Skip to main content

Instant Booking vs Request to Book: The Benefits

Save time and improve your conversion rate by up to 21% with Instant Book

Written by Product Team
Updated over 2 weeks ago

When it comes to securing bookings, convenience and speed matter. Instant Book offers a seamless experience for guests, while also delivering measurable benefits for hosts.


What is Instant Book?

Instant Booking allows guests to confirm a reservation immediately – no waiting, no back-and-forth. As soon as a guest selects your property and completes the booking, it’s automatically confirmed. This is in contrast to Request to Book, where you must manually approve or decline each request.


Why choose Instant Book?

1. Higher conversion rates

Homes with Instant Book enabled can achieve up to 21% higher conversion. Guests are more likely to book when they can secure a property instantly.

2. Increased visibility

Many guests actively filter for homes that offer Instant Book. By enabling it, your listing becomes visible to a larger audience.

3. Better search ranking

Listings with Instant Book are prioritised higher in search results, helping your property stand out and attract more bookings.

4. Less admin, more efficiency

Instant Book removes the need to manually manage booking requests.

  • No approvals or declines required

  • No risk of requests expiring after 48 hours

  • Avoid potential flags for unresponsiveness

This saves you time and streamlines your hosting experience.

5. Added security with ID verification

You can enable guest ID verification alongside Instant Book, giving you extra peace of mind while maintaining a frictionless booking experience.


How to activate Instant Book on your listing

  • Log in to your Plum Guide host account

  • Go to Listings

  • Click Manage → Booking policies

  • In the Instant Book section, switch on the toggle

Guest ID verification will be enabled automatically when Instant Book is turned on. If you prefer to disable it, simply switch off the toggle.


Important note

If a booking is made within 48 hours of check-in (today, tomorrow, or the next day), Instant Book is automatically disabled. In these cases, bookings will revert to Request to Book.

By enabling Instant Book, you not only improve the guest experience but also increase your chances of securing more bookings – with less effort.


Need help?

If you have any question, we’re here to help. Please reach out at info@plumguide.com

Did this answer your question?