Airbnb Commission for Hosts: How to Avoid Airbnb Service Fees

Airbnb's commission structure has changed significantly. Here's how Airbnb host fees work in 2025:

• Host Commission: 15% of the booking total is deducted from your payout
• Guest Service Fee: 0% (Airbnb removed guest fees in 2024)
• Payment Processing: Hosts are responsible for payment processing fees
• No Subscription: Airbnb doesn't charge annual subscription fees

The Real Impact:

To maintain the same net income, hosts typically increase their prices by approximately 14-15% to offset the commission. This creates confusion because:

• Hosts need to understand how to adjust rates to maintain profitability under the new structure
• The total platform fee is actually lower (15% vs ~17.2% previously), but hosts now pay the entire fee
• There's confusion about pricing strategy—how much to increase rates to offset the fee change
• Hosts must raise prices to maintain profitability, which can affect competitiveness

The main challenge is understanding and adapting to the fee structure change, requiring hosts to adjust their pricing strategy accordingly.

Airbnb's fee structure has evolved over the years, with the most significant change being the shift to a host-only commission model:

• Previous Model (Split-Fee): Airbnb charged hosts 3% commission and guests ~14.2% service fees (total ~17.2%)
• Current Model (2025): Airbnb charges hosts 15% commission and guests 0% service fees (total 15%)
• Impact: The total platform fee is actually lower, but hosts now pay the entire fee instead of sharing it with guests, requiring price adjustments that create confusion about pricing strategy

While the total platform fee decreased from ~17.2% to 15%, hosts now pay 15% instead of 3%. To maintain the same net income, hosts must increase their prices by approximately 14-15%, creating confusion about how to adjust pricing strategy under the new structure.

There are several strategies to avoid or reduce Airbnb commission fees:

• Use Direct Booking Platforms: Add platforms like TrueBookings as a complementary channel that charges 0% commission to hosts
• Build Your Own Website: Create a direct booking website, though this requires technical expertise and ongoing maintenance
• Multi-Platform Strategy: List on multiple platforms, prioritizing direct booking for repeat guests
• Direct Guest Relationships: Build relationships with guests on Airbnb, then encourage them to book directly for future stays

The Most Effective Solution:

Using a direct booking platform like TrueBookings as a complementary channel alongside Airbnb allows you to capture direct bookings with 0% commission while maintaining your Airbnb presence. You get all the benefits of a professional booking platform (payment processing, calendar management, messaging) without paying any commission on direct bookings.

TrueBookings offers a direct booking channel with zero commission fees that works alongside Airbnb:

Key Advantages of TrueBookings:

• 0% Commission: Keep 100% of your booking revenue
• Payment Processing Covered: We cover all Stripe processing fees
• Direct Guest Relationships: Build your own brand and guest loyalty
• Full Control: Manage your calendar, pricing, and policies independently
• SEO Optimized: Your property page is optimized for search engines
• Unlimited Properties: List as many properties as you want for free

Let's compare pricing and competitiveness:

With TrueBookings, hosts can offer lower prices to guests while maintaining the same net income. This eliminates the need to adjust prices to offset commission fees and removes confusion about pricing strategy.

Using TrueBookings alongside Airbnb as a complementary channel is straightforward:

• Keep Your Airbnb Listing: Maintain your Airbnb listing for discovery and reach
• Add Direct Booking Channel: Set up your TrueBookings property page with the same information and photos
• Manage Your Calendar: Manually block dates on both platforms to prevent double bookings
• Encourage Direct Bookings: Share your direct booking URL with guests, in your property, and on social media
• Build Guest Loyalty: Offer incentives for repeat guests to book directly (better rates, special amenities)
• Maximize Revenue: Capture direct bookings with 0% commission while still benefiting from Airbnb's reach

Many successful hosts use both platforms together: Airbnb for discovery and new guests, TrueBookings for direct bookings with zero commission. This complementary approach maximizes revenue while reducing overall commission costs.

The 15% commission and resulting need to adjust prices have prompted many hosts to add complementary direct booking channels:

• Pricing Strategy Confusion: Understanding how to adjust rates to maintain profitability under the new fee structure creates confusion
• Rate Adjustment Required: Hosts must increase prices by 14-15% to offset the commission, which can affect competitiveness
• Fee Structure Complexity: The shift from split-fee to host-only creates confusion about actual costs and pricing strategy
• Diversification: Using multiple channels reduces dependency on a single platform
• Revenue Optimization: Direct bookings with 0% commission complement Airbnb bookings, reducing overall commission costs
• Guest Relationships: Direct booking allows you to build stronger relationships with repeat guests
• Simplified Pricing: With 0% commission on direct bookings, hosts don't need to adjust prices to offset fees, eliminating pricing confusion

Using direct booking platforms as a complementary channel eliminates the need to adjust prices to offset commission on direct bookings, removing confusion about pricing strategy while allowing hosts to maintain profitability across all channels.

Adding TrueBookings alongside your Airbnb listing is free and takes just minutes:

• Sign Up Free: Create your account with no credit card required
• Import Your Listing: Copy your property details, photos, and amenities from Airbnb
• Connect Stripe: Link your payment processor to receive direct payments (we cover processing fees)
• Manage Your Calendar: Manually update availability on both platforms to prevent double bookings
• Go Live: Your property page is automatically created and optimized for search
• Start Saving: Every direct booking saves you 15% compared to Airbnb, while you still benefit from Airbnb's reach

TrueBookings provides all the features you need—calendar management, secure payments, guest messaging, booking management—without charging any commission. Use it alongside Airbnb to maximize revenue and reduce overall commission costs.