Vrbo host fees in 2026: the 12% commission and what you keep

Vrbo is moving hosts and property managers to a 12% commission on bookings made from October 29, 2026. Until then, hosts connected through property management software pay a 5% commission, and other pay-per-booking hosts pay about 8%, which is a 5% commission plus a 3% payment processing fee. Hosts on the legacy annual subscription move to the commission when their subscription term ends.

According to Vrbo's official FAQ, the commission ranges from 12% to 15% depending on region and Vrbo brand, and each host can find their rate in the Vrbo Dashboard. The 12% includes payment processing for hosts whose payments Vrbo handles, with some regional exceptions. The commission applies to the rental amount and the fees you add, such as cleaning, and travelers pay a separate Vrbo service fee on top.

Vrbo host fees at a glance

The rate follows the booking date, not the stay date. Bookings made before October 29 keep the previous commission, plus the usual processing fee if Vrbo processes the payment, even when the stay falls after October 29. Travelers pay a separate Vrbo service fee in every case.

How the 12% commission works

Vrbo charges the commission on the rental amount and on any additional fees you charge the traveler, such as cleaning, pet and boat fees. Taxes and refundable damage deposits are not subject to the commission, but Vrbo's booking fee page says they still carry a 3% payment processing fee. The booking fee does not apply to Property Damage Protection or Trip Cancellation Protection.

Two cases can cost more. Bookings that come through Vrbo's expanded distribution partners may carry higher fees. Hosts using property management software pay a 10% booking fee when a reservation comes from Vrbo's sites but is not booked through Vrbo's checkout, so check your booking statements.

Regional rates and payment processing

Vrbo says commission fees range from 12% to 15% across regions and Vrbo brands, and regional regulations can change the charges that apply. Its help pages name Europe, Australia and New Zealand as regions where software-connected hosts may pay 12% to 15%. In France Vrbo operates as Abritel, and in Germany as FeWo-direkt; both list the same 12% commission in their help centers.

From October 29, processing fees go away for hosts whose payments Vrbo handles as merchant of record, with some regional exceptions. Hosts who keep their own merchant of record status, which is common for software-connected property managers, still pay their own payment processor. Skift reported that cost at about 3%. Those hosts already paid their processor before the change, so it does not add to the price increase they need. Hosts who hand payments to Vrbo pay no processing fee but are paid after guest check-in.

VAT and GST

Where VAT applies, Vrbo charges it on top of the commission, and VAT-registered hosts generally recover it through their VAT return. For properties in Australia and New Zealand, Vrbo adds GST to the commission at 10% and 15% respectively, and properties in Japan pay no GST. GST is not charged on the commission if your business is GST-registered and you have added a valid GST ID in the Owner Dashboard.

What it costs on a $1,000 booking

Take a $1,000 booking, meaning the rental amount plus the cleaning fee before taxes.

• Before the change, Vrbo-processed: about $80, which is the 5% commission plus 3% processing.
• Before the change, software-connected: $50 to Vrbo, plus what your own processor charges.
• At 12%: $120 to Vrbo. Software-connected hosts still pay their own processor on top, as before.
• At a 15% regional rate: $150 to Vrbo.

Check your Vrbo Dashboard or the payment details on each booking for the exact charges.

What travelers pay: the Vrbo service fee

The Vrbo service fee is the traveler's fee, and it is separate from your commission. Travelers see it at checkout, and Vrbo says it covers secure payment processing, 24/7 customer support and guest protections such as VrboCare. Vrbo does not disclose its range. It has been reported at about 11% to 14% of the booking, and Vrbo says it will typically be lower after the change but priced dynamically by market conditions.

Vrbo sets the fee, and hosts can't waive it. It is refunded automatically when a cancellation falls inside the 100% refund window of your cancellation policy and you refund in full. On a partial refund, Vrbo keeps the service fee.

The two fees matter for different reasons. Your commission sets what you keep, and the traveler's fee sets how your total price looks next to other listings. Airbnb charges most hosts a host-only fee of 15.5%, so its guests see a single price, while a Vrbo guest sees your rate plus the service fee. Our Airbnb service fee guide covers the other side of that comparison.

