Direct booking discount calculator
How much discount can I give for booking direct and still earn more than on a booking site?
How this is worked out
- On a booking site you keep the price × (1 − the site's fee).
- On your own site you keep the price × (1 − the discount) × (1 − the card fee), minus the small fixed fee per payment.
- The biggest discount is the one where those two amounts are equal. Any discount below it leaves you better off than on the booking site.
A worked example
A $1,000.00 stay on a booking site that takes 15.5% leaves you $845.00. On your own site, with card fees of 2.9% plus 30 cents, you could give up to 12.9% off and still keep $845.00. With 10% off you would keep $873.60, which is $28.60 more than on the booking site.
Checked October 2026. Estimates from the numbers you type, not financial or tax advice. Your own statements show your real fees.
Sources: Airbnb: how host fees work, Stripe pricing: card fees
How much discount can I offer for booking direct?
It depends on the booking site's fee and your own card fee. On a $1,000 stay with a 15.5% booking site fee and card fees of 2.9% plus 30 cents, you can offer up to about 13% off and still keep as much as on the booking site. Many guides suggest starting with 5% to 10%.
Should I offer a discount or a perk?
A free perk, such as early check-in, a late checkout or a welcome gift, usually costs you less than a discount. You can also use both: a small discount and a perk. The table shows what a discount costs you at each level.
Can I tell Airbnb guests about my direct discount?
Airbnb's Terms of Service limit steering guests off Airbnb, which can put your Airbnb listing at risk. Show your offer on your own website, your Google profile and in the rental. Read the terms of every site you list on.
What fee should I use for Booking.com or Vrbo?
Use the rate on your own statements. Booking.com varies by country and programme, often about 15%. Vrbo is reported at 5% plus 3% payment processing, about 8% in all.
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