In a market dominated by Airbnb and Vrbo, a new player has emerged with a very different pitch.
Twimo just launched its private rental platform for vacation homeowners, offering a more controlled, flexible, and discreet approach to managing second homes. While mainstream STR platforms chase scale, Twimo is betting that privacy, not publicity, is what a large percentage of vacation rental homeowners actually want.
What Sets Twimo Apart
Twimo was built for homeowners who own vacation properties and prefer renting only to people they know or carefully vet: family, friends, colleagues, or other second-homeowners.
For this group, platforms like Airbnb often feel too exposed, too complex, and increasingly—too risky. Twimo flips the model on its head by putting control back in the hands of owners and offering them complete control over who stays in their home.
A Private Platform
Twimo gives vacation homeowners what public platforms can’t: total discretion. Hosts get a password-protected booking page they can share privately via unique links—no algorithms, no public listings, no review drama. Guests view availability and request to book without the back-and-forth.
Home Swap Network
For homeowners open to trading time in their vacation home, Twimo’s Home Swap Network enables unlimited, no-fee swaps with other verified hosts.
Unique Tools
Twimo has all the platform features you’d expect, with a few interesting twists:
- Payments can be made via Venmo, with zero fees + added protection from Stripe Identity and Stripe Radar
- Verified guest screening through Truvi Know Your Guest and Stripe Identity, so you’re never handing keys to a stranger
Our Take: Privacy is the New Luxury
Twimo launches into the market at an inflection point for STR’s.
We’ve seen local governments from San Francisco to Barcelona increasing regulations and enforcement. And many have been monitoring public STR platforms, using public listings as a tool to crackdown on hosts.
As regulations tighten and hosts grow weary of platform headaches, Twimo is carving out a new lane—one built for security, simplicity, and trusted networks.
For hosts who value privacy, Twimo may be the right platform at the right time.