What the change means for your prices

To keep the same payout, multiply your current price by one minus your current fee, then divide by one minus the new fee. A host moving from 8% to 12% multiplies by 0.92 and divides by 0.88, an increase of about 4.5%. The increase depends on how you connect to Vrbo:

On a $100 nightly rate for a directly connected host, Vrbo takes $8.00 today and the host keeps $92.00. At $104.50 under the 12% commission, Vrbo takes $12.54 and the host keeps $91.96.

Raise every price component. The commission applies to cleaning, pet and other fees as well as the nightly rate, so raise them by the same percentage wherever you manage them for Vrbo: in your PMS, or on Vrbo, which has a commission update page for each listing. PriceLabs sets nightly rates only, so these fees need updating outside PriceLabs.

Markups multiply. If your PMS adds a Vrbo channel markup, multiply rather than add. A 10% markup raised by 8% becomes about 19% (1.10 × 1.08), not 18%. Your prices on other channels stay the same.

Change prices on October 29. The commission follows the booking date, so bookings made before October 29 still carry the old, lower fee. Raising rates a day or two early is fine, but raising them weeks ahead only makes you more expensive on bookings that don't need it.

VAT changes the increase

Where VAT or GST applies to Vrbo's commission, the increase for a directly connected host moving from 8% to 12% is slightly higher than 4.5%:

These figures assume a 12% commission; a higher regional rate means a higher increase. VAT-registered hosts who file VAT returns, and Australian or New Zealand hosts with a valid GST ID in their Vrbo dashboard, can use the standard 4.5%.

The PriceLabs Fee Migration tool

PriceLabs is building a Fee Migration tool that makes the change in a few clicks, due on the Pricing Dashboard by October 25. It lets you set a different increase if your commission is above 12%. It also supports subscription listings, so you can run it when your term ends.

For Mapped Listings, the tool works in two ways. When Vrbo is the parent listing, it raises the Vrbo prices and adds an offsetting adjustment to child listings, such as Airbnb, so their prices don't change. When Vrbo is the child, it adds a price offset to the Vrbo listing and leaves the parent's prices alone.

Hosts connected through a PMS have nothing to change in PriceLabs; they raise the Vrbo channel markup in their PMS instead. The PriceLabs knowledge base walks through each setup.

Before you raise rates, check them against your market. PriceLabs Market Dashboards compare your occupancy, ADR and booking pace with similar listings, and dynamic pricing for Vrbo hosts shows how automation handles rate changes.

Rate parity in the new Host Terms

Vrbo's updated Host Terms of Service also take effect on October 29 and add a rate parity obligation. Section 4.5.7 requires what you list on Vrbo to be at least as favorable as what you offer through any other channel, including your own website. Section 5.5.1 confirms that this covers rates, discounts, fees, taxes and availability. Section 7.1 also lists rate consistency as a factor in how Vrbo ranks listings in search.

Skift reported on October 7 that Vrbo plans to revise the clause so hosts can price lower on their own websites, while still requiring parity with other booking sites. As of mid-October, the published terms still carry the original wording. These terms cover the US, Canada and Brazil; Abritel in France and FeWo-direkt in Germany have their own terms with the same rule. Read the current terms before you set different prices by channel.

The end of the annual subscription

Vrbo is retiring its annual subscription. It no longer accepts new subscribers, and a subscription listing converts to the pay-per-booking commission only at the end of its term. Subscribers pay the annual fee plus a 3% processing fee per booking today, so the move to 12% needs a price increase of about 10% to keep the same payout. You can go a little lower than that, because the annual fee disappears.

The old advice to compare your yearly bookings against the subscription price no longer applies. Find your term end date now, so you can adjust prices, or run the PriceLabs Fee Migration tool, on the day the commission starts.

