Please Advise a New Host. Your input would be appreciated.

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Please Advise a New Host. Your input would be appreciated.

Virtual Assistant · Member since 2026 · 73 posts · 43 votes

For someone just starting out with only one listing, what would you recommend between Pricelabs and Airbnb Smart pricing ?

She has the option of using Airbnb Smart pricing or Pricelabs one month free trial after which she will have to subscribe if she wants to continue using Pricelabs.

My main concern is the 15.5% host only fee that Airbnb mandates for software-connected hosts which could push listing prices higher than expected. Pricelabs is more cost effective for hosts with multiple listings not just one. Please share your experience on dynamic pricing strategies you would advise. Thank you.

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Lauren Kormylo

Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ and Rehoboth Beach DE · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

5mo

PriceLabs. I hope your host is also listing on Vrbo? If not, she'll miss out on a lot of bookings. I am also listed on Houfy, which is like direct booking. Pricelabs will push prices out to both of those too. BTW, Airbnb is not requiring the 15.5% fee because she'll be connected to PriceLabs. They are requiring that for all new hosts. I am grandfathered in under the old rules because I self-manage, don't use a PMS, but I do use PriceLabs, and I'm still under the old split-fee system where I pay 3% and the guest pays the rest. But eventually, we'll all be going to the new 15.5% system, I bet this year sometime.

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Justin Miller
Interior Decorator · Nationwide · Member since 2017 · 44 posts · 35 votes
5mo
Pricelabs is certainly a better product and you will make much more than what you pay them
3 Reply
- Maria Molu
  OP
  Virtual Assistant · Member since 2026 · 73 posts · 43 votes
  5mo
  Quote from @Justin Miller:
  
  Pricelabs is certainly a better product and you will make much more than what you pay them
  
  Noted with thanks @Justin Miller
  
  1 Reply
- Maria Molu
  OP
  Virtual Assistant · Member since 2026 · 73 posts · 43 votes
  5mo
  Quote from @Justin Miller:
  
  Pricelabs is certainly a better product and you will make much more than what you pay them
  Alright. Thank you so much
  1 Reply
Lauren Kormylo
Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ and Rehoboth Beach DE · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
5mo
PriceLabs. I hope your host is also listing on Vrbo? If not, she'll miss out on a lot of bookings. I am also listed on Houfy, which is like direct booking. Pricelabs will push prices out to both of those too. BTW, Airbnb is not requiring the 15.5% fee because she'll be connected to PriceLabs. They are requiring that for all new hosts. I am grandfathered in under the old rules because I self-manage, don't use a PMS, but I do use PriceLabs, and I'm still under the old split-fee system where I pay 3% and the guest pays the rest. But eventually, we'll all be going to the new 15.5% system, I bet this year sometime.
3 Reply
- Maria Molu
  OP
  Virtual Assistant · Member since 2026 · 73 posts · 43 votes
  5mo
  Quote from @Lauren Kormylo:
  
  PriceLabs. I hope your host is also listing on Vrbo? If not, she'll miss out on a lot of bookings. I am also listed on Houfy, which is like direct booking. BTW, Airbnb is not requiring the 15.5% fee because she'll be connected to PriceLabs. They are requiring that for all new hosts. I am grandfathered in under the old rules because I self-manage, don't use a PMS, but I do use PriceLabs, and I'm still under the old split-fee system where I pay 3% and the guest pays the rest. But eventually, we'll all be going to the new 15.5% system, I bet this year sometime.
  This is noted with thanks. Yes, she will also list on BDC and VRBO.
  1 Reply
- Lauren Kormylo
  Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ and Rehoboth Beach DE · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
  5mo
  Quote from @Maria Molu:
  
  Quote from @Lauren Kormylo:
  
  PriceLabs. I hope your host is also listing on Vrbo? If not, she'll miss out on a lot of bookings. I am also listed on Houfy, which is like direct booking. BTW, Airbnb is not requiring the 15.5% fee because she'll be connected to PriceLabs. They are requiring that for all new hosts. I am grandfathered in under the old rules because I self-manage, don't use a PMS, but I do use PriceLabs, and I'm still under the old split-fee system where I pay 3% and the guest pays the rest. But eventually, we'll all be going to the new 15.5% system, I bet this year sometime.
  This is noted with thanks. Yes, she will also list on BDC and VRBO.
  
  I have avoided BDC so far, because of the horror stories I've heard from hosts about payment, or damage from guests. I don't know if anything's changed in the past year, but please research that. I'm on multiple Facebook pages for STR hosts, and hear a lot more complaints there.
  1 Reply
John UnderwoodPro Member
Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
5mo
I use Vrbo's dynamic pricing and its free.
1 Reply
- Maria Molu
  OP
  Virtual Assistant · Member since 2026 · 73 posts · 43 votes
  5mo
  Quote from @John Underwood:
  
  I use Vrbo's dynamic pricing and its free.
  Alright. Thank you for always helping out
  0 Reply
- Maria Molu
  OP
  Virtual Assistant · Member since 2026 · 73 posts · 43 votes
  5mo
  Quote from @John Underwood:
  
  I use Vrbo's dynamic pricing and its free.
  
