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Airbnb Payout: When and How Hosts Get Paid?
If you're a host, you came to the right place to find out how the Airbnb payout system works. We will answer questions like:
- How long does it take to get the money from Airbnb? Can I get paid early? Can I pay my co-host on Airbnb?
- Payment methods: How to set the default payment method? Do I need a minimum payout amount set?
- Common reasons for payout delays and how to solve them.
What Is Airbnb Payout?
A payout is the payment that Airbnb hosts receive for bookings. It reflects the booking price minus Airbnb’s service fees (and sometimes taxes or other deductions).
When you sign up on Airbnb as a host, you agree to their terms, where Airbnb acts as an intermediary between you and your guests. This means the payment doesn’t go directly from the guest to the host. Instead, Airbnb collects the money first in their escrow account to manage the booking process and protect the rights of both parties.
How Does Airbnb Payment Work?
Airbnb charges guests right away upon reservation and releases payouts to hosts up to 24 hours after the guest checks in. Airbnb holds the payment until the guest checks in and then releases it to the host's account.
Hosts receive payments in two ways:
For short-term stays, Airbnb host payouts are sent out after a guest checks in, as mentioned above.
For monthly stays, payments are made by the end of the business day after the guest’s scheduled check-in date. Following that, all payouts are sent once a month during the guest's stay.
What Payout Methods Are Available?
On Airbnb, you can add any of these payment methods:
- Bank account
- PayPal
- Payoneer PrePaid Debit Mastercard
- International wire transfer
- Western Union
- MLC Card, VaCuba (Available to Cuba hosts only)
- ACH (Direct deposit)
If you register your new payout method for the first time, you may need to confirm your account info by depositing a small amount (less than $1 USD) and also providing your taxpayer information.
The payout currency is based on the country and method a host selected when adding a payout method.
Airbnb has flexible payment options and integrates with providers that are widely accepted in most countries.
How Do I Set the Default Payout Method?
You can't use multiple Airbnb payout methods at once to withdraw money. You can add multiple payment methods to your account, but only one will be active.
That's the preferred payout method you set as default. Everything regarding payment options you adjust in the payments & payouts section of your account.
How Long Does It Take to Receive a Payment from Airbnb?
Airbnb releases the payment by the end of the day when a guest checks in (up to 24 hours), but your payment provider may take some time to process the transaction before the money finally lands in your account.
This is how long it takes depending on the provider:
- Payoneer Prepaid Debit Mastercard: Within 24 hours
- PayPal: Within one business day
- Western Union: One business day, depending on country or region
- ACH (direct deposit): 3 business days (available for USA and Puerto Rico only)
- International wire: 3–7 business days
- Bank account: 3–5 business days
- MLC card: 3–5 business days (available for Cuba only)
Hosts in certain regions of the world may face longer processing times.
How Much Does Airbnb Pay Hosts?
Hosts decide on their daily rates but don't get the full sum because Airbnb charges host service fees. Usually, the fees are split between a host and a guest, and the host will be charged a 3% fee. Another option is when a host pays a host-only 15% fee to Airbnb. The fees will be applied depending on a few factors, such as cancellation policy.
Can I Get Paid by Airbnb Earlier?
If you live in the U.S., you can get paid early. Airbnb provides a service called Fast Pay for hosts who want or need instant money transfers. Using Fast Pay, you get your money within 30 minutes or less once Airbnb releases the payout. Hosts must have a Mastercard or Visa debit card that supports instant pay services to use Fast Pay.
You can use Fast Pay for urgent situations on weekdays and weekends/holidays. For each Fast Pay transaction, you pay an additional 1.5% fee, which makes it unsuitable for regular payouts as it would affect your net profit. Fast Pay is available only in the U.S.
Should I Set a Minimum Payout Amount?
The minimum payout amount enables hosts to receive payments in a lump sum instead of each reservation separately. Consolidating multiple smaller payouts into a larger sum helps you avoid fees per transaction from providers. Setting a minimum payment amount on Airbnb simplifies financial operations, especially if you manage multiple listings and have consistent bookings.
How to Pay My Co-Host?
You can pay your co-host in two ways:
- When a co-host is comfortable providing bank and payment details, the host can set up payouts for the co-host on the Airbnb platform from the host's account. There's an option to set a percentage fee or a fixed amount per booking that will go toward the co-host's account.
- If a co-host isn't comfortable sharing this information, the payment can be handled outside the Airbnb platform.
The ability to pay a co-host directly from the platform demonstrates Airbnb's dedication to making hosting easier. They allow you to onboard co-hosts or managers and, with just a few clicks, pay them out automatically.
Airbnb Payout Troubleshooting and Delays
Occasionally, payment glitches occur, such as delays. Some of the most common scenarios are:
- New hosts receiving their first payment may experience a delay of up to 30 days. Airbnb may hold your payouts for 30 days after your first reservation is confirmed. This is normal.
Solution: Check your payout status in the Airbnb dashboard. Ensure all account and payment details are correctly set up. Wait. - Payouts scheduled for weekends or holidays will be processed on the next business day.
Solution: Plan ahead and use a payment method with faster processing times. - Identity verification problems can also cause delays. Hosts should check if their ID is verified successfully.
Solution: Try re-uploading the required documents or contact Airbnb support. - Payment methods could cause issues, such as incorrect or invalid details.
Solution: Double-check your payment details. - It could be an issue on Airbnb's end, but that's extremely rare.
Solution: Access your transaction history and contact Airbnb.
FAQ
Here are answers to some other common questions and doubts.
Does Airbnb Pay Me Right Away?
Airbnb pays out hosts one or two days after the guest checks in. While they release the funds the same day, it may take time for the money to reach your account. The processing speed depends on the payment provider, as well as the region or country.
If a host sets a minimum payout amount, payments won’t be released until that threshold is met. In this case, hosts will wait and receive a lump sum for multiple bookings.
Can I Change a Payment Option?
You can change the default payment option anytime, either by adding a new payment method or choosing among existing options.
Why Is My Airbnb Payment Late?
There could be several reasons. New hosts must wait up to 30 days to receive their first payment. Payouts scheduled on weekends and holidays are postponed. Issues with ID verification or payment data can also cause delays. If none of these apply and your payment is still late, contact Airbnb.
How Does Airbnb Collect the Security Deposit?
Taking a security deposit is optional on Airbnb. When a host decides to have a security deposit, a hold is put on the amount on the guests' payment card 48 hours before they arrive at the property. If everything goes all right, the security deposit is never charged. If there was a problem, the host requested the deposit within 14 days of the checkout. A host is not allowed to take deposits outside the platform.
Does Airbnb Collect Taxes?
Airbnb collects taxes in certain regions and jurisdictions only and pays them on behalf of hosts (e.g., occupancy taxes). In other regions, hosts are responsible for managing their own taxes.
Do Hosts Give Refunds to Guests Out of Their Own Pockets?
Refunds are typically issued for cancellations, depending on the cancellation policy. Whether a refund is requested by a guest or processed automatically, it doesn't come directly from the host's account. Instead, it's taken from the payment held in Airbnb's escrow account, where it is kept until the guest checks in. Hosts only receive their payout after the check-in, meaning the money isn't in their possession before that point.
iGMS, as your property management software, will help you securely process payments via Stripe integration. Also, you will:
- Get reservations on multiple platforms and from your direct booking website (set up for free with iGMS) to secure income. No double bookings!
- Create essential reports on your business results within minutes.
- Organize messages into a single feed with a unified inbox.
- Automate messages and guest reviews to avoid repetitive tasks.
- Schedule and coordinate cleaning tasks with ease.
