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Platform Comparison

What Campspot, Hipcamp, and Airbnb
actually charge you.

Real fees. Real complaints from real operators. And a calculator so you can see exactly what each platform takes from your bookings every month.

Based on verified pricing from each platform's published documentation. Last reviewed April 2026.

Interactive tool

How much is your current platform taking?

Enter your numbers below. See what each platform keeps versus what lands in your account.

Fee calculator

Enter your average nightly rate, number of bookings per month, and average stay length.

$
Your listed rate per night
Average number of reservations
Average nights per booking

Campspot figures include 10% marketplace commission + $3/booking fee + 2.5% credit card processing. Hipcamp figures reflect 15% host commission. Airbnb figures reflect 15.5% host-only fee (October 2025 pricing). Portage reflects $0 host commission — guest pays a 5.9% service fee separately.

Side by side

The full comparison.

Every fee, every policy, every support option — in one place.

Campspot Hipcamp Airbnb Portage (Free)
Monthly fee Subscription required $0 $0 $0
Commission per booking 10% + $3 per booking 15% (private)
12.5% (PMS)
15.5% host fee 0% — you keep your full rate
Credit card processing +2.5% additional Included in commission Included in fee Not applicable — you collect payment
Guest fee (paid by guest) Varies ~10–15% on top 14.1–16.5% on top 8% booking fee (guest pays, not you)
Rate parity required Reported by operators Yes — cannot price lower elsewhere Not formally enforced Never — price however you want
Annual contract Reported by operators No No No — cancel anytime
Phone support Limited — reported 5–7 day wait No — AI chatbot only No — help centre only Yes — real people, answer the phone
Listing control Operator-managed Hipcamp can pause/remove without notice Account suspension with limited appeal You approve everything before it goes live
Designed for campgrounds Yes Primarily US, limited Canadian focus No — urban hospitality product Yes — built for Canadian outdoor operators
Payout timing Not publicly documented Tuesday after checkout, 4–5 days (CA) ~24 hours after check-in Immediate — you collect payment directly
What operators actually say

Verified complaints from Capterra, Trustpilot, and the BBB.

These are documented, sourced reviews — not our interpretation.

Campspot Capterra — 4.7 / 5
  • "The price of Campspot keeps going up but the value keeps going down."
  • "Support response times of 5–7 days. Long callback waits. Chronic staff shortage."
  • "Seasonal campgrounds struggle with fixed costs during the off-season."
  • "Smaller parks can't compete for marketplace visibility against parks with 1,200 reviews."
  • "CSV rate update process is cumbersome and requires multiple attempts."

Source: Capterra verified reviews, April 2026

Hipcamp BBB — F rating
  • "My listing was paused with no explanation. My business was cut in half overnight."
  • "No phone support. The AI chatbot doesn't know anything."
  • "Waited over four weeks to reach a support person."
  • "Guests cancelled with no notice and I had no recourse."
  • "High guest-side fees make my listings less competitive than booking direct."

Source: BBB complaints + Trustpilot (5,900+ reviews), April 2026

Airbnb Not designed for campgrounds
  • "Airbnb removed the camping category filters in 2023 — our bookings dropped immediately."
  • "Account suspended with no clear explanation. No reactivation path."
  • "15.5% host fee as of October 2025 — plus the guest pays 14–16% on top."
  • "Designed for apartments, not campgrounds. Everything requires a workaround."
  • "Guests expect hotel-level amenities. Constant friction with outdoor stays."

Source: Airbnb host forums + documented platform changes, April 2026

What owners are searching

If you found this page through one of these searches — you're in the right place.

These are the actual searches Canadian and US campground operators run when they've had enough.

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Portage is free to start.

We send qualified booking leads to you at no cost. No monthly fee, no commission, no contract. Your rate stays exactly as you post it.

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