Want to make money on Airbnb? The most common way is to rent out a spare room or your whole home, but you don’t need to own property to get paid.
You can also co-host for other owners, try rental arbitrage, clean turnovers, or offer an experience or service to travelers.
I’ve interviewed a bunch of short-term rental hosts on The Side Hustle Show. Zeona McIntyre was earning $12,000 to $18,000 a month from her own rentals and a co-hosting service, and Richie Matthews grew a rental arbitrage business to 60 units.
Here are 9 ways to make money on Airbnb, real examples from each, what Airbnb charges, and what to check before you list.
| Way to Make Money on Airbnb | Own Property? | Real Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rent out a spare room | Own or rent | Covered a mortgage |
| Co-host | No | 20% of booking fees |
| Rental arbitrage | No (you lease) | 60 units, $700,000 profit |
| Host an experience | No | $49 per guest |
| Clean short-term rentals | No | $20 to $50 an hour |
1. Rent Out a Spare Room
Renting out a spare room is the easiest way to start, since you already have the space.
Craig Curelop took it further than most. After buying a duplex in Denver, he rented out the top unit, listed his own bedroom on Airbnb, and slept behind a room divider in the living room for a year.
The Airbnb income more than covered his mortgage, so he lived there for free. He also met travelers from all over the world, and some are still his friends.
Craig’s advice is to describe the space honestly so no guest is surprised. Here’s more on house hacking.
2. Rent Out Your Whole Home
If you travel a lot or have a second home, you can rent out the whole place while you’re away.
Back in 2014, I talked with Jasper about how a single apartment he owned was earning roughly $60,000 a year from short-term Airbnb rentals while he traveled the world. Here’s that interview on running a hands-off Airbnb.
Even renting your place for a few big weekends, like a local festival or football game, can bring in extra cash. Just check your city’s rules first (more on that below).
3. Become an Airbnb Co-Host
Co-hosts run short-term rentals for owners. You might handle guest messages, pricing, check-ins, and cleaning crews, all without owning the property.
Zeona McIntyre built a co-hosting service alongside her own rentals. She earns 20% of the booking fees as a co-host, with no upfront cost.
When we spoke, her rentals and co-hosting together brought in $12,000 to $18,000 a month.
Airbnb makes co-hosting easy to set up. The owner can pay you a percentage of each booking, a fixed amount, the cleaning fee, or a mix, and Airbnb sends co-host payouts directly, usually by the end of the business day after check-in.
If you’re a real estate agent, co-hosting is a natural fit.
4. Try Rental Arbitrage
With rental arbitrage, you lease a place long-term and rent it out short-term, with the landlord’s permission. You keep the difference.
Richie Matthews started with one apartment in downtown San Diego in 2020. He spent about $4,300 on furniture and earned it back through Airbnb bookings in six weeks.
His rule of thumb is a 2:1 spread. If the lease is $2,500 a month, he wants the unit to bring in about $5,000. When we spoke, he managed 60 units that brought in over $2.5 million in revenue and $700,000 in profit last year.
Here’s how he got landlords on board with renting out other people’s properties.
There’s real risk, though. Craig Curelop earned $10,000 to $15,000 in a year of rental arbitrage, then had to stop when his condo’s HOA found out. Read my full guide to rental arbitrage before you sign a lease.
5. Host an Airbnb Experience
Airbnb Experiences let locals lead tours, classes, and activities for travelers. You don’t need a place to rent out, just something you’re good at.
Michele Mattix runs a guided meditation experience in Arizona and charges $49 per person. Food tours, cooking classes, photo walks, and outdoor adventures are other popular ideas.
Airbnb relaunched Experiences in 2025 in 650 cities.
6. Offer a Service on Airbnb
Airbnb now lets guests book services during their stay, too. At launch, the categories included chefs, catering, prepared meals, photography, massages, spa treatments, personal training, hair, nails, and makeup.
If you already do one of these locally, it’s another way to reach travelers who are ready to spend. Airbnb typically takes a 15% fee on service bookings.
7. Clean Short-Term Rentals
Every Airbnb needs to be cleaned between guests, and plenty of hosts would rather pay someone to do it.
Sam Zuo, who earned close to $200,000 from rental arbitrage in 2019, ran his rentals from overseas with local cleaning crews in place. That’s the kind of host who needs a reliable cleaner.
Cleaning gigs can pay anywhere from $20 to $50 an hour, depending on where you live. Once you have steady hosts, you can hire help and grow it into a business. Here are more cleaning business ideas.
8. Photograph or Furnish Listings
Great photos and a well-designed space help listings book more nights at higher prices.
Sam recommended hiring a professional photographer instead of using your phone. If you have a good camera, that’s a gig you can offer to local hosts. And if you have an eye for design, new hosts like Richie need help furnishing and setting up units.
9. Build a Unique Stay
Unique stays like cabins, tiny homes, and glamping tents can command high nightly rates.
Garrett Brown turned 10 acres of rural land into Cameron Ranch Glamping, with nightly rates of $400 or more. When we spoke, it brought in over $100,000 a year while he kept a full-time job. Interestingly, about 80% of his bookings came directly through his own website, not Airbnb.
Here’s how Garrett built his glamping business, plus more ways to make money on land.
How Much Does Airbnb Charge Hosts?
Airbnb charges a service fee on each booking. Here’s how it works for most US hosts:
- Split fee: Most hosts on this structure pay 3%, and guests pay the rest. Airbnb is phasing this option out.
- Single fee: Most hosts pay 15.5%, deducted from the payout, and guests pay no service fee. This is mandatory for most hosts, including anyone who uses property management software.
- Experiences: Typically a 20% fee.
- Services: Typically a 15% fee, with a $6 minimum.
Before You List: Laws, Leases, and HOAs
Airbnb can be a great side hustle, but a few things can shut you down fast:
- Local laws. Many cities require a permit or registration, limit how many nights you can rent, or ban short-term rentals in some areas. Check your city’s rules and occupancy taxes first.
- Your lease. Never sublet without written permission from your landlord. Richie signed a corporate lease with the building’s approval.
- Your HOA. As Craig learned, an HOA can end a rental arbitrage business overnight.
- Insurance. Talk to your insurance agent about short-term rental coverage before your first guest arrives.
Serious About Making More Money?
- Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line.
- Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.
- Download The Side Hustle Show. My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.
The award-winning Side Hustle Show is the #1 side hustle podcast
with over 1,300 5-star ratings!
Listen in your favorite podcast app or directly in your browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money can you make on Airbnb?
It depends on your location, your space, and how many nights you book. Craig Curelop covered his whole mortgage renting out one bedroom, and Zeona McIntyre was earning $12,000 to $18,000 a month from her rentals and co-hosting when we spoke.
Can you make money on Airbnb without owning property?
Yes. You can co-host for other owners, try rental arbitrage with your landlord’s permission, clean turnovers, or host an Airbnb Experience or service.
How much does Airbnb take from hosts?
Most hosts now pay a single fee of about 15.5% of each booking. Hosts still on the split-fee structure usually pay 3%, with guests paying the rest. Experiences typically carry a 20% fee.
How do Airbnb co-hosts get paid?
The listing owner sets up co-host payouts in Airbnb. Co-hosts can earn a percentage of each booking, a fixed amount, the cleaning fee, or a mix, and payouts usually arrive the business day after check-in.
Is hosting on Airbnb worth it?
It can be, especially if you already have the space. Just check your city’s short-term rental rules, your lease or HOA, and your insurance before you list.
