Airbnb fees for hosts: why use a professional?

As professionals in short-term rentals and Airbnb property management, we know it can be difficult to navigate booking platform fees, especially for individuals just starting their vacation rental journey. Between what guests pay, what is deducted from the host's payout, and what the platform keeps for operations, it isn't always easy to understand these amounts, especially since Airbnb's fee structure evolved in 2025.

Let's break down all the fees paid for an Airbnb booking. You will discover what is deducted from the host's payout and the recent pricing changes, before we explain the benefits of working with a professional or an Airbnb property management service on this type of booking platform.

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What is included in the Airbnb fees for a booking?

Airbnb fees include various elements that allow for a high-quality stay and services for both guests and owners. These fees apply to every booking made, without exception.

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To ensure a high-quality stay, the platform has implemented cleaning fees, which allow hosts to ensure their property is refreshed between bookings without paying for it themselves. For owners, the Airbnb security deposit allows them to keep their short-term rental in good condition if any damage occurs.

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Airbnb fees also cover all services provided by the platform itself. Without these fees, the booking platform could not continue its operations. These fees, which also allow it to function properly, are called service fees and include:

• 24/7 guest support, protection for hosts and their short-term rentals, including security deposit management (via AirCover), visibility provided by Airbnb through their marketing on search engines and social media, secure payment processing, and resources made available to hosts.

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Furthermore, the fees indicated for each booking also account for additional guests. Finally, these fees include local taxes, such as the tourist tax and, if necessary, value-added tax.

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Why work with a professional to reduce your Airbnb service fees?

Since some of these fees help fund the platform's operations, it is important to note that Airbnb service fees are, depending on the chosen model, paid either by guests, by hosts, or split between the two. As the name suggests, these are service fees that allow Airbnb to maintain and develop its platform. These fees are paid in full to Airbnb.

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When Airbnb issues a payout, the host actually receives the sum of the collected nightly rates and additional fees (such as cleaning fees), minus applicable service fees and other taxes collected on behalf of authorities. The host therefore does not receive the full total of the booking, but only the portion that remains after commissions are deducted.

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Depending on the host's status, Airbnb charges a different percentage for service fees. Indeed, the system for charging these fees differs depending on whether the host is an individual or a professional:

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As an individual, service fees are "split": the percentage of the service fee is divided between the host and the guest. Specifically, the host pays 3% of these fees (4% for properties located in Brazil) and the guest pays between 14.1% and 16.5%, depending on several factors. This rate can reach 16.5% when the booking is made in a currency different from the one set by the host, as Airbnb applies a 2% surcharge to cover exchange fees.

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As a professional, service fees are not split and are entirely the host's responsibility. Since October 2025, a fixed rate of 15.5% is applied to the booking subtotal (16% for properties located in Brazil). This new rate represents a 0.5 percentage point increase compared to the 15% rate previously applied.

This "fixed-fee" model is mandatory for:

• traditional hospitality establishments (hotels, tourist residences), professional hosts using property management software (PMS) or a channel manager, and hosts who have voluntarily chosen this model.

Note that since August 2025, Airbnb has been gradually rolling out this fixed-fee model. New hosts using management software are automatically subject to this model, and by December 2025, most professional hosts will have switched to this system.

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Overall, we can see that professional hosts receive a slightly higher payout than individuals. Indeed, with the split model, the total fees charged amount to approximately 17% to 17.1% (3% host + 14.1% guest minimum), while professionals have been paying 15.5% since October 2025.

Although the gap has narrowed with the recent 0.5 percentage point increase in professional fees, the fixed-fee model remains slightly more advantageous. This difference, even if modest, is felt in the rental income earned, especially for owners managing multiple properties or those with a high occupancy rate.

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Using a professional to manage your vacation rental remains a smart choice in 2025, as the total commission charged is still slightly lower than the split-fee model used by individual hosts.

Beyond the financial aspect, the simplified fee model offers a significant marketing advantage: travelers see the total price upfront with no extra service fees (labeled as "service fee = 0"). This transparent pricing can boost booking conversions, as travelers are often discouraged by high fees added at checkout. This "all-inclusive" display is a major competitive edge for securing more bookings.

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Evolution of Airbnb fees in 2025

Airbnb made several adjustments to its fee structure in 2025:

• August 2025: New hosts using property management software are automatically enrolled in the 15.5% simplified fee model. October 2025: Professional hosts already connected via management software transition to the 15.5% flat rate. December 2025: The 15.5% rate is rolled out to the majority of professional listings under the simplified fee model.

These changes aim to standardize pricing and improve transparency for travelers, who benefit from an "all-inclusive" price display with no surprises at checkout.

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How can you avoid Airbnb service fees?

The most effective way to completely avoid Airbnb service fees is to encourage direct bookings through your own website or booking system. However, this can be daunting, as you lose the reassuring, guided framework that Airbnb provides, particularly regarding secure payments, insurance, and 24/7 support.

Furthermore, by opting out of such a well-known platform, hosts lose the massive visibility and marketing investment that Airbnb provides, which can significantly impact occupancy rates, especially for new owners without an established client base. It is therefore important to weigh the pros and cons of saving on commissions versus the potential loss of bookings.

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Other vacation rental platforms exist with different fee structures than Airbnb (such as Booking.com with a commission of about 15–18%, or Vrbo with about 8% for the host).

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Some companies, in addition to listing properties on major vacation rental platforms, offer end-to-end management for short-term rentals. These are Airbnb concierge services, true professionals in short-term rental management. By using such agencies, owners benefit from professional status on Airbnb (and thus the 15.5% commission rate instead of 17%), save valuable time by not having to manage daily bookings, and also leverage the concierge's direct booking platform to diversify their acquisition channels.

As an owner, rely on Welkeys and our concierge service to handle the rental management of your vacation property. We take care of key exchanges, hotel-quality linens, deep cleaning, booking management, listing creation, and even pricing, using a revenue management strategy based on nightly rate fluctuations driven by demand and annual events.

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Thanks to our expertise and professional status on major booking platforms, you automatically benefit from optimized commission rates while enjoying maximum visibility and worry-free management of your property.