Airbnb’s New 15.5 Percent Host Fee Explained: What Florida Property Owners Need to Know in 2025
Airbnb’s New 15.5 Percent Host Fee Explained: What Florida Property Owners Need to Know in 2025
The short-term rental industry is shifting again, and one update is raising questions for property owners across Florida. Airbnb has officially moved PMS-connected hosts to a standardized 15.5 percent host-only fee. At first glance, this looks like a cost increase. Many owners worry they will take home less money or become less competitive. Yet the reality is more nuanced. With the correct pricing strategy, your payout does not need to drop at all.
At Stay Coastal Hospitality, we manage properties along Florida’s coast and work with owners who ask the same questions every week. Why is Airbnb changing fees? Will this reduce my earnings? How do I adjust my prices? Will guests notice the difference? This guide breaks down the new fee structure, explains how it affects your revenue, and shows how a professional management team protects your profit margin.
This is the kind of industry change that creates confusion for many owners. Our goal is to keep you informed so your property stays profitable, competitive, and well-positioned for 2025 and beyond.
What Changed: A Shift From Split Fee to Host-Only Fee
For years, Airbnb used a split-fee system. Hosts paid a small 3 percent fee and guests paid a separate service fee. This model often confused guests at checkout, but it protected host payouts. That system is now being phased out for all PMS-connected hosts.
Here is what the update means in practice:
Airbnb now takes 15.5 percent from the host side.
Guests no longer pay a separate service fee to Airbnb.
The fee applies to the entire booking subtotal including nightly rate, cleaning fee, and extra guest fees.
PMS-connected hosts cannot opt out.
Rates must be adjusted to keep payouts level.
This shift has been happening gradually in Europe and non-US markets for years. Now it is being standardized in the United States, and property owners need to understand how to adapt.
If you manage your listing manually without a PMS, you may still be on the split-fee system. However, most professional or semi-professional hosts will be affected by the 15.5 percent host-only model.
This change can feel overwhelming at first glance. Yet the solution is simple once you understand the math behind Airbnb’s new fee.
How to Update Your Rates the Right Way
If you want to maintain your profit margin, you’ll need to update your prices to account for Airbnb’s higher distribution cost. The goal: keep your payout the same even though Airbnb’s host fee has changed.
The Math:
Because Airbnb now deducts 15.5% from the total price, we simply need to adjust the gross rate so that the remaining amount equals your original payout.
Old Model: You kept about 97% of the listed price.
New Model: You keep 84.5% of the listed price (100% - 15.5% fee).
To bridge this gap and keep your earnings identical, you need to increase your prices (nightly rate, cleaning fee, etc.) by approximately 14.8%.
Example:
Old nightly rate: $100
New nightly rate: $114.79
Airbnb fee (15.5%): -$17.79
Your payout: $97.00 (Exactly what you earned before)
This adjustment protects your margin. Since the guest no longer pays a separate service fee (which used to be roughly 14-16% added on top), the total price the guest pays remains very similar.
What This Means for Hosts & Property Managers
Markups vs. Fees — Don’t Mix Them Up
Airbnb host fee: 15.5% (This is what Airbnb deducts).
Your Pricing Strategy: Must increase the base rate to offset the fee.
Will Higher Prices Make Your Listing Less Competitive?
Many owners hesitate to raise prices because they fear losing bookings. This was a valid concern years ago when Airbnb displayed service fees separately. Guests would see a low nightly rate, then get hit with extra charges at checkout.
In 2025, Airbnb displays a single total price in search results. Guests do not see how fees are divided between host and platform. They only see the final number.
This means your competitiveness no longer depends on whether you are on split-fee or host-only. It depends on:
Your total displayed price
Your listing’s visual appeal
Guest experience quality
Your response time
Your reviews
How well your listing is optimized
A high-performing listing can maintain or even increase earnings after pricing adjustments. The biggest risk comes from inaccurate pricing, not higher pricing.
Because Stay Coastal manages dynamic pricing daily using Wheelhouse, we prevent underpricing and overpricing. This ensures you do not lose bookings due to incorrect rates and do not lose revenue due to Airbnb’s updated fee.
Why This Fee Change Matters for Florida Property Owners
Florida is one of the most competitive and seasonal short-term rental markets in the United States. Areas like [Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, New Smyrna, and Palm Coast] experience:
Seasonal fluctuations
Event-driven pricing spikes
High demand for direct bookings
Strong competition across Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking
Short booking windows during peak periods
(Note: Please review the list of cities above and remove any markets you do not operate in).
