This is one of those questions that sounds simple until you actually try to answer it, because "commission" gets used to describe two genuinely different payment models depending on who you're working with.
Two Different Models: Commission vs. Markup
A traditional travel agent working through a supplier contract or host agency typically earns a commission - a fixed percentage (often 8-15%) that the hotel or supplier pays out after the guest's stay, on top of the retail rate the guest already paid.
A hotel reseller working through a B2B platform like FindBestStay usually works on a markup model instead: you're given a wholesale (net) rate, and you decide what to actually charge your customer on top of it. The difference between the wholesale rate and your sale price is your margin - and unlike fixed commission, you control it directly.
Neither model is objectively better - markup gives you more control over your income per booking, while fixed commission is simpler to predict but leaves the pricing decision entirely with the supplier.
When Does the Money Actually Land?
For markup-based reselling, this is usually straightforward: you collect payment from your customer at time of booking (or per whatever terms you set), and you owe the wholesale rate to the platform - your margin is effectively realised immediately, not held until after checkout the way traditional supplier commission often is.
Traditional commission, by contrast, is frequently paid only after the guest has completed their stay, and sometimes with a further delay for the supplier's own payment cycle. This is one of the underrated advantages of the reseller/markup model if cash flow matters to your business - which, for most small agencies, it does.
What Affects Your Margin
A few things actually move the needle on how much you keep per booking:
- How far in advance you book. Wholesale rates fluctuate with hotel occupancy just like retail rates do - booking earlier for well-known travel dates (holidays, major events) generally gives more room between wholesale and a realistic retail price.
- Your positioning. A reseller competing purely on "cheapest price" has to keep margins thin to stay competitive against public OTA rates. One offering something extra - local knowledge, corporate account management, bundled services - can justify a healthier margin without losing the booking.
- Volume and relationship, over time. Higher-volume accounts sometimes get access to better wholesale rates as the relationship develops, directly widening the available margin.
See real wholesale rates before you decide on pricing
Sign up free and check actual margins on the destinations you're planning to sell.
Which Model Is FindBestStay?
FindBestStay works on the markup model - you get wholesale rates and set your own price, rather than waiting on a fixed post-stay commission. If you're weighing this against a more traditional host agency setup, this is usually the biggest practical difference: you get paid on your own schedule instead of the supplier's, and you control your margin instead of a fixed percentage being set for you.
For the bigger picture on getting started as a reseller in the first place, see our guide on how to become a hotel reseller.
