Property Management Fees: How Much Do Property Managers Charge?
Vacation rental property managers typically charge 20–35% of gross bookings for full-service operations. Half-service property managers charge 10–15% but do not handle cleaning and maintenance. AI Property Managers like TIDY charge 3.9%, with a $39/month minimum — about 90% less than traditional property managers. On a $100,000/year vacation rental, the difference is paying about $3,900/year vs $20,000–$35,000/year. The fee model that fits depends on your property type, your involvement preference, and the math.
Property management fees at a glance
Property management fees in the vacation rental industry fall into five tiers, with real volume across the lowest and highest:
| Model | Fee | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| AI Property Manager (TIDY) | 3.9% | Full operations, automated |
| Software-only tools | $20–$300/mo flat | Tools, you do the work |
| Half-service PMs (Evolve, RedAwning) | 10–15% | Bookings only — no cleaning & maintenance |
| Airbnb cohosts | 10–25% | Variable — depends on cohost |
| Traditional / full-service PMs | 20–35% | Full operations, human-staffed |
Property management cost calculator
Enter your annual gross bookings — see what each property manager would cost and how much you'd save with an AI Property Manager at 3.9%.
Property management fee calculator
See what each property manager would cost on your annual gross bookings — and how much you'd save with TIDY at 3.9%.
$100,000/ year
$25K$100K$250K$500K
TIDY (AI Property Manager)
$3,900/year
3.9% of gross bookings · $39/month minimum
| Property manager | Fee | Annual cost | Save with TIDY |
|---|---|---|---|
| EvolveHalf-Management | 10–15% | $10,000–$15,000 | $8,600 (69%) |
| JurnyHalf-Management | 10–20% | $10,000–$20,000 | $11,100 (74%) |
| JetstreamHalf-Management | 12% | $12,000 | $8,100 (68%) |
| HoustFull-Management | 12–18% | $12,000–$18,000 | $11,100 (74%) |
| Kasa LivingFull-Management | 15–25% | $15,000–$25,000 | $16,100 (81%) |
| GuestReadyFull-Management | 15–25% | $15,000–$25,000 | $16,100 (81%) |
| AnyplaceFull-Management | 15–25% | $15,000–$25,000 | $16,100 (81%) |
| PacasoFull-Management | Custom + 1% | $15,000–$25,000 | $16,100 (81%) |
| RedAwningFull-Management | 18% | $18,000 | $14,100 (78%) |
| CasagoFull-Management | 18% | $18,000 | $14,100 (78%) |
| RealJoy VacationsFull-Management | 18–25% | $18,000–$25,000 | $17,600 (82%) |
| LandingFull-Management | ~20% | $18,000–$22,000 | $16,100 (81%) |
| Sun RealtyFull-Management | 18–25% | $18,000–$25,000 | $17,600 (82%) |
| Grand WelcomeFull-Management | Up to 30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| FairlyFull-Management | 20% | $20,000 | $16,100 (81%) |
| Air ConciergeFull-Management | Up to 25% | $20,000–$25,000 | $18,600 (83%) |
| iTripFull-Management | Up to 25% | $20,000–$25,000 | $18,600 (83%) |
| SkyRunFull-Management | Up to 30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| Natural RetreatsFull-Management | Up to 30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| CasiolaFull-Management | 20% | $20,000 | $16,100 (81%) |
| Gather VacationsFull-Management | Up to 30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| Home Team Luxury RentalsFull-Management | Up to 25% | $20,000–$25,000 | $18,600 (83%) |
| Meredith LodgingFull-Management | Up to 30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| VTripsFull-Management | Up to 30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| PURE Property ManagementFull-Management | 20–28% | $20,000–$28,000 | $20,100 (84%) |
| FrontdeskFull-Management | 20–30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| PortoroFull-Management | 20–25% | $20,000–$25,000 | $18,600 (83%) |
| VacayzenFull-Management | 20–25% | $20,000–$25,000 | $18,600 (83%) |
| BluegroundFull-Management | 20–30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| Mint HouseFull-Management | 20–30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| PMI Property ManagementFull-Management | 20–30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| Rentyl ResortsFull-Management | 20–30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| 360 BlueFull-Management | 20–28% | $20,000–$28,000 | $20,100 (84%) |
