Airbnb fees for hosts in 2026, and what a direct booking keeps
Most hosts on Airbnb's single fee structure pay 15.5% of the booking subtotal, taken out of the payout. Most hosts still on the older split fee pay 3%, and their guest pays 14.1% to 16.5% on top. A stay booked on your own website pays no commission, only card processing, such as Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢ on a domestic card.
Key takeaways
- Airbnb is moving every home host to the single fee, and a host who has switched can't go back to the split fee.
- Hotels, serviced apartments and hosts who use property management software already pay the single fee.
- Vrbo's pay-per-booking commission is 12% of the rent and the extra fees you charge, with no separate processing fee when Vrbo takes the payment.
- Booking.com sets your rate in your contract, by country and property type, and programmes such as Preferred Partner raise it.
- Google's vacation rentals partners can show free booking links to the owner's own site, and Google charges nothing for the guests it sends.
How much does Airbnb charge hosts?
- Single fee
- The whole service fee comes out of your payout and the guest pays no Airbnb fee on top. Most hosts pay 15.5%, the rest typically 14% to 16%, and listings in Brazil and Mexico pay 16%. Airbnb makes it mandatory for most hosts, hotels and anyone on property management software included.
- Split fee
- The fee is shared. Most hosts pay 3% (4% in Brazil and Mexico), worked out on the nightly price plus cleaning and any other fees you set, and the guest pays 14.1% to 16.5% of the subtotal at checkout. Airbnb is phasing it out.
- Direct booking
- A guest books on your own website or by phone and pays you. No platform takes a share; your card processor does, and Stripe's standard US rate is 2.9% + 30¢ per successful domestic card payment, with 1.5% more for an international card.
| Airbnb, single fee | Your own website | |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay | Usually 15.5% of the subtotal | Card processing, 2.9% + 30¢ on a domestic card at Stripe |
| On a $1,000 stay | $155 to Airbnb | $29.30 to Stripe |
| Charged on cleaning fees | Yes, the fee covers any fee the host charges | Only as part of the card payment |
| Who can change the fee | Airbnb, which reserves the right to change it at any time | Your processor, under the plan you picked |
Source1
What does Vrbo charge hosts compared with Airbnb?
Less on paper. Vrbo's pay-per-booking model charges 12% on the rental amount and any fees you add, such as cleaning, pet or boat fees. It leaves out Vrbo's own traveller service fee, taxes, refundable deposits and insurance. If Vrbo processes the payment there is no separate processing fee; if you use your own processor you pay its fee as well. In parts of Europe, Australia and New Zealand, hosts on Vrbo's Professional Plan can pay up to 15%, processing included.2
How much commission does Booking.com take?
Booking.com doesn't publish one rate. Its partner help says the percentage depends on your country, your property type and the agreement you signed, and it shows on your reservation statements. It is charged on the room rate plus cleaning and other fees, after the guest checks out. Local taxes such as city tax are left out, but in most countries VAT or GST is included. A rate above your contract can mean you joined a programme such as Preferred Partner or Visibility Booster.3
Do you pay Booking.com commission on cancellations and no-shows?
On the fees you collect, yes: a non-refundable booking, a late cancellation charge or a no-show fee all carry commission. Overbookings do too, unless your property has been live for less than 30 days or you have had fewer than five in the last 12 months. Mark no-shows and changes in the Extranet within 48 hours of checkout so the invoice matches what happened.3
How do guests find your own booking page?
Through Google, among other places. Google shows vacation rentals beside its search results, in Google Maps and in Google Travel's lodging search, and its free booking links send the traveller straight to the booking page on the owner's own site. Those listings come from Google's vacation rentals partners, so a small host gets there through a partner or booking software that sends Google its rates and availability. Google says there are no fees for the referrals or bookings it sends. If you run a guesthouse or B&B with a Business Profile, check it with the free Google Business Profile audit.4
Should a small host leave Airbnb?
Usually not. The platforms bring travellers who would never have found you, and 15.5% is the price of that reach. The fee is worth cutting on the guests who already know you: the couple who comes back every summer, or the friend they send. Give them a stay's own website with your rates and a way to reach you, and a reason to use it next time.
Questions
How much does Airbnb take from hosts?
Most hosts on the single fee structure pay 15.5% of the booking subtotal, deducted from the payout. Hosts still on the split fee pay 3% while the guest pays 14.1% to 16.5%.
Does Airbnb charge its fee on the cleaning fee?
Yes. Airbnb works out the service fee on the nightly price plus any fees the host charges, cleaning included. Taxes and the guest service fee are left out.
Is Vrbo cheaper than Airbnb for hosts?
Usually. Vrbo's pay-per-booking commission is 12% of the rent and host fees, while most Airbnb hosts pay 15.5% on the single fee. Vrbo's Professional Plan in some regions charges up to 15%, payment processing included.
What is a direct booking?
A stay booked on the property's own website or by phone and paid to the host. No platform commission applies, only the card processor's fee.
Can I go back to Airbnb's split fee?
No. Airbnb says a host who has switched to the single fee structure can't switch back. Bookings made before the switch keep the fee they were made under.
Sources
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