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Airbnb Service Fee Changes for API Hosts
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Hi [first name],
Airbnb has announced an upcoming change to how service fees work for hosts who use property management software like OwnerRez.
What’s changing
- Starting October 27, 2025, all Airbnb hosts connected through API/property management software will move to Airbnb’s single fee structure.
- Newly created Airbnb host accounts already default to this structure as of August 25, 2025.
How fees work today vs. after the change
- Current split fee: Airbnb typically deducts a 3% host fee, and guests pay an additional 14–16% fee on top of your nightly rate.
- New single fee: A flat 15.5% service fee will be deducted from your payout. Guests will see and pay the price you set.
What this means for you
- The total price guests see will remain the same, regardless of whether fees are split or single. Guests are always shown the full amount they’ll pay before booking.
- To keep your payouts consistent, you may need to adjust your rates upward by ~15.5% before October 27.
- If you do not adjust, guests will pay less, but you’ll earn less per booking.
Addressing common concerns
Some hosts worry that those still on split fees will appear cheaper and more competitive. This is not the case; guests always see the final total price, not just the nightly rate. The shift to a single fee is about simplifying how earnings and payouts are calculated, not changing how prices are displayed to guests.
Covering the higher fee
To keep your revenue similar to how it is now, you can set a +15.5% rate adjustment in OwnerRez for Airbnb. Here's how to do that:
- Go to Settings > Channel Integrations, then select Airbnb. On the Airbnb Channel page, click Change at the top and on the following page, set your Rate Adjustment to “Adjust both rent and surcharges” and “Increase by” and set the amount to 15.5% (or the amount you’d like).
- Once you have set a Rate Adjustment set inside OwnerRez, log in to your Airbnb account and opt in for simplified fees now. Take a look at this video to see how to do this.
Make these changes by October 27th so that your payouts remain consistent when the transition occurs.
For more details, see Airbnb’s announcement here: https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/simplifying-airbnb-service-fees-746
We’ll continue monitoring these updates and keep you informed.
-The OwnerRez Team