If you’re new to hosting on Airbnb or just need a quick refresher on the different Airbnb payment methods, this article is for you. We’ll go over all the different payment options Airbnb provides and how each one works. Whether you’re a host looking to set up your payment method or a traveler trying to decide which payment option is best for you, read on!
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Accepted Airbnb Payment Methods
Most people are familiar with the major credit cards that can be used to book an Airbnb stay. However, did you know that there are also several other payment options available? Here’s a closer look at some of the most common Airbnb payment methods:
Credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Amex, JCB
Debit cards that can be processed as credit cards
Google Pay
Apple Pay
PayPal
Airbnb gift cards
Country-specific Airbnb payment methods
You can also use some alternative payment methods to book an Airbnb stay, although these may not be available in all countries. A few examples of these include:
- Aura (Brazil)
- Elo (Brazil)
- Hipercard (Brazil)
- Alipay (China)
- WeChat Pay (China)
- Sofort Überweisung (Germany)
- Netbanking (India)
- CARD (India)
- UPI (India)
- GoPay (Indonesia)
- Postepay (Italy)
- FPX (Malaysia)
- iDEAL (Netherlands)
- Gcash (Philippines)
- Naver Pay (South Korea)
- Discover card (United States)
- Bank account (United States)
How Do Guest Payments Work?
When making a booking on Airbnb, guests will need to provide their payment details and select their preferred payment method. It is possible that guests may only need to pay a portion of the total amount of their reservation when making their booking. This option will depend on the length of their stay and a few other requirements we’ll discuss in the next section.
Hosts will only receive their payment 24 hours after a guest’s check-in, no matter if the guest chooses a payment plan or completes the payment upfront. If a guest needs to cancel their reservation, they may be eligible to receive a refund depending on the cancellation policy that was selected when the listing was created.
What is a payment plan?
Airbnb may offer guests the opportunity to pay for their rental in two installments. This is helpful for guests who need to book their rental well in advance but may not have the full amount available at the time of booking.
Since hosts still receive their funds after check-in, this option does not put them at any risk of non-payment.
To be eligible for a payment plan, guests must:
Have a valid credit or debit card associated with their Airbnb account. Alternatively, Airbnb account credit or an associated PayPal/Apple Pay account
The total cost of the stay must be over $50
The reservation is at least 14 days out
It is not a long-term rental (less than 28 days)
It cannot be an Airbnb for work reservation
If these criteria are met, guests will see the option to pay in two installments at checkout. The first installment will be collected when the booking is made, and the second installment will be automatically charged on a future date closer to the time of check-in.
How Do Hosts Receive Payments?
Airbnb will release your payment for a booking 24 hours after a guest has checked in. This is to help avoid fraud on both sides. Hosts can receive their compensation via bank transfer, PayPal, or another payment method of their choice. If you have any questions or problems with your payment, Airbnb’s customer support team is always available to help out.
Unacceptable payment methods
Airbnb works to make it as easy as possible for hosts to get paid. Part of this is ensuring that all payments are made through the platform in a safe and secure way. As a result, cash and cryptocurrency are unacceptable Airbnb payment methods for hosts and guests.
This is because an offline cash or cryptocurrency payment method is not as safe as those offered on the platform, and it makes it difficult for Airbnb to protect hosts’ and guests’ confidential information. This, in turn, puts you at risk of fraud, scams, and other security breaches.
If Airbnb finds that you have been accepting these types of currency, your account may be subject to suspension or termination.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Airbnb offers a variety of payment methods to make booking and paying for your rental easy and convenient. Guest payments are processed after check-in, and hosts can choose their preferred method of payment. While cash and cryptocurrency are not accepted as payment methods on Airbnb, there are plenty of alternative methods available throughout the globe.
Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!
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