The biggest difference between Vrbo and Airbnb is how the service fee works. Vrbo charges travellers a service fee that's a percentage of the reservation and varies with the amount, and shows it inside the total. Airbnb is moving every home host to a single fee taken from the host's payout, which its help centre lists at 15.5% for most hosts, as of October 2026. For guests, both now show the full total upfront, so compare the final total on each.
If you're booking a holiday home or listing one, the fee structure decides what you pay and what you keep. I read Airbnb's service fee article and Vrbo's service fee help page. Here's how they compare, as of October 2026.
Vrbo and Airbnb fees compared
| Vrbo | Airbnb | |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays the service fee | The traveller, at checkout | Moving to the host, through a single fee |
| How it's set | A percentage of the reservation total before taxes and refundable fees, varying with the amount | Single fee: 15.5% for most hosts, 14% to 16% for the rest |
| Older structure | Not applicable | Split fee: most hosts 3%, guests 14.1% to 16.5% of the booking subtotal |
| What guests see | The total includes all required fees | The total, with the fee shown in the breakdown |
| Can hosts change it? | No, hosts can't waive or reduce it | Hosts who switch to the single fee can't switch back |
| VAT | Added on top of the fee where local law requires | Included in the fee shown, where applicable |
| Refunds | Fee refunded if you cancel inside the full-refund window | Set by the booking and host policy |
How Airbnb's fee is changing
Airbnb's help centre says it has two fee structures for stays and is moving all home hosts to the single one. Under the split fee, most hosts pay 3% and guests pay between 14.1% and 16.5% of the booking subtotal. Under the single fee, the whole fee comes out of the host's payout: most hosts pay 15.5%, others typically 14% to 16%, and hosts in Brazil and Mexico pay 16%. Airbnb says the single fee is already mandatory for most hosts, including hotels and hosts using property management software, and that once a host switches, they can't switch back.
For guests, that means the nightly rate on Airbnb increasingly carries the fee inside it rather than adding a big line at the end. For hosts, it means setting your nightly rates with the fee in mind.
How Vrbo's fee works
Vrbo's help page keeps the fee on the traveller's side. It says the service fee is a percentage of the reservation total, before taxes and refundable fees, paid at checkout, and that the percentage varies with the reservation amount. Vrbo also says the total travellers see includes all required fees, so there's no surprise at the end. Two details are worth knowing: hosts can't waive or reduce the fee, and if a reservation is cancelled inside the window for a full refund under the cancellation policy, the service fee is refunded automatically.
Which to use
- You're booking a stay: look up the same dates on both and compare the final total, not the nightly rate.
- You're a host on Airbnb: check which fee structure your account is on before you set your nightly rates.
- You might cancel: read the cancellation policy first, since Vrbo refunds its fee only inside the full-refund window.
- You're booking in Europe: remember VAT can apply to service fees on both.
- You list on both: keep your rates consistent so guests compare like with like.
If you rent out a holiday home, read my guide to building an online presence for a vacation rental portfolio and these SEO tips for a vacation rental website so you're not relying on one platform for bookings.
My advice on Vrbo or Airbnb
As a guest, I'd simply compare the all-in total for the same dates on both, because the fee models are now different enough that nightly rates mislead. As a host, Airbnb's move to a single host-paid fee is the change to plan around: build it into your rates, and consider a direct booking website alongside both platforms so every repeat guest isn't paying a platform fee again.
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Frequently asked questions
Who pays the service fee on Vrbo?
Vrbo's help page says travellers pay the service fee at checkout, as a percentage of the reservation total before taxes and refundable fees. Hosts can't waive or reduce it.
What is Airbnb's service fee?
As of October 2026, Airbnb's help centre lists a single fee of 15.5% for most hosts, taken from the payout. Under the older split fee, most hosts paid 3% and guests 14.1% to 16.5%.
Is Airbnb changing its fees?
Yes. Airbnb says it's moving all home hosts to the single service fee structure, and hosts who switch can't switch back.
Does Vrbo refund the service fee?
Vrbo says the service fee is refunded automatically if a reservation is cancelled within the window for a full refund under the cancellation policy.
Is Vrbo or Airbnb better for guests?
It depends on the listing. Both show the total upfront, so compare the final total for the same dates on each.
