How Varebo works & safety

Last updated October 27, 2026

Varebo, by Hous Media Solutions LLC, is software. We give vacation rental hosts their own direct-booking website. We are not a booking platform, travel agent or property manager, and we never hold guest money. Here is exactly how it works, so you know what you're getting.

How it works

• Hosts build a site for their rental at varebo.com. It starts as a free 14-day preview marked "Preview site, not yet verified by Varebo".
• Hosts activate by subscribing: $29/month or $290/year for the first property, and $19/month or $190/year for each additional property on the same account. That subscription is the only money Varebo makes.
• Guests book on the host's site and pay the host directly, through the host's own Stripe or PayPal account.
• Calendars sync with Airbnb, VRBO and Booking.com in both directions, so dates booked elsewhere are blocked.
• Every booked guest gets a welcome guide from the host (Wi-Fi, check-in, house rules, local tips).

Who gets paid

• Refunds, cancellations, deposits and disputes are between the guest and the host, under the host's own policy and Stripe's or PayPal's buyer protection.
• Hosts pay Varebo only the subscription, billed by Stripe. Cancel anytime from the dashboard; the site stays online until the end of the paid period.
• No service fees for guests. Prices shown are set by the host (nightly rate, cleaning fee and taxes, if any).

The "Synced with Airbnb" badge

Some sites show a green ✓ Synced with Airbnb (or VRBO / Booking.com) badge. Here is exactly what it means:

• The host connected a working calendar export from that platform. Those links are private: only someone logged in as the host on Airbnb, VRBO or Booking.com can copy them.
• So the badge shows the host also has a real host account on that platform, which does its own identity checks.
• For Airbnb, the badge links to the Airbnb listing, so you can compare photos, reviews and details yourself.
• We re-check every calendar every night. If it stops working, the badge disappears automatically.

Booking safely (guests)

• Pay only with the booking button on the site. It opens Stripe or PayPal checkout, which comes with their buyer protection.
• Never pay by Zelle, wire transfer, Venmo, Cash App, crypto or gift cards, even if someone claiming to be the host asks. That is the #1 sign of a vacation rental scam.
• Look for the Synced with Airbnb badge and compare the photos with the Airbnb listing.
• Sites marked "Preview site, not yet verified by Varebo" are new and can't take payments yet. Be extra careful.
• Price too good to be true, pressure to pay fast, or a host who won't talk on the phone? Walk away and report it.

What we expect from hosts

• Only list homes you own or are authorized to rent, with your own photos and accurate details.
• Take payment only through your site's checkout (or tell guests clearly how you handle requests). Never ask guests to pay by untraceable methods.
• Follow local laws: short-term rental permits, taxes, safety rules and fair-housing rules are your responsibility.
• Answer guests, honor your cancellation policy, and refund through Stripe or PayPal when you should.

Breaking these rules gets a site suspended or deleted. Full details are in the Terms.

Reporting a problem

Every Varebo site has a "Report this listing" link at the bottom. Reports come straight to us and we review them quickly; we can take a site offline immediately. You can also email info@draive.net.

If you already paid a scammer: contact your bank or card company right away, and report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov (US).