Home » » How to Become an Airbnb Co-Host (2024): 7 Common Questions Answered
Airbnb co-hosting helps listing owners take care of the responsibilities that come with renting out their place. We’ve done some research, and we thought you might want to know how to become an Airbnb co-host. Check out what we found!
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So How Can You Become an Airbnb Co-Host?
It is a simple process to become an Airbnb co-host. Essentially, an Airbnb host hires an Airbnb co-host to manage a listing. First, the host must add the co-host to the Airbnb listing. Then, the Airbnb host and co-host must determine how to divide responsibilities. Finally, the parties must agree on how to split the revenue and how to reimburse the co-host for any expenses incurred.
How Much Does a Co-Host on Airbnb Make?
The amount you make as an Airbnb co-host will be determined by the number of responsibilities you have in managing and maintaining the property.
Generally, an Airbnb co-host with more minimal responsibilities can charge up to 10-20% of the nightly rate, depending on how much of they contribute to the property maintenance.
If, for instance, you are only responsible for one or two hands-off duties, you might be more likely to be on the lower side of the pay scale. On the other hand, if you are on call 24/7 for guest emergencies or are responsible for cleaning (more demanding tasks) you will likely be able to charge more.
However, for co-hosts who manage far more of the day-to-day responsibilities, you can charge up to 25% of the nightly rate or even agree to a flat management fee. This may mean that you would be responsible for many things, including online listing management, guest experience, property maintenance, restocking amenities, and cleaning the rental in between guests.
How Do You Apply to be a Co-Host on Airbnb?
Research the Platform
Firstly, you’ll want to decide where you want to work, what types of properties you want to manage, and what responsibilities you might be willing to take on.
Begin by searching properties in your desired area that interest you. Depending on whether you plan to work virtually or physically, you can narrow or expand your geographic search. Once you find some properties that fit your needs, go through the reviews to see any feedback about the host and whether they already have a co-host listed.
Create a Resume
Secondly, you will need to build a perfectly tailored resume to score the co-host job of your dreams. As with any job, you will need to detail your experience and what qualifies you to take on the role of co-host.
Importantly, you will want to highlight any customer service, cleaning, or hospitality experience to really stand out as a candidate. You should also indicate where you are located and what kind of work you are interested in doing.
Creating a Co-Host Account
Airbnb has a feature that allows hosts to add co-hosts through their platform. Once you’ve contacted an owner and the two of you have decided to work together, the owner can add you to their Airbnb account as a co-host.
Luckily, this is a simple process for the owner. They’ll need to select the listing, select ‘co-host’ from the drop-down menu, and use the ‘Invite a Friend’ option. Once they invite you, Airbnb will send an invitation to your email. By accepting the invitation, you will be added to the account as a co-host and will have full access to the listing.
This includes booking management, communication with guests, and more. Essentially, you will have the ability to fully manage the property from your co-host account, which is far more efficient and streamlined than trying to coordinate with the owner through their account alone.
How Do You Become a Co-Host on Airbnb with No Experience?
Start small! Don’t apply to be a co-host for many different properties, complex listings, or large homes so as to not overwhelm yourself.
You can seek out experienced Airbnb hosts who know exactly what they are looking for. Seasoned hosts may be tired of handling the day-to-day or nitty-gritty details of property ownership and might be willing to invest a little time in training you in exchange for a lower co-hosting fee and an overall reduction in their workload.
On the other hand, you might do well to partner with a less experienced host so you can learn together. Beginning a partnership at the start of both of your Airbnb journeys can set you up for a long-term partnership and give you an opportunity to develop a perfectly curated arrangement.
Overall, be honest on your resume, be open to advice, and don’t bite off more than you can chew. Lastly, be reasonable about your requested fees. An inexperienced co-host is simply not going to be worth as much as a veteran. Set your pay scale accordingly. You and the host can come to the understanding that as you absorb more responsibilities, your pay will increase.
1. What are Common Airbnb Co-Host Duties?
Co-hosts do many of the same things that a listing owner can do. Below, we’ve listed some of the main responsibilities you could have when you become an Airbnb co-host.
General Maintenance & Cleaning
Co-hosts are often responsible for addressing any damages so that the next guests have a comfortable stay. You can choose to clean the place yourself, or you can hire a cleaning crew to make sure the place is spotless before guests arrive.
Re-Stock Necessary Items
Coffee, sugar, shampoo, conditioner, soap… you get the idea. A co-host monitors and restocks any amenity that is running low after a booking.
Help in Times of Trouble
As a co-host, you may be the person that your guests contact if there’s a problem. For example, you may need to help guests when if they lock themselves out, or if an appliance isn’t working.
