Zero commission · Automated check-in · Live in 15 minutes

Direct booking website
for short-term rentals

Stop handing 15.5% to Airbnb. Build your own booking website with payments, calendar sync, pre-signed guest agreements, and automated check-in — for $9/month.

Build your site free — 5 days See how it works

No credit card required · Cancel anytime

0% booking commission
15 min to go live
$9/month flat
$5,472 saved/year vs Airbnb

See your property as a direct booking website

Paste your Airbnb or VRBO link. Free preview in 2 minutes, no account needed.

No signup requiredNo credit cardReady in minutes

Why short let hosts go direct

Higher profit, more control, better protection. Here's what changes.

Keep $5,472/year more

On $3,000/month revenue, Airbnb takes $5,580/year. Your direct site costs $108/year. The maths speaks for itself.

Own your guest list

Every direct booking gives you the guest's email. Build a list, send offers, drive repeat bookings. Airbnb hides this data from you.

Legal protection included

Pre-signed rental agreements with No Tenancy Rights clause. Custom waivers. Overstay fee enforcement. IP-logged signatures.

Works alongside OTAs

Keep your Airbnb and VRBO listings active. Calendar sync prevents double bookings. Add direct revenue on top.

Fully automated operations

Guest books → confirmation → check-in link → waivers signed → access sent. You don't lift a finger.

Built to be discovered

SEO-optimized for Google. Structured data for AI assistants. Area guides that attract local search traffic. Zero ad spend.

DirectBookings vs Airbnb vs traditional PMS

See where you stand — and what you're paying for.

DirectBookings

Airbnb

PMS Tools

Monthly cost

$9 flat

Free (you pay per booking)

$20-100+/month

Commission per booking

15.5%

0-3%

Guest agreements & waivers

Included

Not available

Most don't offer

Automated check-in

Full flow

Manual

Varies

Calendar sync

Hourly iCal

N/A (is the platform)

API-based

Your own domain

Included

Usually extra

Guest data ownership

100% yours

They own it

Yours

SEO & AI optimized

Built in

Their SEO

Varies

Fully automated — guest to checkout

From the moment a guest books to the moment they leave — everything is handled.

Guest books on your site

INSTANT

Picks dates, pays via Stripe. Confirmation email sent instantly.

Pre-arrival email (48h before)

AUTOMATED

Check-in link with instructions. Guest completes everything online.

Guest signs agreements

LEGALLY BINDING

Rental agreement, custom waivers, house rules — all e-signed with IP + timestamp.

Access credentials sent

HANDS-FREE

Door codes, wifi password, parking info delivered automatically after signing.

Mid-stay & checkout messages

6 TOUCHPOINTS

Timed emails check in with the guest and remind them of checkout procedures.

Review request sent

SOCIAL PROOF

Post-stay email invites guests to leave a review on your site.

Host protection, built in

Legal agreements that protect you before guests even arrive. Real contracts, real enforcement — no extra cost.

No Tenancy Rights clause

Guests acknowledge this is a transient license, not a lease. Eliminates tenant claims before they start.

Overstay fee enforcement

Daily penalty written into the agreement. If a guest refuses to leave, you have a pre-signed contract with specific financial terms.

Custom waivers with e-signatures

Property damage, pool, hot tub, pet policy — fully customisable. Guests sign before check-in with legally captured timestamps.

IP + timestamp evidence

Every signature captured with IP address, timestamp, and full document snapshot. Admissible documentation if you ever need it.

Go live in 3 steps

No developers needed. No waiting weeks. No technical knowledge required.

Add your property

Photos, description, nightly rates, and house rules. Import from your Airbnb listing or start fresh — about 15 minutes.

Set up payments & protection

Connect your Stripe account, create your rental agreement, add custom waivers, and configure automated check-in.

Go live and start earning

Publish on your custom domain. Share the link with past guests. Start taking commission-free bookings immediately.

See real websites built with DirectBookings

These live sites were created by hosts just like you — in under 15 minutes.

