Understanding Response Rate and Acceptance Rate

[Airbnb]

For many of you, hosting is important, but you’ve also got work, family, and your personal life keeping you plenty busy. So, tracking how quickly you reply to guest inquiries and monitoring the percentage of booking requests you’re accepting versus declining is probably not on the top of your to-do list. Some of you have asked about the specifics of these measurements, why they matter, and how you can improve them without much fuss—and we’re happy you asked! We’ve gathered answers from the folks who build these tools, so let’s dive in to see what they have to say.

What’s the difference between my response rate and acceptance rate?

• Your response rate measures how consistently you respond within 24 hours to guest inquiries and booking requests. You can find your response rate from the last 365 days by clicking on the Progress tab, then clicking Basic Requirements.
• Your acceptance rate measures how often you accept or decline reservations. Guest inquiries are not included in the calculation of your acceptance rate. You can see your acceptance rate from the last 365 days by clicking on the Progress tab, then clicking Basic Requirements.

For my response rate, does just the first message/inquiry count or do subsequent messages in a thread count, too?

We only measure a response within 24 hours of the guest's first message or inquiry. Subsequent messages in that thread do not impact your response rate.

What happens to my acceptance rate if I answer a question rather than approve, pre-approve, or decline a booking request?

The short answer is this: If a guest sends you a booking request and you only answer a question, but do not approve or decline before the request times out, that counts as a decline.

Let’s dive in a little further. It’s important to note the difference between an inquiry and a booking request. An inquiry is just a message—perhaps asking to clarify something about amenities, dates, or House Rules. The guest may be interested in staying with you and may even ask something like: “I want to book your home; is it ok if I bring my dog?” This is not a booking request. It’s an inquiry. You can respond to an inquiry with an answer, a pre-approval, or by declining. Declining an inquiry signals to the guest that their needs aren’t a good fit for your space and encourages them to request another listing. But none of these actions directly affects your acceptance rate. If you pre-approve an inquiry and the guest books your space, that counts as an acceptance. If you pre-approve and they don’t book, it doesn’t have any effect on your acceptance rate. And if you decline an inquiry, your acceptance rate is not affected.

A booking request means that the guest is officially asking to book your listing and is waiting for you to accept or decline. As far as your acceptance rate goes, we only measure the final outcome of the booking request, and there are just three possible actions you can take: accept, decline, or let the request time out. If you let a request time out—even if you answer questions but take no action to approve or decline a request within 24 hours—that’s considered a decline.

How do these rates affect me as a host?

That’s a great question. The technical answer is that low response rates can impact your eligibility for the  Superhost  program, and acceptance rates can impact eligibility to become a Plus host. And hosts who have very low rates could face penalties, including having their listings paused. But, it's important to note that one-off instances of not responding or declining a booking request rarely lead to any action being taken. We’re much more concerned where we see a consistent pattern of non-response or declines.

Can you share insider tips or suggestions on how to keep my response and acceptance rates high?

We think hosts are actually the experts in this area, so we’ll share some of your ideas here, too, but for response rate, one of the best ways to manage messages on the go is to use the Airbnb app on your mobile phone. You can also consider temporarily snoozing your listing if you know you’ll be unable to respond to messages for a while. If you’re taking a vacation, attending a long work conference, or just needing to unplug for a while, you can rest easy knowing there’s no response clock ticking or messages piling up in your inbox.

To snooze your listing and hide it from search results for a set period of time:

1. Go to Your listings and select a listing
2. Click Listing Details
3. Next to Listing status, click Edit
4. Under Listing status, select Snoozed from the dropdown menu
5. Enter the start and end dates, then click Save

Your listing will automatically reactivate when the timeframe you set is over. The day before your listing reactivates, you'll get a reminder email.

Here are some tips hosts in the Community Center share for keeping your response rate high:

• Set aside daily time to reply to requests and inquiries.
• Have a co-host or a friend respond for you if you’re unavailable and don’t want to snooze your listing.
• Save time by pre-writing responses to commonly asked questions. Look for the “Use a Saved Message” prompt in any active message thread you have with a guest. You can create, use, and re-use responses there.
• If you’re very busy or your hosting business really takes off, consider hiring a virtual assistant.

