How to price on Airbnb with a 15.5% Host Fee
3 minute read // updated
by Kelly Odor, Marketing DirectorKey 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
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:
- 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.
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.
