How to Avoid Paying Vacation Rental Booking and Service Fees
Booking and Service Fees Charged By Other Companies
| Guest Fees | Host Fees | Listing Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | Guests pay a booking fee of 6-12%, depending on the total of the reservation amount | Airbnb hosts pay 3% of the total booking to Airbnb | Listing a property on Airbnb is free |
| TripAdvisor | Guests pay a booking fee of 5-15%, depending on the total cost of the rental | FlipKey hosts can either list for free and pay FlipKey 3%. | FlipKey hosts can either list for free and pay 3% per booking. |
| HomeAway/VRBO | Guests pay a booking fee of 4-10%, but the fee is capped at $499 | HomeAway hosts can choose to either pay an annual subscription fee or an 8% pay-per-booking fee (this is 10% if you are overseas.) | Hosts pay an annual subscription fee of $349 if the property has online booking and $499 if it does not. |
| Roomorama | Guests pay a booking fee of 15%, or 12% if the stay is longer than 1 month. | Roomorama hosts do not pay Roomorama a fee. | Listing a property on Roomorama is free. |
| Gloveler | Guests pay a 15% booking fee | Gloveler hosts do not pay Gloveler a fee | Listing a property on Gloveler is free |
| Wimdu | Guests pay a 15% booking fee | Wimdu hosts pay Wimdu a 3% processing fee | Listing a property on Wimdu is free |
| Way to Stay | Guests do not pay a booking fee | Way to Stay hosts pay a variable percentage of the total booking to Way to Stay | Listing a property on Way to Stay is free |
| 9Flats | Guests do not pay a booking fee | 9Flats hosts pay 15% of the total booking to 9Flats | Listing a property on 9Flats is free |
| CanadaStays | Guests pay a booking fee of 8%. | Annual subscription customers pay a yearly fee of $349 Canadian dollars plus a 3% on each booking. Pay per booking customers pay a 10% commission on each booking. | Listing a property on CanadaStays is free for pay per booking customers and $349 for annual subscription customers. |
| Bedycasa | Guests pay no booking fee | Bedycasa hosts pay 15% of the total booking to Bedycasa and have the option of including this fee in their listing’s displayed price | Listing a property on Bedycasa is free |
| Luxury Retreats | Guests are subject to a government tax for the property that ranges from 5-15%. | Hosts pay a certain commission per booking that is determined by Luxury Retreats. | Listing your property on Luxury Retreats is free. |
| only-apartments | A commission of 15-21% is included in the total price that a guest sees. | Property owners do not have to pay a commission. | Listing your rental on only-apartments is free. |
| Perfect Places | Guests do not have to pay service fees, but local and cleaning fees may apply. | Owners are not charged commission when a booking is made. | Owners pay a monthly membership fee of $14.95, and can pay for up to 2 years at a time for a discounted rate. |
| RedAwning | Guests do not pay a booking fee. Affiliate site to pay per book. | Owners pay a 3% fee on each reservation that is made. | Owners pay a monthly membership fee of $14.95, and can pay for up to 2 years at a time for a discounted rate. |
| VacayHero | Travelers are charged an unspecified service fee which is rolled into the total displayed amount. | Owners are not charged a commission. | Owners can list their rental for free. |
| VayStays | Guests pay a fee of 7-12% on the booking, depending on the total amount. | VayStays charges an 8.5% commission rate on each booking made. | Listing your property is free on VayStays. |
Courtesy of Tripping Aug 2016
