What are your thoughts on the new “all included fee” and how you will implement it starting end of October or December from others?

[Linda4964]

I understand the Airbnb’s new all-in pricing model removes the visible guest service fee and shifts it entirely to the host side. Airbnb’s idea seems to make pricing more transparent and improve guest trust by showing one clear total price at checkout. This simplicity might helps reduce booking drop-offs, makes refunds smoother,… maybe, and lets hosts advertise “no hidden fees,” which could eventually attract more confident guests.

However, the change also increases our host fee to about 15.5%, lowering our payouts unless rates are adjusted. Guests may assume hosts raised prices, and listings with high cleaning fees could face more scrutiny. How to stay competitive, without losing earning or look too expensive? 

have you already shift to the new all in fee?

[Joelle43]

Hello @Linda4964 

I do not like the fact that guests no longer see the Airbnb commission fee, cleaning fees, additional persons fee etc appear as a separate line when they click on our listing - all fees are included in our overall nightly price as if we were suddenly hiking our prices up.  Not transparent at all for guests and misleading.

Guests should definitely see the overall price, no question about that but they should also see how that is made up and not have to double click at the payment stage to see the price breakdown.

The 15.5% increase for hosts, only concerns those you use a PMS or for those hosts who had chosen to use the single fee commission rate even though not using a PMS.  Hosts using the split fee commission rate are not affected and can stay with the 3%+VAT commission as long as they don't use a PMS

[Linda4964]

I agree with what you said. Seeing a single global price isn’t as transparent as Airbnb claims it to be. If I were a guest, I’d want to see a clear line-by-line breakdown, not just one overall total.

However, whether we like it or not — even for those NOT using a PMS — the 15.5% host fee will start applying as of December 1st, from what I understand. Isn’t that right?

[Joelle43]

@Linda4964 

This is not my understanding at all Linda. Hosts who are with the split fee are not transitioning 1st December.  Only those using a PMS who were still able to use the split fee option will be however. 

Many many discussions here and elsewhere but look in the Host circle for the latest one. Sorry pasting from my phone is not working 

[Lonna13]

Joelle, this is what I'm reading about the fee structure: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1857

This tells me that by December 1st, it's changing for all hosts.

[Joelle43]

@Lonna13 

In the help article you mention you will also read this Lonna:

The split-fee pricing structure will no longer be available to hosts who use property management software to manage their listing, effective as follows:

• August 25, 2025: New hosts who use property management software that sign up with Airbnb can only select the single fee structure.
• October 27, 2025: Most hosts who use property management software will automatically transition to the single fee structure.
• Hosts who don’t use property management software are not affected, and can continue to use the split-fee pricing structure.

In the article Airbnb have two subheadings - split fee and single fee and it's really important to take the information that pertains to each one and in the split fee heading you read the above so no change for hosts using split fee that DO NOT use a PMS!!

@Bhumika @Alex @Emilie - I have lost count of the number of posts on the subject here and elsewhere so would really appreciate any input to determine if my understanding (and others) is correct in the matter of the split fee option still being available to hosts who don't use a PMS please as of December 1st 🙏  Never has a change been so confusing for hosts as this one.

Hosts are thinking that the split fee option is being withdrawn completely from the platform as of Dec 1st whereas I believe that it still remains an option as long as we aren't using a PMS. Many thanks for any input because I am slowly loosing my mind over this one🤣

[Joan2709]

@Lonna13 

The confusion (I think) lies with the way Airbnb has worded the Help Article. I got it wrong initially as well. They should have started the article with:

"Hosts currently on the split fee structure and NOT connected to a PMS will stay on the split fee structure (no change)".

Then further explain the rest of the changes. 

Here is what it is saying (I think 🤔)

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1857

Previously:

1. Hosts using a PMS in some countries could choose the split fee option OR the single fee option in the past

2. Some Hosts who don’t use a PMS also voluntarily chose the single fee structure

3. Some Hosts use split fee structure

Now:

1. Airbnb says ALL Hosts using a PMS will be on the single fee, 15.5% structure (some countries and Hosts higher) regardless of country

2. Airbnb says Hosts NOT using a PMS and who have the split fee option set currently can keep the split fee option

3. Hosts NOT using a PMS, but had voluntarily selected the single fee option to simplify their pricing, will move to the new 15.5% structure December 1, 2025.

