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Airbnb commission: what price for owners

Your concierge in La Rochelle explains to you which Airbnb commissions apply to owners

While the Airbnb booking platform benefits from the democratization of seasonal rentals, it does, however, support travelers and owners who make their properties available for an optimal user experience. Visibility, internet hosting, insurance are all services offered by the platform for its Internet users. So it seems logical that Airbnb would charge a fee to continue providing quality service. But how do they get paid? Want to understand what Airbnb commissions are for and how much the platform fees are? Your La Rochelle concierge details them for you. 

What are the fees charged by Airbnb 

How Airbnb calculates fees can often seem indigestible to most landlords. There are actually two types of fees when calculating Airbnb commissions: shared fees and host fees. 

Shared costs applicable to owners

Long considered the most widespread, this model allows management costs to be shared between owners and tenants. The Owner Service Fee is calculated based on the booking subtotal and is mostly around 3% commission. For their part, the amount of the service charge for travelers can reach 14% of the subtotal of the reservation. The proportions may vary depending on several factors. 

Guest billing 

To attract more vacationers and increase its competitiveness, Airbnb has evolved its commission system and deducts its fees entirely from the income of the owners. This model tends to gain notoriety due to its transparency with users. The rate applied to investors is between 14% and 16%, but may vary depending on the country in which the ads are published or the cancellation policies chosen by the owner.

Note that Airbnb offers a specific application for invoicing its costs: Airbnb Simplified Pricing. Owners choosing this software automatically opt in for a 15% Airbnb commission. But this simplified pricing model is not applicable for most owners publishing their ads in America (Canada, United States, Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, etc.) as well as in Taiwan. 

What are these Airbnb commissions used for?

Like any business, Airbnb has many burdens that weigh on its budget. The vacation rental platform is constantly evolving to provide an optimal user experience for renters and owners. Unfortunately, these services are not free and require the Airbnb rental reference to charge their commissions. By accepting this consideration, you will be able to benefit from the visibility offered by the platform and all the options it offers. 

Here's what Airbnb commissions from your bookings are used for: 

  • Pay for hosting the site as well as marketing the platform on social networks. 
  • Fund AirCover insurance. This benefits owners and holidaymakers alike by granting them civil liability insurance as well as coverage against damage to their property.
  • Educational resources made available to guests. 
  • Customer support available 24 hours a day, every day.  

Note that commissions only apply to the nightly rate, cleaning fees and additional guest fees. Value-added taxes or local taxes are not included in the calculation of Airbnb commissions. 

Comparison with other Airbnb platforms 

Although Airbnb represents for many the referent image of seasonal rentals, the platform is surrounded by other behemoths in the field such as Abritel or Booking. Your concierge service in La Rochelle has considered the offers from its three platforms placed at the top of the podium. 

The commission charged by Booking 

Booking opts for a different monetization strategy than Airbnb commissions. The rental platform does not charge any fees to tenants. Instead, Booking.com offers two options to choose from for owners wishing to take advantage of their digital space: 

  • An annual subscription of €249
  • A levy of 8% on all reservations received. 

By offering these proposals, Booking allows owners to choose the most advantageous payment method for them. Thus, an investor wishing to rent his property throughout the year will turn to the annual subscription while a lessor who will only rent his accommodation for a few weeks or months will prefer the direct debit method. 

The HomeAway Commission

The fees applied by HomeAway are quite similar to Airbnb commissions. Varying from 5% to 12%, the levies are applied to travelers when they book. Total charges vary by rental features. The tenant can however access the details of his payments in complete transparency. 

HomeAway charges a 5% commission for cleaning costs. Other amount concerns the processing fees for payment by credit card (3%) or the fees for the refundable security deposit.

VAT is only applicable on the 5% commission. No other fees will be charged on the additional services of the rental platform.  

Airbnb, Abritel and Booking therefore offer very different counterparties.

Is it profitable to call on a concierge  

The question of Airbnb commissions can seem tricky and pushes users to do more and more comparisons to find the most profitable solution for their investment. By integrating your accommodation into a rental management agency, you will be sure to gain in profitability while saving time. Enjoy the services of your Concierge La Rochelle and recover your real estate income without having to manage the administrative procedures of your rental. We proceed for you to register your property on the various booking platforms while adjusting the price of your nights so that your seasonal rental is as profitable as possible despite the Airbnb commissions. 

Airbnb's online rental platforms increase the visibility of your property and have a significant impact on the occupancy rate of your accommodation. With the many services it offers, it seems normal to have to pay for the quality of service of the platform via Airbnb commissions. Service fees, accommodation fees or cleaning fees, the commissions are deducted according to your use of the site and the options you benefit from. Are you lost and want to know if posting an ad on Airbnb is profitable? Contact your La Rochelle concierge. We will help you with the help of simulation to allow you to make the best choice.