Best Airbnb Co-Hosts in Texas (2026): Published Fees Compared

An Airbnb co host Texas owners hire can take guest messages, cleaner scheduling and pricing off your plate while the listing stays in your name. The right choice depends on where your home is, how much of the work you want to keep, and whether you plan to use the short term rental tax loophole. This guide lists the Airbnb co hosts and co hosting companies in Texas that publish their fees, shows what each one actually covers, and explains when full service management is the better call.

One note before the list: Surge is not a co host. We are a full service Airbnb management company, a Texas real estate brokerage and a loan broker. We included ourselves at the end as the full service alternative, and we only list facts each co host publishes on its own website as of October 2026. Fees change, so confirm before you sign.

Quick list: Airbnb co hosts in Texas at a glance

Company	Texas area served	Published fee	Setup fee	Contract
Airbnb Co Host Network	Search by ZIP code	Set by each co host	Varies	Varies
HostStarter	Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio	12.5% + $99 per month	None	Month to month, 30 days notice
Roost	Houston	18% flat	None	None required
Home CoHost	West Houston, Katy, Richmond, Sealy	15%	$1,000 (90-day guarantee)	Not published
Ashota	Dallas	18%	$500 to $1,000	Not published
Stay in Frisco	Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Dallas, Fort Worth and nearby	Not published	Not published	Not published
Hosted Havens	San Antonio	19% to 24%	$150 to $500	4 to 12 month minimum
CoHostTEXAS	Texas (founders based in Fort Worth)	Not published	Not published	Month to month
Surge (full service, not a co host)	Texas and Florida markets	Starting at 15% for full service	None	90 days notice

What an Airbnb co host does (and does not do)

On Airbnb, a co host is a person or company the listing owner adds to the listing for extra help. According to Airbnb's co host help page, a co host can help manage the listing, respond to inquiries and message booked guests, and the owner and co host should agree in writing on who does what, how much of the reservation income goes to the co host, and how expenses get reimbursed. Owners can add up to 10 co hosts to one home listing.

Co host permissions on Airbnb

Airbnb lets the listing owner choose what each co host can touch. Per Airbnb's co host permissions page, there are three levels:

• Full access: message guests, edit the calendar, manage listing details and pricing, accept or decline reservations, handle Resolution Center and damage requests, and designate a primary host. The primary host is the person guests see as their main contact, and a co host can be shown as primary host even though the listing stays on the owner's account.
• Calendar and messaging access: message guests and view, but not edit, the calendar.
• Calendar only access: view the calendar.

Only listing owners can set up or edit co host payouts, and co hosts cannot see the owner's payout method or taxpayer info. The owner stays responsible for every co host on the listing, so platform access should match the job you hired them for. A professional co host who runs pricing strategy, dynamic pricing and calendar management needs full access; a backup cleaner does not.

That flexibility is the whole point of co hosting arrangements. One co host only handles guest inquiries and messaging from another state. Another runs turnovers, restocking and maintenance with a local team. Airbnb hosts who search for Airbnb co hosts often assume every company does the same job for the same fee, and that is where most bad hires start. The co host role can be anything from part-time guest support to running the whole property.

What usually stays with you under a co hosting agreement:

• The account and the reviews. The listing sits on your Airbnb account, not the co host's, so the review history stays with the home if the co host leaves.
• Some or all of the vendors. Many co hosts coordinate the cleaner, but you may still pay and choose them.
• Taxes, permits and insurance. In most co hosting arrangements, permits, hotel occupancy tax filings and insurance remain the owner's responsibility.
• Big decisions. House rules, pricing policy and repairs over a set dollar amount usually need your sign-off. That is part of property ownership.

A full service property manager takes on all of the day-to-day work instead: listing, pricing, guest communication, cleaning, maintenance, compliance and monthly owner statements. For a deeper side-by-side, read our Airbnb co host vs property manager comparison.

