How much commission does Booking.com charge — and how to (partly) save it

Booking.com is an important source of guests for many hosts. But that visibility comes at a price: you pay commission on every booking. Many hosts do not know exactly how much that is — and underestimate what it costs per year. In this article we lay it out honestly.

How much is the commission exactly?

The exact percentage varies by country, property type and the programmes you join. Broadly, it looks like this:

• ✓Base commission: often around 15% of the booking amount.
• ✓Genius programme: extra guest discounts that you as host fund, raising your effective commission.
• ✓Visibility Booster / higher visibility: you offer an extra percentage to rank higher in the list.
• ✓Payment fees: when payments are handled through the platform, transaction fees are often added on top.

Added up, your effective commission can climb well above the 15% base. You will always find your exact rates in your own Booking.com agreement — it differs per host.

Do the math for yourself

Take your average monthly revenue, multiply by your commission rate, then by twelve. At €3,000 revenue per month and 15% commission you already lose €5,400 per year. If your effective rate is 20%, that rises to €7,200. That is money you keep entirely with a direct booking.

How to save — without turning your back on Booking.com

You do not have to quit Booking.com. The smartest approach is to combine: use the platform to reach new guests, and make sure returning guests book directly with you next time via your own website.

• ✓Put your own booking module on your website, so guests can reserve directly and commission-free.
• ✓Keep your calendars in sync with Booking.com and Airbnb automatically via an API connection and iCal, so you never get double bookings.
• ✓Encourage direct bookings from returning guests, for example with a small gift or benefit.

With Mikaflow you never pay per-booking commission, but a fixed, low monthly fee from €15. Every direct booking is then pure gain. You can try it free for 14 days, no payment card.