How to Find the Perfect Airbnb Co-Host: A Complete Co-Host Guide

If you’ve ever handled an Airbnb on your own, we’re sure that you truly understand how hard it is to keep up with everything. All of these different tasks can quickly become overwhelming, which is where having a co-host comes in handy.

We personally have co-hosts or are co-hosts in a handful of our properties. Let us be the first ones to tell you that having a co-host makes running a successful Airbnb, that much easier.

Whether you're a hands-off host or need assistance with day-to-day operations, selecting a trustworthy and capable partner can make all the difference. To help you out, we’ve created this guide discussing how to find the perfect co-host for your Airbnb, along with a few tips and tricks on selecting a suitable candidate.

What is an Airbnb Co-Host?

A co-host is more like your right-hand man for your Airbnb rental. Consider it a partnership, where the co-host assists you with all the tasks related to your listing. As the owner, you’re still the one in control, but your co-host helps you steer your ship. When you work with a co-host, you have an extra pair of hands and an extra pair of eyes to deal with all the minutiae. This is a game-changer, particularly if you own several rentals or have a hectic schedule.

Communication is key in the Airbnb world, and this is where co-hosts can be very helpful. They can communicate with guests from the moment they inquire about your place to the moment they check out. The co-host actively engages with guests—answering their questions and providing valuable local tips. They fix the problems that inevitably come up and make it a pleasant experience for everyone.

From an earnings perspective, co-hosts typically are paid a fee for their services. You can set a percentage of the nightly rate, most commonly between 10% and 20%. You might agree on a flat fee for each month. This flexibility allows you and your co-host to find a setup that works best for both of you. It all depends on the rate you both agree upon.

Benefits of Hiring a Co-Host For Your Airbnb

At this point, it's pretty obvious that hiring a co-host gives you a partner to rely on. Here are a few more benefits that you can achieve when you get a co-host for your short-term rental:

• Saves You Time: One of the main benefits of having an Airbnb co-host is that it saves you a lot of time. When you share the responsibilities with someone else, you don’t have to handle everything by yourself.
• Provides an Insight Into the Local Community: If you ask us, we highly recommend only hiring a co-host within the location of your rental. This not only ensures that they can keep a close eye on your business but also have insider tips and knowledge on how to cater to the locals. This can improve your overall guest experience and lead to better reviews and more bookings.
• Improved Maintenance: It’s fairly typical for co-hosts to handle the cleaning and maintenance of your rental. This can lead to better overall cleaning quality, especially if you hand them a cleaning checklist to follow. However, even if you opt to hire a cleaning service, having a co-host to be there to monitor them and ensure that no stone gets left unturned.
• Ensures Guest Satisfaction: A huge part of a co-host’s responsibilities is handling the guests. Having someone dedicated to improving guest interactions and ensuring that they are happy during their stay is one of the benefits that co-hosts provide.
• Provides Flexibility for Hosts: Since a co-host takes over most of your day-to-day tasks, you’ll be left with more time and energy to pursue other matters. Having a co-host ensures that you’re leaving your rental in capable hands, even if you aren’t always there to monitor it.
• Can Equip You With Knowledge About Airbnbs: If you’re just beginning your journey as an Airbnb host, we highly recommend hiring a co-host to help you out, specifically one with a proven track record. It can enable you to absorb all of the knowledge they have about the Airbnb industry while ensuring that your rental remains on the right track. It’s an invaluable asset and you’re essentially getting a mentor and a partner in one.

Do You Need a Co-Host?

Now, you might be caught in the middle of deciding whether to hire a co-host or push through with managing the rental yourself. To help you out, here are a few reasons and considerations you should think about when making a decision.

• You’re Feeling Overwhelmed: One of the main reasons that should make you think about getting a co-host is when you’re starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by the amount of tasks you need to do. A co-host relieves you of this burden and shares those tasks with you. Don’t overlook the potential of being burnt out when running your Airbnb since this can reflect on the property and lead to the failure of the business if you’re not careful.
• You’re a Remote Host: Another fantastic reason for hiring a co-host is when you aren’t always around to manage your rental. It’s going to be impractical and a drag for you to constantly monitor your business if you don’t live close by. Luckily, a co-host can save the day.
• You Want To Expand Your Portfolio: Our team has a 25-wide Airbnb portfolio, and honestly, we can’t imagine what it would be like to manage everything alone. While property management software like Hospitable or Guesty can greatly help, it still can’t replace the help of extra hands. It’s a no-brainer to hire a co-host for your rentals if you’re looking to expand your portfolio.
• Unpredictable Schedule: Aside from managing our Airbnbs, our team is also busy with other businesses, does the BNBCalc Airbnb calculator ring a bell? This can lead to unexpected meetings and events throughout the week where we simply can’t keep up with the demand for our rentals. The easy solution is to get a co-host to handle everything you can’t.

How to Find Airbnb Co-Hosts

So, you've decided that hiring a co-host is the right move. Well, how do you find one that’s right for you? Let’s go through it, piece by piece.

