Airbnb management commission in Nice: what it covers

An Airbnb management company is usually paid a commission on rental income: from 10 to 15 % for partial management up to 30 % for premium full management, according to the public offers we reviewed, with the core of the market between 20 and 25 %. The rate alone tells you almost nothing: the real price depends on what the percentage is calculated on, cleaning, linen, set-up fees and exit terms. Here is how to read an offer.

Yellow's fees are set out on our pricing page; this article describes the market and how to compare two quotes.

Updated 13 October 2026.

Market ranges in 2026

The public pages of management companies and specialist comparison sites give consistent orders of magnitude:

• Partial management (pricing and messages only, no on-site work): around 10 % of income.
• Entry-level full management: from 14 to 15 %, often with services billed separately.
• Standard full management: 20 to 25 %, the most common range, Nice included.
• Premium management: up to 30 %, with more services included or a more demanding clientele.

These ranges describe the market; they are not recommendations. A low rate can cost more than a high one once every line is added up, and the reverse is also true. The rest of this article is about doing that sum.

The four pricing models

• Commission on income: the dominant model. The company earns when you earn, which aligns interests — provided you know what the percentage applies to.
• Monthly fee: around €100 to €500 a month depending on services, according to published offers. Predictable, but disconnected from performance: the provider is paid the same in January as in July.
• Per-stay fee: a fixed amount per booking, which penalises short stays and favours long ones.
• Hybrid: a reduced commission plus fixed fees. Convert it to an annual percentage to compare it with the others.

The base: what the percentage really applies to

This is the question that moves the most money, and the one least asked. The same "20 %" can apply to very different amounts:

• Nightly revenue only, i.e. the price of the nights paid by the guest, excluding cleaning and tourist tax.
• The total collected, cleaning fees included: the company then takes a commission on money meant to pay for cleaning.
• The amount before or after platform fees: on Booking in particular, the platform's commission is significant, and the base differs depending on whether it is deducted.
• Tourist tax: it is not yours, it passes through. A commission charged on it has no justification. Our article on tourist tax in Nice explains how it flows.

A hypothetical example. A five-night stay at €120 a night, with €70 cleaning charged to the guest. Nightly revenue: €600. Total collected excluding tourist tax: €670. A 20 % commission on the total costs €134; a 22 % commission on nightly revenue alone costs €132. The lowest rate is not the cheapest.

Cleaning: charged to the guest, or paid by you?

It is the heaviest line of the year. Three set-ups exist on the market:

• Cleaning is charged to the guest at cost: it never comes out of your pocket.
• Cleaning is charged to the guest with a margin: the guest pays more than the real cost, which raises the displayed price and can deter short stays.
• Cleaning is charged to the owner, on top of the commission: over a year of turnovers, the gap runs into thousands of euros.

Always ask who pays for cleaning, at what rate, and whether that rate includes linen. At Yellow, as stated on our pricing page, cleaning fees are paid by the guest for each stay.

Linen, supplies and maintenance

These lines look minor; they are not in high season.

• Linen: hired and laundered by a supplier, or the owner's linen washed on site. In the first case, check who pays the hire; in the second, who replaces worn linen.
• Supplies: paper, toiletries, coffee, cleaning products. Included, recharged at cost or charged as a flat fee: all three exist.
• Maintenance: small jobs included in the commission, or billed by the hour, with or without a weekend surcharge, with or without a margin on tradespeople. Ask for a costed example of a real job.

Set-up fees and extras

Some offers show an attractive commission and recover the difference at the start. Items to check, with the orders of magnitude seen in public offers:

• File or onboarding fees: a few hundred euros with some providers.
• Photo shoot: around €100 to €300 when billed separately.
• Listing creation, key box or smart lock installation, initial inventory: included by some, billed by others.

These fees are legitimate when stated in writing before signing. They become suspicious when they appear at signing.

Term, notice and who owns the listing

The price of a management company also includes what it costs to leave. Three clauses to read:

• The commitment period and the notice required to terminate: a long notice ties you down if service slips.
• Any exit penalties, and what happens to bookings already taken when you leave.
• Ownership of the listing: if it is published on the company's account, you lose the reviews and history when you go.

These points are more about choosing a provider than about price; we cover them, with the other criteria, in our article on choosing a property manager in Nice.

Comparing two quotes: the annual-cost method

To compare offers built differently, bring them all down to one figure: what you keep over a year, for the same property. In practice, ask each provider for:

1. the gross nightly revenue it expects over twelve months, month by month;
2. the commission rate and its exact base;
3. how cleaning, linen and supplies are handled;
4. set-up fees and foreseeable extras;
5. the net income you would receive over the year.

Then put the answers side by side. Watch for two gaps: a forecast clearly higher than everyone else's with no explanation, and a provider who refuses to put figures down. To gauge the property's potential yourself before reading the quotes, start from an independent estimate.

What Yellow's commission covers

We only repeat here what is on our pricing page: a commission from 22 %, calculated on booked nights only, excluding cleaning fees, which are paid by the guest. It covers multi-platform distribution and the calendar, guest welcome and 24/7 support, coordination of cleaning, linen and maintenance, and income tracking and payouts. For everything else, the rule is the same as anywhere: get it in writing.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an Airbnb management company cost?

Usually a commission on rental income, from 10 to 15 % for partial management up to 30 % for premium management, with the core of the market between 20 and 25 % for full management. Some companies charge a monthly or per-stay fee instead.

Does the commission include cleaning?

Rarely: cleaning is usually billed separately, either to the guest or to the owner. It is the first question to ask, because it is the heaviest line of the year.

What amount is the commission calculated on?

It depends on the contract: nightly revenue only, the total collected including cleaning, the amount before or after platform fees. A lower rate on a wider base can cost more.

Are there set-up fees?

With some companies, yes: file fees, photos, listing creation, key box installation. They should be stated in writing before signing.

Is a 25 % commission too expensive?

Not necessarily. A higher commission that achieves a better average rate and occupancy can leave more net income than a low one. Always compare annual net, never the rate alone.

Estimate before you compare

A quote reads better when you know your property's potential. Estimate your Airbnb income in Nice in two minutes, then set that range against the proposals you receive. If you would like us to look at a quote with you, or at our own proposal, get in touch.