Check Up On Guests
Co-hosts can email guests with essential information, make sure they’re enjoying their stay, or coordinate their check-in or check-out times.
Welcome Guests
Some Airbnb owners prefer that their guests are greeted personally. Co-hosts can serve as that friendly face for the weary traveler. You could show the guests around and answer any questions they may have.
Manage Many of the Online Aspects of the Listing
As a co-host, you can create listings (upload photos of the place, write the description), manage reservations, and write reviews using your own co-host account. You can even update your host’s Airbnb calendar or alter the nightly price.
2. How Does Airbnb Co-Hosting Work?
When an Airbnb host needs a little (or a lot of) extra help, he or she might want to add a reliable friend, neighbor, or family member as a co-host. All the host has to do is edit his or her listing, select “co-hosts,” and add up to three per property.
If the host doesn’t personally know of anyone willing to co-host, he or she can reach out to other co-hosts in your area. To do this, search for Airbnb properties in your area:
First, scroll down the listing, until you see the About The Home Section. You’ll see the owner’s picture. If there’s a second profile picture that says “Beth Helps Host,” for example, that is a co-host. Second, you can contact them and see what they charge and their availability.
Then, the potential co-host receives an invite email, which they can either accept or decline. Finally, you and your potential co-host will need to negotiate the terms of your arrangement.
3. How Do I Create an Airbnb Co-Host Business?
Since hosting an Airbnb can be very time-consuming, many hosts aren’t able to keep up with the responsibilities. Therefore, in order to keep the listing on Airbnb, they may take advantage of Airbnb’s new co-hosting feature and split the work with a co-host.
However, if you play your cards right, you could take on those challenges and begin to build a business by working with multiple hosts in your community. In fact, you could become an Airbnb neighborhood co-host!
We recommend that you start with one solid co-hosting job and build from there. Tell your host that you’re interested in taking on more listings so that your name gets out there (nothing beats word of mouth). Then, if possible, message nearby hosts and offer your services.
4. What Do Airbnb Co-Hosts Charge?
The amount that a co-host can charge depends largely on the responsibilities that you’re expected to carry out.
If you’re taking care of everything from check-in and check-out to cleaning and managing the guest experience, you could charge 25%. On the other hand, if you are not responsible for everything that a host would normally do, you can negotiate between 15 and 20%.
You could also negotiate a flat rate with the host who plans to hire you. Lastly, some co-hosts charge an additional cleaning fee if they clean the property post-booking. It’s up to you and the host to determine what is a fair co-host cleaning fee depending on the size of the property.
5. Is There An Airbnb Co-Host Agreement?
Airbnb does require a co-host to sign a Terms of Service policy. However, hosts and co-hosts may want to write up their own specific agreement, just to make sure all information is clearly stated and expectations are clear. You can use or alter a pre-made agreement (some hosts and co-hosts share these on hosting forums) or hire a lawyer to draw one up for you.
6. How do Airbnb Co-Hosts Get Paid?
Recently, Airbnb removed the payout feature that allowed hosts and co-hosts to split the revenue from an Airbnb booking.
Now, all of the revenue is sent directly to the host, so you’ll want to make sure that, as a co-host, you draw up an agreement about how payment will be sent to you. For example, Paypal and Venmo are some simple and free options that you can use.
7. Will the Co-Host Incur any Expenses While Managing the Property?
If you decide to be a co-host, be sure to include what expenses you may be reimbursed for (gas, purchases (like replacing shampoo or coffee, etc.), or parking fees) in your agreement. Also, be sure to include how that reimbursem*nt will be processed. And don’t forget to save receipts. Hosts can’t reimburse you for something that you can’t prove!
Related Questions:
How Do You Invite an Airbnb Co-Host?
If you want to hire a co-host to help manage all the ins and outs of your listing:
1. Search for Airbnb listings in the location where you need a co-host.
2. Scroll down the listing toward the bottom. If the owner has a co-host, they will be shown beside the owner’s picture.
3. Send them a message and see what they charge, etc.
– How “hands-on” do you want your co-host to be? If you want your co-host to be available to welcome your guests in person or to help them with an issue like getting locked out of the house, you may want to choose a co-host who is available 24/7 and who lives near your place.
– How much can you afford to pay? Be sure to find someone in your price range. You don’t want to choose a co-host who costs so much that it’s not profitable.
– Does your potential co-host match your personality and style? Airbnb hosts come with many different styles, approaches, and opinions, so pick a co-host that has a similar perspective on how to relate to guests.
