After a tough year for the private rental company, Airbnb is shifting policies in a major way.
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The goal is to improve price transparency for guests, who are often hit with added service fees after they select their dates. In short, the price displayed on Airbnb isn’t the final price that guests will actually pay.
So, what’s the change in fees? And will tourists who use Airbnb be footing the bill in the end? Let’s dig in.
The new Airbnb fee policy mostly applies to hosts
Airbnb’s new approach to service fees shifts the responsibility away from guests and places it on hosts. Previously, hosts paid a 3% service fee while guests paid between 14-16% service fees on each rental.
Those service fees were displayed later on, meaning the list price for the rental was lower before these mandatory fees were added on. (This service fee is applied by Airbnb, and is separate from fees that the host sets, such as pet and cleaning fees.)
Starting on October 27, 2025, hosts will be responsible for footing the entire 15% service fee. This date applies only to hosts who use a PMS or a property management system, meaning it applies to professional hosts who manage multiple properties.
Independent hosts who list properties they own personally won’t be footing the whole service fee until December 1, 2025. That means this change first applies to US Airbnb hosts who use a PMS to manage their properties. Later, it will affect independent hosts.
…But travelers will likely foot the bill
Airbnb’s policy change signals that the company is willing to make major changes to its operations following ongoing negative press in areas hit with under-regulated tourist markets, such as Mexico City and Barcelona.
That being said, the changes are likely to be forwarded to guests who book rentals on Airbnb. Already, resources for Airbnb property managers (independent and otherwise) are to simply adjust their nightly rates to reflect the 15% service fee.
In short, though Airbnb will require its hosts to foot the bill starting in late October, the company has no control over how hosts price their units. If they want to raise prices to match the new service fee policy, it’s par for the course.
Additionally, Airbnb has not made it mandatory for hosts to prove that they have the correct licensing to host a property—which is a major pain point for protesters in areas wracked with overtourism.
