Chicago, IL, 11 November — A new study has debunked the myth of ‘passive income’ from short-term rentals, revealing that two-thirds (63%) of hosts are juggling full-time jobs alongside managing their listings.
The research – the largest of its kind to be conducted by a vacation rental tech company – comes from the PriceLabs Global Host Report 2025. The study surveyed over 1,400 hosts with five properties or fewer available for rent worldwide, finding that most spend hours each week on pricing, guest messaging and cleaning coordination.
Far from being a set-and-forget side-hustle, many hosts say it makes them feel as though they are “always on call”. This is despite 71% saying they spend less than 10 hours a week managing their properties, with 37% spending five or less.
Entrepreneurial spirit
While 56% of hosts began hosting to earn extra income and 49% to cover the cost of the property, now 49% say that they’re inspired to grow their business, and 22% would like to take their hosting full-time.
A further 56% want to reinvest their earnings into their hosting business, reflecting a shift from casual hosting or ‘side hustles’ towards building long-term businesses and financial independence.
Richie Khandelwal, Co-founder of PriceLabs, said: “Hosting is maturing. The sector is professionalizing fast, and hosts need a strategic outlook, engaged education, and powerful — but easy-to-use — technology to keep up with the competition.
“It’s no longer just about getting five-star reviews: today’s hosts also need to focus on whether they are showing up in OTA search rankings, cope with the operational complexity of smaller booking windows and shorter stays, and streamline their operations to stay ahead of rising inflation and costs. Smart automation is the only way hosts can manage this whilst juggling a full-time role.”
The full PriceLabs Global Host Report will be released on November 18, covering more findings from this large-scale survey, from hosts’ main concerns to how they’re implementing new strategies and technologies.
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Notes to editors
Press contact:
Madeleine Parkin
+34 684 218 737
Stewart Paterson
+44 7387 314249
About PriceLabs
PriceLabs is a revenue management platform designed for all short- and mid-term accommodation, from vacation rentals to hotels, campgrounds, aparthotels, and serviced apartments. Since 2014, PriceLabs has helped property managers and hosts optimise their pricing strategies using AI-driven automation, market data insights, and flexible customization. PriceLabs currently prices over 600,000 listings globally. Learn more at pricelabs.co.
