What does an Airbnb co-host cost in Switzerland?

Commercial co-hosts bill as a share of revenue; in Zurich the published rates are 20 to 21 per cent for the full scope, and across providers the range runs from 18 to above 30 per cent. At alphakey it is 18 per cent on the basic package and 25 per cent on full service, on accommodation revenue after platform fees. Private co-hosts often agree a fixed amount per stay.

Can a co-host access my account even if I no longer want that?

No. You withdraw the co-host rights yourself in the account settings, at any time and without the co-host’s consent. That is the essential advantage of this route over a listing on somebody else’s account — there you would not have that option.

Does the co-host get my payouts?

Only if you expressly grant that right. Airbnb grants it separately from the other co-host rights. In most cases it stays with the owner, and the commission is invoiced afterwards.

What happens to the reviews if I change co-host?

They stay with the account on which they arose. If the listing runs on your account — the normal case in a co-host arrangement — they stay with you. If it runs on the provider’s account, they stay there and you begin at zero.

Do I need a permit for a co-host?

Not for the co-host itself. What may require a permit is the use of your flat for short-term letting — that depends on the zone and the municipality, not on who runs the letting. In the city of Zurich, since the Federal Supreme Court ruling of 30 April 2026, what matters is whether anybody still lives in the flat. The binding answer on that comes from the municipality.

Airbnb co-host in Zurich: duties, rights and cost

What a co-host may do on your Airbnb account, what they take on, what they cost — and why the rights remain revocable at any time.

What is an Airbnb co-host?

On Airbnb, a co-host is a person or firm granted rights on the host’s account to edit the listing, the calendar, the prices and the messages. The account stays with the owner, and so do the reviews. In Zurich, commercial co-hosts charge 18 to 30 per cent of revenue; the rights can be withdrawn at any time without the co-host’s consent.

Which rights a co-host receives

Airbnb has graded rights. You grant them individually, and you withdraw them individually — in the account settings, without the co-host having to agree. That distinguishes this arrangement fundamentally from a listing on somebody else’s account.

Edit the listing — text, photos, amenities, house rules
Manage calendar and prices — availability, nightly rates, minimum stay, discounts
Message guests — answer enquiries, accept or decline bookings
Reply to reviews
Receive payouts — a separate right, granted on its own, and in most cases kept by the owner

What a co-host costs in Zurich

Two models are common, and they are not equivalent. A private co-host — the neighbour who hands over the key — often works for a fixed amount per stay. A commercial co-host bills as a share of revenue.

The revenue share has an advantage that gets overlooked: if the flat stands empty, you pay nothing. A fixed amount keeps running.

Co-host models in Zurich compared
	Private co-host	Commercial co-host
Billing	fixed amount per stay or per month	share of revenue
When empty	keeps running, if monthly	no cost
Usual level in Zurich	as agreed	18 to 30 %
Scope	mostly keys and cleaning	the whole operation
Cover during absence	none	part of the operation
Insurance and liability	to be settled privately	set out in the contract

The range of 18 to 30 per cent covers the published Zurich rates and the internationally usual ones. What is included in each case differs more than the rate.

How we work as a co-host

The account is yours. We work as a co-host on it instead of building one of our own — when the arrangement ends we step back, and access, listing, photographs and reviews stay where they are.

The reason is not generosity but a calculation: a tie you later regret produces a working relationship in which we no longer have to make an effort. Monthly cancellability is a stronger incentive for us than any clause protecting us.

If you already have an account with reviews, we continue on it. Reviews are the asset that builds up over years — throwing them away to set up a new listing would be the most expensive mistake at the start.

Frequently asked questions

What does an Airbnb co-host cost in Switzerland?: Commercial co-hosts bill as a share of revenue; in Zurich the published rates are 20 to 21 per cent for the full scope, and across providers the range runs from 18 to above 30 per cent. At alphakey it is 18 per cent on the basic package and 25 per cent on full service, on accommodation revenue after platform fees. Private co-hosts often agree a fixed amount per stay.
Can a co-host access my account even if I no longer want that?: No. You withdraw the co-host rights yourself in the account settings, at any time and without the co-host’s consent. That is the essential advantage of this route over a listing on somebody else’s account — there you would not have that option.
Does the co-host get my payouts?: Only if you expressly grant that right. Airbnb grants it separately from the other co-host rights. In most cases it stays with the owner, and the commission is invoiced afterwards.
What happens to the reviews if I change co-host?: They stay with the account on which they arose. If the listing runs on your account — the normal case in a co-host arrangement — they stay with you. If it runs on the provider’s account, they stay there and you begin at zero.
Do I need a permit for a co-host?: Not for the co-host itself. What may require a permit is the use of your flat for short-term letting — that depends on the zone and the municipality, not on who runs the letting. In the city of Zurich, since the Federal Supreme Court ruling of 30 April 2026, what matters is whether anybody still lives in the flat. The binding answer on that comes from the municipality.

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