Direct booking websites for short-term rentals

Why hosts add one

Marketplace commission is charged on every booking, including the ones the marketplace did nothing to earn. A guest who stayed last summer and books again, a friend they referred, someone who searched your property by name — all of them arrive through the platform and all of them pay 15.5%.

A direct booking site is where those guests go instead. It does not need to replace your listings to be worth having; it needs to catch the bookings you already own.

What you get with each property

• A real booking page — photos, description, amenities, sleeping arrangements, house rules and a map, at a free address straight away or on your own domain.
• Live availability — two-way iCal sync with Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, so a direct booking blocks the dates everywhere else.
• Your real prices — the same rule-based engine that drives your quotes: seasons, day-of-week, last-minute and long-stay adjustments, fees and taxes.
• Payments to your own account — Stripe checkout, deposits with the balance charged automatically before arrival, and a card kept on file for a damage deposit if you want one.
• The messages that follow — confirmation, house rules, a pre-arrival guide and a review request, sent from your own address with replies threaded back to the reservation.
• An embeddable widget — if you already have a website, drop the booking form into it instead.

What it costs

Card processing is separate and goes to Stripe, not to us — 2.9% + 30¢ on US cards. Bank transfer costs far less on a large booking. Compare it against marketplace commission.

Frequently asked questions

What is a direct booking website?

A direct booking website is your own website where guests book and pay you without going through a marketplace. You set the terms, you hold the guest relationship, and no platform takes a commission on the reservation. It normally needs a live availability calendar, a quote engine and a payment processor to work — otherwise it is a brochure, not a booking site.

Do I have to leave Airbnb to take direct bookings?

No, and most hosts should not. Airbnb is good at finding first-time guests. A direct booking site is for the guests you have already earned — repeat stays, referrals, and anyone who searches your property by name. Keep the listing for discovery and take the rest direct. The calendar syncs both ways so the same dates cannot be double-booked.

How much does a direct booking website cost?

BnB Console's Free plan gives every property a direct booking site with every feature, and charges 2% per booking you receive through it. Pro removes that fee for 29 a month covering 2 properties, then 10 per additional property per month. You also pay your card processor — Stripe is 2.9% + 30¢ in the US — because someone has to move the money.

How do guests pay on a direct booking site?

Through Stripe, on a hosted checkout page. Payments are made directly to your own Stripe account, so you are the merchant of record, payouts follow your own schedule, and refunds stay under your control. You can take a deposit at booking and charge the balance automatically before arrival.

Can I use my own domain?

Yes. Every property gets a free address immediately, and you can point your own domain at it whenever you are ready. You can also embed the booking widget on a website you already have, which is the faster route if you have an established site.

How long does it take to set up?

About ten minutes for a first property: add the address and capacity, set a nightly rate, upload photos and publish. Connecting Stripe and syncing your Airbnb calendar are each a few minutes more, and neither blocks going live.