| Southern Vacation RentalsFull-Management | 20–28% | $20,000–$28,000 | $20,100 (84%) |
| Carolina RetreatsFull-Management | 20–28% | $20,000–$28,000 | $20,100 (84%) |
| VacatiaFull-Management | 20–30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| Zeus LivingFull-Management | 20–30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| Twiddy & CompanyFull-Management | 20–28% | $20,000–$28,000 | $20,100 (84%) |
| Emerald Isle RealtyFull-Management | 20–28% | $20,000–$28,000 | $20,100 (84%) |
| Village RealtyFull-Management | 20–28% | $20,000–$28,000 | $20,100 (84%) |
| InterhomeFull-Management | 20–30% | $20,000–$30,000 | $21,100 (84%) |
| Great Smokies Vacation RentalsFull-Management | 20–28% | $20,000–$28,000 | $20,100 (84%) |
| 30A EscapesFull-Management | 20–28% | $20,000–$28,000 | $20,100 (84%) |
| BeachHouse.comFull-Management | 20–28% | $20,000–$28,000 | $20,100 (84%) |
| Myrtle Beach Vacation RentalsFull-Management | 20–28% | $20,000–$28,000 | $20,100 (84%) |
| Tahoe Vacation RentalsFull-Management | 22–30% | $22,000–$30,000 | $22,100 (85%) |
| AvantStayFull-Management | Up to 35% | $25,000–$35,000 | $26,100 (87%) |
| VacasaFull-Management | 25–35% | $25,000–$35,000 | $26,100 (87%) |
| TurnKey Vacation RentalsFull-Management | 25–30% | $25,000–$30,000 | $23,600 (86%) |
| InvitedHomeFull-Management | Up to 35% | $25,000–$35,000 | $26,100 (87%) |
| InspiratoFull-Management | 25–35% | $25,000–$35,000 | $26,100 (87%) |
| Plum GuideFull-Management | 25–35% | $25,000–$35,000 | $26,100 (87%) |
| Wyndham Vacation RentalsFull-Management | 25–35% | $25,000–$35,000 | $26,100 (87%) |
| Marriott Homes & VillasFull-Management | 25–35% | $25,000–$35,000 | $26,100 (87%) |
| VillawayFull-Management | 25–35% | $25,000–$35,000 | $26,100 (87%) |
| Oasis CollectionsFull-Management | 25–35% | $25,000–$35,000 | $26,100 (87%) |
| ResortQuestFull-Management | 25–35% | $25,000–$35,000 | $26,100 (87%) |
| SonderFull-Management | Master Lease | $30,000–$40,000 | $31,100 (89%) |
| Exotic EstatesFull-Management | 30–40% | $30,000–$40,000 | $31,100 (89%) |
| OnefinestayFull-Management | 35–50% | $35,000–$50,000 | $38,600 (91%) |
Calculator uses published rates as of 2026. Half-service managers like Evolve charge 10–15% but do NOT include cleaning & maintenance — those costs are additional and not in this calculator. TIDY at 3.9% includes full operations.
Featured property management fees compared
The major vacation rental property managers, ranked by fee. Annual cost shown on a $100,000/year vacation rental. Click any name for the full TIDY-vs-X comparison.
| Property manager | Fee | Annual on $100K | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| TIDY (AI Property Manager) | 3.9% | ~$3,900 | AI Property Manager |
| Evolve | 10–15% | $10,000–$15,000 | Half-Management |
| RedAwning | 18% | ~$18,000 | Full-Management |
| Casago | 18% | ~$18,000 | Full-Management |
| Fairly | 20% | ~$20,000 | Full-Management |
| AvantStay | Up to 35% | $25,000–$35,000 | Full-Management |
| Vacasa | 25–35% | $25,000–$35,000 | Full-Management |
| Grand Welcome | Up to 30% | $20,000–$30,000 | Full-Management |
| iTrip | Up to 25% | $20,000–$25,000 | Full-Management |
| Air Concierge | Up to 25% | $20,000–$25,000 | Full-Management |
See the full directory of 60 property managers compared →
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Why are property management fees so high?
The 20–35% fee model exists because traditional property management is human-heavy. A typical full-service vacation rental property management company pays for:
- Local field managers and dispatchers
- Guest-services agents (24/7 messaging coverage)
- Pricing and revenue teams
- Marketing and listing-management staff
- Accounting and back-office operations
- Corporate overhead and acquisition costs
Those are real costs for real work. But most of that work is now software-shaped: guest messaging, scheduling, dispatch, pricing — these can run as automated AI agents. That's why AI Property Management can deliver the same operations at 3.9% instead of 20–35% — automation replaces the expensive layers of the cost stack while a human account manager handles edge cases.
