As of October 13, every Airbnb host in Europe is on the same fee model. That was the last deadline in a change Airbnb has been rolling out for about a year. Hosts in the European Economic Area and Switzerland who were still on the old setup have now been moved to a single host-paid service fee. North American hosts made the same switch on September 15.
What actually changed
Under the old split-fee model, hosts paid about 3% and guests paid their own service fee of roughly 14% to 16.5% at checkout. That second line is now gone. Most hosts pay one fee of 15.5% of the booking subtotal, with a small group paying between 14% and 16%. Guests see one price, and Airbnb’s cut is built into it. Once you’re switched over, you can’t go back to the old model.
Already-booked stays are safe
If a reservation was made before your switch date, it keeps the old fee structure, even if the guest arrives in November or next spring. So don’t expect your October payouts to look like the new model right away. They’ll be a mix of old and new for a while as earlier bookings work through your calendar.
The pricing math most hosts get wrong
This is the part that catches people. You can’t just add 15.5% to your old price, because the fee is taken from the total listed price, not added on top of your payout. The right way is to divide the payout you want by 0.845.
For example, if you want to take home €845, you need to list at €1,000. If you simply add 15.5% to €845, you get about €976, and after Airbnb takes its share you’re left with roughly €825, about €20 short every time.
The same step applies to cleaning fees, pet fees and any other mandatory charges you set, since Airbnb calculates its fee on the whole subtotal. Local taxes are handled separately. If VAT applies to you, check with your accountant, because the fee shown is VAT-inclusive where relevant.
What guests will notice
Guests now see one all-in price, which makes comparing listings easier. For a short time, though, hosts who have repriced correctly may look a bit more expensive than neighbours who haven’t. Those neighbours look cheaper but are earning less per booking, and that gap should close as everyone adjusts. If you have returning guests, it’s worth telling them that the service fee they used to see is now part of the price, not an extra charge.
Your quick checklist
Check a recent reservation in your Earnings tab to confirm you’re on the new fee. Make a list of stays booked before the switch so you’re not comparing apples to oranges. Reprice your open dates using the 0.845 rule, including cleaning and pet fees. If you’re also on Vrbo, don’t copy the same formula over, since Vrbo has its own fee model. Finally, consider keeping a direct booking option for repeat guests, so not every stay has to go through a platform fee.
The bottom line: Airbnb is still the best place for new guests to find you, but this is a good moment to look closely at your numbers and make sure the new fee isn’t quietly cutting into your earnings.
