What you'll get from this guide
- 2026 turnover rate benchmarks by property size and market tier
- Flat-rate formula vs hourly — which wins for STR and why
- Add-on pricing: restocking, laundry, deep cleans, emergency turnovers
Why STR Cleaning Rates Are Higher Than Regular Residential
If you're charging the same for a turnover clean as a standard residential clean, you're underpriced. Three reasons STR rates should run 30–50% higher:
- Speed premium — you're working a 3-hour window with zero flexibility. Guests check in at 3pm whether or not the previous guests were messy.
- Restocking and setup — you're not just cleaning, you're staging. Towel folds, amenity restocks, coffee setup. That's labor and materials the residential price doesn't cover.
- Photo documentation and reporting — before and after photos, condition reports, and property manager communication add real time to every job.
If a residential client wants a slightly different level of clean, they call you. If a property manager's guest checks in to a dirty bathroom, they leave a 1-star review and the manager loses a booking. The stakes are higher. The price should reflect that.
Flat Rate vs Hourly: Which Pricing Model Wins for STR
Always price STR turnovers as a flat rate. Here's why hourly pricing loses:
With hourly pricing, your margin collapses when guests trash the place. A standard 2BR might take 2.5 hours — but a post-party 2BR after a holiday weekend takes 4. If you're hourly, you eat the difference or have an uncomfortable conversation with the manager.
Flat rate pricing forces you to think in terms of the property, not the hour. You price it based on the typical clean, build in a margin buffer for messier-than-average stays, and protect yourself with add-ons for the exceptions (post-party, deep clean).
Property managers also prefer flat rate. They're budgeting their operating costs per property — a flat rate makes their accounting simpler and removes the risk of surprise invoices.
2026 Airbnb Turnover Rate Benchmarks
| Property Size | Budget Market | Mid-Range Market | Premium / Urban Market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1BR | $75–$95 | $95–$130 | $130–$180 |
| 2BR | $110–$140 | $140–$180 | $180–$240 |
| 3BR | $150–$190 | $190–$250 | $250–$330 |
| 4BR | $200–$260 | $260–$340 | $340–$450 |
| 5BR+ | $280–$350 | $350–$450 | $450–$600+ |
Budget market = smaller cities, lower cost of living. Premium/urban = NYC, SF, Miami Beach, Napa, ski towns, and other high-demand STR markets. Rates in premium markets can run higher — charge what the market supports.
Add-On Pricing That Protects Your Margin
Add-ons aren't upsells — they're margin protection. Without them, exceptional situations (post-party cleans, emergency same-day turnovers) destroy your profitability on those jobs.
Present these to property managers upfront on your rate card. When they're disclosed before the first job, there's no friction when you invoice for them.
STR Cleaning Add-On Pricing
| Add-On Service | Recommended Pricing | When to Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Restocking (towels, toiletries, coffee) | $15–$35 flat | Every clean with consumables |
| On-site laundry per load | $20–$40 | When laundry is on-site vs drop-off |
| Same-day / emergency turnover (<4hr notice) | +$30–$50 or +25% | Any last-minute checkout |
| Deep clean (between long stays or seasonal) | 1.8–2.5x base rate | After 30+ day stay or quarterly |
| Post-party / damage assessment | 2.5–3x base + damage report | Post-event, visible damage |
| Window cleaning | $5–$10 per window | Separate request |
| Patio / balcony | $25–$50 | Outdoor furniture reset |
| Before/after photo condition report | Included or $15 add-on | Every clean (include in base) |
How to Present Pricing to a Property Manager
Property managers see dozens of cleaner pitches. How you present pricing determines whether you win the account — even when competitors are cheaper.
Send a one-page rate card. Flat rates by bedroom, add-on menu, and what's always included (supplies, photos, completion notification). Don't make them ask for pricing — it signals you're not serious about STR work.
Include what's always included. Property managers care most about: reliability, proof it's done, and no surprises. Your rate card should make all three obvious.
Offer a trial clean at base rate. "Let us do one turnover and you'll see the difference" removes the risk for a new manager. Most convert to recurring after the first clean if you execute well.
Never negotiate on base rate. Negotiate on volume discounts (5+ properties) or trial incentives — but don't let a manager talk you down on your standard per-property rate. Discounting signals that your standard rate was inflated.
Want this running automatically?
ServiceHub automates follow-ups, reminders, and booking confirmations so nothing falls through the cracks.
How to Raise Your STR Rates Without Losing Accounts
Rate increases are inevitable — supply costs go up, labor goes up, and your efficiency gains over time should be rewarded. How you raise rates determines whether you keep accounts.
- Give 30 days notice in writing — never surprise a property manager mid-month
- Frame around cost increases: "Supply and labor costs have increased 15–18% since we started working together"
- Raise new accounts immediately — only grandfather existing clients for one billing cycle
- Offer to absorb the increase on high-volume accounts (5+ properties) in exchange for a longer commitment
- The right property managers won't leave over a $15–20 increase if your reliability is solid. The ones who do weren't profitable accounts anyway.
How ServiceHub Makes Billing STR Accounts Friction-Free
Flat-rate billing, add-on tracking, and property manager invoicing — all handled automatically so your admin time drops to near zero.
- Per-Property Rate Cards: Set flat rates and add-ons per property. Every job invoices automatically at the correct rate without manual entry.
- Add-On Tracking: When your team logs restocking or an emergency turnover fee in the job, it flows to the invoice automatically — no chasing receipts.
- Recurring Billing Per Account: Set up recurring invoicing for property managers with multiple listings. One invoice per manager, itemized by property.
- Rate Increase Workflow: Update a property's rate card once and every future invoice reflects the new rate — no manual edits per job.
Ready to set up flat-rate billing for your STR accounts?
Start a free ServiceHub trial and create your first property rate card today.
?FAQ: Airbnb Cleaning Rates
What is the average Airbnb cleaning fee in 2026?▼
Should I charge more for weekend turnovers?▼
How do I price a STR deep clean?▼
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Track add-ons and invoice automatically
ServiceHub handles per-property rates, add-on billing, and recurring invoices for STR accounts.
Keep Reading
See the full STR business guide in our Airbnb cleaning business playbook.
Get the room-by-room checklist in our Airbnb cleaning checklist.
Compare to residential pricing in our house cleaning pricing guide.
See how to raise prices without losing clients in our cleaning price increase guide.