Hidden property management costs to ask about
The headline fee rarely tells the whole story. Things to verify before signing with any property manager:
- Onboarding fees. Many traditional PMs charge $500–$2,000 to set up your property.
- Cleaning fee markup. Some PMs charge guests a cleaning fee, then keep a margin. Ask whether that's passed through or marked up.
- Long-term contracts. Traditional PMs often require 1–3 year contracts with cancellation fees. AI Property Managers and most cohosts are month-to-month.
- Listing transfer cost. If a PM takes over your Airbnb listing, untangling that on exit is non-trivial — and reviews may stay with their account.
- Payment processing fees. 0.5–3.9% on top of the management fee, depending on booking source.
- Markup on pro labor. Some PMs mark up cleaner and maintenance costs above what they pay the pro. Ask for a transparent breakdown.
How to choose a property management fee model
A simple framework based on your situation:
- Want zero involvement, OK paying 25–35%, luxury property: traditional full-service PM (Vacasa, AvantStay).
- 1–10 vacation rentals, want full ops at low cost: AI Property Manager (TIDY) at 3.9%.
- One property, friend or family member to help: paid Airbnb cohost (10–25%) — or TIDY at 3.9% if that's too much.
- Want bookings outsourced, ops in-house: half-service PM (Evolve, RedAwning) at 10–15%.
- Power-user host who wants tools, not management: software-only (Breezeway, Properly) flat fee.
Property management fee FAQ
How much do property managers charge?
Vacation rental and short-term rental property managers typically charge 20–35% of gross bookings for full-service operations. Half-service property managers charge 10–15% but do not handle cleaning and maintenance. AI Property Managers like TIDY charge 3.9% of gross bookings — about 90% less than traditional PMs. On a $100,000/year vacation rental, traditional PMs cost $20,000–$35,000/year vs about $3,900/year for TIDY.
What is the average property management fee?
For vacation rentals and short-term rentals, the industry average property management fee is approximately 25–30% of gross bookings (Vacasa charges 25–35%, AvantStay up to 35%, Casago about 18%, Grand Welcome up to 30%). Half-service vacation rental PMs average 10–15%. AI Property Managers like TIDY are the new low-cost tier at 3.9%.
Are property management fees worth it?
It depends on the model. Traditional property managers at 20–35% are worth it if you want zero involvement and have a luxury or hands-on property that benefits from local field staff. For most owners with 1–10 properties, the math heavily favors an AI Property Manager at 3.9% — same operations, much lower cost, and you keep your Airbnb listing and bank account in your own name.
What does the property management fee include?
A traditional full-service property management fee typically includes: turnover scheduling and cleaning coordination, guest messaging and check-in/out, maintenance dispatch, pricing and listing management, marketing, and back-office accounting. Half-service PMs include only marketing and bookings — cleaning and maintenance stay on you. TIDY at 3.9% includes all the operational pieces plus a dedicated human account manager.
Why are property management fees so high?
Most of a property manager's cost stack is people: local field managers, dispatchers, guest agents, accountants. The 20–35% fee model reflects how expensive humans are. AI Property Managers replace most of that work with software (with humans on backup), which is why a fee like 3.9% is possible at all.
How do I find affordable property management?
Three options for affordable property management of vacation rentals: (1) AI Property Managers like TIDY at 3.9% with full operations included; (2) flat-fee software-only tools like Breezeway or Properly (~$20–$300/month per property) — but you still do the work; (3) light-touch Airbnb cohosts at 10–15%, though they typically do not include cleaning and maintenance.
What is a flat fee property manager?
A flat fee property manager charges a fixed monthly amount instead of a percentage of bookings. Software tools like Breezeway and Properly charge a flat fee but do not actually take action — you still do the work. TIDY uses a hybrid model: 3.9% of gross bookings with a $39/month minimum, which behaves like a flat fee for low-volume properties and a percentage for higher-volume ones — always cheaper than a 20–35% traditional PM.
How does Vacasa pricing compare to other property managers?
Vacasa charges 25–35% of gross bookings — among the highest in the vacation rental property management industry. AvantStay charges up to 35%. Grand Welcome charges up to 30%. Fairly charges around 20%. Casago charges around 18%. Half-service PMs (Evolve, RedAwning) charge 10–15% but don't include cleaning and maintenance. TIDY (AI Property Manager) charges 3.9% — roughly 90% less than Vacasa.
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Pay 3.9% instead of 20–35%
TIDY is the AI Property Manager. Full operations at 3.9%. Go live in 90 minutes. Keep your Airbnb listing and bank account. Profit Increase Guarantee.