Stayplace vs Airbnb
As of: 2026-10-22
Airbnb gives you reach. In return, most hosts pay a 15.5% service fee, and you get no brand of your own.
Stayplace gives you your own booking website for 5% commission per paid booking, with no monthly fee. Your repeat guests, domain and data stay with you.
You can run both in parallel: Airbnb for visibility, Stayplace for direct bookings.
Key figures at a glance
| Stayplace | Airbnb | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Commission only | Commission-only |
| Commission | 5% per paid booking | 14–16 % |
| Monthly fee | €0 | none |
| HQ | Northern Germany | San Francisco, USA |
| Founded | 2026 | 2008 |
Sources: https://www.airbnb.de/help/article/1857 · https://www.airbnb.de/aircover-for-hosts
Pricing example
€10,000 in booking revenue → €500 commission (5%)
€10,000 in booking revenue → €1,550 service fee (Airbnb, 15.5% for most hosts)
Bottom line: On direct bookings through Stayplace, you keep €1,050 more per €10,000 in revenue.
What Airbnb does well — and where it falls short
Strengths
- ✓Massive reach
- ✓Strong brand trust with end customers
- ✓AirCover protection up to $3M USD
- ✓Co-host marketplace
- ✓Mature mobile app
Limitations
- !Service fee: most hosts pay 15.5% per booking
- !Your listing appears under the Airbnb brand, not under your own domain
- !Airbnb's search ranking decides how high your listing appears
Who should choose what
Stayplace is right for you if:
- →You want to build your own brand
- →You have, or want, repeat guests
- →You don't want to depend on an algorithm
- →You want to issue invoices to your guests straight from the booking system
Airbnb is right for you if:
- →You need maximum reach and first-time customers
- →You don't want to run your own website
- →You're willing to pay 15.5% for the platform
Questions we get a lot
Can I use Airbnb and Stayplace at the same time?
Yes. You list on both platforms and keep availability in sync via iCal. Direct bookings come through Stayplace, new guests often through Airbnb.
What happens to my Airbnb reviews?
When you import your Airbnb listing, Stayplace takes over your average rating and number of reviews and shows them on your page.
Do I need technical skills for Stayplace?
No. You put together your booking website yourself by clicking: domain, branding, prices, photos. No code editing, no hosting setup. It goes live once your Stripe account is set up.
Ready to build your own booking website?
No monthly fee. You only pay 5% on bookings paid through Stayplace.
Get started