Short-term rentals (STRs) continue to grow in popularity across Australia as travellers seek flexible, comfortable stays in cities, suburbs, and coastal regions. STR platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo (through Stayz) make it easy for homeowners to reach guests across the country and overseas.
Understanding each platform’s fees is essential. Fees influence your nightly rates, how competitive your listing appears, and how much income your property earns. From a revenue perspective, these aren’t just charges; they’re distribution marketing fees that give you access to the scale and visibility of major online travel agents (OTAs). No individual host can generate that level of demand alone.
This guide breaks down the fees across Australia’s key STR platforms and explains what they mean for your property’s earning potential.
Overview of major STR platforms
Airbnb
Airbnb is Australia’s most recognisable short-term rental platform and a major driver of bookings. It performs strongly in metro markets such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast, and is often the first place guests search when looking for a home-style stay.
Booking.com
Booking.com is one of the world’s largest travel sites and brings a steady stream of international travellers. When you list your property on Booking.com, it may also appear on partner OTAs like Agoda and TripAdvisor, expanding your reach without requiring additional effort.
Vrbo / Stayz
Vrbo and Stayz cater to families, group trips, and longer stays. They perform particularly well in coastal and regional areas such as the Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay, and the Mornington Peninsula, where guests look for larger holiday homes.
Airbnb fees for hosts/guests
Fee structure
Airbnb offers two fee models:
- Host-only fee of 15.5%, which is the standard in Australia from October 27th, 2025.
- Split-fee model is when the fee is split between the host and the guest. This fee model is still used by some hosts that don’t use property management software.
- Airbnb’s 15.5% host-only fee increased fees by roughly 0.5% in 2025.
Implications for hosts
While Airbnb fees reduce your net revenue, the platform’s visibility and strong conversion rate often make up for it. Guest expectations, review strength, response times, and listing quality all influence search ranking and booking volume.
Airbnb remains the strongest source of bookings across Hometime’s network and delivers the highest share of revenue for most properties.
Pros and cons of the Airbnb platform
Pros
- Largest STR audience in Australia
- Reliable booking volume
- A simple, convenient booking experience for guests
- Effective support and review systems to protect the property
Cons
- Competitive markets in metro areas
- Fee variation across property types
- Guests may question service fees on split models
Booking.com fees for hosts/guests
Fee structure
Booking.com uses a commission-only model, charging 10–25% depending on property type, cancellation policy, location and property performance. There are no guest service fees.
What hosts should consider
Booking.com attracts a broad international audience and performs well with travellers who prefer hotel-style platforms. Competition can be high, and some guests expect rapid responses and hotel-level standards.
Pros and cons of Booking.com
Pros
- Strong overseas traffic
- No guest service fees
- Large distribution network
Cons
- Higher cancellation exposure
- Less intuitive host interface
- Guests may expect hotel-like service
Vrbo fees for hosts/guests
Fee structure
Vrbo offers two options:
- Pay-per-booking (PPB): 8% total
- 5% commission
- 3% payment processing
- Annual subscription of roughly USD $499 (AUD ~$770)
The subscription suits high-earning homes with predictable seasonal demand.
Vrbo’s niche in Australia
Vrbo and Stayz are strong performers in family-focused markets. Homes with multiple bedrooms, outdoor spaces, or unique features tend to attract longer and higher-value stays.
Pros and cons of Vrbo
Pros
- Excellent for larger homes
- Strong family and group travel demand
- Longer stays and higher booking values
Cons
- Smaller audience than Airbnb
- The subscription model only suits some properties
Compare hosting fees: Airbnb, Booking.com, and Stayz/Vrbo
Additional costs hosts should consider
Payment processing
- Airbnb includes processing within its fee. However, you may be charged currency conversion fees on Airbnb separately.
- Vrbo charges a payment fee for PPB bookings.
- Booking.com varies depending on whether you use their payment service or manage it directly.
Cleaning fees
Cleaning fees can be passed to guests, though some hosts reduce them during quieter seasons to stay competitive.
Dynamic pricing tools
Tools like Beyond Pricing and Wheelhouse help set optimal rates based on seasonality, demand, and events. Hometime’s revenue team works toward applying channel-specific markups to offset booking channel fees.
Software and multichannel tools
Channel managers, booking automation tools, and calendar sync software may add to costs for hosts listing across multiple OTAs.
Adjusting prices based on the platform
Here’s how a $100 base nightly rate looks after platform fees:
- Airbnb (15.5% fee): ~$85 net
- Booking.com (15% commission example): ~$85 net
- Vrbo PPB (8%): ~$92 net
These differences can add up over a year, especially for high-performing properties.
At Hometime, our revenue specialists use dynamic pricing to make sure nightly rates remain competitive while accounting for each platform’s cost structure. This helps protect margins and maximise year-round returns.
Which platform is best for Australian hosts?
Each platform has different strengths:
- Airbnb delivers the majority of bookings across Australia.
- Booking.com adds strong international demand.
- Vrbo and Stayz attract families and longer stays.
A multi-channel strategy using a short-term rental channel manager is the most effective approach for long-term performance. It increases visibility, boosts occupancy, and captures different guest segments across the year. You may also consider partnering with professional Airbnb management in Australia like Hometime, who ensures that your property will be listed on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and Hometime.io, our very own short-term rental direct booking website.
You'll also get professional styling and photography, cleaning, property maintenance, copywriting, pricing setup, and compliance with the latest rules for short-term rentals. With our help, you can get more bookings and reach more potential guests with less effort.
Want stronger returns without the work?
Platform fees directly affect your property’s performance, and understanding them helps protect your returns. Your vacation rental pricing strategy should account for the total cost of each OTA, not just the nightly rate.
At Hometime, our purpose is simple: to unlock more from your property. We set the benchmark for revenue performance in Australia’s short-term rentals, using market-leading pricing strategies, multi-channel distribution, and real local Hosts who care for your home to the highest standard. This also comes with full visibility through the homeowner portal and zero stress behind the scenes, where every stay, every detail, and every dollar is optimised for stronger returns.
Want to see how much more your property could earn? Book an obligation-free chat with our team to learn more about our Airbnb management fees and services:
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