Every time a guest books through Airbnb or Booking.com, around 15% of the booking goes to the platform. A guest who books directly with you pays nothing to anyone else. It's no wonder direct bookings are every host's dream. But they come with jobs the platforms normally do for you. Here's how to weigh them up.
What could your home earn?
Free and instant. Nobody rings you unless you ask them to.
Key takeaways
- Direct bookings avoid platform fees of around 15%.
- You take on marketing, payments, guest checks and insurance yourself.
- Platform protection like AirCover doesn't cover direct bookings.
- Only email past guests if you collected their details yourself and offered an opt-out.
- Most homes do best with platforms and direct bookings together.
Contents
How much do direct bookings save?
The platform fee. Hostfully explains Airbnb now charges most hosts a single host-only service fee of 15.5% of the booking subtotal, and Wise says Booking.com's base commission sits right around 15% for most properties. On a £1,000 booking, that's about £150 kept.
What do you give up?
- Marketing: the platforms bring guests who would never find you otherwise.
- Payments: you need your own way to take payments and deposits securely.
- Protection: platform programmes like Airbnb's AirCover don't cover direct bookings. You need proper short-let insurance. Read Short-let insurance explained.
- Guest checks: with a direct booking there is no platform verification, so the host carries out the checks.
- Reviews: direct guests don't add to your platform reviews.
Where do direct bookings come from?
- Returning guests who loved their stay.
- Word of mouth from friends and family of past guests.
- Your own website, Google profile and social media.
- Business and relocation contacts who need longer stays.
Can you email past guests to invite them back?
Only if you collected their details yourself and followed the rules. The ICO explains that marketing to existing customers relies on the soft opt-in, where you must have given them a clear chance to opt out when you first collected their details, and in every message after. Contact details you received through a booking platform generally can't be used for your own marketing, under the platforms' own terms.
What should you have in place first?
- A booking page with live availability and clear prices.
- Secure payments, with a clear cancellation policy.
- Short-let insurance that covers direct bookings.
- Written terms and house rules that guests agree to.
- Calendars in sync with every platform.
Should you stop using the platforms?
For most homes, no. The best approach is usually both: platforms to fill the calendar and build reviews, and direct bookings from returning guests and your own marketing, to keep more of each booking.
Would you rather someone else ran the platforms?
Every platform has its own calendar, inbox, fees and rules. Keeping them all in step, day and night, is a job in itself. That job is what we do, for 12% + VAT of what each booking earns. If your home doesn't earn, neither do we.
Frequently asked questions
Are direct bookings worth it?
Yes, for returning guests and longer stays, as long as you have payments, insurance and terms in place.
How much do direct bookings save?
Around 15% of each booking, the fee a platform would normally take.
Can I contact Airbnb guests to book directly next time?
Platform rules generally stop you using guest details for your own marketing.
Do I need special insurance for direct bookings?
Yes. Platform protection doesn't apply, so get short-let insurance that covers them.
Can I email past guests about offers?
Only if you collected their details yourself and gave them a clear chance to opt out.
Related guides
Sources
This is general information, not legal, financial, tax or insurance advice. Market figures are averages as of the date shown above and change every month. Speak to a qualified professional before you act on anything here.