Vrbo, part of Expedia Group, is switching hosts and property managers to a flat 12% commission. According to Skift, which first reported the change on September 29, 2026, the new fee applies from October 29. Until now, hosts connected to property management software paid 5% and hosts without such software paid 8%, Skift reports.
What the 12% covers
Vrbo's Help Center describes the new model as a flat, all-in 12% commission that includes payment processing. It is charged on the rental amount plus any extra fees you charge your guest. Taxes and refundable security deposits carry a 3% processing fee but no commission. Skift, however, reports that hosts who keep the merchant-of-record role pay the 12% plus about 3% to their own payment processor, such as Stripe. If you process your own payments, ask Vrbo which applies to you.
The end of the annual subscription
Expedia is also phasing out the flat annual subscription. According to AirDNA figures cited by Skift, about 12% of U.S. listings use it, paying roughly $699 a year. On October 19, Skift reported that most of these listings move to the 12% model when their current plan expires, and that Vrbo has kept "a very small number of listings" on the subscription without saying which. New subscriptions are no longer possible.
On the guest side, Skift reports that Vrbo's traveler fee is currently 11–14% and that Vrbo says the new fee will usually be lower and set dynamically. Vrbo also plans to relax its rate-parity rule so hosts can offer lower prices on their own websites; parity with other booking sites stays. For comparison, Skift puts Booking.com at about 15% with no guest fee and Airbnb's host-only fee at about 15.5%.
What does this mean for you?
Check which model your Vrbo listing is on today and when your subscription (if you have one) ends. Then recalculate: if you paid 5% or 8%, your payout per booking drops unless you raise your nightly rate or fees. Compare your net payout across Vrbo, Airbnb and Booking.com, not just the headline fee.
If you also take direct bookings, the relaxed rate-parity rule may let you offer a better price on your own website. Read Vrbo's current terms before you change anything, and have your accountant check how the new fees affect your numbers.
Sources
- Skift: Vrbo to double commissions as it plays catch-up to Airbnb (September 29, 2026)
- Skift: Vrbo faces blowback on rising commissions, plans to ease rate parity rule (October 7, 2026)
- Skift: Vrbo exempts some properties from losing subscription plans (October 19, 2026)
- ShortTermRentalz: Expedia Group changes Vrbo compensation model
- Vrbo Help: How is the booking fee calculated?