When and how Vrbo pays you

When Vrbo processes the payment, it collects from the traveler and deducts its fees before paying you. Vrbo's payout timeline says payouts are typically disbursed one business day after the guest checks in, and the money is usually in your account five to seven business days later, depending on your bank. If you are a new host and your first booking is less than 30 days away, the payout is typically disbursed 30 days after the guest's payment. Hosts who use their own payment processor are paid on that processor's schedule.

To check a payout, open Reservation Manager, then Financial Reporting, then Bank Deposits. Select a deposit to see its disbursement date and details. The payout summary report shows your funds after commission and fees, and each booking's payment details show what the traveler paid, the commission and your payout.

Setting up payments and taxes

Set up your payout method early, because missing details can delay your first payout. Vrbo verifies your bank account before paying out, and payout options vary by country and currency. Vrbo also collects tax information before it releases payouts. U.S. hosts typically complete a W-9. Non-U.S. hosts with U.S. listings who don't submit Form W-8ECI can face 30% U.S. withholding, so confirm the right form for your situation with an accountant.

Ways to protect your earnings

• Price for the fee. Build the commission into every price component, and check your Vrbo Dashboard for the rate that applies to your listings.
• Compare your channels. Look at what you keep on Vrbo and Airbnb, and list on the channels that suit your property.
• Grow direct bookings carefully. Direct bookings lower your dependence on any single platform's commission. Under the new terms, Vrbo is owed its commission when a guest contacts you through Vrbo and books with you directly within 30 days, including when you move them to another property you manage. Vrbo says this protection has been in its listing agreements for years.
• Reduce refunds and cancellations. A clear listing and the right refund and cancellation setup protect revenue you would otherwise lose.
• Watch your payout reports. A regular check of your deposits catches errors and delays early.

Frequently asked questions

What are Vrbo host fees in 2026?

Until October 29, 2026, software-connected hosts pay a 5% commission, other pay-per-booking hosts pay about 8% (a 5% commission plus a 3% processing fee), and subscription hosts pay an annual fee plus 3% processing. From October 29, Vrbo charges a 12% commission, which ranges from 12% to 15% depending on region. Subscription hosts move to it when their term ends.

When does Vrbo's 12% commission start?

October 29, 2026. Vrbo emailed hosts about it on September 29, 2026. The rate follows the booking date, so bookings made before October 29 keep the previous commission.

Is the Vrbo commission the same everywhere?

No. Vrbo says commission fees range from 12% to 15% depending on region and Vrbo brand, and its help pages name Europe, Australia and New Zealand. VAT or GST may be added on top. Hosts can find the rate for each listing in the Vrbo Dashboard.

Does the 12% include payment processing?

Yes, for hosts whose payments Vrbo processes, with some regional exceptions. Taxes and refundable damage deposits still carry a 3% processing fee. Hosts who use their own payment processor keep paying it, as they did before the change.

How much should I raise my Vrbo prices?

About 4.5% if you connect directly and Vrbo processes your payments, about 8% if you connect through a PMS or channel manager, and about 10% if you are moving off a subscription. VAT, GST and regional rates above 12% raise these figures.

When should I update my prices?

On October 29, 2026. Updating a day or two early is fine; your Vrbo prices will just be higher for those days.

What is the Vrbo service fee?

It is the fee Vrbo charges travelers at checkout, separate from your commission. It has been reported at about 11% to 14%, and Vrbo says it will typically be lower after the change but priced dynamically. It covers secure payment processing, customer support and guest protections. Vrbo sets it, and hosts can't waive it.

Does the Vrbo commission apply to cleaning fees?

Yes. The commission applies to the rental amount and to additional fees you charge, such as cleaning, pet and boat fees. It does not apply to taxes or refundable damage deposits.

Is the Vrbo annual subscription still available?

Not for new hosts. Vrbo is retiring the subscription, and existing subscribers move to the pay-per-booking commission when their term ends.

When does Vrbo pay hosts?

When Vrbo processes the payment, payouts are typically disbursed one business day after the guest checks in, and the money usually arrives five to seven business days later, depending on your bank. New hosts whose first booking is less than 30 days away typically wait 30 days after the guest's payment.