Airbnb vs. Vrbo Fees: What Hosts Pay in 2026

Airbnb and Vrbo are both changing what it costs hosts to get a booking.

Airbnb’s move toward a single host-paid service fee is still fresh. Most hosts on that structure pay 15.5%, with most others paying between 14% and 16%. 

Vrbo is next.

Beginning October 29, Vrbo is moving hosts and property managers toward a 12% commission structure. Its new terms also keep payment-processing fees separate where they apply.

So within a short window, hosts are dealing with two major changes to OTA economics.

At first glance, the comparison looks simple:

Airbnb: about 15.5%
Vrbo: 12%

But those numbers alone do not tell you which channel is cheaper, more profitable or better for your property.

To understand that, you need to look at three things:

What does the guest pay?

What does the platform take?

What do you actually keep?

That is where the useful comparison starts.

Key Takeaways

• • Airbnb is moving home hosts to a single host-paid fee structure. Most hosts on that structure pay 15.5%, while most others pay between 14% and 16%.
  • Under Airbnb’s single-fee model, the entire service fee comes out of the host payout.
  • Vrbo is moving toward a 12% commission structure beginning October 29, 2026, while payment-processing fees may still apply separately.
  • Vrbo travelers still pay a separate service fee. 
  • A lower host commission does not automatically mean the guest pays less.
  • The best comparison is net payout, guest total price and how reliably each channel generates profitable bookings.
    

What Changed With Airbnb?

Airbnb’s new fee structure changes who pays the platform’s service fee.

Under the older split-fee model, hosts typically paid about 3%, while guests paid a separate Airbnb service fee on top of the host’s listed price. Airbnb says that guest fee generally ranged from 14.1% to 16.5% of the booking subtotal.

Under the single-fee model, Airbnb removes the separate guest service fee and deducts the entire platform fee from the host payout instead.

Most hosts on the single-fee structure pay 15.5%, while most others pay between 14% and 16%.

That means hosts who were pricing around the old split-fee model need to revisit the price they set.

Take a simple example.

Under the old split-fee model

If you set your price at $100:

• Airbnb deducted about 3% from your payout
• You kept about $97
• The guest saw roughly $115 after Airbnb added its own service fee

Under the new single-fee model

If you leave that same price at $100:

• Airbnb deducts 15.5%
• You keep about $84.50
• The guest sees the $100 price before taxes and any host-added charges

So if you do nothing, your payout drops.

To keep roughly the same $97 payout you earned before, Airbnb’s own example shows that you would need to raise your listed price from about $100 to $115. At $115 with a 15.5% fee, you keep roughly $97.

That is the real pricing change for hosts.

Under the single-fee model, Airbnb shifts the platform service fee from being split between host and guest to being paid entirely from the host payout.

The idea is that hosts can adjust their listed rates so the guest’s total stays similar while the host preserves roughly the same payout.

But that adjustment is not automatic.

If your Airbnb pricing was built around the old 3% host fee, you need to revisit it.

What Is Changing With Vrbo?

Vrbo is making its own change just weeks later.

Beginning October 29, its new host terms take effect and move pay-per-booking listings toward a commission structure where the applicable commission is charged as a percentage of the total rental amount, including mandatory host fees. Payment-processing fees may still apply separately.

For the fee change being communicated to hosts this fall, that headline commission is 12%.

That means hosts now have a second major OTA fee change to account for almost immediately after Airbnb’s.

There is another important difference:

Vrbo still charges travelers a separate service fee.

Vrbo’s new terms say that traveler service fee is ordinarily calculated as a percentage of the total rental amount and shown to the guest before checkout.

So Airbnb and Vrbo are not simply charging the same type of fee at different percentages.

Their fee structures work differently on both sides of the booking.

Airbnb vs. Vrbo on a $1,000 Booking

Let’s start with the host side.

Airbnb at 15.5%

On a $1,000 booking:

$1,000 × 15.5% = $155

The host keeps: $845 before other property expenses.

Vrbo at 12%

On a $1,000 booking:

$1,000 × 12% = $120

The host keeps: $880 before other applicable costs.

That is a $35 difference per $1,000 booking.

Across $25,000 in booking revenue, a 3.5-percentage-point difference equals:

$875

Across $50,000:

$1,750

So if you look only at the headline host percentage, Vrbo is lower. But that still does not tell you the whole story.

The Guest-Side Math Is Different

Airbnb’s single-fee structure puts the platform service fee on the host side. The guest does not get a separate Airbnb service fee layered on top under that structure. 

Vrbo works differently.

Travelers still pay a separate service fee, which Vrbo displays before checkout.  That means:

Airbnb may take more from the host.

while

Vrbo may still add a separate fee for the traveler.

So you cannot look at 15.5% versus 12% and conclude that one platform automatically gives guests a lower price. The host percentage is only one piece of the transaction.

Which Platform Has Lower Host Fees?

If you compare a host paying Airbnb’s typical 15.5% single fee with a host paying a 12% Vrbo commission, Vrbo has the lower headline host percentage.

But “lower fee” and “more profitable channel” are not the same thing.

Imagine Airbnb charges you more but produces $40,000 in profitable reservations. Vrbo charges you less but produces $10,000. The smaller percentage does not automatically make Vrbo more valuable.

