How do Airbnb payments work for hosts? Complete overview

Becoming an Airbnb host can be a good source of primary or secondary income and offers a lot of benefits. However, how Airbnb hosts receive payment can often be a source of confusion, as well as identifying the best ways to get paid on Airbnb.

This article will look at how Airbnb payments work for hosts and solutions for Airbnb host payments. It will also talk about Wise Business as a good option for receiving your Airbnb payments without the hefty fees.

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How does Airbnb work for hosts?

Airbnb for hosts can seem complicated at first, but it works fairly straightforwardly. Once guests make a booking via their credit or debit card on Airbnb, they are charged the full amount on their payment method. However, hosts are only paid 1-2 days after guests arrive and check in to their Airbnb.²

This can mean that there is often a large gap between guests booking an Airbnb and hosts getting paid, as bookings are often made far in advance. However, in some instances, hosts may receive monthly payments, such as when guests stay in the Airbnb for more than 28 nights.

There may be additional delays for first-time hosts as Airbnb processing can take time. In addition, new hosts on Airbnb may receive payment up to 30 days after the guest has checked into the rental due to additional payment verification and processing.

All payment information can be found within the Airbnb transaction history for hosts, and it contains a list of payments, both pending and received.

When does Airbnb payout?

Airbnb payouts are made 24 hours after a guest checks in to the Airbnb. Therefore, even if bookings are made in advance, guests will pay the full amount, but hosts will only receive payment after check in. The gap between guests paying for the Airbnb and the hosts receiving it is a safety measure for guests and is part of Airbnb’s guest protection policies.

The payment delay gives guests time to evaluate and ensure that the Airbnb is exactly what was advertised and ensures that Airbnb does not pay a fraudulent host without guest verification of the property. The gap also protects hosts by giving Airbnb time to process the payment and pay hosts correctly.

Airbnb payment policy

The Airbnb payment policy is flexible hosts can receive payments from a variety of methods. As a result, hosts can easily set up their preferred payment method and receive payments quickly and easily. The availability of payment methods will vary depending on the host's location, though, as some options may not always work based on the host's location.

Airbnb offers a variety of payment methods for hosts, so plenty of suitable options are available. The main payment methods for Airbnb hosts include a direct deposit to bank accounts, PayPal, Western Union, and Payoneer. Additional options such as international wire transfers may also be available as other payment methods depending on which country the host is located in. Airbnb also has a Fast Pay option, but it is only available to hosts in the USA.³

Please note that according to Airbnb's Terms of Service, all transactions must be made on the platform.⁴ Therefore, hosts cannot accept payments from guests via cash or other methods.

It is also important to note that Airbnb hosts must pay s service fee when guests book their property. The Airbnb service fee is a flat 3% of the booking subtotal (i.e., the nightly price of the Airbnb, plus optional fees such as cleaning fees).⁵ However, Airbnb fees and taxes.

How does Airbnb pay hosts?

The Airbnb payment policy includes various payment options, which also means that hosts get a fair amount of control over how they get paid. The host receives the payment depending on the chosen method, and each method has pros and cons.

Airbnb Fast Pay is available to hosts in the United States, and hosts receive their payment within 30 minutes or less (excluding holidays and weekends). Fast Pay does incur a 1.5% processing fee for hosts that choose this option. It is important to note that Fast Pay does have some eligibility criteria associated with its usage. To take advantage of Fast Pay, hosts must have a Mastercard or Visa debit card to use the option.

For hosts using financial solutions such as Payoneer, payments are received within 24 hours or less. Hosts using PayPal and Western Union as their preferred payment method usually receive payments within one business day, but they can sometimes be received earlier. It is important to note that these payments may be subject to PayPal or Western Union fees.

Hosts can also be paid via bank transfer, which can take 5 to 7 days. Lastly, international transfer options are also available for hosts depending on their location. But with this type of transfer can typically take anywhere from 3 to 7 business days.

Hosts can easily set their preferred payment methods within Airbnb to ensure all payments are streamlined and sent quickly. Setting up a preferred payment methods ensures hosts receive their payments faster and without a lot of manual intervention once guest payments are processed.

Airbnb hosts can add, change, or remove payout preferences through their Host account. Airbnb will need information on the new payout method, but it is a relatively straightforward process to set up. Once Airbnb hosts set up their preferred payout methods, default payments are made via that method. No effort is needed by hosts once the preferred payout is set up.

Airbnb hosts can also set up multiple payout methods and are able to assign bank accounts or payment methods for specific listings. This can make property management and financial reconciliation easier for Airbnb hosts who have multiple listings on the platform.

Another point to bear in mind with Airbnb will also collect necessary taxes for the property based on where it is located. Each country will have different requirements and reporting requirements, so taxes should definitely be considered when receiving Airbnb payments.

Get paid to a Wise Business account.

With so many payout methods available for Airbnb hosts, selecting the best option for your needs can be tricky. While solutions like PayPal, Payoneer, and Western Union are available, fees are associated with transactions on the platform.

Additionally, many of the payment methods offered on Airbnb do not account for international currency transfers or other factors, making it difficult to find an affordable solution for Airbnb payments that can work with different currencies.

With Wise Business, Airbnb hosts pay a one-time fee for their account, but can then receive in 9+ currencies in their account: USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD, and more. They can send or spend at their own discretion, and most importantly, they can rely on low-cost fees if transferring their funds between currencies afterward.

Looking to save when sending and receiving overseas payments?

Receive money
with Wise Business >>

300k businesses use Wise every quarter
Trustpilot Score: 4.4 /5 - Excellent ¹
Use Wise account details on Airbnb and Booking.com

Learn More:

How to become an Airbnb Host
How does Airbnb work with PayPal?
How to start an Airbnb business
How do Airbnb payments work?
Booking.com vs. Airbnb: Which is better for you?