make informed decisions and improve their performance.

What are Hopper’s Main Products?

Hopper flights

Hopper Flights, the app's flagship feature, uses smart tech to predict airfare prices, helping travelers snag the cheapest flights at the best times. This means more travelers planning trips with Hopper, boosting potential bookings for vacation rentals.

Hopper hotels

Riding high on its flight prediction success, Hopper dove into hotel bookings. Hopper Hotels uses the same smart algorithms to snag the best deals on stays. This complements their vacation rentals, offering a complete travel planning powerhouse.

Hopper vacation rentals

Hopper vacation rentals are a game-changer for hosts. List your property and tap into Hopper’s massive user base and smart tech. With optimized visibility and pricing strategies, you’ll attract more bookings and boost your rental income effortlessly!

Hopper rental cars

Hopper rental cars let you snag rental vehicles from 180 top brands worldwide at rates 20-25% cheaper, saving you an average of $40 per rental. With Hopper's predictive tech, you get the best deals, making travel planning a breeze

What is Hopper Cloud?

Hopper Cloud is Hopper's B2B initiative, offering its solutions, products and infrastructure to companies like Amadeus, Kayak, MakeMyTrip and Trip.com. It also lets other brands sell their travel products and content as white-label offerings to their customers.

How does Hopper work for Vacation Rentals?

Hopper offers a straightforward process for listing and managing vacation rentals, providing numerous benefits for hosts. Here’s how it works:

Listing a vacation rental

Hosts can create an account on Hopper, list their property and set their prices. The platform’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to upload property details, photos and amenities. Once listed, Hopper’s predictive technology optimizes the listing to attract more bookings.

Pricing optimization

Hopper’s data-driven approach helps hosts set competitive prices based on real-time market trends. By analyzing booking behaviors and price fluctuations, Hopper ensures that hosts can maximize their occupancy rates and revenue.

Increased exposure

With millions of users searching for accommodations daily, Hopper provides significant exposure for vacation rentals. Hosts benefit from the platform’s extensive user base, increasing the likelihood of securing bookings.

What are Hopper’s Products?

Carrot cash rewards

Earn rewards with every booking or referral: 5% back on hotels, 3% on cars and 1% on flights.

Price prediction

Hopper’s star feature predicts prices with 95% accuracy, saving users an average of $65 per trip. Get alerts to book now or watch your trip for future deals.

Price freeze

Lock in a price for a set period by paying a small fee, saving travelers an average of $45 per booking.

Cancel for any reason

Add this option to cancel your booking without fees for any reason until departure, saving an average of $214 per use.

Change for any reason

Change your travel dates, airlines, destination or trip type for any reason up until departure, saving users an average of $252 per use.

Leave for any reason

Switch hotels for free even after check-in by adding this option to your booking.

Flight disruption guarantee

Instantly rebook or get a refund if your flight is delayed, canceled or you miss a connection, saving travelers an average of $508.

VIP support

Get priority service and instant access to expert agents at any time by adding VIP Support to your booking.

Hopper and Hostaway – Your Perfect Hosting Partners

Hopper is altering the playing field for travelers and hosts alike. With its predictive technology, intuitive interface and extensive support resources, Hopper is a great tool for hosts looking to boost their bookings and revenue. 

As the vacation rental market keeps expanding, Hopper is an excellent choice for hosts aiming to thrive in this competitive space.

But why stop there? Integrating Hopper with Hostaway takes your hosting experience to a whole new level. Hostaway’s powerful platform makes managing your Hopper listings smooth and efficient, letting you handle bookings and fine-tune your rental strategy effortlessly.

For new hosts, jumping on board with Hopper and Hostaway could be your ticket to a steady stream of bookings and long-term success. Start listing your vacation rental on Hopper, and integrate with Hostaway and watch the dynamic impact! Ready to get started? Dive in and see the benefits for yourself!

FAQs

1. What is Hopper and how does it work for vacation rentals?

Hopper is a travel booking app that uses predictive algorithms to offer the best deals on flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation rentals. By analyzing billions of price points daily, Hopper helps users book accommodations at optimal times, which means increased bookings for hosts.

2. Why should hosts list their rentals on Hopper?

Hosts should list their rentals on Hopper to maximize bookings and revenue. With over 75 million users and no commission fees, Hopper provides unparalleled exposure and cost-effective listing options. Transparent guest information and comprehensive search filters further enhance the hosting experience.

3. How does Hopper help optimize pricing for hosts?

Hopper’s data-driven approach helps hosts set competitive prices based on real-time market trends. This ensures maximum occupancy rates and revenue, providing hosts with valuable insights into pricing strategies and booking behaviors.

4. What unique features does Hopper offer for hosts?

Hopper offers exclusive in-app bookings, eliminating commission fees and ensuring transparent guest information. Comprehensive search filters help guests find properties easily, while 24/7 customer support and host resources optimize listing management and performance.

5. What are some key products offered by Hopper that benefit hosts?

Hopper offers products like Price Freeze, Cancel for Any Reason, and VIP Support, providing flexibility and security for travelers. These features attract more bookings to vacation rentals, benefiting hosts by increasing their rental income and ensuring a steady stream of guests.