How to price on Airbnb with a 15.5% Host Fee

3 minute read // updated 21st January 2026

by Kelly Odor, Marketing Director

Key Takeaways

See how Airbnb’s 15.5% host-only fee actually works
Learn why a 15.5% fee needs ~18.3% price increase
Use Bookster tools to keep profit and stay competitive

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Airbnb’s move to a 15.5% host-only fee has left many hosts asking how to price correctly without scaring off guests or losing profit.

The good news is that guests still see a similar final price, but hosts must adjust their strategy and tools.

This article explains what’s changed, how to calculate new prices, and how Bookster can help.

The guest will pay the same amount whether they pay the commission, or the host increases the price to cover the commission.

How to price on Airbnb with the 15.5% host fee

How Airbnb’s 15.5% host-only fee works

For owners using a property management software / channel manager / marketing software:

Airbnb is shifting to a 'host-only' model where the entire service fee (typically 15.5%, although this can vary by country) is taken from the host’s payout instead of being split between host and guest.

The guest will pay roughly the same total amount they were paying before, because the listings page shows the final amount payable, including Airbnb fees (excluding taxes).

Airbnb fee from the guest's perspective

From the guest’s perspective, this simplifies pricing and reduces surprise add-ons.

Airbnb fee from the host's perspective

From the host’s perspective, it means you must increase your base rate to cover Airbnb’s higher commission while keeping you competitive.

Why a 15.5% fee needs about an 18.3% price increase

A common misconception is that you can simply add 15.5% to your existing nightly rate.

In reality, because Airbnb takes 15.5% off the total you set, you need to increase your price by more than the fee percentage to end up with the same net payout.

If you want to earn the same revenue compared with the old model, the price should be increased by around 18.3% to cover a 15.5% commission.

This kind of uplift keeps the guest-facing total broadly similar to what they were already paying (when they were paying a separate guest fee), while preserving your underlying earnings.

Bookster can help here by giving you clear visibility of your net revenue across channels, so you can see whether your adjustments are really maintaining (or improving) your profit over time.

Using Bookster to manage pricing and channel strategy

The 15.5% host-only fee is also a reminder not to rely on a single platform.

With fees at this level, many professional hosts are rebalancing their channel mix and investing more in Book Direct strategies.

With Bookster you can:

Choose to increase rates on channels by a percentage, or to cover a commission of a percentage.
Sync rates and availability across multiple channels, including Airbnb, while seeing your net revenue per booking in one place.
Increase your rates by a %, on a channel by channel basis.
Support direct bookings via your own website, so a growing share of reservations avoid OTA commission altogether.
Test and refine your pricing by season, channel and length of stay, using data instead of guesswork.

When you combine smarter Airbnb pricing with a strong direct booking strategy, the 15.5% host fee becomes just one part of a broader, more resilient revenue plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I increase my Airbnb price to cover the 15.5% host fee?: Increase your nightly rate by approximately 18.3% to maintain the same net income after Airbnb's 15.5% host fee. Simply adding 15.5% isn't enough because the commission is taken from your total listing price. For example, if you previously earned £100 per night, set your new price at £118.30. Guests will pay roughly the same total they did before, but you'll receive your target payout after the fee.
Does the Airbnb 15.5% host fee mean guests pay more?: No, guests pay roughly the same total amount. Under Airbnb's host-only fee model, the service charge is now deducted entirely from the host's payout instead of being split between host and guest. Airbnb displays the final guest-facing price (including fees, excluding taxes) on listing pages, so the guest experience and total cost remains similar. The difference is that hosts must now adjust their base rates to cover the full commission.
Can I avoid the Airbnb 15.5% host fee?: You can't avoid the fee on Airbnb bookings, but you can reduce your overall commission costs by diversifying your booking channels. Invest in direct bookings through your own website where you pay zero commission, promote listings on Booking.com (which typically charges 15-18%), and use property management software like Bookster to manage pricing and availability across multiple platforms.

Airbnb’s 15.5% host-only fee doesn’t have to mean lower profits.

By understanding that guests still see a similar final price, increasing your rates by around 18.3%, and using Bookster to diversify channels and strengthen direct bookings, you can protect and grow your revenue in 2026 and beyond.