How Much Are VRBO Host Fees and How to Make the Most of Them

Hoozzee
May 1
2 min read

What Are VRBO Host Fees?

If you're thinking about listing your property on VRBO, one of the first things you'll want to understand is how much it's going to cost you. VRBO, like most vacation rental platforms, charges hosts a fee for every booking — this is known as the VRBO host fee.

There are two main models:

Pay-per-booking: Typically 5% of the rental amount, plus a 3% payment processing fee.
Annual subscription: A one-time annual fee of around $499, allowing you to avoid the 5% booking fee.

These percentages might seem small, but they can add up fast if your property stays booked regularly. That’s why knowing how these fees work — and how to optimize your pricing — is essential.

What Does the Host Fee Cover?

The VRBO host fee isn’t just money taken from your earnings. It covers services that help streamline your rental operations, such as:

Payment processing
24/7 customer support
Fraud protection
Listing exposure to a global audience

Think of it as a business expense that enables you to rent your property more efficiently and securely.

How to Reduce the Impact of Host Fees

You can't avoid VRBO's fees altogether, but there are ways to reduce their impact:

Use dynamic pricing tools to adjust rates based on demand.
Offer longer stays to reduce the number of total bookings (and therefore fees).
Communicate directly with repeat guests to arrange future bookings off-platform (within legal and ethical boundaries).
Track your expenses to account for the fees in your overall pricing strategy.

Should You Choose the Annual Subscription?

For hosts who expect steady bookings, the annual subscription might be a better value. Let’s break it down:

If you earn more than $10,000/year on VRBO, the annual plan may save you money.
It also simplifies your accounting — one flat fee instead of multiple transaction-based ones.

VRBO vs Airbnb Host Fees

While VRBO generally charges a 5% commission, Airbnb can charge up to 14% to guests or up to 3% to hosts (depending on the fee model). Understanding the difference is key if you’re listing on multiple platforms and want to compare profitability.

Final Thoughts

Even though I don’t have personal experience hosting on VRBO, the data shows that understanding host fees is a vital part of maximizing your rental income. Whether you're just starting or scaling an existing property portfolio, choosing the right fee structure and pricing model can have a major impact on your bottom line.