What Vrbo's help page says
Vrbo's pay-per-booking article lists the booking fee as "a flat, all-in 12% commission fee, which includes payment processing fees."[1] The commission is charged on the rental amount and any additional fees you charge the traveler, such as cleaning, pet and boat fees.[1]
Under "Taxes and security deposits" the same page says they "are subject to a 3% payment processing fee but not a 12% commission fee." Where VAT applies, it is charged in addition to the 12% commission.[1]
What it replaced
Before the change, Vrbo's page (as archived on Apr 1, 2026) described a 5% commission plus a 3% payment processing fee for most pay-per-booking hosts, with no processing fee in Australia, New Zealand and Japan.[2] A third-party summary describes the old 3% as charged on the total payment, including taxes and refundable deposits.[4] Skift reports the flat 12% starts on October 29, 2026.[3]
Example: $1,000 rental with $120 of taxes
| Charge | Base | Rate | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission (includes processing) | $1,000 rental and host fees | 12% | $120.00 |
| Processing on taxes | $120 taxes | 3% | $3.60 |
| Total Vrbo fees | $123.60 |
Our arithmetic from the rates on Vrbo's help page.[1] A security deposit collected through Vrbo would add 3% of the deposit under the same rule. Your payout report is the final word.
What to do
- Price for the 12%: the Vrbo fee calculator shows the raise that keeps your payout.
- If you collect a large security deposit through Vrbo, the 3% applies to it too.[1]
- Read Vrbo's 12% host fee, explained for the full change.