About Houfy
Houfy is a direct booking marketplace for vacation rentals. Hosts keep the relationship with their guests, set their own terms, and pay no commission on what they earn.
Platform figures as of August 2026.
Houfy in brief
Houfy is a vacation rental direct booking marketplace, founded in 2015 by Thijs Aaftink. Hosts list their properties free and pay 0% host commission on bookings. Guests book directly with the host rather than through an intermediary.
Why Choose Houfy?
We believe vacation rentals should be simple, fair, and direct. Here's what makes us different.
0% host commission on bookings
Houfy takes no commission on your bookings, and hosts are never billed for the API connection fee. You set the rate, and you keep it.
Free to list
Publish your listing at no cost. One $5.99 host verification, once — not per listing, and waived if you connect via a channel manager.
Direct communication
Message hosts and guests directly, without restrictions and without a platform sitting between you.
You keep the guest relationship
Your pricing, your policies, your cancellation terms, your guest list, your data. Hosts who leave take their bookings with them.
How Houfy Works
Simple, direct, and transparent for both hosts and guests
For Hosts
List Your Property
Create your listing with photos, description and pricing — it takes minutes. Listing itself costs nothing; a one-time $5.99 identity verification applies before your first listing goes live, waived if you connect through a channel manager.
Connect with Guests
Communicate directly with potential guests. Set your own policies, terms, and build genuine relationships.
Get Paid Directly
Get paid directly through your own Stripe, Square, or PayPal account. Houfy takes 0% host commission on your bookings; what Houfy does charge hosts is listed in full on the pricing page.
For Guests
Search & Discover
Browse thousands of unique properties worldwide. Filter by your preferences and find your perfect stay.
Book Direct
Message the host directly and book. You see the full price before you confirm — the host's rate, taxes, and any charges the host has set.
Enjoy Your Stay
Deal with the person who owns the place — before, during and after your stay.
How the models differ
Comparison of charging structures, not of individual companies.
| Feature | Houfy | Other Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Guest fees charged by Houfy | None from Houfy. Bookings via certain PMS integrations add a 5% API connection fee, paid by the guest as a separate transaction to Houfy at checkout. | Guest service fee added at checkout |
| Host commission | 0% | Set by the platform |
| Host–guest messaging | Direct, contact details allowed | Typically restricted until booking |
| Payment | Guest pays the host directly, through the host's own processor | Held and remitted by the platform |
| Listing control | Host sets rate, calendar and terms | Platform rules and ranking apply |
| What Houfy charges hosts | $5.99 one-time verification; optional $9.99 / $14.99 per listing per month ($7.99 / $11.99 billed annually) | — |
Comparison of Houfy's published fees against the publicly listed fee structures of other booking platforms. Competitor terms change; see each platform's own site for current pricing. Verified August 2026.
Our story
In 2015, Thijs Aaftink was hosting on the major rental platforms and watching the same pattern repeat: a commission taken from every booking, guest conversations routed through an intermediary, and terms set by someone else. A host could build a business on one of those platforms for ten years and still not own a single guest contact.
"I knew there had to be a better way."
He built Houfy the other way around. Hosts list free and keep the nightly rate. Guests book and pay the host directly. The platform handles discovery, messaging and the booking record; it does not sit in the middle of the money or the conversation.
The name is short for "House For You." Since 2015 Houfy has grown into a marketplace that is bootstrapped and owner-operated, with no outside investor pushing take-rate up.
Our Mission & Values
How we make money — and how we don't
Houfy earns from a one-time verification fee, optional subscription plans, and the 5% API connection fee on bookings made through certain PMS integrations. Houfy takes no commission from hosts on any booking.
Fees are named, not buried
Every charge a host or guest can meet is listed on our pricing page, including the 5% API connection fee some usage-based PMS integrations trigger — paid by the guest as a separate transaction to Houfy at checkout.
Hosts own the relationship
Guest contact details, messaging and payment run between host and guest. Houfy doesn't gate them.
Direct booking, made easier
We keep building the tools that make booking direct the easier choice rather than the harder one.
Meet the Team
The people behind Houfy's mission to revolutionize travel
Thijs Aaftink
Visionary leader who saw the need for a fairer travel marketplace and made it reality.
Swapnil Chavan
Technical mastermind building the platform that connects hosts and guests directly.
Nicholas Aaftink
Strategic leader driving growth and ensuring Houfy's mission reaches every corner of the world.
Anna Skyfta
I write practical guides and travel tips for Houfy.com to help travelers and hosts make the most of their vacation rental experience.
Viraj Patil
Focused on backend support, automation, and technical integration to streamline our systems.
Parth Pandhe
Specializing in front-end improvements, website updates, and enhancing user experience.
Praniket Chavan
Specializing in backend engineering and automation to deliver reliable features and a smoother user experience.
More Than Just a Booking Platform
Houfy is where hosts and travelers come together not just to book, but to share, learn, and grow. We believe that staying connected and having the right resources makes all the difference.
Explore the Blog
Latest Updates
What our community says
Houfy empowers owners with more control over their businesses, reminiscent of the days before online travel agencies (OTAs) took over and dominated the market.
"I've been on Houfy since 2017. I'd rate it 10 stars if I could. I believe I've had well over 100 bookings thus far. I do promote Houfy, but most of my business is from organic finds by my guests. Houfy is enabling my guests to have extra spending money to support our local businesses, contributing positively in the context of tourism."
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Houfy
Houfy is short for "House For You." Founded in 2015 by Thijs Aaftink, Houfy is a direct booking marketplace for vacation rentals. Hosts list for free and pay 0% host commission on their bookings.
Hosts create a free listing with photos, description and pricing, then deal with guests directly. Guests search 100,000+ live listings across 100+ countries, message the host, and book. Payments, policies and cancellation terms stay under the host's control.
Listing is free and Houfy charges 0% host commission on bookings, so hosts keep the full nightly rate. A one-time $5.99 verification fee applies per host before the first listing goes live, waived for hosts connecting through a channel manager — the identity check still runs. Optional Lite ($9.99/listing/month) and Premium ($14.99/listing/month) plans add extra tools — or $7.99 and $11.99 respectively when billed annually. Full pricing.
The host's price, plus any taxes and host-set charges, itemised before you confirm. On listings connected through one of Houfy's usage-based software partners, a 5% API connection fee is added to the booking total at checkout, shown as "API connection fee". See which partners.
Hosts pay no commission and keep direct contact with their guests. Pricing, policies and cancellation terms are set by the host, not by Houfy. Other platforms set their own fees and change them from time to time — check each platform's current published pricing.
Every host completes identity verification before their first listing goes live, including hosts who connect through a channel manager. Houfy also publishes community standards, listing guidelines and safety best practices. Verification confirms the information a host provides; it is not an inspection of the property and not a guarantee of a host's conduct. Review the listing and host profile, and use traceable payment methods when booking direct.
Houfy, Inc · Founded 2015 · Founder: Thijs Aaftink (CEO)
Direct booking marketplace for vacation rentals
Figures current as of August 2026.
List your property and see the numbers yourself
Listing is free. You set the rate, you keep it, and guests pay you directly. Verification is a one-time $5.99 — waived if you connect through a channel manager.
100,000+ listings across 100+ countries