JT Luxe Compound with Pool & Spa

Joshua Tree, California

LiveAccepting direct bookings

PoolSpaDesert

Dwell-Featured Scandi Cabin

Marblemount, Washington

LiveAccepting direct bookings

DesignFireplaceNature

Townhome w/ Private Pool by Beach

Wildwood Crest, New Jersey

LiveAccepting direct bookings

PoolBeachSleeps 12

Waterfront Retreat

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

LiveAccepting direct bookings

WaterfrontPet FriendlyWiFi

Cozy Mountain Cabin

Arnold, California

LiveAccepting direct bookings

MountainCozy

Central Liverpool Waterfront Apt

Liverpool, United Kingdom

LiveAccepting direct bookings

CityWaterfrontSleeps 5

Build yours in 15 minutes

Free trial · No credit card required

Straight answers from real hosts

What is a direct booking website for short lets?

A direct booking website is your own professional property website where guests book and pay directly — without going through Airbnb, VRBO, or Booking.com. You keep 100% of the booking revenue (minus standard card processing fees of 2.9% + 30¢). DirectBookings builds one for you in 15 minutes for $9/month.

How much money will I save with a direct booking website?

Airbnb charges hosts 15.5% on every booking. On $3,000/month in revenue, that's $465/month or $5,580/year going to Airbnb. A direct booking website costs $9/month — saving you $5,472 annually on the same revenue. Even shifting 20% of bookings to direct saves over $1,100/year.

Can I run a direct booking website alongside my Airbnb listing?

Yes — and most hosts do exactly this. DirectBookings syncs your calendar hourly with Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com via iCal. When someone books on Airbnb, your direct site blocks those dates automatically. When someone books direct, Airbnb blocks those dates. Zero double bookings.

How do I drive traffic to my direct booking website?

Three proven channels: (1) Repeat guests — share your link in checkout messages and post-stay emails with a returning guest discount. (2) Google — your site is SEO-optimized with structured data, so it ranks for '[your area] vacation rental'. (3) AI assistants — ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google SGE recommend properties with good structured data and area guides. All three channels are built in automatically.

Do I need any technical skills to set up a short let website?

None. DirectBookings is purpose-built for short let hosts, not developers. You add your property details, photos, rates, and policies — then publish. Payments, calendar sync, SEO, guest messaging, and legal agreements are all configured through simple settings. Most hosts go live in 15 minutes.

What protection does a direct booking website give me against problem guests?

DirectBookings includes pre-signed rental agreements with a No Tenancy Rights clause — guests acknowledge this is a transient license, not a lease, before receiving access. You can set overstay fees, require custom waivers (damage, pool, pets), and capture e-signatures with IP address and timestamp. If a guest refuses to leave, they're a trespasser, not a tenant.

How does the automated check-in work?

48 hours before arrival, guests receive an automated check-in link. They provide required information, sign your rental agreement and any custom waivers, then automatically receive door codes and access instructions. No manual handoff, no late-night 'how do I get in?' messages.

Is DirectBookings a PMS? Will Airbnb charge extra fees?

No. DirectBookings is not a PMS and does not connect to Airbnb via API. It's a standalone direct booking website. Airbnb's additional fees for PMS-connected listings do not apply. Calendar sync uses standard iCal feeds — the same free method used by millions of hosts.

What payment methods can guests use?

Guests pay via Stripe — credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay. Money goes directly to your Stripe account. Stripe charges 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction. DirectBookings charges zero commission on top.

Can I offer discount codes to repeat guests?

Yes. Create promo codes and shareable discount links that auto-apply at checkout. Offer 5-10% off for returning guests to incentivise booking direct rather than going back through Airbnb. You still save money versus the 15.5% OTA fee.

Explore DirectBookings

Holiday Lets

Built specifically for UK holiday let owners. See the savings breakdown for holiday cottages and rentals.

Best Direct Booking Platform

Compare DirectBookings to other direct booking solutions. See why hosts choose simplicity.

Automated Guest Messaging

6 automated touchpoints from booking to checkout. See how the messaging flow works.

Turn one-time guests into repeat direct bookings

Most hosts never see their guests again. Every OTA stay should become your next direct booking — your website accepts commission-free reservations, your WiFi keeps your brand in front of guests long after checkout.

The repeat booking engine

Guest books on Airbnb

You pay the OTA commission

Stays at your property

Their only visit — for now

Connects to your WiFi

Branded splash page

Email captured

Added to your guest CRM

Automated follow-up

Offers & seasonal discounts

Books directly next trip

Zero OTA commission

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