Airbnb removed its category filters and replaced them with a search-based system

In 2023, Airbnb phased out the category sidebar that let you filter listings by type — "Beachfront," "Tiny homes," "Treehouses," and dozens of others. Instead of browsing by preset categories, you now search by what you want and use text-based filters like price, number of bedrooms, and amenities. The company said the change made searching faster and more flexible, but it also made finding specific property types harder for many users.

The old system showed you all available categories at once. You could click "Cabins" and see every cabin listing in your dates. The new system requires you to type what you are looking for into the search bar or scroll through Airbnb's suggested searches, which change based on what is trending or what Airbnb wants to promote that week.

Key Takeaways

  • Airbnb removed category filters in 2023 and now relies on text search and trending suggestions instead of a browsable list of property types.
  • You can still find specific property types by typing them into the search bar — "tiny home," "cabin," "houseboat" — but you have to know what to search for.
  • The new system shows trending searches and Airbnb's promoted properties more prominently, which can bury less common property types.
  • Filters for price, bedrooms, bathrooms, and amenities are still available, but you cannot filter by property type alone without using the search bar.

Why Airbnb made the change

Airbnb said the old category system was confusing because listings often fit multiple categories. A beachfront cabin is both a cabin and beachfront, so it might appear in one category but not another, leaving users frustrated when they could not find what they wanted. The company also wanted to push users toward its algorithm-driven search, which learns what you click on and shows you similar listings.

The shift also benefited Airbnb's business model. The old categories gave equal visibility to all property types. The new system lets Airbnb promote high-margin listings and properties from hosts who pay for extra visibility, which means less common property types — treehouses, igloos, houseboats — get buried unless you search for them by name.

How to find specific property types now

Type the property type directly into the search bar. If you want a tiny home, type "tiny home" in the location field or in the main search. Airbnb will show you listings tagged with that keyword. This works for most common types: cabin, cottage, villa, houseboat, treehouse, farm stay, glamping, loft, and studio.

If the search bar does not return what you want, use the Filters button. Click it and scroll down to "Property type" — this filter still exists, but it is buried in the full filter menu instead of displayed as a clickable list on the home page. You can select multiple property types at once, which the old sidebar did not always allow.

Trending searches appear on the Airbnb home page and change daily. These are not necessarily the most popular listings — they are the ones Airbnb wants you to see. If you see a property type you like in the trending section, click it to see similar listings.

What you lose with the new system

You can no longer browse all available property types at a glance. The old sidebar showed you every option — "Beachfront," "Countryside," "Iconic cities," "Unique stays" — and you could explore categories you had not thought of. The new system assumes you already know what you want to search for.

Less common property types are harder to discover. A treehouse or igloo listing might have been visible in the old "Unique stays" category, but now it only appears if you search for "treehouse" or "igloo" by name, or if Airbnb decides to promote it as a trending search. This means hosts of unusual properties have to work harder to get bookings.

The new system also shows you fewer results per search. The old categories displayed dozens of listings on one page. Now Airbnb shows you a smaller number of "best matches" based on its algorithm, and you have to scroll or refine your search to see more.

How the property type filter works now

Open Airbnb and enter your location and dates. Click the Filters button (it looks like a funnel icon). Scroll down until you see "Property type." Click it to expand a list of all available types: Entire place, Private room, Shared room, and then specific types like Apartment, House, Cabin, Villa, Cottage, Tiny home, Treehouse, Houseboat, and others.

Select as many as you want. The list changes based on what is available in your location and dates, so some property types may not appear if no listings match. Once you have selected your property types, click "Show [number] stays" to see results.

This filter is more powerful than the old sidebar because you can combine it with other filters — price, bedrooms, amenities, host language, cancellation policy — all at once. But it requires you to know the filter exists and to navigate to it, which many users do not do.

Workarounds if you cannot find what you want

Try searching for the property type plus a descriptor. Instead of just "cabin," search "cabin near [city]" or "mountain cabin." Airbnb's search algorithm picks up these phrases and returns more relevant results.

Use the Filters menu to narrow by amenities instead of property type. If you want a treehouse but the search is not working, filter for "outdoor shower," "nature views," or "unique" to find similar properties.

Check Airbnb's Experiences section, which sometimes highlights unusual property types. This is separate from the main listings search but can surface properties that are hard to find otherwise.

If you are looking for a very specific property type, try searching for it on Google with "site:airbnb.com" — for example, "site:airbnb.com treehouse in Oregon." This searches only Airbnb's website and often returns results the main search does not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still filter by property type on Airbnb?

Yes. Click Filters, scroll to "Property type," and select the types you want. But this filter is no longer visible on the home page, so many users miss it. You have to know to look for it in the full filter menu.

Why did Airbnb remove categories?

Airbnb said categories were confusing because listings fit multiple types. The company also wanted to use its algorithm to show you personalized results instead of letting you browse a fixed list. The change also lets Airbnb promote high-margin listings more easily.

How do I find a treehouse or unusual property type?

Type the property type into the search bar — "treehouse," "igloo," "houseboat" — and Airbnb will show you listings tagged with that keyword. You can also use the Property type filter in the Filters menu, though it only shows types available in your location and dates.

Is the new search system faster than the old categories?

It can be, if you know exactly what you want to search for. If you like to browse and explore, the old system was faster because you could see all options at once. The new system requires more typing and clicking to find what you want.

Do hosts benefit from the new system?

Hosts of common property types — apartments, houses, cabins — benefit because the algorithm can show their listings to more people. Hosts of unusual property types — treehouses, igloos — are hurt because their listings are only visible if someone searches for that specific type by name.