Direct bookings vs Viator and GetYourGuide: what commission costs

Viator does not publish a commission rate card. Booking software provider Ventrata reports that Viator commission is typically 20 to 30 per cent and agreed at sign-up.

GetYourGuide does not publish a commission rate. GetYourGuide says commission may vary by country, listing is free, and commission is charged only on successful bookings. Ask for the rate applicable to your business before using it in a forecast.

Your agreed rate is more useful than a general estimate. Check your supplier agreement, payout statements and correspondence about changes. Record the applicable rate against each tour and note any optional charges.

Arival reported that GetYourGuide told selected suppliers in June 2025 that their commission would rise from 20 to 30 per cent from July 2025. Arival also reported that some operators had the increase reversed after contacting support. That report does not establish a standard GetYourGuide rate.

• Ask which commission applies to each tour and when any change takes effect.
• Check whether an optional visibility programme changes your effective commission.
• Keep the agreed terms and reconcile them with actual payouts.
• Ask support to explain any deduction that does not match your records.

Do not assume another operator's commission is the rate you will pay. Use your own agreement and statements.

A direct booking avoids marketplace commission, but it is not free to process. Include payment processing, booking software and the cost of attracting the customer.

The comparison below uses published information and reported rates, not a quote for your business. Third-party prices are shown at the time of writing (November 2026); check each provider's current pricing before deciding.

Stripe's card fee depends on the card used. At the time of writing (November 2026), Stripe UK lists 1.5% plus 20p for standard UK cards, 1.9% plus 20p for premium UK cards, 2.5% plus 20p for EEA cards, and 3.25% plus 20p for international cards. Stripe also lists an additional 2% if currency conversion applies; check Stripe's current pricing.

Booking software adds its own fees, so ask your provider how charges apply to each booking. Also account for advertising, website work and time spent handling enquiries. A low processing fee does not show the whole cost of winning a sale.

Compare costs against the bookings each channel actually brings. A marketplace may help a guest discover your tour, while your website may help another guest book after hearing about you elsewhere. The useful question is what each route contributes after its relevant costs.

A lower transaction fee does not by itself show that a channel is more profitable. Compare the full cost of acquiring and servicing each booking.

In the illustrative example below, the marketplace sale leaves £45 and the direct sale leaves £57.10 before other costs. The result depends on the assumed commission, software fee and card type.

The marketplace example assumes a 25% commission. The direct example assumes a 3% booking software fee and Stripe's standard UK card fee, shown at the time of writing (November 2026). Neither assumed percentage is a quote for your business, and you should check current provider pricing.

The amounts left are not profit. The example excludes tour delivery, advertising, website costs, VAT treatment and any other charges. Use your own figures and actual card mix to make the comparison useful.

The marketplace calculation is an illustration, not a statement of either platform's agreed terms. For a Viator booking, also check the net rate and the retail price shown to the customer.

1. 1 Start with the amount paid for the ticket and identify the marketplace deduction or agreed net rate.
2. 2 For a direct sale, subtract the booking software fee and payment processing fee without counting the same charge twice.
3. 3 Subtract other relevant channel and delivery costs to assess the return for your business.

The £60 example is illustrative. Real commission, software charges, payment fees and other costs vary.

Price control and payout timing differ between Viator, GetYourGuide and your own website. Compare both the amount you receive and when you receive it.

Viator's updated supplier agreement from August 2026 gives Viator and its channel partners control over the final retail price shown to customers, while operators set a net rate. The same tour can consequently appear at different prices across sites. Check your agreement when setting and reviewing your Viator net rate.

GetYourGuide says suppliers control their availability and pricing. GetYourGuide pays suppliers monthly at no cost, or twice a month for a small surcharge, with payouts calculated as fulfilled bookings minus commission.

Viator pays monthly based on the month of travel, typically within 21 business days of the end of the period, as reported from Viator's operator resources. Build your cash flow forecast around travel and payout timing, not simply the date a customer books.

For your own website, check the payment and software arrangements you have chosen. Record when you expect the money, not just the amount shown on the booking confirmation. Keep enough detail to match each payout with the tours it covers.

• Record the retail price visible to customers and the net amount due to you.
• Check payout statements against completed tours, cancellations and agreed terms.
• Allow for the interval between delivering a tour and receiving a marketplace payout.
• Review the customer-facing price on your own website alongside marketplace prices.

A higher Viator commission can be one factor in placement, but it does not secure the top position. Viator says its default sort considers relevance, revenue to Viator and booking volume, among other factors.

