How Much Does Airbnb Take? A Host’s Guide to Fees and Cleaning Costs

Behind every successful Airbnb booking lies a question every host has asked themselves: how much does Airbnb take from hosts for its services? The answer isn’t simple, as the platform uses different commission structures that can significantly affect your overall profitability and earnings.

Understanding these commissions is essential for hosts calculating their true income. Some individual hosts pay only 3%, while others pay up to 15% per booking. Yorleny’s Cleaning Services explains how much does Airbnb take and how these fees interact with nightly rates and cleaning costs to help you optimize your Airbnb hosting strategy.

Airbnb Host Fees Explained

Airbnb host fees are automatically subtracted from reimbursements to cover platform expenses like payment processing and customer service.

What Is the Airbnb Service Fee?

The Airbnb service fee covers platform operations like customer support and payment processing. Some hosts use the host-only structure, where Airbnb keeps the full fee.
In the split-fee model, how much is the Airbnb service fee? Hosts usually pay about 3%, while guests pay between 14.1% and 16.5% of the booking subtotal.

How Much Does Airbnb Take from Hosts?

Airbnb charges hosts between 3% and 15% per booking, depending on the model chosen. This is automatically deducted when a guest completes a reservation. The standard percentage for individual hosts under the commission-sharing model is 3%. Knowing how much does Airbnb take from hosts helps you plan pricing and manage net earnings effectively.

Split-Fee vs. Host-Only Models: What’s the Difference?

The two main models are Host-Only Fee (14–15% from the host) and Split-Fee (3% host, higher guest fees). Starting October 27, 2025, hosts using property management software must adopt the Host-Only model.

Choosing between models depends on location, account setup, and whether third-party software handles bookings. Understanding how much Airbnb takes under each model helps hosts forecast income accurately.

What Is the Airbnb Cleaning Fee and Who Sets It?

The cleaning fee covers preparing the property for each guest, in addition to nightly rates. It’s a one-time, non-refundable fee.  Hosts can set the cleaning price based on property size, duration of stay, and effort needed to cover Airbnb cleaning costs.

Average cleaning fee Airbnb hosts charge varies but is often designed to cover materials, labor, and maintenance while remaining competitive.

Can Hosts Customize the Cleaning Fee?

ToAirbnb allows hosts to tailor cleaning fees for maximum flexibility and guest satisfaction. Here’s how to manage airbnb cleaning costs efficiently:

How to customize the cleaning fees?

• Set Your Own Price: Hosts can decide whether to include cleaning fees in the nightly rate or charge them separately.
• Adjust for Stay Duration: Airbnb provides pricing tools that enable hosts to set different cleaning fees for shorter stays (one to two nights) compared to longer stays.
• Consider Competitive Pricing: To attract more bookings, hosts may lower cleaning fees for shorter stays or increase them for longer stays to discourage short-term visitors.

Knowing how much does airbnb take and customizing them strategically improves guest satisfaction and occupancy rates.

Does Airbnb Keep a Percentage of the Cleaning Fee?

Airbnb retains a portion of cleaning fees under the service charge. Guests pay a guest service fee, and hosts pay a 3% host service fee on the full subtotal, including cleaning costs. Understanding how much does airbnb take helps hosts account for actual cleaning expenses. The cleaning fee itself primarily covers host expenses, not Airbnb profits directly.

How the Cleaning Fee Impacts Guest Decisions

Airbnb cleaning costs influence guest behavior by affecting total booking price. Higher fees may discourage budget travelers, while signaling a well-maintained property. Transparency about average cleaning fee Airbnb ensures guest trust, encourages longer bookings, and balances host profitability with guest expectations.

How Much Should You Charge for Airbnb Cleaning in Florida?

In Florida, Airbnb cleaning fees often range from $75 to $250 or more, depending on property size and services like laundry or deep cleaning. When setting your fee, remember that how much does Airbnb take in commissions also affects your net income as a host. You should charge a flat rate based on cleaning time, labor, supplies, overhead, and a fair profit margin. Location, property features, and the local market rate will further influence your final price.

National vs. Florida Cleaning Fee Averages

The national average Airbnb cleaning cost ranges between $50 and $80, but the average in Florida is much higher, with some sites estimating averages of $165 to $178, and even higher for larger units. These expenses are significantly determined by property size and location, with larger residences and major tourist areas such as Florida suffering greater cleaning charges.

How Much Do Airbnb Management Companies Charge?

Airbnb management businesses normally charge a portion of your rental income, with rates ranging from 15% to 40%; however, full-service packages might be as high as 35% to 40%, while basic alternatives may be closer to 10% to 15%.

Some may also provide a flat cost or a hybrid model (base monthly price plus %). The actual charge is determined by several criteria, including location, amount of service given, property type and size, and local market competitiveness. Understanding these costs alongside how much does Airbnb take in fees helps hosts calculate true profitability.

Common Pricing Mistakes Airbnb Hosts Make

Overcharging or Undercharging Cleaning Fees

Hosts often make mistakes when pricing cleaning fees—such as overcharging, which turns the fee into profit, or undercharging, which fails to cover costs. Both strategies can harm guest satisfaction. To avoid this, set cleaning fees that reflect actual costs, use pricing to discourage unprofitable short stays, and consider property size and location. Keeping transparency about how much does Airbnb take from each booking can also help hosts avoid guest disputes..

