Short answer: in Spain, a holiday-rental management company normally charges between 15% and 25% of the income from each booking. Digital-only services (listing, pricing and calendar, with nobody on the ground) range from 8% to 15%, and full management with cleaning, check-in and maintenance from 18% to 25%, with some “premium” plans reaching 30%. On top of that, in most cases, comes 21% VAT (IVA) on the commission.
But the percentage only tells half the story. Two management companies advertising “20%” can cost you very different amounts depending on which amount the commission is calculated on and what they charge separately. In this guide we explain how to compare properly, with numbers.
Commission ranges by type of service (2026)
| Type of management | What it normally includes | Usual commission |
|---|---|---|
| Digital only | Listing on platforms, dynamic pricing, calendar, messages with guests. You organise cleaning and keys yourself. | 8–15% |
| Co-host / marketing | The above plus guest support; cleaning and maintenance are often extra. | 12–20% |
| Full management | All of the above plus check-in, cleaning and laundry, maintenance, guest registration. | 18–25% (up to 30% on premium plans) |
| Guaranteed rent | The company pays you a fixed amount and keeps the result. | Fixed payment, below the property’s potential |
The percentage also varies by area. In the Canary Islands, for example, one industry source puts southern Tenerife at 18–22% and small islands, where getting the team there costs more, at 22–28%.
What really changes the price: what the commission is calculated on
There are three usual calculation bases, and each management company uses its own:
- Total paid by the guest, including the cleaning fee and before the Airbnb or Booking commission.
- Platform net: what reaches your account after the platform’s commission.
- Accommodation only: the price of the nights, without cleaning, after deducting the platform.
An example with a €1,000 booking on Airbnb (€900 for the nights + €100 cleaning) and the 15.5% host fee:
| Calculation base | Base amount | 20% commission | With VAT (21%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total paid by the guest | €1,000.00 | €200.00 | €242.00 |
| Platform net (1,000 − 155) | €845.00 | €169.00 | €204.49 |
| Accommodation only, platform net (900 × 0.845) | €760.50 | €152.10 | €184.04 |
That is why, when you compare quotes, always ask for a sample settlement based on a real booking: how much the guest pays, how much the platform keeps, how much the management company takes (with VAT) and how much reaches your account.
Costs that are usually separate from the commission
- Cleaning: most commonly paid by the guest through the booking’s cleaning fee. Some management companies include it in their full plan.
- Laundry and bed linen: sometimes within cleaning, sometimes invoiced by the kilo or by set.
- Consumables (paper, shower gel, coffee, bin bags): almost always borne by the owner.
- Maintenance and repairs: invoiced at cost or with a surcharge. Ask whether there is a surcharge on each repair; surcharges of 10–15% are seen in the sector.
- Professional photography and onboarding: many Spanish management companies no longer charge a joining fee, but some charge for the photos or the set-up.
- Platform commission: in Europe, Airbnb moved in 2026 to the “host-only” fee, at around 15.5% of the booking subtotal (cleaning included), which is deducted from your payout. On Booking.com the usual commission is around 15% and depends on the contract. This commission is charged by the platform, not the management company, but it determines how much you receive.
- Tourist tax: where it exists (in Galicia, for example, Santiago, A Coruña and, from 1 October 2026, Vigo), the guest pays it, but someone has to collect it and declare it. Ask whether the management company does so.
Warning signs when comparing management companies
- They do not say what base the commission is calculated on, or the headline says one thing and the small print another.
- “VAT not included” hidden away: 17% + VAT is actually 20.57%.
- “From X%” without explaining what is needed to pay that percentage.
- A long minimum term or an exit penalty in exchange for a lower percentage.
- Surcharges on maintenance and extras that do not appear in the proposal.
- The listings and reviews are in the management company’s name and it is not clear what happens to them if you leave. Ask in writing before signing.
- They do not give you access to the data: you should be able to see bookings, prices and settlements at all times.
Is the management company’s commission deductible?
Yes. For a private owner, a tourist letting without hotel-type services is taxed in the IRPF (Spanish personal income tax) as income from real estate capital, and administration and management fees are a deductible expense. If the commission is charged per booking, it corresponds entirely to the period let and is deducted in full; fixed annual fees, on the other hand, are apportioned by the days let (Spanish Tax Agency’s 2025 Income Tax Manual).
With VAT, two situations need to be distinguished. Today, because tourist lettings without hotel services are exempt from VAT, the owner cannot recover the VAT on the management company’s invoice, but that VAT forms part of the deductible expense in the tax return. Royal Decree-Law 29/2026 provides that, from 1 December 2026, lettings of furnished housing of up to 30 nights will be subject to 10% VAT; if it is finally ratified, the owner will charge that VAT to the guest and will be able to deduct the management company’s VAT. In the Canary Islands there is no VAT but IGIC, with its own rules. We explain it in detail in our guide to VAT on holiday rentals.
What CABANA charges
We publish our rates because we think it is the fair thing to do. We charge a percentage of each booking calculated on the net amount: what is left after the platforms’ commission and other charges that are not your income, such as cleaning or the tourist tax. For the booking in the example above, that would be €1,000 − €155 Airbnb − €100 cleaning = €745, so our 20% would be €149 (€180.29 with VAT). No joining fee and no minimum term (VAT not included):
- Brisa plan, 10%: essential digital management (optimised listing, multichannel management, automated messages and a monthly report).
- Oasis plan, 15%: the above plus dynamic pricing, submission of the guest report and a professional photo shoot.
- Paraíso plan, 20%: 100% delegated management with 24-hour support, bookings, cleaning, maintenance and a smart lock, where we have a local team.
- Legado plan, tailor-made: for owners and investors with 4 or more properties.
Before you sign, we show you a sample settlement with your own property’s numbers, so you know exactly how much reaches you. You can see the details on our rates page or ask for a free analysis of your property.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage is normal for a tourist flat management company?
Between 15% and 25% of the income from each booking is the most usual in Spain in 2026. Below 15% tends to be digital services with no team on the ground; above 25%, premium plans with extra services.
Does the commission include VAT?
Almost never. Most management companies publish the percentage without VAT and add 21% on the invoice. Always check whether the price is “VAT included” or “VAT not included”.
Who pays for cleaning?
It is usually paid by the guest through the booking’s cleaning fee. What you need to check is whether the management company also calculates its commission on that fee.
Is it worth hiring a management company if I already do it myself?
It is worth it if the management company brings in more income than it charges (better prices, higher occupancy, better reviews) or if the time it frees up is worth more than the commission. Ask for an income estimate for your property and compare it with what you bill today.
