findyourstay
For hosts

Keep more of every booking

Honest, practical guides for independent B&B, guesthouse and Airbnb hosts: cut the commission you pay the OTAs, win more direct bookings, and build a booking website you actually own.

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Commissions & fees

OTA commission calculator: how much you're really losing to Airbnb & Booking.com

Free UK calculator: enter your nightly rate and bookings to see exactly how much commission Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and Expedia take from you each year, and what you'd keep booking direct.

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Commissions & fees

Booking platform commission compared (2026): how much each one really takes

Booking.com, Airbnb, Vrbo and Expedia commission rates compared for 2026, what you actually keep on a £100 booking, and why taking bookings direct wins.

Read the guide →

Commissions & fees

OTA commission calculator: how much you're really losing to Airbnb & Booking.com

Free UK calculator: enter your nightly rate and bookings to see exactly how much commission Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and Expedia take from you each year, and what you'd keep booking direct.

5 min read

Booking platform commission compared (2026): how much each one really takes

Booking.com, Airbnb, Vrbo and Expedia commission rates compared for 2026, what you actually keep on a £100 booking, and why taking bookings direct wins.

8 min read

Airbnb host fee calculator (UK 2026): what the 15.5% really costs you

Free calculator for UK Airbnb hosts: see what the 15.5% host-only fee, plus the 20% VAT non-registered hosts pay on it, actually takes from you each year, and what you'd keep direct.

5 min read

Booking.com commission calculator (UK 2026): what you really pay

Free UK calculator for Booking.com hosts: base commission plus Preferred Partner and Payments by Booking.com, see the real percentage and annual cost, and what you'd keep direct.

5 min read

How to avoid Airbnb fees legally in 2026, without getting banned

The legal 2026 playbook for UK hosts to cut what you pay Airbnb: build a direct-booking channel, win repeat guests, and stay the right side of the rules.

7 min read

Airbnb's new 15.5% host-only fee: what changed and how to beat it

Airbnb moved UK hosts to a single 15.5% host-only fee in 2026, and with 20% VAT it is nearer 18.6%. Here is what changed, the true cost, and how to beat it.

7 min read

Is Booking.com Genius worth it for hosts? The real cost, with the maths

Booking.com Genius levels 1, 2 and 3 explained for UK hosts: the 10/15/20% discounts you fund, how they stack on commission, and when they actually pay off.

7 min read

Can you offer a cheaper price on your own website than Booking.com?

UK rate parity in 2026, explained for independent hosts: what parity clauses are, why they have weakened, and how to make direct booking the best deal.

7 min read

Does Airbnb take commission on your cleaning fee?

Yes: Airbnb's 15.5% host fee applies to your whole booking total, cleaning fee included, so part of your cleaner's pay gets skimmed. The 2026 maths and the fix.

6 min read

Does Booking.com charge commission on cancellations and no-shows?

Whether Booking.com takes commission on a cancelled booking or a no-show in 2026, when you owe nothing, and how to mark it in the Extranet so you never overpay.

6 min read

Airbnb host fees explained: how much does Airbnb actually take?

Airbnb charges most UK hosts a 15.5% service fee in 2026. Here's exactly what gets deducted, how the guest-facing fee inflates your price, and what you keep on direct bookings.

7 min read

How much commission does Booking.com charge hosts?

Booking.com's base commission is around 15% in the UK, but Preferred Partner fees, Visibility Booster bids and Genius discounts can push your real cost to 17-20% or more. Here is what you actually pay.

7 min read

Airbnb vs Booking.com for hosts: fees, payouts and control compared

Airbnb charges hosts around 15.5% and Booking.com between 10 and 25%. We compare fees, payout timing, guest types and control so you can decide which platform, or neither, makes sense for your B&B.

7 min read

How to reduce OTA commission: 9 ways to keep more of every booking

Booking.com and Airbnb take 15% or more from every reservation. Here are nine practical ways independent hosts can cut their reliance on OTAs and keep more of every pound they earn.

