Vrbo's 12% commission: what to charge and keep
Since October 29, 2026, Vrbo charges every host a flat 12% commission. If you paid 8%, multiply your Vrbo prices by about 1.045 to keep your take-home flat. If you paid 5% through software, use about 1.080. Do not reuse Airbnb's 1.148 on Vrbo. It overprices Vrbo by about 10%.
What is changing on Vrbo?
Vrbo is moving every host to one flat 12% commission. Hosts who list on their own were mostly on about 8% (5% plus 3% processing). Hosts connected through software were on 5%. Hostaway reports the new rate applies to bookings made from that date, not by stay date. Check whether payment processing is included in your 12%. The new rate took effect on October 29, 2026.
What multiplier keeps your Vrbo payout level?
The multiplier that keeps a host's Vrbo take-home level is one minus the old fee, divided by one minus the new fee. From 8% to 12% that is 0.92 divided by 0.88, or about 1.045. From 5% to 12% it is 0.95 divided by 0.88, or about 1.080.
| Your old Vrbo fee | Factor | A $200 night becomes | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8% | x1.045 | $209.09 | $184.00 |
| 5% (software-connected) | x1.080 | $215.91 | $190.00 |
In both rows you keep what you kept before: $184.00 from 8%, $190.00 from 5%.
What do you keep on Vrbo versus Airbnb?
On a $200 booking subtotal a host keeps $176 on Vrbo at 12% and $169 on Airbnb at 15.5%, before taxes and guest-side fees. The table shows the fee and the amount kept for each channel.
| Channel | Host fee | You keep at $200 |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb (host-only fee) | 15.5% | $169.00 |
| Vrbo (flat commission) | 12% | $176.00 |
The comparison above uses what the host pays on the same displayed price. Guest-side fees and what guests see at checkout differ by platform and change over time, so check both before you decide where to put your best rates.
What is the rate-parity catch?
As we read Vrbo's new host terms (section 4.5.7), they ask for content and extras on Vrbo that are at least as favorable as on your other channels. Trade press reports Vrbo may relax this for direct sites, which is unconfirmed. Read the current terms in your own account. Our parity explainer has the detail.
Because Airbnb's host fee is higher, the flat-earnings price on Airbnb is usually higher than on Vrbo. A lower Vrbo price fits that ask. If you want the same price everywhere, you keep less on one channel. Decide that on purpose.
What should you do before the change?
Before the change, find your old Vrbo fee, work out the multiplier, and compare your channels side by side. The five steps below take about fifteen minutes per listing and keep Vrbo at least as favorable as your other channels.
- Find your old Vrbo fee in your account: 8% or 5%.
- Work out the factor above and the new price for each listing.
- Check which charges the commission applies to, so cleaning and other fees are handled the same way.
- Set each channel from the net you want to keep, then compare the channels side by side.
- Review in three weeks against nearby listings.
The same method for Airbnb is in our step-by-step Airbnb guide.
Questions hosts ask
Hosts ask the questions below most often on this topic. Each answer is complete on its own, with the figure and the condition that changes it. We last checked them on October 23, 2026.
What is Vrbo's new commission?
A flat 12% for pay-per-booking hosts from October 29, 2026. Hosts with a property-management system paid 5% before, and hosts without one paid about 8%, which was 5% plus 3% processing.
Does the 12% include payment processing?
Sources disagree. Hospitable says the 12% includes Vrbo's processing fees, while Rental Scale-Up says the new terms list processing separately. Check the terms in your own Vrbo account.
Does the new commission apply by booking date or stay date?
Hostaway reports it applies to bookings made from October 29, 2026, not by stay date. Existing annual subscribers move when their subscriptions expire.
Should I raise my Vrbo prices?
To keep take-home level, multiply by about 1.045 from 8% or about 1.080 from 5%. Compare the result with your other channels first, because of Vrbo's parity clause.
Sources checked
Every fee, date and rule on this page comes from the pages below, which we read on October 23, 2026. Platforms change their terms often, so confirm anything that affects your account against the current page.
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Market figures use public data from Inside Airbnb (CC BY 4.0). The fee math is arithmetic on the published rates, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Check each platform's current terms for your account.