Pricing changes

[Cynthia1607]

Can someone give a brief description of the new fee structure going into effect this month (September 2026)? 

[Elaine701]

@Shelley159 you're the best at this. 

[Cynthia1607]

Huh?

[Elaine701]

@Cynthia1607 

@Shelley159  is very good at explaining how it works and how it has little effect on either the guest or the host, is simpler and more consistent with how the entire industry in operates, and she uses actual facts to guide you, rather than innuendo.

There are, however, certain "experts" here that regard these facts as "blabbity blah blah" to be be ignored in favor of believing the entire exercise is some sort of secret conspiracy to ripoff everybody,  "un-transparently"  since nobody can tell any difference. 

Nonetheless, I recommend you make your own decisions about it rather than listen to the "experts".

But if you choose the "blabbity blah blah" experts, then I'd wholly agree with them that you should consider signing up with the other competing platforms which use the same "untransparent" model, and charge even higher commissions. 

By doing that, you'll learn a lot about how bad it isn't.

Good luck with all that. 

[Helen3]

If you look at the information Airbnb sent you when announcing the price change - they outline how it works. 

what specific queries do you have in relation to the changes @Cynthia1607 

[Greystone0]

Hi @Cynthia1607  - here's some general comments:

- once you use the 'tool' and process this update, you can't go back. At this point this is right around the corner.

- if you do nothing, you'll be on this new structure on Sept 15th, and you'll want to update your pricing to keep your payouts similar/same. 

- the updated fee structure applies the 15.5% to 'other' host fees, not just the nightly rate (cleaning, pet, etc, and so those rates need to be adjusted upward as well.

- if you use the tool provided then you should just end up with similar/same payouts as before. Price adjustments are made as before, so tweak accordingly.

- from a guest standpoint, the bottom line hasn't really changed. This 15.5% fee still applies to a transaction - old or new. If you don't update your pricing you will effectively have a 15.5% less payout and obviously guest has a discount from old in this case.

- this only affects new bookings once you make this change. Existing reservations stay as they are.

- effectively this is a no change to the guest  - they saw a combo price and still see a combo price, as AirBNB made this structural update last year (at least in our area). In other words, this 15.5% has been part of the guest facing pricing for awhile.

- if you use the tool provided by AIRBNB (this seems the best case), then go back to a guest view and search a few times to see what the results are for your pricing and then make manual adjustments from there.

-take some screen shots or before to give yourself some back up to compare.

lots of discussion on this topic in this forum about the pros and cons. but hopefully that provides a little more info.

[Shelley159]

Hi @Cynthia1607 

@Elaine701 has tagged me, but I think you already have some great replies.

Basically you need to run the conversion tool that Airbnb prompts you to run, before the deadline.

It switches your listing from the split to the single fee and updates the prices.

The price that goes up is the price on the host's calendar. The guest's portion of the "old" split service fee, now moves onto the host calendar.

The host sees a higher price on the calendar and pays a higher service fee - the net position of the host is very close to the same as before.
The guest used to pay the price on the host calendar, plus the guest portion of the split service fee. That fee is now part of the price on the host calendar. When the guest pays the new host calendar price plus zero guest service fee, the guest is in very close to the same position as before.
There will be slight differences after you run the update tool (because the service fee is now standardised, where there was some variation in the guest portion before). But for most hosts and guests the fluctuations are small.

[Cynthia1607]

Thanks!  I want to keep it the same as it has been because my guests are mostly regulars.  There seems to be a lot of encouragement (feels like pressure to me) from Air BnB to make the change though.

[Shelley159]

@Cynthia1607 if you make the switch your regular guests won't notice, because they'll pay very close to the same total price. And you'll earn the same.

If you don't change before the deadline, the regulars will definitely notice and they'll love you, because your prices will be way too cheap 😀

When the deadline comes you're switched to the single fee, ready or not.

15.5% will then go off your old prices, which haven't been adjusted to absorb them.

The guests will be better off, Airbnb will be in the same position as before, and you'll be worse off.