Questions, answered plainly.

Booking Fees

What does BrowseStay cost an owner?

Nothing to start. There is no upfront cost, no subscription and no setup fee. BrowseStay charges a 5% host fee only when a direct booking is completed through a link we surfaced. If nobody books, you pay nothing.

When exactly am I charged the host fee?

The 5% host fee applies only to a completed direct booking that came through BrowseStay. It never applies to your Airbnb, Vrbo or Booking.com reservations, and never to bookings that arrived through your own marketing.

Do guests pay a BrowseStay fee?

No. Guests pay the owner’s own price on the owner’s own site. BrowseStay adds nothing to what a guest pays.

How does that compare to an OTA?

Booking platforms typically take somewhere in the region of 14–16% once host and guest service fees are combined. BrowseStay charges a 5% host fee and nothing to the guest. Your exact platform rate depends on your plan, so check your own statements rather than relying on an average.

Are there any other charges?

No. No listing fee, no subscription, no per-property charge, no setup cost, and no charge for removing your listings. The host fee on completed direct bookings is the only way BrowseStay earns.

Property Owners

How do I sign up?

Send us your direct booking website and the platform listings that match it. We verify each property against your listings, then you’re live — usually within a day. No PMS migration, no code on your site.

Will this get my listing suspended?

Read your host agreement carefully — this is the honest answer. Platforms restrict how hosts divert guests off-platform, and enforcement risk sits with you, not with BrowseStay. We never message your guests, never use platform branding, and never touch the checkout page. If you are unsure, take your own advice before applying.

Do I have to leave Airbnb?

No, and we would advise against it. Platforms are excellent at discovery. This is about not paying a commission on guests they have already shown you, and on the ones who come back.

Can I leave whenever I want?

Yes. There is no contract and no notice period. Email us and your listings are removed.

Guests

Is BrowseStay free for travellers?

Yes. The extension is free, needs no account, and adds nothing to the price you pay the owner.

Why don’t I see a direct option on every home?

Because we only show homes whose owners have opted in and been verified. Plenty of listings genuinely have no direct site. We would rather show you nothing than send you to a link we guessed.

Direct Booking

Is booking direct actually cheaper?

Usually, because the OTA guest service fee disappears — but not always. The owner sets their own price. Always compare the final total on the owner’s site before booking.

Extension

What data does the extension collect?

Only what is needed to match a stay: the public page address, the listing title and the destination. Never payment details, passwords, private messages or cookies. It only runs on Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com.

Is BrowseStay affiliated with Airbnb?

No. BrowseStay is not affiliated with, associated with, or endorsed by Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com or any other booking platform.

Account

Do I need an account to use the extension?

No. Travellers never need an account. Only property owners register, so we can verify their properties.