Viator offers the optional Accelerate programme, which lets suppliers pay higher commission for better search placement. Skift reported commission of up to 50 per cent through the programme in 2023. Check current programme terms and your actual results before choosing a rate.

GetYourGuide names conversion, review score and volume, available dates and past revenue among its ranking factors. Conversion means the proportion of visitors who go on to book. GetYourGuide also says an empty calendar drops your position. A clear listing and accurate availability are sensible starting points, although neither secures a particular placement.

Treat paid visibility as a cost that needs its own assessment. Compare the extra amount paid with bookings and net return you can reasonably attribute to the programme. Remember that demand and placement can change for other reasons.

• Keep tour dates and availability accurate.
• Explain the experience, meeting point and inclusions clearly.
• Monitor listing performance and the commission deducted from payouts.
• Review optional paid visibility separately from your standard marketplace rate.

You can use the permitted marketplace contact route for relevant booking communication, but a booking is not automatic permission to send marketing. Check the platform's rules and the customer's permission before adding an address to a newsletter.

Viator can provide an encrypted relay email for operational needs, such as pick-up details, rather than the guest's real address. Bókun says the traveller-protected address expires 30 days after travel. Do not treat the relay as a lasting marketing contact.

GetYourGuide anonymises customer emails and permits messages from booking confirmation until 7 days after the activity. GetYourGuide says the messaging function cannot be used for multiple bookings or pre-booking enquiries. Operators may request a GetYourGuide review, but not reviews on other sites.

GetYourGuide's listing guidelines ban phone numbers, email addresses, website addresses and social media handles in free-text listing fields, as well as encouraging direct bookings. Essential operational contacts are allowed only in the Voucher Info field. Repeated or serious breaches can lead to suspension or termination. Airbnb also bans asking guests to communicate off-platform before booking, offering or asking for off-platform discounts, and rebooking Airbnb reservations off-platform.

The ICO says marketing emails to individuals generally need specific consent unless the soft opt-in conditions apply. The soft opt-in concerns people who bought, or negotiated to buy, a similar product or service from you and had a simple opportunity to opt out when their details were collected and in every message. The soft opt-in does not apply to new contacts such as bought-in lists.

• Use marketplace messages for the booking purposes permitted by that platform.
• If you want a guest to join your list, ask for a clear opt-in in person and explain what you will send.
• Keep a record of the permission and make opting out straightforward.
• Check the applicable marketplace terms before asking for reviews or encouraging another booking.
• Ask a qualified adviser if you are unsure whether a marketing route or the soft opt-in applies.

Do not copy a relay address or guest details into your mailing list simply because the guest took a tour. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.

VAT treatment depends on what you supply and how your business operates. Ask your accountant before treating a payout as profit or applying a margin calculation.

GOV.UK says businesses must use the Tour Operators' Margin Scheme when they act in their own name and resell bought-in travel services. Those services include accommodation, passenger transport, trips or excursions and tour guide services. VAT on those bought-in costs cannot be reclaimed.

GOV.UK says supplies you make yourself, such as your own staff or a vehicle you own or hire with your own driver, are taxed under normal VAT rules when sold on their own. If you mix in-house and bought-in elements, GOV.UK says they must all be accounted for under the margin scheme.

For a UK VAT-registered business buying services from outside the UK, GOV.UK says the reverse charge normally applies. The business accounts for the VAT itself, which usually nets to nothing unless it is partly exempt. The GOV.UK guidance does not mention marketplace commission specifically, so ask your accountant how the rule applies to your arrangements.

• Give your accountant supplier agreements, commission statements and payout records.
• Identify which tour elements you provide yourself and which you buy in.
• Ask how to account for each channel's fees and the VAT treatment of each product.
• Keep the accountant's explanation with your pricing and bookkeeping records.

Make the decision and booking process clear from the tour page. A visitor should understand the experience, check availability and find the booking action without asking a basic question.

Start with the practical details a guest needs before paying: where the tour starts, what is included, who it suits and what happens if plans change. Use your actual policies and keep the information consistent with your booking system. Explain any requirements in plain language so guests can decide whether the activity is right for them.

Photographs should show the activity and setting honestly. Add useful descriptions rather than relying on a gallery to explain what the customer will do. Choose images that answer questions about the route, group experience and meeting place where relevant.

Test the journey yourself on a phone and a computer. Check that dates, prices, confirmation messages and contact details are easy to understand. Ask someone unfamiliar with the tour to try the process and note where they hesitate.