For your acceptance rate, ensure your calendar and booking preferences and settings are accurate and up to date. For example, if you can't accommodate same-day requests, update your listing to reflect the time you need between reservations. Hosts also tell us they find it helpful to keep their house rules updated so that guests understand what’s ok and what isn't before submitting a booking request. You’re less likely to get requests you can’t accept if you’re very clear about your expectations.

What is Airbnb doing to avoid penalizing hosts' acceptance rate when they decline unfit or illegitimate requests?

We understand that sometimes you may get requests that clearly violate your House Rules, or that are actually marketing attempts disguised as booking requests. These can put you in the awkward position of having to risk harming your own acceptance rate when there’s not a better action to take. To address this, the first thing we need to do is help you flag to us when there’s a problem. We’re exploring how best to do this, and while we don’t have a feature to announce at this time, we are absolutely aware of this pain point for you.

We want to ensure you’re empowered to decide who you welcome into your home and that you’re comfortable with the guests who stay with you. We understand that you only want to be held accountable to legitimate booking requests, and we’re committed to making sure that happens.

Numbers are just part of the story

While it’s good to keep response and acceptance rates in mind, the bigger picture isn’t about these measurements—in fact, they’re just indicators of the actual hospitality you show to your guests and the connection you establish when they reach out to you. You impact your guest’s experience from the moment they contact you or request to book, and the host community rightfully takes a lot of pride in creating experiences of welcome and belonging for the people who stay in your listings. So, yes, please do care about communicating in a timely way and setting guests up for success while they’re trying to find a good listing match for their needs; but know that numbers are just one way to tell the story about how you host.

[Lynda125]

Hello I have been a host for over 6 years and I can not obtain super host status. I have excellent reviews.  I also have many guests every year as I am near a teaching hospital. So because I have many guests and if one guest is having a bad week then I may get a bad review and bingo, no upgrade. Airbnb rules are always slanted in the guests favour. 

Now for this article. I have read it several times and it goes around in circles and tries to say that hosts are always supported in their choices but there is the absolute undertone of, you are not!  And if any request is not catered to upon request, you are penalized. And guests do not see this when they write you and ask you a few simple questions that help them make their choice of place to stay.  And i will not take the time to write more because it is all said in the notes below from other guests. 

I also find it annoying when Airbnb writes you and attempts to use different language to explain how it all works.  When we understand very clearly how it works. 

I will ask again for this to be reviewed and for Airbnb to work more closely with hosts. 

[Robert32]

First and foremost, as a host I find Airbnb's web site to be extremely 'user unfriendly.' Trying locate certain things, make changes, etc. is more often than not... a hair ripping-out experience. And the site has problematic flaws built in that have been discussed with Airbnb Support to on avail.

 One example in setting up your listing, you are asked, "Do you charge for extra guests?" You can only answer yes or no. But, you are never asked, "Do you ALLOW extra guests?" So... if you have a guest limit of X amount of persons (mine is 4 guests), answer no... and you are implying that extra guests are o.k. and there is no charge. Answer yes and that implies you are open to extra guests. 

 Another problem I find is that there is no real history to look back on, of what amount you rented any given time period for. Once a booking is accepted, the nightly dollar amount price you advertised... disappears. Thus, you have nothing to reference for setting next years rates. A RENTAL RATE HISTORY PAGE would be a very helpful tool... and one would think Airbnb would have figured this out by now. But, they have not.

[Andy367]

I agree with everyone’s comments about ABB’s policies favoring guests & being penalized for being selective. My listing is my home, my largest investment—and when I am there alone, I need to be able to trust the people who want to stay. Guests IDs can be validated with federal checks, but it’s still a subjective process—and I am thoughtful about it. I read their message, look at their photo/write up, read their reviews, ask clarifying questions. It’s both logistical—and very intuitive—and for me, has resulted in 100% 5-star reviews, with mostly positive experiences for me. What goes on, behind the booking? Lots of junk you have to weed through. College kids who want to party, people who want to trial, then extend... you do see all sorts of discrepancies.

