Thinking about switching a property between Airbnb and a traditional lease? Enter what you would realistically charge, the costs that only apply to short-term renting, and your expected long-term rent and vacancy. The calculator compares monthly net income side by side and shows the short-term occupancy you would need just to match the long-term option.
Replace the example figures with your own. Leave anything that doesn’t apply at 0.
Both sides are converted to an average month (365 ÷ 12 = 30.4 nights) so they can be compared directly.
Break-even occupancy is the short-term occupancy at which both nets are equal. Taxes on income are not included because they depend on your situation.
The gap is usually smaller than headline revenue suggests. Short-term gross can look two or three times higher than rent, but platform fees, cleaning, utilities and supplies close much of that gap.
Watch the break-even occupancy. If it sits close to the occupancy you expect, a slow season or a few weeks of maintenance can wipe out the advantage. A comfortable gap gives you room for error.
Price your time. A long-term let needs little week-to-week work. Short-term renting means messages, turnovers, pricing and calendar management. If you would hand that to a co-host, enter their fee so the comparison is fair.
Check local short-term rental rules, permits and your mortgage or lease terms before switching. This tool does not assess legality.
At $175 a night, 60% occupancy and 3.5-night stays, the short-term option nets about $520 a month after a 15.5% platform fee, $90 turnovers, $650 of STR-only costs and $1,500 of shared costs. A $2,200 lease with three vacant weeks a year and an 8% letting fee nets about $307. Short-term comes out roughly $213 a month ahead, and only matches the lease at around 55% occupancy.
No. It only uses the nightly rate and occupancy you enter. For a realistic estimate, use your own booking history or comparable listings in your area, and test a cautious occupancy as well as an optimistic one.
You can. Costs you pay either way, like the mortgage or property tax, don’t change which option is better, but including them shows your actual monthly cash flow. Set shared costs to 0 if you only want to compare income.
Furniture, linens and setup are one-off costs for short-term renting. Spread them over the months you expect them to last and add that amount to STR-only monthly costs.
See monthly and annual profit, margin, RevPAR and break-even occupancy.
Open tool →Revenue & PerformanceSee what a co-host or manager costs under different fee models.
Open tool →Pricing & CalendarWork out the true turnover cost and a break-even cleaning fee.
Open tool →Revenue & PerformanceEstimate Airbnb’s service fee and your payout under either fee structure.
Open tool →Thrive Hosts runs the day-to-day side for owners who want short-term income without becoming full-time hosts: listing, pricing, guest messages and turnover coordination.
Estimates are based on the numbers you enter and are not a guarantee of future short-term rental performance. Check local rules and your financing terms before changing how a property is rented.