Airbnb Service Fee: How Much Airbnb Charges Hosts in 2026

The Airbnb service fee is the commission Airbnb takes on every booking. Most hosts now pay a single fee of 15.5% of the booking subtotal, deducted from the payout, and guests no longer see a separate Airbnb service fee at checkout. Airbnb is retiring its older split fee, where hosts paid about 3% and guests paid the rest, and the last scheduled waves are September 15 and October 13, 2026.

If you are becoming an Airbnb host or pricing a new listing, this is one of the first numbers to get right.

How much Airbnb charges hosts

Airbnb charges the fee to cover the cost of running the platform, including 24/7 guest support and payment processing. The rate depends on your location and listing type:

• Most hosts: 15.5% of the booking subtotal.
• Remaining hosts: typically 14% to 16%.
• Listings in Brazil and Mexico: 16%. In Mexico, the 16% rate applies from June 2026.

The fee applies to your whole subtotal: the nightly rate, the cleaning fee, the pet fee, and any extra guest charges. It does not apply to taxes, which Airbnb collects separately. If you raise your nightly rate but forget the cleaning fee, you still absorb the full fee on that portion.

Split fee vs host-only fee

Airbnb has run two fee structures. The split fee shared the commission between host and guest, and the host-only fee, which Airbnb also calls the single fee, charges all of it to the host.

Airbnb first offered the host-only structure as simplified pricing in 2020, at about 15%, mainly to software-connected hosts outside the Americas. In late 2025 it standardized the rate at 15.5%. Most analyses describe the total as roughly unchanged, with the whole cost now falling on the host and the guest-facing price looking lower.

When the split fee ends

Airbnb has moved hosts in stages, and once a host moves to the single fee, they cannot switch back:

• October 27, 2025: software-connected hosts in the United States and Canada moved to 15.5%.
• April 13, 2026: software-connected hosts in the rest of the world followed.
• September 15, 2026: the deadline for all remaining hosts outside the European Economic Area.
• October 13, 2026: the deadline for hosts in the EEA and Switzerland.

Industry reports say the new fee applies to bookings made after your switch, so reservations you already hold may keep the old structure. Check each reservation's payout details in your host account.

How much to raise your prices

Airbnb calculates its fee on your final listed price, so adding 15.5% on top still leaves you short. To keep the payout you would get with no fee, divide your current price by one minus the fee:

$100 ÷ (1 − 0.155) = $118.34

That is an 18.34% increase, not 15.5%. The math applies to every price component, including the nightly rate, the cleaning fee, and extra guest charges.

If you are moving from the old 3% split fee and only want your previous payout back, the markup is smaller. Multiply your price by 0.97, then divide by 0.845. A $100 night becomes about $114.79, or roughly 14.8% higher. Either target is defensible, so decide which one you want before you adjust.

How you apply the change depends on how you price. The steps for adjusting your prices differ if you price manually, through a pricing tool, or through a property management system. If you price with PriceLabs, the Market-Driven option in PriceLabs Dynamic Pricing accounts for whether your listing is on the split fee or the host-only fee when it suggests a starting base price.

How Airbnb's fee compares with other channels

Airbnb's 15.5% now sits above some alternatives and close to others:

• Vrbo has announced a flat 12% commission for all hosts from October 29, 2026, and guests still pay a Vrbo service fee. Our Airbnb vs Vrbo comparison covers what you keep on each.
• Booking.com charges hosts roughly 15%, with no guest fee, according to industry reporting. The details are in our guide to Booking.com fees.
• Direct bookings carry no platform commission, but you still pay payment processing costs and take on your own marketing.

If a property manager runs your listing, their fee comes on top of Airbnb's, and Airbnb management fees vary widely. A broader look at host fees across platforms helps when you compare channels.

Ways to protect your margin

You cannot avoid the fee on Airbnb bookings, but you can reduce how much of your income depends on them:

• Price for the fee. Work out the net payout you want per night, and build the fee into every price component. The Airbnb pricing strategy you use matters more than the fee itself.
• Add channels that suit your property. Listing on a second platform spreads your bookings and your fee exposure.
• Grow direct bookings. Generating direct bookings takes effort, and promoting direct rates gives repeat guests a reason to book with you instead of through Airbnb.
• Earn more per stay. Add-on services and well-chosen amenities justify higher rates, which offsets the fee.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage does Airbnb take from hosts?

Most hosts pay 15.5% of the booking subtotal. Remaining hosts typically pay 14% to 16%, and listings in Brazil and Mexico pay 16%. Hosts still on the older split fee pay about 3% until they move.

Does the guest still pay an Airbnb service fee?

Not on the single fee. Guests see one price before taxes, and the fee comes out of the host's payout. Guests still pay a service fee while a host remains on the split fee.

Can I switch back to the split fee?

No. Airbnb says that once you move to the single fee, you cannot switch back, and the split fee is being phased out for all hosts.

Are Airbnb service fees refunded if a reservation is cancelled?

Airbnb refunds the service fee for home stays when its refund criteria are met, which depends on the cancellation policy and timing. Check the terms on the reservation.

Are Airbnb service fees tax deductible?

For hosts running a rental business, the fee is typically treated as a deductible business expense. Tax rules vary, so keep good records and check with an accountant.

Do I need to raise my prices by 15.5% to cover the fee?

No. Because the fee is calculated on your raised price, a 15.5% increase leaves you short. Divide your current price by 0.845, which is an 18.34% increase, to keep the payout you would get with no fee.

Does the Airbnb fee apply to taxes?

No. The fee applies to the nightly rate and the fees you charge, such as cleaning and pet fees. It does not apply to the taxes Airbnb collects separately.