Airbnb vs Vrbo Host Fees After Fall 2026: A Side-by-Side
Airbnb and Vrbo describe their host fees in very different ways. Airbnb's Help Center says it is moving all home hosts to a single service fee that comes entirely out of the host's payout. Expedia's FAQ says Vrbo is moving hosts to a flat 12% commission that includes payment processing, with changes beginning October 29, 2026. This post lines up Airbnb vs Vrbo fees 2026 using the official pages only.
We re-read four official pages on 2026-10-22: Airbnb's Help Center article "Airbnb service fees," its Resource Center article "Simplifying service fees on Airbnb," Expedia's FAQ "Vrbo Compensation Model Changes," and Vrbo's pay-per-booking help article. We also read Vrbo's Host Terms for two clauses. This post does not say either platform is better or cheaper for you; the pages cannot tell us your guest mix, processor or demand. This is not legal advice; check the current policy before you act.
For every dated fall change on both platforms in one place, see our hub overview of the fall 2026 changes.
Who pays, how much, and charged on what
Airbnb's column describes the single-fee structure, because Airbnb's article says it is transitioning all home hosts to it. Vrbo's column describes pay-per-booking. Everything is a quote or close paraphrase of the named page.
Who pays the platform: Airbnb: The host. Airbnb's Help Center says "the entire fee is deducted from the host's payout."; Vrbo: The host pays a commission; travelers pay a separate traveler service fee, per Expedia's FAQ.
Headline rate: Airbnb: Airbnb's Help Center says "Most hosts pay 15.5%, remaining hosts typically pay 14%-16%." Listings in Brazil and Mexico pay 16%. Vrbo: Expedia's FAQ says "a flat 12% commission fee on bookings," and that the rate may range from 12% to 15% by region and brand. Hosts find theirs in the Vrbo Dashboard.
Charged on: Airbnb: Airbnb's Resource Center says the single fee applies to "your nightly price and any fees you add," such as cleaning, pet or extra guest fees. Vrbo: Vrbo's help article says the 12% is charged on the rental amount and additional fees you charge the traveler, such as cleaning, pet and boat fees.
Not charged on: Airbnb: The single-fee text we read lists no exclusions. The Help Center states that the older host fee excludes the guest service fee and taxes. Vrbo: Vrbo's help article says it is not charged on traveler service fees, taxes, refundable deposits or insurance products.
Payment processing: Airbnb: Airbnb says its service fees help cover "payment processing, marketing, and customer service." The pages we read describe no separate processing charge. Vrbo: Included in the 12% for hosts on Vrbo's merchant of record, per the FAQ. With your own processor, the help article says you also pay that processor's fees.
VAT or GST: Airbnb: The Help Center says the fee shown to hosts and guests is VAT inclusive, where applicable. Vrbo: The help article says VAT is charged in addition to the 12% commission where it applies, and lists GST for Australia and New Zealand.
Guest-side platform fee: Airbnb: Single-fee example: guests see the price the host sets. Under the older split fee, the Help Center says guests pay 14.1% to 16.5%. Vrbo: Expedia's FAQ says Vrbo "does not disclose its traveler service fee range."
Property management software: Airbnb: The Help Center says the single fee is mandatory for most hosts, including those who use property management software. Vrbo: The FAQ says "Additional fees may vary for hosts using property management software."
Both columns come from the platforms' own pages; neither is ranked.
What each percentage is charged on
A 15.5% fee and a 12% fee are comparable only if charged on the same amount. On the pages we read, the bases overlap: both include the nightly price and the extra fees a host adds, such as cleaning and pet fees. A cleaning fee sits inside the base on both.
The differences are in what is left out. Vrbo's help article lists traveler service fees, taxes, refundable deposits and insurance products as outside the commission. For Airbnb, the Help Center states the tax and guest-fee exclusions for the older host fee, and the single-fee text does not repeat them. Airbnb's worked examples "do not account for fees hosts choose to add or taxes." We therefore do not claim how Airbnb treats taxes under the single fee; check a booking's price breakdown.
For the Vrbo side in depth, see our post on what changes with Vrbo's 12 percent commission.
Processing fees and who bears them
Airbnb folds processing into its fee. Its Resource Center says service fees help cover "payment processing, marketing, and customer service," and neither Airbnb page we read describes a separate processing line for hosts.
Vrbo's treatment depends on who handles the guest's payment. The help article says that with Vrbo's merchant of record, Vrbo "does not charge a separate payment processing fee." With your own processor, Vrbo charges the 12% and "you will continue to pay any applicable processing fees charged by your chosen payment processor." Expedia's FAQ adds that processing fees are going away for hosts on Vrbo's merchant of record beginning October 29, 2026, with some regional exceptions.
So the Vrbo number depends on your setup: 12% alone if Vrbo handles payment, or 12% plus your processor's charge. The Vrbo pages do not state that charge, so our example uses a labeled assumption.
