Booking direct is often pitched as the cheapest option, but the picture is more nuanced. This guide breaks down the trade-offs between direct booking, large OTAs and low-commission platforms.
When you book direct, the host keeps 100% of the payment — minus their own card processing. In theory the price can be the lowest available. In practice, you also lose the dispute resolution, secure payment handling and structured trust scoring that platforms provide.
Large OTAs solve those problems but charge hosts 15–25% commission. That cost is almost always built into the nightly rate, so the same property can be 10–20% more expensive on a major OTA than directly with the host.
Low-commission platforms try to combine the two. With a 5% commission, the price the host needs to charge is close to the direct rate, but you keep payment protection, structured trust signals and an audit trail if something goes wrong.
The right choice depends on how well you know the host and how much risk you're willing to take. For unfamiliar destinations and longer stays, the platform protection is usually worth the small premium over a direct bank transfer.