The new 15.5% host fee: what changes and how much you keep

Published 22 October 2026 · 5-minute read

Since 13 October 2026, Airbnb charges hosts in Spain (and the rest of the European Economic Area) a single 15.5% fee. Before, the fee was split: you paid 3% and the guest paid around 14% on top of your price. If you haven’t touched your price since, you are probably earning quite a bit less per night.

1. What has changed

• Before (split fee): you set 100 €, the guest paid around 114 € and you were charged 3%.
• Now (single fee): the price you set is what the guest sees and pays, and 15.5% is taken from it.
• Bookings made before 13 October keep the old fee, even if the stay is later.

2. Don’t forget VAT on the fee

If you let as a private individual without an EU VAT number, the platform also charges you 21% VAT on its fee. A 15.5% fee therefore becomes around 18.8% of what the guest pays.

3. An example with numbers

At 100 € a night, you used to keep around 96 € (100 € minus 3% and its VAT). With the single fee, if you leave it at 100 €, you keep around 81 €. To keep around 96 € again you would need to set around 118 € — roughly what the guest was already paying with their share of the fee.

These are approximate figures: check the percentages applied to your own account.

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4. Review your price, but look at the market

This isn’t about adding 18% across the board. For the guest the total price doesn’t change much, but they now see it all at once from the start. Compare with similar properties for the same nights and decide where you can win back margin and where you can’t. We explain how in How much to charge per night.

5. Cleaning is now inside the price guests see

With the single fee, guests see the total from the search results, cleaning included. A high cleaning fee makes your listing look more expensive for short stays: check whether it pays to spread it into the nightly price.

6. Compare with your other platforms

On Booking.com the commission is around 15% and also carries VAT if you’re a private individual, so both now keep a similar share. What changes most between them is discounts that stack up (Genius, mobile rates, long stays). Work out what you keep per night on each before copying prices from one to the other, and never go below your minimum price.

Common mistakes

• Changing nothing and finding out from your first payout.
• Forgetting VAT on the fee when doing the maths.
• Raising every night by the same amount, without looking at demand for each date.
• Working out your minimum price with the old fee.

In short

1. Since 13 October, your price is what the guest pays and 15.5% is taken from it.
2. Add 21% VAT on the fee if you’re a private individual: around 18.8%.
3. Redo your minimum price with the new fee.
4. Review your nightly price against similar properties in your area.
5. Compare what you keep on each platform.

This guide is for information only and guarantees no result. Fees can change: always check the terms of your own account. Rentasel is not affiliated with Airbnb or Booking.com.