What a €1,000 booking really costs
The same stay, three channels.
The difference is more than €120 on every €1,000. Over a season with a handful of direct bookings, that is real money.
Calculate it for your property
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Fee on one booking
You keep per year with direct bookings
Assumptions: Airbnb 15.5% host fee; Stripe Spain card pricing; website €29/month, already subtracted. Taxes not included.
Booking.com can no longer forbid a lower price on your own website
The European Commission designates Booking a “gatekeeper” under the Digital Markets Act.
Booking must allow better prices and conditions on other channels — including your own website.
Airbnb: a single 15.5% fee paid by hosts in the EEA and Switzerland.
Since 14 November 2024, Booking must let accommodation providers offer better prices and conditions on other online channels, including their own website, and may not take measures that restrict this.
What you must not do: Airbnb’s rules
Break these and you risk your listing. Direct bookings have to come from your own channels — not from Airbnb guests.
Not allowed on Airbnb
- Asking or encouraging guests to move current, future or repeat bookings off Airbnb.
- Offering discounts for booking outside Airbnb.
- Asking for payment outside Airbnb.
- Links to other websites in your listing or messages, or asking guests for their email or phone.
Fine — and effective
- Your own website on your own domain.
- Appearing on Google for your property’s name and area.
- Your social media, friends’ and colleagues’ recommendations.
- Guests who found you directly — and come back.
- A better price on your own website (Booking.com cannot forbid it — just never promote it to Airbnb guests).
Six ways to get direct bookings the right way
- 01
A website on your own domain
villa-sol.com, not just a profile on a platform. People searching for your property’s name should find you — not only your Airbnb listing.
- 02
Booking and payment online
Guests need to see free dates and the price, and book and pay by card in minutes — or send a request you answer quickly. If they have to email and wait for days, most go back to the platform.
- 03
One calendar for every channel
Syncing your Airbnb and Booking.com calendars (iCal) with your website prevents double bookings — the main reason owners hesitate.
- 04
A safe security deposit
The deposit is paid with the booking and refunded automatically after check-out if there is no damage — the same peace of mind as a platform.
- 05
Your own channels
Google, social media, recommendations and your previous direct guests.
- 06
A better offer on your own site
Without platform commission you can afford a slightly lower price or a small extra when guests book with you directly.
When does it pay off?
Every direct booking saves about 14% compared with Airbnb (15.5% minus ~1.5% card fee). So a €29/month website pays for itself from roughly €210 of direct bookings a month — depending on your price, one or two nights.
Platforms and your website — together
The goal is not to leave Airbnb or Booking.com. Platforms bring new guests; your website lets you take part of your bookings without commission and build your own name. Both work best with one shared calendar.
Sources
- Airbnb — Simplifying service fees on Airbnb15.5% single fee; deadline 13 Oct for the EEA and Switzerland
- Airbnb — Off-Platform and Fee Transparency Policywhat hosts must not do
- Booking.com for Partners — Understanding our commissioncommission varies by country and property
- Houst — Booking.com fees for hosts10–25%, average ~15%; payments 1.1–3.1%; Preferred ~+3%
- Stripe — Pricing in Spain1.5% + €0.25 standard EEA; 2.8% + €0.25 premium EEA
- European Commission — Booking must comply with the DMA14 November 2024
General information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and rules as checked on 28 September 2026. · Updated
