Helpful?

How much does Airbnb take from hosts in 2026?

Short answer

Airbnb takes 3% from hosts on the default split-fee plan (guests pay ~14% on top), or about 15% on host-only pricing, which is required for most professional and API-connected listings. Vrbo charges about 8% per booking.

Airbnb fee structures compared (on a $1,000 booking)

Fee model	Host pays	Notes
Split fee (default)	$30 (3%)	Guest pays a separate ~14% service fee
Host-only fee	~$150 (15%)	No guest fee; required for most property managers
Vrbo pay-per-booking	~$80 (8%)	5% commission + 3% payment processing
Airbnb Luxe / Plus (legacy)	Varies	Premium programs historically carried higher host fees

How to read this table

Host-only fee sits at the top of the table (~$150 (15%)) — no guest fee; required for most property managers. If your situation looks like this row, plan against the upper half of the range rather than the midpoint.
Split fee (default) anchors the bottom ($30 (3%)) — guest pays a separate ~14% service fee. Treat this as the conservative case you should still be profitable at.
With 4 reference points in the "airbnb fee structures compared (on a $1,000 booking)" table, the fastest way to use this page is to find the closest row, take its host pays, then stress-test it ±30% before you build a plan on it.

Context

The fee applies to the cleaning fee as well as the nightly rate — a detail most hosts miss when pricing turnovers. On split fee, 3% is trivial; on host-only 15%, a $110 cleaning cost needs a $129 fee just to break even. Hosts on host-only pricing often do better folding cleaning into the nightly rate so the whole amount stays price-competitive in Airbnb's total-price search display.

What moves this number

Financing terms

Rate, down payment and amortisation drive cash-on-cash return more than purchase price does. The same building can cash-flow or bleed depending on the loan.

True operating expense ratio

Management, insurance, tax, maintenance, vacancy and capital reserve typically consume 35–50% of gross rent. Models that skip reserves overstate returns badly.

Vacancy and turnover

One 45-day vacancy plus a turn can erase a year of thin cash flow. Underwrite 5–8% vacancy even in tight markets.

Local regulation

Rent rules, short-term rental caps and licensing requirements change the achievable revenue of an identical property between neighbouring cities.

Methodology

Fee percentages are Airbnb's and Vrbo's published 2026 host fee structures. Dollar figures are simple applications of those rates to a $1,000 booking; local occupancy taxes, which Airbnb collects and remits in many jurisdictions, are excluded and vary by city.

Assumptions and caveats

Returns exclude appreciation and principal paydown unless a row states otherwise.
Local tax, insurance and regulation can move these figures by several points in either direction.
This page was last reviewed on 2026-08-29. Ranges are updated as new data lands, so re-check before using them in a contract or a plan.
Use these numbers as a starting range, not a guarantee — your own historical data always beats a benchmark.

Frequently asked questions