Most hosts upload a handful of photos and call it done. The data suggests that's leaving money on the table.
More photos, more revenue
IntelliHost and Key Data looked at 359,722 active short-term rental listings in the US and grouped them by how many photos each one had. The difference in revenue per available night was striking:
Average daily revenue per available night for listings with 6–10 photos versus 100+ photos (IntelliHost and Key Data, 2026). The authors note this is a correlation, not proof of cause.
That doesn't mean you need 100 photos. Hosts who post big galleries may also have nicer homes or be more hands-on. But it does show that thin galleries are common among the lowest-earning listings.
How many photos we recommend
For most Colorado rentals, we recommend about one photo for every 75 to 100 square feet, which is why our Airbnb packages scale with the size of the home:
- 10 photos for studios and small condos up to 1,000 sq ft
- 20 photos for a typical 1,400 to 1,900 sq ft home, our most booked option
- 30 to 50 photos for large cabins and homes over 2,300 sq ft
What every gallery should include
- A strong cover photo. Your best room or your best exterior view. This is the photo that shows up in search.
- Every sleeping space. Guests want to know exactly where everyone sleeps.
- Kitchen and dining. Especially important for families and longer stays.
- Every bathroom. Clean, bright bathroom photos build trust.
- Your best amenities. Hot tub, fire pit, game room, mountain view, ski storage.
- The outside and the neighborhood. Drone photos show the lot, the view and how close you are to trails, lakes or downtown.
- A floor plan. It answers layout questions instantly. Every one of our Airbnb packages includes one.
Put them in a logical order
Walk guests through the home the way they'd experience it: the hero shot first, then the main living area, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, amenities, and finally the exterior and surroundings. Avoid collages. They're hard to read on a phone, and that's where most guests are browsing.
Quality still matters more than quantity
Fifty dark, blurry phone photos won't outperform twenty bright, professional ones. Airbnb's own data shows hosts with professional photos earn 21% more on average, so the goal is a complete gallery of great photos, not just a long one.