Here’s where I think the UI and big data are failing us all >> Last fall, I declined a booking from a guy who was rude/presumptuous in his message, and when I looked him up—he only had 1 review, and it was really negative. As in, he did not comply with check out time. Basic stuff! I declined, wrote a custom message—but somehow he did not get it. I distinctly remember taking the time to phrase my decline in a practical/diplomatic way, in part because (1. he was black) and 2. in light of of the horrible things that were happening in news then (Charlottesville, riots, BLM, etc). He did not get my reply, thought I ignored him.

I suspect what happened was, my response to him and the note I wrote—went to ABB’s back end/data collection efforts—as in, MY REPLY TO HIM—WENT TO ABB INSTEAD!? It was a crappy flow—bad UI design. Anyhow, this guy continues to message me, rudely—turns my very well-grounded decline— into a nasty race thread. I ended up having to block him, but not before he reported me. !? Long story short, I got flagged for being a racist, and using what was it, ‘coded language’!? Seriously? ABB? You’ve got to be kidding me—

You don’t address the incident until 6+ months later (!?) —I get a chastising phone call from ABB telling me that I was lumped into a segment in the southeast accused of racial discrimination. I believe the phrase was ‘coded language.’ I had mentioned his written correspondence to me, photo (facial expression/body language), the bad review... those are all cues to me about what this person would be like. They are telling cues. When I explained the incident, and my decisions—ABB didn’t care. I had to agree that I was guilty of using coded language—or else. The result from that belated, punitive follow up call? My listing was taken down for several weeks. I asked what would happen to the guy? Nothing. Way to encourage bad behavior toward your hosts, ABB.

Luckily, we all know, this is just one channel for listing your place. I’ll continue to use it, and be subjective in my bookings. For the record ABB, “Acceptance Rate” is not a metric I care about. You clearly don’t care about your hosts’ safety or peace of mind.

[Stephanie365]

The problem with this system is that people send inquiries WITH their booking requests so they don't miss out if the place is acceptable.  In many cases, the questions they are asking are addressed in the listing but the guest is too lazy to read the listing themselves. Also, if you have a guest making a booking inquiry from the other side of the planet, a good chunk of the 24 hrs is taken up due to time changes.

It really needs to be extended to at least 48 hours.

[Naomi141]

I agree with Kate in Salisbury, United Kingdom, with the issues of people bring dogs to hosts' homes where it is clearly stated no pets. Our cleaners have warned us about the added issues around allergies especially when guest allow their pets on beds - cats being the worst. I too would be dismayed to get a "black mark" when we decline because a guest did not read the rules. 

To add an additional insult in my situation, I will get fined by my condominium $100 a day if someone shows up with an "exotic" pet. 

Naomi

[Marianne260]

It has happened several times that people will ask if they can now rent without Airbnb. I decline, explaining the safety for both sides with the insurance policy Airbnb protects us all with. It then happened...ok, once, but that's enough...that the rating was not ***** and I was disappointed!

I also have some difficulty with the pushing of Airbnb to hike my rates ... higher - you can make more!! No, lower and you rent more often!!! I will make those decisions without pressure. It IS my house, after all. When I see the difference between my charge and what Airbnb then billsmy renters  in the end, I am often ashamed! I know it happened to me once that I had decided to rent somewhere myself, and the final bill was enormous. By then it is impossible to decline without 'penalty'. That seems wrong to me.

So far, however, it has all been a great experience. And to be truthful: I'd rather not be a superhost than to be pushed into takeing people I don't feel safe about. That's how I prefer to run it.

Last but not least: going to Italy, and noticing the added 'experiences'. Fantastic! And I certainly want to offer this as well! Please let me know how and I'll be on board!

[Howard58]

This is directed at @Grayson0, but valid for others...