When Airbnb changes its fee model, it affects your rate strategy across all platforms, not just Airbnb. A 15.5 percent deduction may seem simple, yet dynamic pricing, occupancy trends, and market swings require a more nuanced approach.
This is where professional management becomes essential. Without it, owners risk:
Lower profitability due to outdated pricing
Incorrect cleaning fee adjustments
Loss of competitiveness on OTA platforms
Unpredictable monthly revenue
Missed seasonal opportunities
Stay Coastal Hospitality monitors market data, event calendars, and competitor pricing to ensure your rate is always optimized for the current landscape.
How Stay Coastal Hospitality Protects Your Earnings
Professional management is no longer optional for owners who want to stay profitable in a changing industry. Airbnb’s new fee model is one example of a broader pattern. Platforms are adjusting their business models. Owners who try to handle everything alone are often caught off guard.
Here is how we ensure your property stays competitive and profitable.
1. We update every OTA pricing structure for you
Airbnb charges 15.5 percent
Vrbo charges about 8 percent
Booking commonly ranges from 15 to 20 percent These differences require channel-specific pricing. We manage and monitor this daily.
2. We use dynamic pricing tools and market data Our pricing adjusts with:
Local demand
Events and holidays
Competitor occupancy
Weather and tourism trends
Day-of-week patterns
Lead time behavior
Using Wheelhouse, we stay ahead of the market rather than react to it.
3. We protect your guest experience Fast communication, clear instructions, and smooth operations directly influence your ranking. A higher ranking leads to more bookings. Guests do not see your management structure, but they feel the difference.
4. We optimize cleaning fees and extras Most owners forget that Airbnb takes 15.5 percent from cleaning fees too. We adjust these accurately so you can cover real operational costs without reducing your payout.
5. We keep you competitive in search results Since Airbnb now shows total price only, we optimize your final number, not just your nightly rate.
What Owners Should Do Right Now
If you want to maintain or improve your earnings under Airbnb’s new fee structure, take these steps:
Review your current nightly and cleaning rates.
Adjust your rates to account for the 15.5 percent fee.
Check whether your PMS is calculating OTA markups correctly.
Review your listing’s competitiveness in your local market.
Consider a full audit of your pricing strategy.
For owners using platforms like Hostfully, verifying that OTA pricing rules are configured correctly is essential for accuracy.
Stay Coastal Hospitality completes all of this on your behalf. You do not need to manage formulas, updates, or channel adjustments. Your time is freed, your listing is optimized, and your revenue remains protected.
Final Takeaway
Airbnb’s move to a 15.5 percent host-only fee may seem like a major change, but your profit margin does not need to decline. With the correct pricing adjustments, professional revenue management, and a strong understanding of OTA fee structures, your payout can remain exactly the same.
Property owners who are prepared will stay competitive. Owners who try to navigate all of this alone will face challenges with profitability, pricing accuracy, and operational consistency.
Stay Coastal Hospitality is here to guide you through every change in the industry and protect your earnings with a data-driven, proactive approach. Your investment deserves expert care, consistent revenue, and a management team that works with precision.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is Airbnb’s new 15.5% host-only fee?
It’s a pricing change where Airbnb now deducts a 15.5% service fee directly from the host instead of splitting fees between the host and the guest. Guests no longer see a separate Airbnb service fee at checkout.
2. Does the 15.5% fee mean I will earn less money?
Not necessarily. Your earnings only decrease if your pricing is not adjusted correctly. With the right rate increase, your final payout can remain exactly the same as before.
3. How do I adjust my prices to keep the same payout?
To maintain the same income you earned under the old split-fee model, use this formula:
New Price = Old Price ÷ 0.845
This results in an approximate 18.34% increase on host-charged amounts to offset the 15.5% fee.
4. Do I need to adjust cleaning fees and add-ons too?
Yes. Airbnb applies the 15.5% fee to the entire booking subtotal, including cleaning fees and extra guest charges. If these are not adjusted, your profit will slowly decrease.
5. Will higher prices make my listing less competitive?
No, as long as your total price remains aligned with the market. In 2025, Airbnb shows guests the total price upfront, not individual fees. Guests compare listings based on value, reviews, photos, and location not fee structure.
6. Why is this change especially important for Florida hosts?
Florida’s short-term rental market is highly seasonal and event-driven. Small pricing mistakes during peak demand periods can result in thousands of dollars in lost revenue over a year.
7. How does Stay Coastal Hospitality help with this fee change?
Stay Coastal adjusts pricing dynamically across all platforms, applies the correct markups, and ensures your final payout stays protected—without hurting competitiveness or guest demand.
