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Are you interested in being an Airbnb host but wonder how much are the Airbnb hosting fees? I wondered the same thing when I first started and it was super confusing. After 5 years of hosting, I am well versed in Airbnb hosting fees and will break it down for you.
If understanding Airbnb hosting fees is preventing you from getting started, don’t let them. Every host pays a fee of some size for every OTA (online travel agency). Some are more than others and some are less (i.e. direct booking).
This post is all about Airbnb hosting fees.
Airbnb Hosting Fees
What are Airbnb hosting fees?
Hosting fees are fees that are charged by Airbnb to the host for every reservation booked through the site. The way they are paid are when the guests are charged for their stay, a portion of the host payout goes back to Airbnb.
Now, this is not a BAD thing. OTAs need to be compensated for the work they do to drive users. It’s a huge advantage for you as a host to get to use these platforms and get your listing in front of thousands of viewers without having to pay in advanced for any of the services.
Are you new to Airbnb? Use my referral link and I’ll coach you through setting up your first listing! Airbnb will give you a $48 bonus for using me as your Airbnb ambassador for listing set up after hosting your first guest!
How much are hosting fees?
Typically, hosts use the Split fee model where the host pays 3% and the guest pays 10-13%. This is the model I use! If you’re in a super competitive market, you could use the host fee model where the host pays all the fees, around 14-16%.
If you use a PMS (property management software) then you’ll be forced to use the host fee model. I only host using one platform, Airbnb, to make my life simpler. I have properties in a market where I can hit my occupancy and revenue goals by only hosting on one OTA. Now I may get away from this in the future but it works for me for now!
How do I avoid paying any fees?
The only way to ever avoid Airbnb fees is to build up a direct booking site. This is where marketing your property on social media and driving repeat guest to a direct booking site can build up your profitability year after year.
I personally do not have a direct booking site for my Airbnb business but it is something I’m thinking about exploring more in the next year. I’ll be sure to write more about it when I do.
The Ugly Truth
Like I mentioned above, the fees for guests and users for any OTA are not going away anytime soon. These OTAs spend millions of dollars to get users to book through their site and provide a ton of value to both hosts and guests.
As a traveler, you have peace of mind there’s a larger company there to back you up if anything goes wrong with the reservation or host. And as a host, there’s insurance and a team to help support your business.
If you’re looking to scale, building out these systems and paying for a direct booking site would be smart. This is something I definitely look to do as my business grows.
What other questions do you have about Airbnb hosting fees? Let me know in the comments below!
This post was all about Airbnb hosting fees.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclaimer for more info.
