If you run 20, 50 or 150 short-term rentals or hotel rooms, at some point pricing becomes too important to fit around other jobs. There are three ways to handle it: hire a revenue manager, outsource the work, or rely on pricing software and do it yourself. This page sets out what each costs in 2026, using published salary data, software prices and competitor fees, with a worked example for a 30-listing and a 100-listing portfolio.
Figures are in US dollars unless stated. Check the sources at the end of the page before you rely on them.
Revenue manager salaries in 2026
United States
- Revenue managers across all industries average US$86,297 base salary, with most between $60,000 and $124,000 plus bonuses of $1,000 to $18,000 (PayScale, May 2026).
- Hotel revenue managers average around US$53,000 base, ranging from $31,000 to $81,000 (PayScale, September 2026, small sample).
- A current vacation rental revenue manager role for a multi-market luxury portfolio advertises US$85,000 to $95,000 plus health, dental and vision cover.
Portfolio-level short-term rental roles usually pay more than property-level hotel roles because they cover many markets and report to owners.
United Kingdom
- Revenue managers average about £38,600 base, with most between £29,000 and £73,000 (PayScale, small sample, last updated September 2025).
Australia
- Estimates vary by source. PayScale shows an average of about A$73,000 (January 2026). Salaries advertised on SEEK average around A$120,000 in several cities (October 2026), and some of those figures include super.
The on-costs on top of salary
Salary is not the full cost of an employee.
- US: benefits make up about 30% of total compensation for private-sector employees (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2026). A US$90,000 salary costs roughly US$128,000 once benefits and payroll taxes are included.
- UK: employer National Insurance is 15% of earnings above £5,000 from April 2026, plus a minimum 3% pension contribution on qualifying earnings. On a £38,600 salary that adds about £6,000.
- Australia: the superannuation guarantee is 12% of ordinary earnings. Payroll tax applies once your total wage bill passes your state’s threshold (A$1.3 million in Queensland), plus workers’ compensation insurance.
Then there are costs that do not show up on a payslip: recruiting, the months before a new hire knows your portfolio, management time, and cover when they take leave or resign. A revenue manager also needs tools. They still need pricing software and market data.
What the software costs
Pricing software is the cheapest option, but someone still has to run it.
| Tool | Published price (2026) |
|---|---|
| PriceLabs | From $19.99 per listing per month for one listing, falling to about $7.99 at 25 listings. Portfolio plans from about $499 per month at 60+ units. Hotels from $19.99 per room per month (as of Oct 2026; check PriceLabs’ plans page for current prices) |
| Wheelhouse | 1% of booking revenue, or $19.99 per listing per month flat ($16.99 at 10-49 listings) |
| Beyond | 1% (Growth) or 1.25% (Pro) of bookings, plus a free plan and Enterprise (as of Oct 2026) |
| AirDNA | Pro plans from about $125 per month; business plans quoted |
| RoomPriceGenie (hotels) | Quote-based, per property by room count, on an annual commitment (as of Oct 2026) |
Software sets prices from rules you choose. It does not decide whether your base price is wrong, notice an owner’s floor costing them bookings, or explain to an owner why their rate dropped.
What outsourcing costs
Outsourced revenue management comes in a few pricing models:
- Per listing per month: published boutique rates range from about $60 to $350 per listing per month (for example Hostlyft from about $60 per unit at 10 to 19 units, Revande $130 to $199, RevFactor $350 for 1 to 5 properties).
- Percentage of revenue: PriceLabs says outsourced revenue managers usually charge 5% to 8% of revenue for small portfolios and 1% to 3% for larger ones.
- Custom quotes: several larger providers do not publish prices and require a call.
Check whether the fee includes software, setup, and how long you are locked in.
Worked example: 30 and 100 listings
This example assumes each listing earns US$50,000 in gross booking revenue a year, for illustration. That gives US$1.5 million for 30 listings and US$5 million for 100.
| Option | 30 listings, per year | Share of revenue | 100 listings, per year | Share of revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PriceLabs only (your team runs it) | about $2,900 plus staff time | 0.2% | about $7,200 plus staff time | 0.1% |
| Revenue-share software (Wheelhouse or Beyond at 1% to 1.25%) | $15,000 to $18,750 plus staff time | 1% to 1.25% | $50,000 to $62,500 plus staff time | 1% to 1.25% |
| Full-time revenue manager (US, $90,000 base) | about $134,000 | 8.9% | about $138,000 | 2.8% |
| Outsourced, per-listing providers | about $21,600 to $46,800 plus software | 1.4% to 3.1% | about $72,000 to $156,000 plus software | 1.4% to 3.1% |
| Outsourced at 1% to 3% of revenue | $15,000 to $45,000 | 1% to 3% | $50,000 to $150,000 | 1% to 3% |
| Airyield | $22,500 | 1.5% | $75,000 | 1.5% |
The in-house figure includes benefits, PriceLabs and a market data subscription. It does not include recruiting costs or cover for leave. The Airyield row treats the $50,000 per listing as accommodation revenue, which is what our fee is charged on.