Guest-side fees: the line a host-fee table leaves out
A host-fee comparison shows one side of the transaction. Under Airbnb's older split fee, the Help Center says "Most hosts pay a 3% service fee, but some pay more," and guests pay a fee "ranging from 14.1% to 16.5% of the booking subtotal." Under the single fee, the Resource Center says the two fees are combined into "a single 15.5% service fee paid by hosts," and its example has guests seeing the price the host sets.
Vrbo keeps a separate traveler service fee. Expedia's FAQ says the fee "will typically be lower following the compensation model changes" and that Vrbo "will price the fee dynamically based on market conditions." The FAQ gives no range, and we do not give one; our post on Vrbo's traveler service fee covers what Vrbo has and has not said.
A guest comparing two listings sees a total price, and each platform builds that total differently. A lower host percentage does not tell you which total a guest sees, or whether that guest books. The pages give no data on how guests respond, and we do not guess.
Dates and which bookings each change reaches
Key dates: Airbnb: Price-adjustment deadlines: September 15 for hosts who live outside the European Economic Area, October 13 for hosts who live in the EEA or Switzerland (Resource Center article dated Jul 7, 2026, updated Aug 24, 2026). Vrbo: "Changes will begin going into effect on October 29, 2026." Subscription hosts change at the end of their term (FAQ dated 1 October 2026).
Which bookings: Airbnb: The single fee "will only apply to reservations made after you switch."; Vrbo: Commission follows the time of booking, "regardless of the stay dates," per the FAQ. Earlier bookings keep the previous rate.
Switching: Airbnb: Once switched to the single fee, "you can't switch back."; Vrbo: Host Terms clause 4.6.6 says conversion from a subscription listing is only possible at the end of the subscription term, and conversion back to a subscription "is not allowed."
Can the rate change?: Airbnb: The Help Center says Airbnb reserves the right to change service fees at any time, in line with its Terms of Service. Vrbo: Host Terms clause 4.6.1 says commission changes are notified at least 30 days before they apply.
Two limits. Airbnb's pages give no per-host switch date; the Help Center says only that it is "in the process of transitioning" home hosts. Vrbo's FAQ gives no host's subscription end date. Both dates have to come from your own account.
Airbnb's deadlines and Vrbo's start date are the only calendar dates the pages give.
Illustrative example: the same $1,000 booking
Illustrative example. Assumptions stated. Not real booking data.
Assumptions, all ours: one booking whose rental amount plus host-charged fees totals $1,000; no taxes, deposits or insurance; Airbnb on the single-fee structure; Vrbo on pay-per-booking with Vrbo as merchant of record unless stated; guest-side fees left out. The 3% own-processor charge is an assumed figure, not a Vrbo number or any real processor's quote. The rates used are the ones on the official pages: Airbnb's 14%, 15.5% and 16% and Vrbo's 12% and 15%.
Airbnb single fee, 14%: platform fee: 14%; fee on $1,000: $140.00; host payout: $860.00
Airbnb single fee, 15.5%: platform fee: 15.5%; fee on $1,000: $155.00; host payout: $845.00
Airbnb single fee, 16% (Brazil and Mexico): platform fee: 16%; fee on $1,000: $160.00; host payout: $840.00
Vrbo 12%, Vrbo merchant of record: platform fee: 12%; fee on $1,000: $120.00; host payout: $880.00
Vrbo 15% (top of the stated regional range): platform fee: 15%; fee on $1,000: $150.00; host payout: $850.00
Vrbo 12%, your own processor at an assumed 3%: platform fee: 12% plus 3%; fee on $1,000: $150.00; host payout: $850.00
Payout is the $1,000 minus the fee: simple arithmetic on stated inputs. The table does not show what guests pay on top of the host-set price (none in Airbnb's single-fee example; an undisclosed traveler service fee on Vrbo). It assumes the same booking arrives on both platforms, the least realistic assumption in it, and says nothing about demand, ranking or costs outside the platform fee.
A second view asks what price would hold a payout steady. At Airbnb's 15.5%, the price that nets $880.00 is $1,000 x 0.88 / 0.845, or $1,041.42 (rounded to the cent). At Vrbo's 12%, the price that nets Airbnb's $845.00 is $845 / 0.88, or $960.23. This is arithmetic, not a recommendation: a price change on one channel has consequences on others. Our post on Vrbo take-home math at 12% works more Vrbo scenarios, and what Airbnb's 15.5% single fee means for your payout walks through Airbnb's own $100 to $115 example.
An arithmetic illustration of fee rates, not a prediction of anyone's earnings.
A third column for your own site: cost categories, not numbers
Hosts with their own website sometimes ask for a third column. Neither platform's pages cover it and we have no sourced figures, so we give none. These categories are variables for your own comparison; the list is our framing, not a platform statement:
A payment processor's charge. Vrbo's help article itself notes that processors charge their own fees. The rate comes from the processor you choose.
Booking software or website costs. A booking engine or site builder may carry a subscription or per-booking cost. Get your own quotes.
