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Scheduling · head to head

Airbnb vs Sawyer

Airbnb logo

Airbnb

Scheduling

Book unique homes and experiences all over the world

From
$3/per-booking
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sawyer logo

Sawyer

Scheduling

Class and camp booking software for children activity businesses, with a marketplace that takes up to 30 percent

From
$189/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Airbnb single-fee model charges 15.5 percent vs 3 percent split model, significantly higher for most listings; Sawyer the Launch plan looks free but forces a marketplace listing at 30 percent commission, so a single high-value camp booking through the marketplace can cost more than a year of the Grow subscription would have.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airbnb and Sawyer actually diverge.

Attributes where Airbnb and Sawyer differ
AttributeAirbnbSawyer
Starting price$3/per-booking$189/month
Pricing modeltransactionPer business per month, plus marketplace commission
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Scheduling).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Airbnb

Nothing recorded that Sawyer does not also cover.

Only in Sawyer

  • Class and camp registration
  • Memberships and class packs
  • Consumer marketplace
  • Auto-billing
  • Waivers and e-signature
  • Multi-location

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Airbnb

  • Short-term vacation rental hostingnot Sawyer
  • Property monetizationnot Sawyer
  • Experience hosting on Airbnb platformnot Sawyer

Sawyer

  • A new kids activity studio with no mailing list that wants the marketplace to fill its first termsnot Airbnb
  • An established music school moving off spreadsheets that will run Sawyer as software only and never list on the marketplacenot Airbnb
  • A gym selling memberships, class packs and birthday parties that needs all three billed from one systemnot Airbnb
  • A provider running summer camps alongside term-time classes who wants a single parent account for bothnot Airbnb

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Airbnb

  • Single-fee model charges 15.5 percent vs 3 percent split model, significantly higher for most listings
  • Brazil and Mexico hosts pay 1 percent premium over base rates
  • VAT may apply additional charges depending on jurisdiction
  • Cross-currency bookings may result in guest fees reaching 16.5 percent

Sawyer

  • The Launch plan looks free but forces a marketplace listing at 30 percent commission, so a single high-value camp booking through the marketplace can cost more than a year of the Grow subscription would have.
  • Marketplace commission applies to the order value, not the margin, so low-margin providers can lose money on a marketplace booking.
  • Payment processing fees are charged separately by Stripe on top of the subscription and any commission, which the plan comparison does not surface clearly.
  • The step from Grow to Scale doubles the monthly cost for account management and integrations rather than for capability most providers need, making the middle tier the only sensible choice for many.
  • It is built for consumer activity businesses, so providers who invoice schools, councils or corporate clients will find the billing model a poor fit.

Pricing, plan by plan

Airbnb

$3/per-booking
  • Split-Fee Model$3/percent
    • 3 percent service fee on nightly rates (most hosts)
    • 4 percent for Brazil and Mexico hosts
    • Automatic deduction from payout
  • Single-Fee Model$15.5/percent
    • 15.5 percent of total payout (most hosts)
    • 14 to 16 percent range for some hosts
    • 16 percent for Brazil and Mexico hosts

Sawyer

$189/month
  • Launch$undefined/month
    • No monthly subscription fee
    • 3 percent per transaction
    • Marketplace listing required, 30 percent commission on marketplace orders
  • Grow$189/month
    • 189 USD per month billed annually, 219 monthly
    • Marketplace listing optional, 20 percent commission if used
    • Advanced scheduling, waitlists, free trials
  • Scale$379/month
    • 379 USD per month billed annually, 399 monthly
    • Marketplace listing optional, 15 percent commission if used
    • Dedicated account manager and registration launch support
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing for large multi-site operators

Which should you pick?

Choose Airbnb if

Nothing in the data separates Airbnb from Sawyer on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Airbnb review

Choose Sawyer if

  • You need class and camp registration.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want memberships and class packs.
Sawyer review

Questions people ask

Is Airbnb or Sawyer better?
Neither clearly leads. Airbnb starts at $3/per-booking and Sawyer at $189/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airbnb or Sawyer?
Airbnb starts at $3/per-booking and Sawyer at $189/month.
Does Airbnb or Sawyer run on more platforms?
Airbnb runs on Web. Sawyer runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Airbnb best used for?
Airbnb is most often used for short-term vacation rental hosting, property monetization, experience hosting on airbnb platform. Of those, short-term vacation rental hosting and property monetization are not what Sawyer is typically brought in for.
What can Airbnb do that Sawyer cannot?
Sawyer covers Class and camp registration, Memberships and class packs, Consumer marketplace, Auto-billing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Airbnb: What percentage does Airbnb charge hosts for accommodations?

Airbnb uses two models. The split-fee model charges 3 percent of nightly rates (4 percent for Brazil and Mexico). The single-fee model charges 15.5 percent of total payout (up to 16 percent in some regions).

Source
Sawyer: Is the Launch plan really free?

No. It has no monthly fee but charges 3 percent per transaction and requires a marketplace listing that takes 30 percent of marketplace orders.

Airbnb: When must Airbnb hosts use the single-fee model instead of split-fee?

Property management software users and hotel operators are required to use the single-fee model (15.5 percent of payout) rather than the split-fee option.

Source
Sawyer: Can I use Sawyer without the marketplace?

Yes, on Grow and Scale the listing is optional. On Launch it is required.

Airbnb: Do Airbnb host fees differ by country?

Yes. Brazil and Mexico hosts pay 4 percent under split-fee model and 16 percent under single-fee model, both 1 percent higher than rates in other regions.

Source
Sawyer: What does the marketplace commission apply to?

The full order value of bookings originating on hisawyer.com, not to bookings from your own website.

Airbnb: What percentage do guests pay when booking Airbnb experiences?

Guests pay approximately 20 percent service fee for Airbnb Experiences and 15 percent (minimum 6 USD) for service bookings, separate from host fees.

Source
Sawyer: Is there a contract?

Monthly plans are month to month with 30 days notice; annual billing saves roughly 5 to 14 percent depending on tier.

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