Or maybe Vrbo brings fewer bookings, but those guests stay longer and book higher-value dates. Then its value looks different again.

The useful question is not: Which platform charges the smaller percentage?

It is: Which platform consistently brings me profitable bookings after its costs?

Should Your Airbnb and Vrbo Rates Be the Same?

Not necessarily. If the platforms charge you differently, the same rate can produce two different payouts. Take a $200 booking.

At Airbnb’s typical 15.5% fee:

$200 × 15.5% = $31

You keep about: $169

At a 12% Vrbo commission:

$200 × 12% = $24

You keep about: $176 before other applicable costs.

Same booking amount, different payout.

But that does not mean you should simply mark one platform up until the payouts match. Guests compare the total price of the stay, not your commission structure.

If you raise your rate too aggressively just to recover a fee, you can protect your margin and still lose the booking.

A better approach is:

1. Calculate what you need to keep.
2. Work backward through the cost of the channel.
3. Compare the resulting rate with your market.

Your costs determine your floor, demand determines what guests are willing to pay.

A Lower Commission Does Not Automatically Mean More Profit

Platform fees matter, but they are only one part of the economics.

Consider two channels:

Channel A

• 15.5% fee
• $30,000 in annual booking revenue

Channel B

• 12% fee
• $8,000 in annual booking revenue

Channel B is cheaper per booking, Channel A may still contribute far more to the business.

That is why the better comparison includes:

• total booking revenue
• host fees
• average length of stay
• cancellation behavior
• booking window
• the nights each channel helps you fill
• net payout

A commission tells you what a booking costs, it does not tell you how valuable the channel is.

The Bigger Story Is That Both Platforms Just Changed the Math

This is what makes the comparison especially relevant right now.

Airbnb’s single-fee transition is still new for many hosts. Vrbo’s 12% change arrives almost immediately afterward.

That means hosts who have been using the same pricing assumptions for months or years suddenly have reason to revisit them.

If your Airbnb rate was built around the old fee structure, check it. If your Vrbo pricing was built around its previous costs, check that too.

The worst response is to ignore the changes and assume your payout will look the same.

The Bigger Risk Is Depending on One Platform

Fee changes also highlight something bigger than the percentages themselves.

Airbnb can change its fees. Vrbo can change its fees.

Both can change:

• policies
• search algorithms
• cancellation rules
• promotional programs
• host requirements

You do not control those decisions. You do control how dependent your business is on them.

If almost every reservation comes through one OTA, a change to that marketplace affects almost your entire business. If bookings come from several places, one platform change affects only part of it.

That mix might include:

• Airbnb
• Vrbo
• Booking.com
• Google Vacation Rentals
• your own direct booking site
  

You do not need every channel, but you do want more than one reliable path to a reservation.

Where Direct Booking Fits

Direct booking does not have to replace Airbnb or Vrbo, it gives you another channel.

Airbnb can introduce your property to one traveler. Vrbo can bring you another. Google Vacation Rentals can help someone discover your direct site. And a previous guest can come back and book with you directly.

With Futurestay, your direct booking website works alongside your OTA listings and connected calendar. Futurestay does not take a percentage commission on direct reservations.

That means the real question is not:

Airbnb or Vrbo or direct?

It is:

Which mix gives me the best combination of reach, profitability and control?

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Airbnb charge hosts in 2026?

Most Airbnb hosts on the single-fee structure pay 15.5%, while most others pay between 14% and 16%. Different rates apply in some markets, including Brazil and Mexico. 

Does Airbnb still charge guests a separate service fee?

Under the single-fee structure, Airbnb deducts the entire service fee from the host payout. Airbnb’s older split-fee model is being phased out as hosts transition to the single-fee structure. 

How much does Vrbo charge hosts in 2026?

Vrbo is moving hosts and property managers toward a 12% commission structure beginning October 29, 2026. Its new terms also allow payment-processing fees to apply separately where relevant.

Does Vrbo charge travelers a service fee?

Yes. Vrbo’s terms provide for a separate traveler service fee, ordinarily calculated as a percentage of the total rental amount and displayed before checkout.

Is Vrbo cheaper than Airbnb for hosts?

A 12% Vrbo commission is lower than Airbnb’s typical 15.5% single fee on the host side. That does not automatically make Vrbo the more profitable channel because booking volume, guest pricing, other costs and reservation quality also matter.

Should I raise my rates because Airbnb or Vrbo changed its fees?

Not automatically. First calculate the payout you need, account for the cost of each channel, then compare the resulting price with what your market will support.

Should I use both Airbnb and Vrbo?

Using more than one booking source can reduce dependence on a single marketplace. Whether both make sense for your property depends on the bookings and net revenue each channel actually generates.

Sources

Airbnb. “Airbnb Service Fees.” Airbnb Help Center.
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1857

Airbnb. “Simplifying Airbnb Service Fees.” Airbnb Resource Center. July 29, 2026.
https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/simplifying-airbnb-service-fees-746

Vrbo. “Host Terms of Service.” New terms effective October 29, 2026.
https://www.vrbo.com/en-ca/lp/b/host-terms-notice

Vrbo. “Accommodation Fee Collection Agreement.” New terms effective October 29, 2026.
https://www.vrbo.com/en-ca/lp/b/terms-of-payments-notice