I agree with many on here that the AirBnB system is ridiculously biased towards guests and unnecessarily heavy handed when dealing with hosts and wholeheartedly agree that some sort of "third option" as has been frequently mentioned here is sorely needed. (my pesonal faves are:  "The guest has clearly not read the listing" or "awaiting reply to a request for clarification")

HOWEVER in responce to Grayson's booking dilema, I have 2 bedrooms listed at the same price, a double and a twin and frequently have cases when couples book the twin or sisters/brothers/friends etc, book the double while the other is also available... I simply ask them by message if their choice was intentional or if they were unaware of the other option. If it was intentional, no problem. However, if they respond that they would prefer the other room, I subsequently send them a "special offer" where the only change I have made is the bedroom. I have done this both during the request to book process and also after a booking has been accepted without problem. There should be no need to decline before offering the change of room (if they reply in time of course).

I would also like to see an option to formaly bypass the "web link blocking" in order to send the guest a link to MY OTHER AIRBNB listing. After all, it is an AirBnB link, not a 3rd party one. This really won't cost AirBnB anythiong I know that it would not be too difficult to allow.

[Stephanie365]

It's the AirBNB algorithm that tries to get you to raise or lower prices. I have yet to have them ask me to raise mine; instead they often want me to lower them to some ridiculous sum. Like $30-35/night. My neighbor up the street charges $40 for a basement bedroom with all other spaces shared. Why would they think I would want to charge $30 for a private suite with no shared spaces?  Because it is a computer, not a person with an actual brain making the "suggestions". 

Do your own research as to what comparable spaces are going for in your area and ignore the AirBNB notifications to adjust your price.

[Alex213]

As hosts I believe we get penalized for guests user error. I get booking requests with inquiries such as "can more people stay that the listing allows" or "would you consider a pet". Guests are using booking requests as inquiries and we get penalized for it. Guest doesn't have anything to lose, but we do.

[Te0]

This is the first line of my description:

    "** Please DO NOT request if you haven't read the house description and rules. **" 

- just to protect my declining acceptance rate, because of those guests who don't read and don't respond. What a shame you Airbnb has us hosts do!

My suggestion is to completly remove "Decline" button (for both inquiries and requests). Once the host has replied, it's done. It's up to the guest to follow up. If they don't read, well they don't get anything.

[Catherine73]

Hosts should not be penalized for Declining a request for any reason.  We are not hotels, we do not have staff or security cameras.  If we are not comfortable with a request for any reason, we should not be bullied into accepting requests that we are not comfortalbe with just to insure our rating!   

In the past, I was not penalized for declining occassional requests or for communicating with a guest prior to acceptance to determine exactly why they were requesting.  Three examples of this for me were when I had a couple requests for using my apartment for "filming a commercial" and another for renting my apartment to a "boy band" after their concert and lastly from a guest who wanted to book it for someone else and she refused to tell me who would be staying there.  My apartment is in a very quiet and historic neighborhood and I was completely uncomfortable with all of these requests!  Why should I be penalized?  It is my home and I am responsible for my family's and my neighbors safety and comfort!

With these new policies, I have actually thought about leaving the Airbnb platform and going back to renting my apartment on a private yearly lease!   I think that Airbnb has lost sight of the fact that hosts are 1/2 of their entire equation and I feel as though guest requests are being put before host's comfort and safety.  I understand that you want to make everyone feel welcome and included, but my safety, my family's safety and the safety and comfort of my neighbors is more important to me than anything! 

[Rebecca181]

Why is there time for Corporate to create a monstrous, problematic, stats destroying 10 page review system that will result in many super hosts losing super host status due to the guests' not wanting to bother with such an incomprehensibly long (and invasive) review; yet, this that you mention below has not been accomplished as of yet, despite it being a known problem for hosts for a very, very long time? 

What is Airbnb doing to avoid penalizing hosts' acceptance rate when they decline unfit or illegitimate requests?

