Airbnb platform commissions, what changed on 13 October 2026
Before, during and after the reform, here is what you really earn on a night at your Alojamento Local in Portugal, on a platform and on your own direct booking website.
The essentials in three figures
Example for a night listed at €90 on Airbnb and at €85 on your website. Other platforms apply their own rates, check the ones in your contract.
You earned €87.30. The guest paid around €103.50, their fees were added to the price.
€11.25 less per night. The guest pays €90, the 15.5% commission is entirely on you.
€7.42 more than on the platform, and the guest pays €5 less.
The detail, line by line
For a night listed at €90 on the platform. On your website, the night is offered at €85 to give the guest a reason to book directly.
| Platformbefore 13 October 2026 | Platformsince 13 October 2026 | Platformsince 13 October 2026, if VAT cannot be recovered | Your websitedirect booking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listed price | €90.00 | €90.00 | €90.00 | €85.00 |
| What the guest pays | around €103.50 (€90 plus their fees) | €90.00 | €90.00 | €85.00 |
| Commission or fees | €2.70 (3% on the host side) | €13.95 (15.5%) | €13.95 (15.5%) | €1.53 (payment fees, around 1.8%) |
| VAT on the commission | not applicable | recovered if VAT-registered | €3.21 (23%) | none |
| Difference from before the reform | baseline | −€11.25 | −€14.46 | – |
| You earn | €87.30 | €76.05 | €72.84 | €83.47 |
Guests no longer pay a separate service fee on new bookings, the platform now shows an all-in price. Tourist tax is not included in these amounts.
What you keep, night after night
Amount you earn for a night listed at €90 on the platform.
Over a year, it adds up
With 12 nights a month booked directly at €85 instead of through the platform at €90.
(up to €1,531 if the VAT on the commission cannot be recovered)
The estimate depends on the number of nights booked, your price and the commission applied to your account. You can make an estimate with your own figures in the calculator on the home page.
Why the guest wins too
A guest who already knows you (returning, recommended, social media) has no reason to pay more by going through a platform. By offering a slightly lower rate on your website, you give them a real reason to book with you. They save €5 a night, you earn more, and you keep direct contact with them.
The platform stays useful for being found by people who don’t know you. The aim is not to leave it, but to stop paying it commission when it brings you nothing.
What to do in practice
Check your fee breakdown
In your platform account, open a recent booking and note the fees and VAT withheld. Those are your real figures.
Set a direct rate
Offer a slightly lower price on your website, for example 5 to 6% less, and you will still earn more money than with the commission.
Tell the guests who know you
Past guests, recommendations, social media. They book on your website and you avoid the commission.
Assumptions and sources
- Commission of 15.5% of the nightly price for most hosts in the European Economic Area, some pay between 14 and 16%. It applies to new bookings made since 13 October 2026.
- Before the reform, 3% on the host side, and guest fees added to the price (around 15% in this example).
- 23% VAT in Portugal on the commission, withheld from hosts who are not VAT-registered and cannot recover it. A VAT-registered host recovers it, the “VAT cannot be recovered” column does not apply to them.
- Payment fees on your website estimated at 1.8% of the amount, depending on the payment method used and the payment provider’s rate.
- Rounded figures, for guidance only. This page is not tax advice, confirm your situation with your accountant.