How to Avoid Paying Vacation Rental Booking and Service Fees
Booking and Service Fees Charged By Other Companies
Do your homework when planning a vacation to make for a more enjoyable experience. Proper planning and cost savings will help your budget when planning to stay at vacation rentals. Asking all the right questions and inquiring about discounts for more days, early check-in and house rules prepare you for a “no surprise” vacation.
| Guest Fees | Host Fees | Listing Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | Guests pay a booking fee of 6-12%, depending on the total of the reservation amount(edited: This can be as much as 15% now) | Airbnb hosts pay 3% of the total booking to Airbnb | Listing a property on Airbnb is free |
| TripAdvisor | Guests pay a booking fee of 5-15%, depending on the total cost of the rental | FlipKey hosts can either list for free and pay FlipKey 3%. | FlipKey hosts can either list for free and pay 3% per booking. |
| HomeAway/VRBO | Guests pay a booking fee of 4-10%, but the fee is capped at $499 | HomeAway hosts can choose to either pay an annual subscription fee or an 8% pay-per-booking fee (this is 10% if you are overseas.) | Hosts pay an annual subscription fee of $349 if the property has online booking and $499 if it does not. |
| Roomorama | Guests pay a booking fee of 15%, or 12% if the stay is longer than 1 month. | Roomorama hosts do not pay Roomorama a fee. | Listing a property on Roomorama is free. |
| Gloveler | Guests pay a 15% booking fee | Gloveler hosts do not pay Gloveler a fee | Listing a property on Gloveler is free |
| Wimdu | Guests pay a 15% booking fee | Wimdu hosts pay Wimdu a 3% processing fee | Listing a property on Wimdu is free |
| Way to Stay | Guests do not pay a booking fee | Way to Stay hosts pay a variable percentage of the total booking to Way to Stay | Listing a property on Way to Stay is free |
| 9Flats | Guests do not pay a booking fee | 9Flats hosts pay 15% of the total booking to 9Flats | Listing a property on 9Flats is free |
| CanadaStays | Guests pay a booking fee of 8%. | Annual subscription customers pay a yearly fee of $349 Canadian dollars plus a 3% on each booking. Pay per booking customers pay a 10% commission on each booking. | Listing a property on CanadaStays is free for pay per booking customers and $349 for annual subscription customers. |
| Bedycasa | Guests pay no booking fee | Bedycasa hosts pay 15% of the total booking to Bedycasa and have the option of including this fee in their listing’s displayed price | Listing a property on Bedycasa is free |
| Luxury Retreats | Guests are subject to a government tax for the property that ranges from 5-15%. | Hosts pay a certain commission per booking that is determined by Luxury Retreats. | Listing your property on Luxury Retreats is free. |
| only-apartments | A commission of 15-21% is included in the total price that a guest sees. | Property owners do not have to pay a commission. | Listing your rental on only-apartments is free. |
| Perfect Places | Guests do not have to pay service fees, but local and cleaning fees may apply. | Owners are not charged commission when a booking is made. | Owners pay a monthly membership fee of $14.95, and can pay for up to 2 years at a time for a discounted rate. |
| RedAwning | Guests do not pay a booking fee. Affiliate site to pay per book. | Owners pay a 3% fee on each reservation that is made. | Owners pay a monthly membership fee of $14.95, and can pay for up to 2 years at a time for a discounted rate. |
| VacayHero | Travelers are charged an unspecified service fee which is rolled into the total displayed amount. | Owners are not charged a commission. | Owners can list their rental for free. |
| VayStays | Guests pay a fee of 7-12% on the booking, depending on the total amount. | VayStays charges an 8.5% commission rate on each booking made. | Listing your property is free on VayStays. |
Courtesy of Tripping Aug 2016 *user to verify actual charges.
Helping travelers find savings and location destinations make traveling fun. Staying in a vacation rental by owner is usually more appealing than a hotel/motel experience.
