Italiando vs Booking.com
Italiando vs Booking.com
Booking.com is where many travellers start their search. It's also where many Italian owners give up around a sixth of every stay. Here's how the two compare.
The short answer
Booking.com brings volume, instant confirmation and a checkout everyone knows. Italiando is for owners who want to stop paying commission on every stay, and for guests who'd rather deal with the owner directly, at the owner's price.
- Fee paid by the guest
- Booking.comUsually nothing on top; the commission is built into the price
- ItaliandoNone
- Fee paid by the owner
- Booking.comAround 15% of the booking, up to about 17–18%, cleaning and extras included
- ItaliandoA flat €19–79 a month, no commission
- How you pay
- Booking.comBy card, online or at the property, depending on the listing
- ItaliandoDeposit by bank transfer to the owner after they confirm
- Confirmation
- Booking.comInstant on most listings
- ItaliandoOn request: the owner confirms first
- Cancellation
- Booking.comFree-cancellation options you can filter for
- ItaliandoAgreed directly with the owner
- Talking to the host
- Booking.comThrough Booking.com's messaging
- ItaliandoDirectly with the owner
- Reach
- Booking.comOne of the biggest travel sites in Europe
- ItaliandoA small, curated set of homes; owners bring their own guests
- Reviews
- Booking.comVerified reviews after each stay
- ItaliandoHomes show their Airbnb or Booking rating when the owner links it
- Calendar sync
- Booking.comiCal for holiday homes, or a channel manager
- ItaliandoiCal sync with Airbnb and Booking included
- Who sets the rules
- Booking.comBooking.com's terms, ranking and policies
- ItaliandoThe owner
| Aspect | Booking.com | Italiando |
|---|---|---|
| Fee paid by the guest | Usually nothing on top; the commission is built into the price | None |
| Fee paid by the owner | Around 15% of the booking, up to about 17–18%, cleaning and extras included | A flat €19–79 a month, no commission |
| How you pay | By card, online or at the property, depending on the listing | Deposit by bank transfer to the owner after they confirm |
| Confirmation | Instant on most listings | On request: the owner confirms first |
| Cancellation | Free-cancellation options you can filter for | Agreed directly with the owner |
| Talking to the host | Through Booking.com's messaging | Directly with the owner |
| Reach | One of the biggest travel sites in Europe | A small, curated set of homes; owners bring their own guests |
| Reviews | Verified reviews after each stay | Homes show their Airbnb or Booking rating when the owner links it |
| Calendar sync | iCal for holiday homes, or a channel manager | iCal sync with Airbnb and Booking included |
| Who sets the rules | Booking.com's terms, ranking and policies | The owner |
Fees and policies checked on 13 October 2026. Platforms change them often: check their own terms too.
Where Booking.com is better
- A huge audience, especially across Europe
- Instant confirmation and card payment
- Free-cancellation filters and verified reviews
- It fills empty weeks when an owner has no guests of their own
Where Italiando is better
- Owners keep the whole price, on every stay
- Guests talk to the owner, not a call centre
- The owner decides the rules, the deposit and who stays
- Returning guests can come back without paying a platform again
What Booking.com costs an owner in Italy
Booking.com charges holiday-home owners a commission on each stay, typically around 15% and up to about 17–18% depending on the property and the visibility options chosen. It's calculated on the whole amount the guest pays, including cleaning and other extras, though not the local tourist tax. Owners without an Italian VAT number are also charged 22% VAT on the commission.
In April 2026, Italy's competition authority (AGCM) reportedly opened an investigation into whether Booking.com gives more visibility to properties that pay higher commissions. We don't know the outcome yet.
A week in Italy, worked out
One week at €150 a night plus €80 for cleaning comes to €1,130.
- On Booking.com at 15%, the commission is about €170, plus about €37 of VAT for an owner without a VAT number. That's around €207 gone, leaving about €923. At 18% it's closer to €248 with VAT.
- On Italiando, the owner keeps the full €1,130. The yearly plan for one home costs €190, less than the commission on that single week.
One home, taxed twice
If you let your only home as a private individual, with no VAT number, you already pay tax on the rental income: the 21% cedolare secca, worked out on the gross amount with no deduction for commissions. So you pay 21% even on the share the platform keeps and you never receive.
On top of that, Airbnb and Booking.com charge 22% VAT on their commission. A business with a VAT number deducts it; a private owner can't. On the same booking you pay income tax and then a tax on the platform's service that you can't get back.
With a flat subscription there's no commission: no VAT on a percentage of every stay, and no tax on money that stays with the platform.
Where Booking.com is genuinely better
Instant confirmation, free-cancellation filters, card payment and a huge audience. For a first-time visitor comparing dozens of places, that matters. For an owner with empty weeks, it fills the calendar.
Where booking directly wins
- The owner keeps the whole price, every time.
- The guest talks to the owner, before and during the stay.
- The owner decides the rules, the deposit and who stays.
- Guests who come back don't pay a platform again.
Read more about Booking.com commission in Italy, or how Airbnb and Booking compare for Italian homes.
For guests
If a home you like is also on Italiando, the price there comes straight from the owner, with no platform in the middle. You send a request, the owner confirms, and you pay a deposit by bank transfer. Here's how to book directly from an owner safely.
Frequently asked questions
I have one home and no VAT number: why am I paying the platform VAT?
Because VAT applies to the service the platform sells you, the commission. Businesses with a VAT number deduct it; a private owner can't, so you pay it in full, on top of the cedolare secca on the rent, which is also charged on the share the platform keeps. Italiando takes no commission, so there's no VAT on a percentage of your bookings either.
How much commission does Booking.com take in Italy?
Typically around 15% of the booking, sometimes 17–18%, calculated on the total including cleaning. Owners without an Italian VAT number also pay 22% VAT on the commission. Your own contract has the exact rate.
Can I keep Booking.com and use Italiando too?
Yes. Import your Booking.com calendar into Italiando by iCal and export Italiando's calendar back, so the dates stay in sync.
Why can the direct price be lower?
Because no commission is taken. An owner who gives up 15% on Booking.com can charge less directly and still earn more.
Do I pay online when I book directly?
There's no card checkout. Once the owner confirms your request, you pay the deposit by bank transfer, with the details shown on your request page. The balance is settled as the owner explains.
Is Italiando an agency?
No. Italiando is software: owners list their own homes, answer requests themselves and get paid directly.
Other comparisons
Italiando vs Airbnb
Airbnb now charges hosts about 15.5% per booking. How booking a home in Italy directly on Italiando compares, for guests and for owners.
Italiando vs Vrbo
Vrbo moves hosts to a single 12% commission from 29 October 2026. How it compares with booking holiday homes in Italy directly on Italiando.