It’s not about which fee structure you pick. It’s about whether you understand what it did to your bottom line.

Airbnb updated its fee structure again, and if you’re a host, you’ve probably seen the conversation everywhere. Host-only vs. split fees. Which one is better. Which one converts more. Which one makes more money.

But that’s not actually the question you should be asking. The real question is this: what happened to your business the last time Airbnb changed the rules. Because if you don’t know the answer to that, changing your settings now is just another guess.

The Conversation Everyone Is Having (and Why It’s Wrong)

When Airbnb rolled out changes to the fee structure, most hosts did one of two things. Some did nothing at all. They left their pricing as-is and unknowingly absorbed the fee into every booking. Others made a change, but not based on their own data. They went into Facebook groups, found a percentage someone else recommended, and applied it across their listings. Both approaches missed the point. Neither one actually answered whether the change worked.

What Airbnb Is Actually Telling You

There’s one subtle detail in the latest update that most hosts are overlooking. Next to the host-only fee structure, Airbnb added a single word: “recommended.”

That matters. Not because you blindly follow everything Airbnb suggests, but because it signals direction. The platform is constantly nudging hosts toward behaviors it wants to prioritize, whether that’s instant book, flexible stays, or certain pricing structures.

Ignoring those signals doesn’t mean you’ll fail, but it does mean you’re choosing not to understand how the platform is evolving.

Why This Isn’t About Fees at All

The fee structure feels like the main event, but it’s really just exposing a bigger issue. Most hosts don’t actually know their numbers.

They don’t know how much they’re keeping after expenses. They don’t know how they’re performing compared to last year. And they don’t know how their property stacks up against the market right now.

So when something changes, like fees, pricing, or the algorithm, it creates confusion instead of clarity.

The Shift From Guessing to Knowing

The difference between hosts who stay stuck and hosts who adapt quickly is simple. One group reacts. The other group checks their data.

Instead of asking, “What should I do?” the better question is, “What already happened?”

• Did your bookings hold steady after the last change?
• Did your calendar slow down?
• Did you actually keep more per booking, or just charge more and fill fewer nights?

Those answers are already in your numbers. You just have to look.

The Only Way to Make the Right Decision

Before you touch your settings, you need to understand four things:

• What you actually kept after expenses.
• How your performance compares to last year.
• How you’re performing against your market.
• What your profit per booking looks like before and after the change.

Without that context, every decision is just a guess. And guessing is what keeps hosts in a constant cycle of reacting to Airbnb instead of running a business.

Pricing Isn’t the Whole Story

Even if you get the fee structure and markup exactly right, pricing alone won’t fix a listing that isn’t converting. If your photos don’t stand out, if your reviews don’t build trust, or if your amenities don’t match your price point, no adjustment is going to solve that. Price is one variable. A powerful one, but still just one.

The Bottom Line

Airbnb is going to keep changing.The fees will change. The algorithm will change. The rules will change. That’s not something you can control. What you can control is how you respond.

You can follow the noise, take advice from strangers, and constantly adjust based on what feels right. Or you can build a business that runs on data, where every decision is grounded in what’s actually happening.

Because this isn’t about choosing the right fee structure. It’s about becoming the kind of host who knows exactly what to do when things change.

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Resources:

• #STRShareSunday: @richhollowretreat
• Submit your property for our next #STRShareSunday at strshare.com
• Join our Priced and Profitable Bootcamp!

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@richhollowretreat

Introducing Rich Hollow Retreat, our latest project, where we’re turning land into a dream short-term rental destination. Follow along with us on Instagram at @richhollowretreat as we document the process of designing, building, and creating a one-of-a-kind space for future guests. Be part of the journey and stay tuned for updates on when you can book your stay at Rich Hollow Retreat!