Hidden Fees That Can Lead to Bad Reviews

Common pricing mistakes made by Airbnb hosts include: setting a “set it and forget it” price, overpricing due to a lack of reviews or market research, setting prices too low to attract guests, and neglecting to use dynamic pricing tools.

To avoid these pitfalls and negative feedback, hosts should conduct thorough market research, utilize dynamic pricing software, and adopt a competitive approach to determine an appropriate price that reflects the property’s value and current demand.

Not Investing in Professional Cleaning Quality

Skipping professional cleaning might save money short-term, but it risks poor guest reviews, lost bookings, and lower overall profits. Investing in professional cleaning boosts guest satisfaction and long-term revenue. Combined with understanding how much does Airbnb take, this helps hosts maintain a strong reputation and sustainable income.

What Airbnb Guests Expect When It Comes to Cleanliness

Airbnb visitors want homes thoroughly cleaned before arrival, free of health risks, and maintained to a high standard of hygiene and comfort. They understand how much does Airbnb take from hosts but still expect value, so they typically clean up after themselves by removing trash, washing dishes, and wiping personal spills.

Guests are not required to perform deep cleaning, yet they must leave the property tidy, following house rules and Airbnb’s overall cleaning guidelines.

How Cleanliness Impacts Reviews and Bookings

Airbnb cleanliness directly impacts guest satisfaction, influencing reviews, property ratings, and repeat bookings, which ultimately affects a host’s profitability. Since many hosts ask how much does Airbnb take, it is critical to remember that higher cleanliness scores—commonly 4.8 or above—can boost bookings by 20%.

Negative reviews linked to poor hygiene reduce reservations and revenue, underscoring the importance of cleanliness in protecting host earnings. Consistent cleaning standards ensure comfort, safety, and a premium guest experience, encouraging favorable reviews and stronger visibility.

COVID-Era Cleaning Standards and Expectations

Airbnb visitors expect hotel-level cleanliness, especially for bathrooms, kitchens, bedding, and high-touch surfaces. Since hosts often wonder how much does Airbnb take, it becomes essential to balance fees with higher post-COVID cleaning standards.

Guests demand thorough sanitization routines, including disinfecting frequently touched items and providing adequate cleaning supplies. Airbnb monitors hygiene closely and requires hosts to maintain pristine, well-prepared properties to meet modern health expectations and maintain competitive advantage in crowded rental markets.

Florida-Specific Challenges: Humidity, Sand, and High Turnover

In Florida, Airbnb guests demand spotless homes free of dust, hair, sand, and odors, with fresh linens and functional appliances always ready. Many hosts in tourist-heavy Florida consider how much does Airbnb take while managing extra cleaning challenges.

Musty odors from humidity, beach sand throughout properties, and quick turnover between stays may present a difficulty. Meeting these challenges successfully helps prevent negative reviews, strengthens reputation, and safeguards profits despite higher workloads and competitive guest expectations in Florida’s rental market.

Why Hire a Professional Airbnb Cleaner in Florida?

Benefits of Using a Local Vacation Rental Cleaning Service

If you’ve been wondering how much does Airbnb take and factoring in cleaning costs, you know that turnovers can quickly eat into your profits. A professional, local cleaning service ensures your property is spotless between guests, helping you maintain 5-star reviews while saving time and stress.

What’s Typically Included in a Turnover Clean

A proper turnover clean goes beyond vacuuming and wiping surfaces. Most services include deep cleaning bathrooms, kitchens, linens, and common areas—making sure your guests arrive in a fresh, welcoming space. This attention to detail helps protect your property and keeps bookings high.

Why Hosts Trust Yorleny’s Cleaning Service

Miami hosts rely on Yorleny’s Cleaning Services because we understand vacation rental needs. From flexible scheduling to thorough, eco-friendly cleaning, our team ensures your property looks its best for every guest—helping you maximize your earnings while minimizing hassle.

Take the guesswork out of turnover cleaning and keep your Airbnb running smoothly. 👉 Contact us today to schedule professional Airbnb cleaning in Florida.

FAQs: Airbnb Fees and Cleaning Charges

How much does Airbnb take from hosts?

Many new hosts ask, how much does Airbnb take from hosts with each booking? Airbnb typically charges a service fee around 3% in a split-fee model, but this percentage can be higher in specific regions like Brazil (4%) or experiences (20%). For hosts required to use third-party software, Airbnb applies the host-only model, deducting the full cost from earnings—usually between 14% and 16%. Understanding exactly how much does Airbnb take helps hosts calculate net profitability more accurately.

Do guests complain about high cleaning fees?

Yes, guests often complain about steep Airbnb cleaning fees, which can significantly raise the overall stay cost, particularly for short visits. Many travelers feel these charges are unfair when they pay cleaning fees but are also asked to complete chores such as removing trash or stripping bedding. Another frequent complaint concerns the lack of transparency about Airbnb cleaning costs and whether they are included in the nightly base price or added separately.

Can I include cleaning fees in my nightly rate?

Yes, Airbnb hosts may include cleaning fees in the nightly rate, but this strategy has advantages and disadvantages worth considering carefully. By rolling cleaning expenses into the nightly charge, you can make the total price appear lower upfront, which may improve booking rates.

However, this method risks undercharging during short stays and overcharging longer reservations to cover set cleaning costs. Balancing profitability with fairness helps minimize guest complaints about average cleaning fee Airbnb pricing structures.