We understand that sometimes you may get requests that clearly violate your House Rules, or that are actually marketing attempts disguised as booking requests. These can put you in the awkward position of having to risk harming your own acceptance rate when there’s not a better action to take. To address this, the first thing we need to do is help you flag to us when there’s a problem. We’re exploring how best to do this, and while we don’t have a feature to announce at this time, we are absolutely aware of this pain point for you.

[Huma0]

I'm really rather sick of this Acceptance Rate criteria. In my opinion, 88% is way too high. As a host opening up my own home to strangers, I need certain information before accepting a booking to be comfortable with it. I also have more than one listing in my house, so I have the wellbeing of other guests to consider. I respond to all requests asap asking for this information.

Of course, if the request is inappropriate, e.g. trying to book with children or pets, for more guests than the maximum, asking for impossible check in/out times (and I get a lot of these), I will first communicate with the guest and try to get them to withdraw the request, but if they don't, I will contact Airbnb. 

However, what do you do when the guest simply do not respond with the necessary information, despite being sent reminders and being told that there is a limited timeframe? The host either has to accept the reservation not feeling totally comfortable with it, or decline it and have his/her acceptance rate go down. It's a totally unfair situation to put us in.

Last week I had a guest request a room during the busy Christmas period. She didn't respond to my requests for basic information (Who are you travelling with? What time are you arriving?) and I sent her a reminder explaining that I would be on a flight at the time the request expired, so could she please get back to me before then? Nothing...

I'm afraid I let the ball drop this time because I was travelling and super busy. The request expired so my rate went down. Then the same guest sent another request (still not answering all of my questions). We went back and forth until she did and then I went to hit Accept before getting a message about the special cancellation policy for guests from South Korea. I'm sorry but I can't accept this policy that allows a guest to get a 50% refund no matter how last minute they cancel and a 100% refund up to a month before - especially not at Christmas.

There was a message from Airbnb saying I would not be penalised for declining, so that's what I did and I sent a message to the guest explaining why (incidentally she said it was discrimination against Asians so I had to explain it to her again).

Now I've found out that my Acceptance Rate has taken a double knock because of this one reservation, firstly because I didn't accept/decline in time (Ok, I should have done so before my flight but forgot) and secondly for declining it when the resent the request. From this one guest, my rate for that listing went down from 88% (on target) to 82% (well under). I mostly take long-term guests for this room and it's already booked until July next year, so there's no way for me to get the rate back up for several months at least.

I questioned this with an Airbnb rep, explaining that the Airbnb message said I would not be penalised for declining due to the cancellation policy. She told me I hadn't been penalised, but my Acceptance Rate would still go down.

This is utter nonsense. That IS a penalty because we can get DELISTED if our rate drops too low. It would also prevent the listing from being eligible for Prime. 

I really feel that forcing hosts to accept 88% or more of requests and giving them only 24 hours in which to do so is too much. I feel really bullied by this policy. Airbnb should either not measure hosts on this (which was how it used to be) or lower the target rate considerably. OR, once a host has responded, the guest should be on the clock, i.e. be given a limited timeframe in which to respond. Why should only hosts be held accountable?

Sorry for the long rant, but this is SO frustrating! 

[SandraandGary0]

Hi Huma, I soooo agree with you! That's why today I made a suggestion for an additional feature. I wrote about it here and maybe you can also comment on it. I think Airbnb does a lot of great things for hosts as well as guests, so we maybe just need to be patient. 

[Kay223]

I have ony declined 2 requests in the last 12 months. One because they ask to stay for 6 months but could only pay about 15% of what my rate is. The other was a request for 2 people when my listing clearly states only 1 person. I have now been penalized and my listing doesn't show up in searches at all. I have been a host for 4 years and have all 5 star reviews except for 1 guy who actually said rated my location with a 2. He knew the location when he booked. It seems the adage of 1 awe sh*t wipes out all the atta boys. 

Unless Airbnb fixes their rating issue ASAP, I will be removing my listing completely and make sure my reviews for Airbnb are ALL negative. If they are going to "ding" me for declining 2 requests that were clearly not a fit for my listing, I will be leaving negative reviews for them every change I get.