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Airbnb Moved Its Fee to Hosts. What Did That Do to Your Price?
Adventus.
The short answerAirbnb took the service fee off guests and put the whole thing on hosts, but hosts still have to cover it, and it ends up in your total. We priced our five cabins on Airbnb and on our own site for the same dates. Booking direct came out about 8-10% cheaper on all five.
What changed
If you booked on Airbnb before late 2025, you remember the checkout surprise. The nightly rate looked fine, then a service fee got added at the end.
Before, hosts paid about 3% and guests paid a service fee of 14.1% to 16.5% of the booking subtotal. Now most hosts pay a single 15.5% fee, taken out of their payout. Guests see one price and no separate fee.
It sounds like a win for guests. Mostly it isn't. The fee didn't go away. It moved.
What a host does when 15.5% comes out of every booking
I run five cabins in Broken Bow and Hochatown, so I can tell you what happens. You raise the nightly rate, or you add a charge at checkout. Either way, the cost is still in your total. It just doesn't have a label anymore.
We saw this in our own numbers. Airbnb took about 3% of our bookings made before this fall. On bookings made since, it takes about 15.5%.
We priced the same stays both ways
I checked the same cabins, the same dates and the same two guests on Airbnb and on our own site. Taxes are identical on both, so this is the price before tax.
| Cabin | Airbnb | Book direct | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adventus | $1,035 | $948 | $87 (8.4%) |
| Lost Lake Treehouse | $846 | $771 | $75 (8.9%) |
| Blue Night Sky | $800 | $725 | $75 (9.4%) |
| Blue Ridgetop | $1,094 | $992 | $102 (9.3%) |
| Emerald Star | $696 | $630 | $66 (9.5%) |
Friday to Sunday, December 11-13, 2026, two guests, checked October 5, 2026. No Airbnb promotion was applied to these stays. Rates change, so check your own dates.
Why it's cheaper
Our direct nightly rate is set about 11% below what we list on Airbnb, and the cleaning fee shows up as its own line instead of hiding in the rate. We don't pass on the whole 15.5%, because running a booking site and taking card payments costs money too. Most stays come out about 7-10% less.
When it isn't
If Airbnb is running a promotion on your dates, the gap shrinks. That's why I'd say compare the final totals, not the nightly rates. Open the same dates in both places and look at the number at the bottom.
What you give up
Airbnb has its own guest protections and a review history you may already trust. Booking direct means booking with the people who run the cabins. Ours has more than 880 reviews on Airbnb, so you can check us there first.
Our cancellation policy is simple. Cancel more than 5 days before arrival and you get a full refund of everything you paid. Cancel 5 days or less before arrival and the booking is non-refundable. The policy for your stay is shown on the booking page before you pay. If you have a question first, an automated message goes out within 15 minutes, and I'm usually quick to follow up personally between 8 a.m. and midnight.
Frequently asked questions
Did Airbnb get rid of the guest service fee?
Yes, for most listings. Guests used to pay a service fee of 14.1% to 16.5% of the booking subtotal. Now most hosts pay a single 15.5% fee out of their payout and guests pay no separate fee. Hosts still have to cover that cost, so it tends to show up in the nightly rate or the fees on the listing.
Is it cheaper to book direct than on Airbnb?
Usually, yes. Our direct rates run about 7-10% less than the same cabin and dates on Airbnb, including the cleaning fee and taxes. If Airbnb is running a promotion on your dates, compare the final totals.
What is your cancellation policy when you book direct?
Cancel more than 5 days before arrival and you get a full refund of everything you paid. Cancel 5 days or less before arrival and the booking is non-refundable. The policy for your stay is shown on the booking page before you pay.
More questions? See our full FAQ.
Related: Where can I find reputable cabin rentals in Broken Bow? · How clean are Broken Bow cabin rentals?
Check your dates
Pick a cabin and book direct for lower rates than Airbnb. Compare the final total for your dates.
Blue Night Sky Emerald Star Adventus Blue Ridgetop Lost Lake Treehouse