  Alright, thank you so much. We would be using pricelabs
  0 Reply
Jon Martin
Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
5mo
Airbnb smart pricing is not for your benefit, it’s for them. They want to lower your price so that they convert more customers from hotels and other OTAs.
Price Labs all day, or at the very least a 3rd party provider.

3 Reply
- Maria Molu
  OP
  Virtual Assistant · Member since 2026 · 73 posts · 43 votes
  5mo
  Quote from @Jon Martin:
  
  Airbnb smart pricing is not for your benefit, it’s for them. They want to lower your price so that they convert more customers from hotels and other OTAs.
  Price Labs all day, or at the very least a 3rd party provider.
  
  Yea, I noticed Airbnb Smart pricing under price listings. Thank you
  2 Reply
Laura Winters
Member since 2021 · 124 posts · 87 votes
5mo
You need to price it by yourself and learn from it. You are missing a valuable experience you can only learn by doing it by yourself. You must understand that any price tools are guidance. You can’t run a business with a guidance when you don’t know what you are seeing.
3 Reply
- John UnderwoodPro Member
  Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
  5mo
  Quote from @Laura Winters:
  
  You need to price it by yourself and learn from it. You are missing a valuable experience you can only learn by doing it by yourself. You must understand that any price tools are guidance. You can’t run a business with a guidance when you don’t know what you are seeing.
  
  I 100% agree with this!
  0 Reply
- Maria Molu
  OP
  Virtual Assistant · Member since 2026 · 73 posts · 43 votes
  5mo
  Quote from @Laura Winters:
  
  You need to price it by yourself and learn from it. You are missing a valuable experience you can only learn by doing it by yourself. You must understand that any price tools are guidance. You can’t run a business with a guidance when you don’t know what you are seeing.
  Great insights. I will definitely implement. It's also good to know that I can use the tools as basis to set prices manually.
  0 Reply
Miles HobsonPro Member
Toronto · Member since 2024 · 20 posts · 14 votes
5mo
Quote from @Maria Molu:

My main concern is the 15.5% host only fee that Airbnb mandates for software-connected hosts which could push listing prices higher than expected.
Airbnb will move everyone to the same fee structure eventually, so that won't be much of an issue for much longer.
Would definitely recommend a proper dynamic pricing tool vs Airbnb's smart pricing. Shameless plug here but you may want to check out Hospitable.com's new Essentials plan - new free plan for all the short-term rental property management basics like messaging and calendar management across platforms. You can also add Hospitable Dynamic Pricing (free for 3 bookings, in first 30 days, then $15/property).

Then you're getting a better dynamic pricing solution and a PMS in one.
1 Reply
Trent Reeve
Atlanta · Member since 2022 · 710 posts · 641 votes
5mo
Pricelabs also gives you more control than just pricing. Being able to create minimum night bookings, lower prices for close booking dates, raising when the area has less available rooms due to an event, etc. As people have mentioned, you will make your money back easily with PL.
1 Reply
Andrew SteffensBusiness Member
Tampa, FL · Member since 2022 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
5mo
I would say while operating a small unit count PriceLabs. There are better products for larger operators. This is not a set it and forget it tool, you need to tweak it at least weekly.
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2 Reply
Stephen Geluz
New to Real Estate · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2023 · 83 posts · 29 votes
5mo
For one listing, I’d probably keep it simple unless she really wants more control. Feels like PriceLabs becomes way more worth it once you’re running more than one channel or listing.
0 Reply
John Racine
Real Estate Investor · Casselberry, FL · Member since 2008 · 41 posts · 33 votes
5mo
Great question and one that I think deserves a thoughtful answer. I come from a hotel background where we used enterprise-level revenue management software that cost tens of thousands of dollars annually. PriceLabs not only rivals that software but in many ways surpasses it in functionality—and at a fraction of the cost.

One of the things I love most about PriceLabs is the local market and comp set data. It allows me to benchmark against my true competitors—matching property types in my immediate market—not just a broad mix of listings that don't reflect my actual competitive landscape.

Now, a lot of people treat PriceLabs as a set-it-and-forget-it system. You certainly can, but I don't think that's optimal. There is a learning curve, but PriceLabs has incredible resources both inside and outside the platform to help you get up to speed quickly. I'm in the system every single day analyzing numbers, studying trends, and finding ways to drive my rates above my competitors while maintaining strong occupancy.

As for the cost—it's a no-brainer. The ROI is typically recouped in a single booking.

Here's something worth thinking about when considering Smart Pricing: what are Airbnb's goals versus PriceLabs' goals? PriceLabs makes money from subscriptions. Their incentive is to make you more money. Ask yourself this—would you rather be 80% occupied at $250 a night, or 90% occupied at $200 a night? The first scenario puts an extra $600 in your pocket. That's the power of revenue management done right.

For someone just starting out, PriceLabs is absolutely worth it!

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