Single Service Fee

[James5049]

Hi,

Is anyone else in disagreement with AirBnBs messaging and opportunism over the Single Service Fee?

Generally, the policy makes sense - one fee to one user. Simple.

However AirBnB stated (Zoom UK 16/4/26) that the overall cost to guests and hosts earnings would be unchanged and always state 15.5% as the 'magic' fee. This is incorrect.

Example:

Previous split fee: 100€ listing; guest is charged 115€; host earns 97€; AirBnB takes 18€ (a mark up of 18.56% on my 97€ earnings)

Single Service fee: listing is now 118€ automatically updated on the platform; host earns 96.05€; AirBnB takes 21.95€ (mark up of 22.85%).

Helpdesk does not really understand and has not been able to give a clear answer, other than it is what it is.

Result: Guest pays more; I earn less; AirBnB increases its revenue by almost 25%. I now need to review my pricing for affordability and competitiveness.  

[Shelley159]

Hi @James5049 

After the update:

Single Service fee: listing is now 118€ automatically updated on the platform; host earns 96.05€; AirBnB takes 21.95€ (mark up of 22.85%)

If the listing costs 118, the host should earn 118 x 84.5% = 99.71

The percentage of 84.5% is because Airbnb takes 15.5% of the total, leaving 84.5% for the host.

If you got the figures from an actual payout, there's a good chance that the difference between the 96.05 you were paid, and the 99.71 in my calculation, is the VAT on the Airbnb service fee.

So the actual percentage that Airbnb charges is 15.5% plus the applicable VAT in the relevant country.

Before the change, the host fee was 3% plus VAT. If you bring VAT into both calculations (before and after the change), things should look in line.