VRBO lets travelers make immediate, secure credit card payments and accepts all major credit cards as well as eChecks (only available in the U.S.). They also allow property owners to choose their own cancellation and refund policies, which can range from very lenient to very strict. Their website is easy to navigate and pleasing to the eye, yet frequently asked questions are very limited and mostly address homeowner concerns as opposed to guest and traveler inquiries. Since the business is funded by their annual and per-listing fees, support and account management services are also reserved for property owners. The company has received mixed customer feedback on the Better Business Bureau's website, yet holds a positive 8.3 (great) Trustpilot score.

Upon entering VRBO's site, users will see a search bar where they can type in their location of interest, the date and duration of the trip, and how many guests will be making use of the accommodations. The service will then let them filter search results by property, location, features, price, number of rooms, handicapped accessibility, and more. Listings include everything from villas to mobile homes and can be as cheap as the more affordable hotels or as expensive as a luxury property in the heart of a city.

VRBO is a membership-based service for property owners, so they do not charge users for signing up or creating a profile. They don't provide special offers or a price match guarantee themselves, and don't have a rewards program, but do feature special offers from partner companies like Expedia. The company now charges a service fee that is only refundable in cases where the property owner guarantees a 100% refund.

As a "classifieds" website, VRBO does not extend any additional services. Their site only offers detailed information about the properties they list, including all of its amenities, nearby attractions, possible leisure activities in the vicinity, and ratings and reviews from previous guests.