There is an unfair tax burden for UK Hosts (and some U.S. Hosts depending on gross earnings) that have a Gross Receipts Tax structure as @Helen3 & @Elaine701 have mentioned. These Hosts will have to take this into account when calculating how to reset their prices to include that tax on top of the 15.5% fee if they are using a PMS or not using a PMS, but voluntarily switched to the single fee structure:

In Washington state, the Business and Occupation (B&O) tax is calculated on your gross income, not your net income. It is a gross receipts tax, which means that businesses cannot deduct their costs of doing business, such as labor, materials, or taxes, before calculating their tax liability. Since there is no threshold in Washington, that means ALL Hosts in Washington state will see an increase in their tax liability due to this change.

All that said, my gut tells me that Airbnb will eventually move ALL Hosts to the 15.5% Host-only fee, but time will tell.

@Linda4964 

[Linda4964]

Thanks for sharing all these valuable details. Exactly!!  the way they explain it is quite confusing. I’m currently on the split-fee model and had already prepared for the new 15.5% change, but if it’s not imminent, I might switch my pricing back to the 3% for now. I still have the option to move to the 15.5%, but like you said, time will tell. One way or another, we’ll all end up there eventually -just like on other platforms that have already implemented it.

[Lonna13]

I just got off the phone with Airbnb Customer Service. They confirmed that my listings (not managed by a PMS) will switch from split-fee to single fee on December 1st. They also confirmed that all hosts will move to the single fee on December 1st. 

When I asked them to clarify this article and publish a clarification in multiple places and by email, I was told it was being escalated to a supervisor. 

I will be calling Airbnb back periodically to check on the progress of the messaging, since they couldn't give me a date by which the clarification would be published.

[Elaine701]

@Joan2709 

Apparently, it's a kind of "double taxation".

So, you sell one night at 100 (currency of your choice). Airbnb takes 15.50 of that in commission. That's their income, not yours. But you pay tax on all of it. And they pay tax on their take. Double taxation. 

I can't speak for the UK, but the chart you show above displays tax numbers like 0.2%. - 1.5%.  That's next to nothing. I doubt that would have much impact on a small increase in gross income. Probably not even enough to offset the 2.5% increase in net income. 

(?)

[Joan2709]

@Elaine701 

Can't speak to the UK situation. 

For the U.S. the percent might be minimal, but it would depend if you are Hosting as a business and that business has other revenue; that would need to be included in the total taxed. For Washington, there is no state income tax, so this is how they make up for that if you operate a business in the state. Not sure about the other U.S. states. Washington also has very high gas tax and sales tax.

[Elaine701]

@Linda4964 

For me, it represents a 3% commission discount. I signed up years ago, but mainly because it makes it simpler to maintain consistent pricing across platforms. It's also a bit easier for my accountant to reckon. 

Example:

Previously, host pays 3%, guest pays 15% total 18%. 

So, out of every 100 per night guest pays, host gets 82.

Now: Host pays 15% guest pays 0.

So, for every 100 per night guest pays, host gets 85.

Before you jump on those numbers, I know it's going up to 15.5% . But currently, I'm paying 15. It's still better than 18%.

Someone has pointed out to me previously that in the UK, hosts are apparently taxed on the gross amount (the full amount the guest pays) rather than the net income (what the host receives). So it has some sort of negative tax implications in the UK. That seems absurd, but I've heard it from multiple sources. If true, that's not fair. 

[Linda4964]

Umm, I slightly disagree with that. The current (soon-to-be old) fee structure charges hosts a 3% fee. So for every $100 per night a guest pays (plus around 14.1%–16.5% in guest fees), the host receives $97 - not $82.

With the new fee rules starting in December - for everyone -- for every $100 per night, the guest will pay $0 in service fees, and the host will receive $85. This will definitely impact us hosts. I also read that taxes will be applied to the gross amount, not the net.

It seems Airbnb is trying to compete with the other competitor, which already uses an all-in pricing model.

[Elaine701]

@Linda4964 

Sorry, but in the old system, the guest pays 115 for every 100 per night what the host charges.

97 is what the host gets from that, but that's 18% less than what the guest pays. 

With the new system, the guest pays 0 commission. The host simply raises their price by 15.5 %, and the guest pays the same as before. The host is charged 15.5%, not 18%. 

Like I said previously, it seems incredibly unfair that UK hosts should be taxed on the gross amount, because 15.5% of that is Airbnb's income, not yours. And surely they pay tax on it too. 

We are taxed on the net amount. The actual profit.  The gross income minus commissions and operating expenses. So it's the same for us with either system, except we actually make a bit more on the new system. But it's insignificant tax-wise.