7 min read

Direct bookings

How to move Airbnb guests to direct booking, without breaking the rules

The compliant 2026 way to turn Airbnb & Booking.com guests into repeat direct bookers: what the off-platform rules actually allow, and the playbook that keeps you safe.

9 min read

What happens if you take bookings off Airbnb? The real penalty risk

The honest answer on Airbnb off-platform penalties in 2026, what actually gets hosts warned or suspended, what's perfectly safe, and how to take direct bookings without the risk.

7 min read

How to get direct bookings for your B&B or holiday let

A step-by-step playbook for small accommodation owners who want to shift guests off OTAs and onto a direct booking channel. Cut commission, own your guest relationships, and keep more of every booking.

8 min read

How to get bookings without Airbnb: 7 channels for independent hosts

A practical 2026 guide for UK hosts: seven ranked ways to fill rooms without depending on Airbnb, from your own website to Google to a directory listing.

7 min read

Direct booking vs Airbnb: which makes hosts more money?

Airbnb takes around 15.5% of every booking. Direct bookings cost roughly 1.5% in card fees. Here is the honest comparison of cost, control, and when to use each channel.

8 min read

Your website

Do I need a website for my B&B or Airbnb?

If you rely entirely on Airbnb or Booking.com, you don't own your guests, your listing can be suspended, and you pay commission on every booking. Here's why your own website changes all of that.

7 min read

How to take bookings on your own website, commission-free

A practical guide for B&B and guesthouse owners on setting up a direct booking system: payments, calendar sync, deposits, and how to avoid double-bookings without technical skill.

8 min read

How to take deposits and payments for a holiday let, on your own site

The simple 2026 way to take card payments, deposits and security holds for your holiday let direct, no OTA in the middle, with money paid straight to your bank.

7 min read

Direct-booking website checklist: 15 things yours must have to convert

What a direct-booking website for a B&B or holiday let needs to convert: real-time availability, secure payments, a book-direct message and trust signals.

7 min read

Best direct-booking website builders for B&Bs and Airbnbs (2026)

Comparing the best ways for independent B&B and guesthouse owners to build a direct-booking website in 2026: general builders, channel managers, WordPress, and done-for-you services.

8 min read

How much does a B&B or holiday let website cost in 2026?

A straight-talking 2026 UK price guide to B&B, guesthouse and holiday let websites: builder, booking-system, WordPress, agency and done-for-you costs compared.

7 min read

Growth

How to get your B&B or guest house on Google (free), the 2026 UK guide

A step-by-step 2026 guide to setting up a free Google Business Profile for your UK B&B or guest house: categories, verification, photos, the Website link and reviews.

7 min read

Local SEO for B&Bs and holiday lets: how to rank on Google Maps

How independent B&B and holiday let owners rank on Google Maps in 2026: an optimised Business Profile, a fast local website, reviews, NAP consistency and structured data.

7 min read

Email marketing for B&Bs: turn past guests into repeat direct bookings

How independent UK hosts use email to win repeat direct bookings: collecting guest emails compliantly under UK GDPR & PECR, what to send, and how to measure it.

7 min read

UK short-term let registration scheme 2026: what hosts must do

A carefully hedged 2026 tracker of short-term let registration and licensing across England, London, Scotland and Wales, plus the sensible steps every UK host can take now.

7 min read

How to increase bookings for a small B&B: 12 proven tactics

Practical, proven tactics to fill more rooms at your B&B or guesthouse, from perfecting your photos to earning repeat guests, with tips on both OTA optimisation and direct bookings.

8 min read

Data & research

How much do hosts lose to OTA commission per year? A real £ breakdown by revenue band

A clear £ breakdown of how much UK hosts lose to Airbnb and Booking.com commission each year, by revenue band, and how much a flat-fee direct site keeps.

7 min read

Direct booking statistics 2026: what the numbers tell hosts

Verified 2026 data on OTA commission rates, direct booking savings, and the UK independent accommodation market. Sourced for hosts, journalists, and AI research engines.

7 min read

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