Key takeaways
- Airbnb has two fee structures: a split fee (about 3% for most hosts, with guests paying a separate service fee) and a single host-only fee (15.5% for most hosts).
- Hosts who use property management software are on the single fee. Airbnb says that once you switch to it, you can’t switch back.
- The fee is a percentage of your nightly price plus the fees you charge, such as cleaning. It excludes taxes.
- To keep the same payout under a 15.5% fee, divide the payout you want by 0.845.
Split fee vs. single host-only fee
| Structure | What the host pays | What the guest pays |
|---|---|---|
| Split fee | Most hosts about 3% (4% in Brazil and Mexico) | A guest service fee, usually 14.1% to 16.5% of the booking subtotal |
| Single host-only fee | Most hosts 15.5% (some 14% to 16%; 16% in Brazil and Mexico) | No separate Airbnb service fee |
These figures come from Airbnb’s help article on host service fees. Your own rate is in your Airbnb earnings and payout details, and that number is the one to plan with.
Who pays the host-only fee
Airbnb applies the single fee to traditional hospitality listings, to hosts in countries where it is required, and to hosts who use property management software. In late October 2025 Airbnb moved hosts who manage prices through connected software onto it. If your listing syncs through Lodgify, Hostaway, Guesty or a similar tool, check your payout reports: you are probably already paying it.
What the fee applies to
Airbnb calculates service fees on the nightly price plus the fees you charge, such as cleaning or pet fees. Taxes are excluded. A $1,500 stay with a $200 cleaning fee is a $1,700 subtotal, and 15.5% of that is $263.50.
How to reprice so your payout doesn’t drop
Under the split fee, a guest paid your price plus Airbnb’s service fee. Under the single fee, the price the guest sees is the price you set, and Airbnb’s share comes out of it. To keep the same payout, gross it up:
Price to set = payout you want ÷ (1 − 0.155). For a $200 nightly payout: $200 ÷ 0.845 = $236.69.
Before you raise rates, compare the guest’s total with similar listings. Under the old model guests already paid about the same all-in amount, but the comparison is worth checking against your market. If a pricing tool manages your rates, set the markup there so it doesn’t overwrite your change.
Airbnb vs. Vrbo host fees
Vrbo’s pay-per-booking model charges owners a 5% commission plus a 3% payment processing fee. The commission applies to the rental amount and your fees, excluding taxes and refundable deposits. The processing fee applies to the payments Vrbo collects. On the same $1,700 booking that is roughly $136 before taxes, compared with $263.50 on Airbnb’s 15.5% fee.
What the same stay costs as a direct booking
A direct booking has no platform commission. You still pay card processing, and you pay for the website and whatever brings guests to it. Here is the same $1,700 stay, before taxes:
| Where the guest books | Fee on $1,700 | You receive |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb, 15.5% host-only fee | $263.50 | $1,436.50 |
| Vrbo, 5% + 3% | About $136 | About $1,564 |
| Direct, Stripe card processing (2.9% + 30¢) | $49.60 | $1,650.40, before website costs |
The point isn’t to leave the platforms. Airbnb and Vrbo find you guests you’d never reach on your own. The point is that a returning guest, or one who found you through your own posts, doesn’t have to cost you 15.5%.