The real cost of OTA commissions

What the OTAs actually charge

Exact fees vary by platform, plan, region, and listing, so treat every number here as a typical range rather than a guarantee — your own dashboard is the source of truth. That said, the commonly cited ballparks look like this:

• Airbnb

  Most hosts pay a service fee in the mid-teens of the booking subtotal — commonly around 14–16% on the host-only fee structure. Guests also pay a separate service fee on top, which raises the price they see.

• Vrbo

  A pay-per-booking model that commonly lands near 8% (a commission plus payment processing), or a flat annual subscription if you book enough nights.

The headline number is only part of the story. Because guests are also charged platform fees, the total price they pay is higher than what you receive — which can quietly cap your conversion and your reviews on price.

A simple yearly comparison

Here's an illustrative example — not a promise. Imagine a listing that books $40,000 in a year. At a typical ~15% commission, that's about $6,000 in platform fees. The same revenue booked directly through OwnMyStay carries a flat 2% fee — roughly $800 — leaving on the order of $5,000+ back in your pocket before payment processing.

One honest caveat: payment processing exists in both worlds. Direct bookings still carry standard card processing (about 2.9% + 30¢ with Stripe), and the OTAs bake their own processing into the fees above. The real win isn't escaping every cost — it's trading a double-digit commission for a flat, transparent one, and owning the guest relationship while you do it.

Where direct booking fits

Going direct doesn't mean leaving the OTAs. Most owners keep their listings live for discovery and add a direct channel for repeat guests, referrals, and anyone who'd rather book with you. Calendars stay in sync, so you're never double-booked. See exactly how it works, read more on how direct booking works, or compare the full pricing.