Treat enquiries as a source of ideas for your tour pages. When guests regularly ask the same question, add a clear answer where future guests will see it before booking. Check that the answer matches your current arrangements.

• Give every bookable tour a clear title and a concise description of the experience.
• Show the meeting point, duration, inclusions, accessibility information and any requirements.
• Make availability and the total price easy to find before the customer commits.
• Place a clear booking action near the information needed to decide.
• Answer common questions about weather, cancellations and what to bring.
• Use accurate customer feedback where you have permission and the right to display it.
• Check the booking confirmation tells guests what happens next and how to contact you.

Google Things to do offers booking links without commission. VisitScotland says operators can connect through an approved connectivity partner, the Business Profile ticket editor or a direct integration.

Google says partners can list for free or advertise on Google Things to do, and strongly recommends a connectivity partner for individual operators. Things to do ads are charged per click, so keep advertising spend separate from the cost of a free booking link.

Ask your booking software provider whether and how it supports the connection, and what charges apply to your setup. At the time of writing (November 2026), provider prices can change, so check current pricing before committing.

Before promoting a direct link, make sure the linked page matches the tour a visitor expects. Check availability, price and booking instructions regularly. Record the bookings you can identify from the channel alongside any connection and advertising costs.

• Choose an available connection route and check its requirements.
• Confirm that the linked tour page has accurate availability and a clear booking action.
• Distinguish free booking links from paid Things to do advertising.
• Record connection, software and advertising costs when assessing the channel.

Keep marketplace channels that make sense for your business while improving the direct route. Measure the net return and customer journey rather than assuming every marketplace booking would have arrived another way.

Arival's survey of over 5,000 operators found online travel agencies' share of experience bookings rose from 28% in 2023 to 33% in 2024 and 37% in 2025, while the overall online share stayed at 60%. PhocusWire reported from Arival's data that bookings on operators' own websites fell from 29% in 2024 to 25% in 2025. Those figures describe the surveyed market, not what will happen to your business.

A marketplace can be useful for reach, particularly when you are new. A direct sale gives you your own customer relationship and lets you set your website price, subject to the terms and rules that apply to your business. Use both routes deliberately rather than treating the choice as all or nothing.

Keep your channel records simple enough to maintain. A consistent record of bookings, deductions and guest questions will be more useful than a detailed comparison you never update. Where the source of a booking is unclear, record that uncertainty rather than assigning it to a channel by guesswork.

1. 1 Gather your Viator, GetYourGuide and other channel agreements. Record rates, payout timing, cancellation terms and any optional visibility costs that apply.
2. 2 Calculate a realistic net amount for each tour and channel. Include payment, software and advertising costs where relevant, then account separately for delivery costs and VAT treatment.
3. 3 Check your website booking journey from a customer's point of view. Fix unclear prices, missing meeting details, confusing availability and unanswered questions.
4. 4 Connect suitable tours to Google Things to do using an available route. Check provider charges and keep any paid advertising budget visible in your records.
5. 5 Keep marketplace listings accurate and follow each platform's contact and listing rules. Maintain availability you can actually fulfil.
6. 6 Invite interested guests to opt in to your own communications, with a clear explanation and a simple way to leave the list.
7. 7 Review bookings, net amounts, cancellations and customer questions by channel. Use the evidence to improve pages, adjust spending or ask a provider about your terms.

The most common mistake is comparing marketplace commission with a direct sale that has been treated as free. A fair comparison includes the costs needed to win, process and deliver a booking.

Another mistake is assuming a marketplace guest can be moved straight into your marketing list. Platform contact rules and email marketing requirements are separate checks.

Avoid making a decision from a single payout or a general industry rate. Review your own agreements, actual booking mix and the time you spend supporting each channel.

Do not overlook cancellation work. Viator says operators must tell travellers about cancellations or changes started by the operator, because Viator will never contact those travellers directly about them.

• Treating the amount left after commission as profit, before tour and business costs.
• Using a reported typical Viator rate as if it were your agreed rate.
• Assuming GetYourGuide has a published standard commission.
• Ignoring card type, software fees or paid advertising costs on direct sales.
• Paying for placement without checking the resulting cost and bookings.
• Putting prohibited contact details or direct booking prompts in GetYourGuide listing fields.
• Adding marketplace guests to a newsletter without checking permission and applicable rules.
• Waiting for Viator to notify guests about an operator-started cancellation.
• Closing a useful marketplace channel before understanding the bookings and net return it provides.