Direct booking vs. Airbnb
Direct Booking Website vs. Airbnb: What You Actually Keep
| Airbnb / VRBO only | Direct booking website | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee per booking | 15.5% | 0% |
| Who owns the guest relationship | The platform | You |
| Guest data (email, phone) | Limited, platform-controlled | Yours |
| Repeat and referral bookings | Still charged the platform fee | Free |
| Upfront cost | $0 | $1,490 (first property) |
| Ongoing cost | 15.5% of every booking, forever | $1,188/year |
The breakeven math
At Myrtle Beach's average nightly rate of $280 a night, Airbnb's 15.5% host fee runs about $7,285 a year on a typical 50-booking calendar (a $47,000 subtotal). Running those same bookings through your own site costs $3,093 all-in, cards, engine, hosting, and domain included. The $4,192 difference pays back a one-time $1,490 build in about 4 months, roughly 18 direct bookings. After that, every direct booking keeps nearly all of the rate instead of losing 15.5% to the platform. Most owners with steady repeat and referral guests hit that within a season or two.