Evolving Our Pricing to Power the Next Chapter of Dtravel
We’ve realized our customers have different needs, and the tools and infrastructure that power a global direct booking platform require ongoing investment. Our goal is to build a pricing structure that is sustainable for the long term.
From day one, Dtravel has existed to give property managers more control, lower fees, and stronger alignment through its innovative direct booking infrastructure. Our simple, flat 3% fee structure played a crucial role in building early trust and momentum. As Dtravel's customer base grows, along with their pain points, updating our pricing model allows us to build the features our customers need while continuing to make it accessible for those who don't need the full feature set.
To meet our customers' needs across their diverse businesses, we're introducing a more flexible, scalable structure that continues to prioritize affordability, transparency, and host ownership.
Here’s what’s changing, and what stays the same.
Why We're Evolving Our Pricing
Our original 3% flat fee helped shape Dtravel’s early growth. It was simple and powered by the belief that hosts should have an easy path to getting started with direct bookings.
As we scale, our pricing needs to evolve with us. We’ve realized our customers have different needs, and the tools and infrastructure that power a global direct booking platform require ongoing investment. Our goal is to build a pricing structure that is:
- Sustainable for the long term
- Flexible enough to support hosts and property managers of all sizes
- Aligned with the value each feature or service provides
What’s Changing and When
Phase 1 – May: Smarter, Source-Based Fees
Starting now, we’re moving to a referral-based fee structure:
- 3% for direct bookings: Guests who find your listing organically or who you work with directly.
- 9% for referred bookings: Guests brought to your listing through Dtravel’s distribution channels, such as Google VR, Metasearch, Collectives (coming soon), and more.
This allows us to invest in more partnerships and demand channels that bring you bookings,while still keeping fees reasonable without the burden of a monthly subscription.
Phase 2 – Summer 2025: Tiered Plans & Givebacks
This summer, we’ll launch new Pay-As-You-Go and Premium plans:
- PAYG: Keep it lean with essential features.
- Premium: Unlock advanced tools like AI-powered landing pages, deposit management, auto-payment rules, and more through a monthly subscription.
We’ll also begin rolling out our updated staking and TRVL giveback program to reward community members and align long-term incentives.
Phase 3 – Fall 2025: More Rewards, More Tools
Later this year, we’ll introduce:
- Volume-based discounts for customers with high monthly transaction volumes
- Continuous expansion of Premium features, shaped by customer feedback
We’re building for scale, and that means giving a voice and perks to those helping shape the future of short-term rentals.
What Stays the Same
Even as our pricing model evolves, the core of Dtravel remains unchanged:
- Direct bookings will always have the best margins
- No hidden fees, no surprise charges
- True community ownership and a roadmap guided by community feedback
What’s Next
There’s no action required for Phase 1,your new fee rates will be applied automatically based on booking source.
For future changes, we’ll provide clear updates, detailed walkthroughs, and hands-on support to ensure a smooth transition.
We’re excited for what’s ahead and grateful to be building this with you. Your trust and feedback are what make Dtravel possible.