The cost of getting found. Any channel needs guests to find it, which is outside both platforms and this post.
Our post on what OTA fees actually cost each year shows a way to frame yearly costs, but it was last updated Aug 27, 2026, before the fall changes, so its fee figures do not reflect them.
What the official pages do not say
Which rate applies to you. Airbnb says most hosts pay 15.5% and others "typically" 14% to 16%; Vrbo says the rate may range from 12% to 15% by region. Your account shows yours.
Vrbo's traveler service fee. The FAQ says it does not disclose a range. Trade-press figures are left out.
What hosts paid before. Expedia's FAQ refers only to "the host's previous commission rate." We state no earlier Vrbo rate.
Which platform nets more for a given host, or how guests respond. No page answers either.
What to check in your own account
Airbnb: find which structure you are on and your rate. The Help Center's steps for reviewing a reservation's host service fee point to a transaction under Earnings.
Airbnb: note your deadline and the date you switched; the single fee applies only to reservations made after you switch.
Vrbo: find your rate in the Vrbo Dashboard, and confirm who is merchant of record on your account.
Vrbo: open a booking's payment details, which the FAQ says show what the traveler paid, the commission and the payout.
Both: if you use property management software, ask your provider how it calculates each platform's fees, and list your cleaning and pet fees, which sit inside the base on each side.
Before changing any price, read each platform's terms and consider your other channels. Our post on OTA terms explained plainly can help.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays Airbnb's single service fee?
Airbnb's article says that with the single fee, the entire fee is deducted from the host's payout. Most hosts pay 15.5%, others typically 14% to 16%, and listings in Brazil and Mexico 16%.
What is Vrbo's commission?
Expedia's FAQ says hosts on pay-per-booking pay a flat 12% commission that includes payment processing fees. It says the rate may range from 12% to 15% by region and brand.
Is Airbnb or Vrbo cheaper for a host?
The pages cannot say. The percentages differ, but guest-side fees, processing choices and demand also shape what you net. Our $1,000 example is illustrative, not a verdict.
What are the two fees charged on?
Airbnb says its single fee applies to the nightly price and fees you add, like cleaning, pet or extra guest. Vrbo says its 12% applies to the rental amount and added fees, not taxes or deposits.
Does either platform charge a separate processing fee?
Airbnb says its fees help cover payment processing. Vrbo says no separate processing fee if you use its merchant of record; with your own processor you also pay that processor.
Do guests pay a platform fee too?
Airbnb's single-fee example shows guests seeing the price the host sets; under the older split fee guests pay 14.1% to 16.5%. Vrbo has a traveler service fee but does not disclose its range.
When do the changes apply?
Airbnb's article sets price-adjustment deadlines of September 15 and October 13. Expedia's FAQ says Vrbo's changes begin going into effect October 29, 2026; subscription hosts change at term end.
Which bookings does each change reach?
Airbnb says the single fee applies only to reservations made after a host switches. Expedia's FAQ says Vrbo's commission follows the time of booking, regardless of the stay dates.
Can I switch back to Airbnb's old split fee?
Airbnb's article says that once you have switched to the single fee structure, you can't switch back.
Can either platform change its rate later?
Airbnb says it may change service fees at any time under its Terms. Vrbo's Host Terms say commission changes are notified at least 30 days before the new commission is applied.
Sources
Every official page used for this post, read on 2026-10-22. Quotes in the post are 15 words or fewer and attributed inline.
Airbnb service fees (Airbnb Help Center, article 1857). https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1857. Date: no date shown (footer shows only "© 2026"). Accessed 2026-10-22.
Simplifying service fees on Airbnb (Airbnb Resource Center, article 771). https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/simplifying-service-fees-on-airbnb-771. Date: "By Airbnb on Jul 7, 2026"; "Updated Aug 24, 2026." Accessed 2026-10-22.
Vrbo Compensation Model Changes (Expedia Newsroom FAQ). https://www.expedia.com/newsroom/vrbo-compensation-model-changes/. Date: dateline "AUSTIN, 1 OCTOBER 2026"; page metadata shows it was modified 20 October 2026. Accessed 2026-10-22.
About the pay-per-booking (PPB) model (Vrbo Help). https://help.vrbo.com/articles/How-is-the-booking-fee-calculated. Date: no date shown. Accessed 2026-10-22.
Terms of Service (Vrbo Host Terms of Service), used for clauses 4.6.1 and 4.6.6 only. https://www.vrbo.com/lp/b/host-terms-notice. Date: "Effective From: 29 October 2026". Accessed 2026-10-22.
This post is not legal advice. Check the current policy on the pages above before you act.
Featured photo: Photo by Jakub Żerdzicki on Unsplash (stock photo).
Related Reading
More on both platforms' fall 2026 fee changes and on comparing channels.
Work with Crest & Cove Creative
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Crest & Cove Creative helps independent hosts build marketing that holds up when platform rules change. Visit https://www.crestcove.co or call (256) 998-7502.
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