Guide
Flat fee or percentage: what should a co-host cost?
A percentage suits a listing with low or uneven income, because the fee falls when bookings fall. A flat monthly fee suits a listing that earns steadily, because the fee does not grow when your income does. Work out the break-even point for your own numbers before you sign.
Examples on this page use made-up homes and numbers to show the method. They are not client results.
What co-hosts usually charge
- Percentage co-hosts: commonly 10% to 20% of booking revenue for online help, and more when they also handle cleaning and on-site work.
- Full-service managers: commonly 20% to 35%, which normally includes arranging cleaning, repairs and visits to the property.
- Flat-fee co-hosts: a fixed amount per listing per month, whatever you earn.
These are ranges from co-host profiles and published price pages. Your market may differ.
The same listing, three ways
| Monthly bookings | 15% co-host | 20% manager | Flat $300 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $300 | $400 | $300 |
| $4,000 | $600 | $800 | $300 |
| $6,000 | $900 | $1,200 | $300 |
All three fees are examples, not anyone’s price list. Try your numbers in the fee calculator.
Find your break-even point
Divide the flat fee by the percentage. With an example $300 flat fee against a 15% co-host:
$300 ÷ 0.15 = $2,000 a month
If your listing earns more than that in a typical month, the flat fee costs less. If it earns less, the percentage does.
When a percentage is the better deal
- Your listing is highly seasonal and empty for months. A percentage of nothing is nothing.
- You are new and do not know yet what the home will earn.
- You need the on-site work that a full-service manager includes. A cheaper co-host without on-site service plus your own cleaner and handyman may not save you anything.
When a flat fee is the better deal
- Your listing earns steadily through the year.
- You already have turnovers covered.
- You want the reward for a good month, or for a price increase, to stay with you.
Compare the same work
A fee means little until you know what it covers. Ask each co-host:
- Do you answer guests, and during which hours?
- Who sets prices, and how often are they reviewed?
- Is cleaning arranged by you or by me?
- Is the percentage taken from the nightly rate only, or from cleaning fees too?
- Is there a setup fee or a minimum term?
How payment works on Airbnb
Airbnb can pay a co-host for you out of each booking. Only the listing owner can set this up. You choose a percentage, a fixed amount per booking, the cleaning fee, or a mix. A flat monthly fee is normally invoiced separately, outside the platform.
HostTuneUp Co-Hosting is paid the first way: a share of each booking, sent by Airbnb, with no invoice and nothing upfront.
Whichever way you pay, put the scope in writing first. See how to write a co-host agreement.
Want this done for you?
With Co-Hosting, we run the booking side of your listing and are paid through Airbnb, only when you are booked. Or start with a free listing check.
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Rather have someone check it for you?
Send us your listing and get a written co-hosting proposal. Nothing to pay upfront: Airbnb pays our share only when you are booked.