1. From The Airbnb Platform

Before we go further, let’s first take a look within the Airbnb platform itself. Airbnb recently launched a Co-Host Marketplace that helps hosts find reliable professionals to manage guests and set up their listings for them. The great thing about it is that you handle everything within one platform, making it easy to find and hire co-hosts.

However, this new feature isn’t globally available yet. It’s currently restricted to the following countries:

• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Mexico
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States

We’ve heard that Airbnb plans to expand this service to additional countries in 2025. If your rental is located in one of the countries listed above, we highly recommend checking out the Airbnb Co-Host Marketplace.

2. Search For Co-Hosts in Local Communities

A channel many might not consider are local communities or groups found on social media platforms. Groups on Facebook, Subreddits on Reddit, and threads on BiggerPockets can provide reliable and experienced local co-host candidates.

You might even want to expand your search to Instagram or TikTok since professionals sometimes create profiles and advertise their services there as well. Local Airbnb threads can also be a great resource if the new Co-Host Marketplace feature isn’t available for you yet.

3. Find Co-Hosts Using Online Job Platforms

The final place where you can consistently find highly skilled and dependable co-hosts are the various online job platforms. One of the first stops you should make is on LinkedIn. Simply search for “Co-Host” followed by your location, and you can easily find a handful of excellent candidates.

To take this step a little further, platforms like CoHostMarket can connect you with local professionals who have already gone through a rigorous background check for your safety. Check out our full CohostMarket review if you want to learn more about the platform.

You can even find some luck on freelance sites like Craiglist, Fiverr, or Upwork, depending on your area.

How to Choose the Right Co-Host

The next step is trimming the candidates down and choosing the right co-host for your Airbnb business. The ideal co-host should align with your goals, offer reliable support, and maintain your property’s standards.

Factors You Should Consider When Hiring a Co-Host

Here are a couple of different criteria we personally look for when finding a suitable co-host.

• Experience: This is one of the top things you should look at when searching for a candidate. While new co-hosts can offer different perspectives and come at cheaper rates, experience is something money cannot buy. This becomes more valuable to beginner hosts.
• Communication Skills: One of the most important things a co-host should possess is great communication skills. They’ll be handling the guest communication and interactions, so having excellent people skills is a must. We highly recommend conducting an interview to get a better understanding of how they interact with other people.
• Reliability and Reviews: As an owner, we need a co-host that we know we can always rely on, especially since we aren’t always going to be there to assist them. A proven track record backed by a fantastic resume and excellent reviews is something we always look for.
• Local Knowledge: A co-host familiar with the area can improve guest recommendations and logistics. You can quiz them and ask them about specific scenarios to see how much they know about the local landscape.
• Availability: We think this is a crucial thing to know, especially if you’re going for a more hands-off approach. What’s the point of hiring a co-host if they can’t be there, right? This is also why it’s important to hire one within the vicinity of your rental.
• Service Scope: Finally, make sure to ask them about the services they offer. Ideally, you’d want a co-host who is knowledgeable about everything needed to run an Airbnb business. Of course, you aren’t going to offload all of the tasks to them, but it can be a lifesaver in very specific cases. Just make sure you’re both on the same page and clearly lay out what you require them to do for your rental.

What Does The Co-Host Have Access To?

Airbnb allows hosts to customize a co-host’s access level based on their role. Typically, co-hosts can:

• Manage Listings: Co-hosts can be given the opportunity to handle different parts of the listing management process. This includes everything from updating the listing description and photos to adjusting pricing and availability.
• Communicate with Guests: Co-hosts are responsible for communicating with guests through Airbnb's messaging system or other methods like guest messaging platforms. They answer questions about the property's availability, details, or nearby attractions. While guests are staying, co-hosts deal with immediate issues, such as explaining house rules, fixing problems, or giving extra information to improve the guests' experience.
• Coordinate Check-Ins and Outs: Co-hosts manage guest arrivals and departures. They handle key exchanges using meetings, lockboxes, or smart locks to make access easy. Before each booking, they ensure the property is clean, stocked with essentials, and fix any last-minute problems.
• Oversee Maintenance: A co-host's job includes keeping the property in good shape. They need to arrange for cleaning after guests leave, organize any repairs that are needed, and check the property regularly to ensure it stays in top condition.
• Monitor Finances: In some cases, co-hosts can be given access to transaction history. That information is crucial to tracking bookings, expenses, and earnings. It also enables them to track booking payouts and manage shared profits.

When working with a co-host for your Airbnb, it’s important to set clear expectations from the beginning. Talk about their responsibilities, like managing bookings, communicating with guests, and cleaning. Having a list of tasks avoids confusion later.

Make sure your co-host has access to necessary tools, such as your Airbnb account and messaging apps, but be careful not to share sensitive information, like personal banking details. Setting boundaries on what can be shared helps protect your privacy while allowing your co-host to do their job. Clear expectations and limits can lead to a better working relationship, improving the Airbnb experience for everyone.

Conclusion

Running an Airbnb can be a rewarding experience, but it comes with many challenges that can become overwhelming. A reliable and skilled co-host can make all the difference, allowing you to delegate tasks, enhance guest experiences, and maintain your property with ease. Whether you need help due to a hectic schedule, remote hosting, or portfolio expansion, finding the right co-host is a smart investment.