Booking sites and OTAs
Where your guests book
Every booking site works a little differently. What it costs, what it lets you say about your own website, and how it connects all change from one to the next. Which ones matter depends on what you run.
You don't update each site by hand
Most booking software also works as a channel manager. You set your rates and open dates once, and it keeps them in sync on your own website and every booking site you connect. When a night books anywhere, it closes everywhere else.
At Comal Inn, eviivo is our booking software and our channel manager. It sends the same rates and calendar to our direct booking website, Booking.com, Expedia and Tripadvisor, and it can add Vrbo, Google Hotel Ads and other sites whenever we choose.
A simple calendar sync, often called iCal, is different. It only blocks off booked dates. Rates, minimum stays and other rules still have to be changed on each site by hand, and updates can lag, so two guests can book the same night. If you list on more than one site, a real connection through your booking software is worth it.
Every booking site at a glance
What each site charges hosts, from its own pages, checked October 2026. Each name links to the full page with sources.
| Booking site | What hosts pay | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | 15.5% host fee | Vacation rentals, Campgrounds and glamping, Inns and B&Bs |
| Vrbo | 12% commission | Vacation rentals |
| Booking.com | Commission per booking, rate set at sign-up | Inns and B&Bs, Vacation rentals |
| Hipcamp | 15%, or 12.5% for parks on a connected PMS | Campgrounds and glamping |
| Whimstay | 5% commission plus a required discount | Vacation rentals |
| Expedia | Commission per booking, set when you sign up | Inns and B&Bs, Vacation rentals |
| Free booking links. Hotel Ads are paid | Inns and B&Bs, Vacation rentals | |
| Savvy | No traveler fees. Host fee varies by connection | Vacation rentals |
| Glamping Hub | Small host commission. Confirm your rate | Campgrounds and glamping, Vacation rentals |
| The Dyrt | Free to list. No commission | Campgrounds and glamping |
| Tripadvisor | Free listing. Paid clicks and ads are optional | Inns and B&Bs |
| Lake.com | 10% fee, or $199 a year with no commission | Vacation rentals |
| HomeToGo | Through partner sites, or 15% to list directly | Vacation rentals |
| Spot2Nite | 12.5% per completed booking | Campgrounds and glamping |
| Outdoorsy | Commission on bookings. Ask for your rate | Campgrounds and glamping |
| ReserveAmerica | Ask your booking software | Campgrounds and glamping |
Vacation rentals and property managers
Whole homes, cabins and condos usually start with Airbnb and Vrbo, then add Booking.com or a last-minute site to fill open nights.
- Airbnb15.5% host feeWhere many vacation rental guests start. A single host fee, and strict rules about sending guests anywhere else.Fees and rules
- Vrbo12% commissionVacation homes from Expedia Group. A 12% commission, with payment processing included.Fees and rules
- Booking.comCommission per booking, rate set at sign-upThe biggest channel for many inns. Commission on each booking, set when you sign up.Fees and rules
- ExpediaCommission per booking, set when you sign upOne listing on Expedia, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Orbitz and more. Commission is set when you sign up.Fees and rules
- GoogleFree booking links. Hotel Ads are paidFree booking links in Google Search and Maps, plus paid Hotel Ads. Usually through your booking software.Fees and rules
- Glamping HubSmall host commission. Confirm your rateA marketplace just for unique stays in nature. Free to list, with a small commission on bookings.Fees and rules
- Whimstay5% commission plus a required discountLast-minute vacation rental stays within 30 days. A 5% commission and a required discount.Fees and rules
- SavvyNo traveler fees. Host fee varies by connectionA book-direct marketplace for professionally managed vacation rentals, with no traveler service fees.Fees and rules
- Lake.com10% fee, or $199 a year with no commissionLake homes and stays near the water. A 10% fee, or a yearly plan with no commission.Fees and rules
- HomeToGoThrough partner sites, or 15% to list directlyA search site that compares vacation rentals from thousands of booking sites, plus direct listings.Fees and rules
Inns, B&Bs and small hotels
Inns, B&Bs and small hotels tend to get the most bookings from Booking.com and Expedia, with Airbnb as an extra.
- Booking.comCommission per booking, rate set at sign-upThe biggest channel for many inns. Commission on each booking, set when you sign up.Fees and rules
- ExpediaCommission per booking, set when you sign upOne listing on Expedia, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Orbitz and more. Commission is set when you sign up.Fees and rules
- GoogleFree booking links. Hotel Ads are paidFree booking links in Google Search and Maps, plus paid Hotel Ads. Usually through your booking software.Fees and rules
- TripadvisorFree listing. Paid clicks and ads are optionalReviews first, bookings second. Your rates can link guests straight to your own booking page.Fees and rules
- Airbnb15.5% host feeWhere many vacation rental guests start. A single host fee, and strict rules about sending guests anywhere else.Fees and rules
Campgrounds, RV parks and glamping
Campgrounds, RV parks and glamping sites lean on Hipcamp, and many glamping stays do well on Airbnb too.
- Hipcamp15%, or 12.5% for parks on a connected PMSCampsites, RV sites, glamping and private land. Free to list, with commission only when you get a booking.Fees and rules
- Glamping HubSmall host commission. Confirm your rateA marketplace just for unique stays in nature. Free to list, with a small commission on bookings.Fees and rules
- The DyrtFree to list. No commissionA big camping app where campgrounds can list for free and take bookings without commission.Fees and rules
- Spot2Nite12.5% per completed bookingAn RV and campground booking site. No upfront fees, and commission only on completed bookings.Fees and rules
- OutdoorsyCommission on bookings. Ask for your rateKnown for RV rentals, and it lists campground reservations too. Free to list, with commission on bookings.Fees and rules
- ReserveAmericaAsk your booking softwareWhere campers book state park sites, and where private parks can show up next to them.Fees and rules
- Airbnb15.5% host feeWhere many vacation rental guests start. A single host fee, and strict rules about sending guests anywhere else.Fees and rules
More booking sites are on the way. To see which sites your booking software connects to, compare booking software side by side.
Questions
Do I have to update my rates on every booking site?
Not if your booking software connects to them. Most booking software works as a channel manager, sending the same rates and calendar to your own website and every site you connect. When a night books anywhere, it closes everywhere else.
Which booking sites should my property be on?
It depends on what you run. Vacation rentals usually start with Airbnb and Vrbo. Inns lean on Booking.com and Expedia. Campgrounds and glamping sites lean on Hipcamp. Start with the one or two your guests already use, then add more once your booking software keeps them in sync.
Should I stop using booking sites and only take direct bookings?
Usually not. Booking sites are good at finding guests who have never heard of you. Your own website is for the guests who already know you, and for anyone who searches your name. Most small properties do best with both.
Is Firsthand Stays affiliated with these sites?
No. Every page here is based on each site’s own help center and partner pages, checked October 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the site before you decide.
Keep the booking sites. Add a direct option.
A direct booking website runs on the same booking software, so it stays in sync with every site you list on.
See direct booking websites