What the numbers show
At 30 listings, a full-time hire costs close to 9% of gross revenue, three to six times as much as outsourcing. At 100 listings the costs are similar, so the decision depends less on price and more on what happens when that one person is sick, on leave or resigns. Industry guides suggest most property managers move to a first in-house revenue manager somewhere between 75 and 200 units, often keeping outsourced support alongside.
How to choose
Software alone suits you if you have fewer than about 15 listings in one or two markets and someone with time to review settings weekly.
Outsourcing suits you if you have 15 to roughly 150 listings, several markets, or owners who expect clear reporting, and you do not want pricing to depend on one employee.
Hiring suits you if you have a large portfolio, enough work for a full-time role, and the management capacity to supervise a specialist. Many operators at this size still outsource part of the work for cover and a second opinion.
What Airyield costs
Airyield charges 1.5% of booking revenue, with no monthly minimum. Booking revenue means accommodation revenue (your nightly rates), not cleaning fees or taxes. That covers daily management of your PriceLabs account, morning market checks on every listing, a revenue manager approving every change before it goes live, a weekly call, a monthly review and a live dashboard. Your PriceLabs subscription stays in your name and is billed separately by PriceLabs. No setup fee. No lock-in contract: cancel any time with 30 days’ notice. See pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Airbnb revenue manager cost?
Outsourced Airbnb and vacation rental revenue managers usually charge either a flat $60 to $350 per listing per month or a percentage of revenue (often 1% to 3% for larger portfolios and 5% to 8% for small ones). A full-time employee costs roughly $85,000 to $95,000 base in the US before benefits.
What is the average revenue manager salary?
In the US, about $86,000 base across industries and about $53,000 for hotel revenue managers (PayScale, 2026). In the UK about £38,600 and in Australia roughly A$73,000 to A$120,000 depending on the source.
At what portfolio size should I hire a revenue manager?
There is no fixed number. Guides commonly put the first full-time hire somewhere between 75 and 200 units, earlier if you operate in many markets or have varied property types. See when to hire a revenue manager.
Is pricing software enough on its own?
For a small portfolio with time to review it, often yes. Software applies the rules you give it. It will not tell you when those rules are wrong.
Do outsourced revenue managers include the software cost?
It varies. Many work inside your own PriceLabs account and you pay the subscription. Ask before you sign.
Is there a cheaper way to get expert help without full outsourcing?
Yes. A one-off consultant or setup service can configure your software and train your team. See revenue management consultant.
Related: Pricing · Revenue management for property managers · Hotel revenue management · PriceLabs management · Get a free revenue audit
Sources
- PayScale, Revenue Manager salary (US): payscale.com
- PayScale, Hotel Revenue Manager salary (US): payscale.com
- Better Talent, Remote Revenue Manager (property management) job ad: bettertalentinc.catsone.com
- PayScale, Revenue Manager salary (UK, last updated September 2025): payscale.com
- PayScale, Revenue Manager salary (Australia): payscale.com
- SEEK, Revenue Manager salary (Sydney): au.seek.com
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, compensation costs, June 2026: bls.gov
- IRIS, employer National Insurance contributions guide: iris.co.uk
- Moorepay, automatic enrollment rates: moorepay.co.uk
- business.gov.au, superannuation: business.gov.au
- Queensland Revenue Office, payroll tax rates and thresholds: qro.qld.gov.au
- Rakidzich, how much PriceLabs costs in 2026: rakidzich.com
- Wheelhouse pricing: usewheelhouse.com
- STR Specialist, Wheelhouse review: strspecialist.com
- PricingSaaS, Beyond pricing (October 5, 2026): pricingsaas.com
- bnbcalc, Beyond Pricing review 2026: bnbcalc.com
- STR Specialist, AirDNA review: strspecialist.com
- RoomPriceGenie pricing: roompricegenie.com
- RevFactor, best STR revenue management companies 2026: revfactor.io
- Revande: revande.com
- PriceLabs, Airbnb revenue manager: hello.pricelabs.co
- RedAwning, vacation rental revenue manager in-house vs outsourced: redawning.com
PriceLabs, Wheelhouse, Beyond, AirDNA, RoomPriceGenie, Hostlyft, Revande and RevFactor are trademarks of their respective owners. Airyield is an independent company and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them. Prices and salaries are taken from public sources as at October 21, 2026 and may have changed.