How do I read my Airbnb earnings CSV (gross earnings versus payout)?
Airbnb's earnings report shows each booking's gross earnings, the host service fee taken from it, any cleaning fee and taxes withheld, so the payout is gross earnings less the fee and any adjustments. Keep gross earnings and the service fee as separate lines in your books, then match each payout to its bank deposit.
By StayPerk Team · Last checked · Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com details checked against the sources below
How to download and read it
- On a computer, open Today, then Menu, then Earnings.
- Choose Paid for money already sent to you, or Upcoming for booked stays, then filter by listing, payout method and dates.
- Choose Get report, pick the data fields you want, and create the report as a CSV file.
- Read one row per booking: gross earnings, then the host service fee, the cleaning fee and any taxes withheld. Column names follow the fields you picked.
- Match payouts to your bank by date. One payout can cover several bookings, and refunds or adjustments show as their own rows.
One booking, line by line
| Line | Amount | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Nightly price times nights | $880.00 | The rent for the stay |
| Cleaning fee | $120.00 | What the guest paid for cleaning |
| Gross earnings | $1,000.00 | Rent plus fees you charged, before Airbnb's fee |
| Host service fee | -$155.00 | Airbnb's fee, taken from your payout |
| Payout | $845.00 | What Airbnb sends to your bank for this booking |
A made-up four-night booking on Airbnb's single fee (15.5%)
Nightly price times nights
- Amount
- $880.00
- What it means
- The rent for the stay
Cleaning fee
- Amount
- $120.00
- What it means
- What the guest paid for cleaning
Gross earnings
- Amount
- $1,000.00
- What it means
- Rent plus fees you charged, before Airbnb's fee
Host service fee
- Amount
- -$155.00
- What it means
- Airbnb's fee, taken from your payout
Payout
- Amount
- $845.00
- What it means
- What Airbnb sends to your bank for this booking
Taxes withheld are shown as their own amount for each earning. Your report may also show adjustments, resolution payments and refunds as separate rows.
Adding up bank deposits alone hides the fees you paid and mixes several bookings into one number. Keeping gross earnings and the host service fee apart gives your accountant the income and the cost, and makes it easy to see what each listing earned.
See an imported year in StayPerk Books
Sample StayPerk Books for one year, built from made-up data: Airbnb earnings imported from the CSV, expenses by property and category, and profit and loss by month.
What StayPerk does here
StayPerk Books imports your Airbnb earnings CSV, keeps income and expenses by property, and exports the year for your accountant. It's free.
It isn't tax advice and it doesn't file anything. Ask your accountant how to report rental income where you live.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't my Airbnb payout match my gross earnings?
The payout is gross earnings less Airbnb's host service fee and any adjustments, and one payout can cover several bookings. Match each payout to the bookings it covers.
Is the cleaning fee income?
It is part of what guests paid you, so it is in gross earnings. What you pay your cleaner is a separate expense.
Can I download the report on my phone?
Airbnb's help page describes the steps on a computer: Today, Menu, Earnings, then Get report.
Still have a question?
Write to us and a person will reply, or look it up in the Help Center.
Sources
- Export your earnings to a CSV file - Airbnb Help Center
- Airbnb service fees - Airbnb Help Center
- QuickBooks setup for STR - BiggerPockets