Renting out a flat on Airbnb? Airbnb says hosts who use property management software moved to a single service fee on 13 October 2026, and that hosts who did nothing now have lower prices and lower payouts per night. Guests no longer see a separate fee on top, so check what you actually earn.
What Airbnb says
Airbnb describes the change in its Resource Center article "Simplifying service fees on Airbnb" (updated 13 October 2026) and in help article 1857. Before, the host paid about 3% and the guest paid a separate fee on top. Now the host pays one service fee. For most hosts it is 15.5%, and Airbnb says other hosts typically pay between 14% and 16%. Guests see only the price the host sets.
The new fee applies to bookings made after your switch. A booking made before the switch keeps the old fee, even if the stay comes later. Once you are on the single fee you cannot go back.
What it means in euros
Airbnb gives an example on its Slovak page. Under the old model a host set 100 EUR, the guest saw 115 EUR and the host earned 97 EUR. Under the new model, if the host leaves the price at 100 EUR, the guest sees 100 EUR and the host earns 84.50 EUR. If the host sets 115 EUR, the guest still sees 115 EUR and the host earns 97 EUR. That is Airbnb's own example, not advice on what to charge.
What is not clear yet
Software vendors and trade press report 13 October as the date for all hosts in the European Economic Area. The Airbnb pages we read do not say so, so check your own account.
VAT is also unclear. Airbnb writes that VAT may apply to the fee and that the fee shown is VAT inclusive where applicable. One analysis of other European countries argues that VAT comes on top, which lifts the real cost near 19% for small hosts without VAT registration. It does not cover Slovakia, so take no number from it.
A checklist for this week
- Open Earnings in your Airbnb account and look at one booking made after 13 October. See what you actually receive.
- Compare it with a similar booking from September.
- Set your price on purpose. Airbnb's own example moves 100 EUR to 115 EUR to keep the payout, but you may choose differently.
- If software sets your prices, check which price it sends to Airbnb and to your other channels.
- Check your discounts and promotions. Airbnb tells hosts to verify them.
- Leave older bookings alone. They keep the old fee.
Where luxury.host helps
luxury.host answers guests in their own language at any hour, using the details of their reservation. It sends door codes at the right time and prepares invoices and the city tax report. It also has dynamic pricing: seasonal date rules and price increases for bookings made far ahead, set by you and applied automatically. It can sit on top of the system you use today.
Book a 30-minute demo to see it with your own listing.
This is not legal or tax advice. Sources: Airbnb Resource Center, "Simplifying service fees on Airbnb" (updated 13 October 2026); Airbnb help articles 1857 and 436; Smoobu (9 July 2026) and Houfy (28 September 2026) for the reported EEA date; Rental Scale-Up (21 July 2026) for the VAT analysis.