How much does Airbnb take?
Airbnb used to split its fee: the host paid about 3% and the guest paid a separate service fee of around 14% to 16.5%. Through 2025 and 2026 Airbnb moved hosts to a single host-only fee of 15.5%, deducted from the payout, with guests shown one all-in price. Hosts using property management software were moved first; by October 2026 hosts in the UK and Ireland are on the host-only fee.
The practical effect for a venue: the 15.5% comes out of your price. If you want to net the same amount as before, your listed price has to rise, and the guest sees that higher price next to everyone else's.
What is Booking.com's commission?
Booking.com's commission is set in each property's agreement and shown in the extranet, so the real number is in your own contract. Trade sources commonly put it between 10% and 25%, with around 15% typical. It is charged on the room price plus fees added at booking, such as cleaning, but not on local taxes, and it is due on completed stays and on charged non-refundable bookings.
On top of the base rate, programmes such as Preferred Partner and Visibility Booster add commission in exchange for ranking higher, and Genius discounts reduce the price the guest pays.
Vrbo fees in 2026
Until 28 October 2026, Vrbo's pay-per-booking hosts paid a 5% commission plus around 3% payment processing. Vrbo announced on 29 September 2026 that it is moving to a flat 12% commission from 29 October 2026, as reported by Skift.
What the fees mean on a whole-house booking
Percentage fees grow with the size of the booking. The arithmetic for three booking values:
| Booking value | Airbnb at 15.5% | Booking.com at 15% | Vrbo at 12% |
|---|---|---|---|
| €3,000 hen weekend | €465 | €450 | €360 |
| €10,000 group stay | €1,550 | €1,500 | €1,200 |
| €30,000 exclusive-use weekend | €4,650 | €4,500 | €3,600 |
The bigger cost is the guest
The commission is visible. What is less visible is who owns the relationship afterwards. The marketplace holds the guest's contact details, the review and the next booking, and it can show that guest another house next time. A group that books your house directly is your customer: you can invite them back next year, and their referral costs you nothing.
Marketplaces are also built to sell nights in rooms. A wedding, a corporate retreat with meeting rooms and dinners, or a weekend with a chef and experiences does not fit their booking flow, so those bookings need your own system anyway.
Direct booking is not free either
Selling direct still costs something: card processing, a booking system, and the marketing that brings the guest to your site rather than to a marketplace. The comparison that matters is cost per booking, by channel, and what each guest is worth after the first stay.
Many estates keep their marketplace listings for quiet weeks and move their best bookings (weddings, retreats, large groups) to their own website. A shared calendar that imports and exports the marketplaces' iCal feeds keeps that safe from double bookings.
Questions
- What percentage does Airbnb take from hosts?
- Most hosts now pay Airbnb's host-only fee of 15.5% of the booking, deducted from the payout. The older split fee, about 3% for the host plus a separate guest service fee, has been phased out for UK and Irish hosts during 2026.
- What is Booking.com's commission in Ireland and the UK?
- It is set in each property's agreement. Trade sources commonly cite 10% to 25%, with about 15% typical, plus more for visibility programmes such as Preferred Partner or Visibility Booster.
- Is direct booking cheaper than Airbnb?
- Usually per booking, because you avoid the marketplace fee, but you pay for card processing, your booking system and the marketing that brings guests to your website. The bigger gain is keeping the guest's details for repeat and referral bookings.
- Can I keep my Airbnb listing and take direct bookings?
- Yes. Keep the listing and sync the calendars by iCal, so a direct booking blocks the dates on Airbnb and an Airbnb booking blocks them on your own site.
- Are these fees current?
- They were checked on 24 October 2026 against Airbnb's and Booking.com's own help pages and trade reporting on Vrbo's change. Marketplace fees change often, so check your own account before deciding.
Updated 24 October 2026