What a professional co host handles day to day

Most Texas co hosting companies build their service from the same pieces. Use this list to see which ones a quote actually includes:

• Guest management: answering guest inquiries before booking, guest support during the stay, handling guest issues and guest complaints, and asking for guest reviews after checkout.
• Calendar management and pricing: a pricing strategy with dynamic pricing, minimum nights and seasonal rates, plus listings synced across multiple platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo.
• Cleaning coordination: turnover coordination, restocking and inspections between stays.
• Maintenance: triaging repairs and dispatching local vendors.
• Listing optimization and review management: photos, titles, descriptions and replies to reviews.
• Owner reporting: monthly revenue, fees and expenses, so you can track your property's performance and rental income.

A co host who covers all six is close to full service management. A co host who covers only guest communication leaves the rest of the property's operations with you. Neither is wrong; just make sure the co host fee matches the scope, and ask exactly how the co host handles guest communication after hours.

How we picked these Texas co hosting companies

We did not rank by star ratings or review counts, and we did not use any company's revenue claims. Each company here had to meet three tests:

1. Texas service area stated on its own website.
2. A clear service scope for co hosting or partial management, so you know what the fee buys.
3. A working website we could check in October 2026. Companies from older versions of this guide were dropped when we could not verify a working website.

Where a company publishes its fee, we list it. Where it does not, we say so instead of guessing.

Best Airbnb co hosts in Texas, by area

Texas is big, and Airbnb co hosts are local businesses. Here are the Airbnb co hosts and co hosting companies we found in each major Texas market, with what each one publishes.

Statewide: Airbnb Co Host Network

Airbnb runs its own matching service. On the Airbnb Co Host Network page, owners enter a ZIP code and Airbnb connects them with experienced co hosts nearby who offer services such as listing setup, pricing and availability, reservations, guest messaging, onsite support, cleaning, photography and licensing help. Each co host sets its own fee and scope, so compare at least three Airbnb co hosts before choosing.

Best for: owners in smaller Texas towns where few vacation rental management companies operate, or anyone who wants a single local person rather than a company.

Statewide metros: HostStarter

HostStarter publishes one tier: full service management at 12.5% of revenue plus a $99 monthly software fee, with no setup fee, no onboarding fee and no long-term contract (month to month, cancel with 30 days notice). It lists Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Fort Worth among its markets and also operates in other states. It handles listing creation, pricing setup, publishing on Airbnb and Vrbo, guest communication and guest support, cleaning coordination and maintenance. A professional photo shoot is an add-on.

Best for: owners in the big Texas metros who want a low percentage and can live with a flat software fee on top.

Houston: Roost

Roost is based in Houston and charges a flat 18% of gross rental revenue for co hosting, with no setup charges and no contract required. Its co host option lets you keep your Airbnb listing as it is while you control house rules and pricing policy; its full management option uses the same 18% fee with Roost taking over pricing and strategy. It names Houston neighborhoods such as Montrose, The Heights, Midtown, River Oaks, EaDo, the Museum District and the Medical Center.

Best for: inner loop Houston property owners who already have a listing with reviews and want to keep it.

Houston west side: Home CoHost

Home CoHost charges a $1,000 one-time setup fee (listing, photos, pricing and launch) plus 15% of Airbnb revenue. It offers a written 90-day booking guarantee: if bookings do not rise at least 20% versus your previous 90 days, it refunds the setup fee. New listings get an agreed baseline in writing before launch. It focuses on west Houston, Katy, Richmond and out to Sealy.

Best for: west Houston and Katy owners launching a new short term rental who want the setup done for them.

Dallas: Ashota

Ashota co hosts Dallas homes for 18% of booking revenue with a one-time setup fee of $500 to $1,000. Its published scope covers guest messaging from inquiry to post-stay review, turnover scheduling with restocking, seasonal rate and minimum-night strategy, provider coordination for landscaping, pool, pest and repairs, and monthly owner statements.

Best for: Dallas property owners who want a co host that also manages outside service providers.

Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs: Stay in Frisco

Stay in Frisco is based in Frisco and co hosts across the DFW metroplex, including Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Prosper, Celina, Little Elm, The Colony, Dallas and Fort Worth. Its full service co hosting covers listing creation, dynamic pricing, guest screening and messaging seven days a week, cleaning and turnover coordination, maintenance triage and owner reporting, with an optional smart home package. It does not publish a fee, so ask for a written quote.

Best for: north DFW suburban homes.

Austin and the Texas Hill Country: Grand Welcome Austin and local co hosts

Austin property owners have fewer pure co hosting companies to choose from, partly because Austin requires a short term rental license and a local contact for every rental. HostStarter covers Austin at its 12.5% plus $99 rate. Grand Welcome Austin (some owners search for it as Austin Grand Welcome) is a locally owned full service property management company rather than a co host. It serves Austin and the Highland Lakes area, including Horseshoe Bay, Kingsland, Spicewood and Marble Falls, lists each vacation rental on Airbnb, Vrbo and more than 30 other booking sites, runs in-house housekeeping and maintenance teams, and handles collection and distribution of sales tax. Check its pricing page for current fees.

Further out in the Texas Hill Country, in towns like Fredericksburg, Wimberley and Canyon Lake, local expertise often comes from individual co hosts and small vacation rental teams. The Airbnb Co Host Network is a good place to start. Our guide to Fredericksburg Airbnb management companies covers the Texas Hill Country options in more detail.

San Antonio: Hosted Havens

Hosted Havens offers full service co hosting in San Antonio with published pricing of 19% to 24% per booking plus a $150 to $500 one-time listing setup, and a minimum contract length of 4 to 12 months. It covers guests, pricing, listing, cleaning, inspections and maintenance with a local team, and helps launch new rentals.

Best for: San Antonio property owners who want a hands-off co host and are comfortable with a minimum term.

Texas: CoHostTEXAS

CoHostTEXAS is a small, investor-run co hosting team whose co-founder is based in Fort Worth. It handles guest messaging and reservation management, cleaner coordination and direct payment, maintenance with local handymen, listing optimization and smart pricing, and regular owner updates. It offers a month-to-month contract and does not publish its fee. Expect personalized service from the founders rather than a large co hosting business.

Best for: owners who want a small team and no long commitment.

Airbnb co hosts vs property managers: who should pick which

Property owners usually land in one of three groups. Use the one that sounds like you to narrow the list:

• Local and hands-on. You live within 30 minutes, you like owning the guest experience, and you mostly need guest support while you are at work. Airbnb co hosts with calendar and messaging access are the cheapest fix.
• Local but busy. You want someone else on cleaning coordination, guest issues and repairs, but you want the listing in your name. Full service co hosting from a company like the ones above fits here.
• Remote or scaling. You live out of state or own several rentals. Property managers built for full service management, with their own cleaning and maintenance teams, are usually worth the extra points if the goal is to maximize rental income without adding hours.

Airbnb co hosts and property managers also differ on risk. Property managers typically sign a management agreement that spells out liability, insurance and tax filing; Airbnb co hosts often work on a short agreement or a handshake. Ask both for the paperwork before you compare fees.

When you need more than a co host: Surge full service management

A co host works best when you live near the property, can handle the occasional emergency yourself, and want to keep control. If you live out of town, own multiple properties, or simply want the rental income without the hosting, full service management from a professional property manager is usually the better fit.

Surge Airbnb management is full service rental management for Texas and Florida property owners, starting at 15%. That covers professional listing creation, dynamic pricing, 24/7 guest communication, cleaning, maintenance, permit registration and transparent monthly owner statements. There is no setup fee and no monthly minimum, and you can cancel with 90 days notice. We list homes on Surge's own Airbnb account, because an established account launches a new listing stronger. Whoever you hire, get written exit terms that cover the listing, existing reservations and your data. The trade-off versus a co host is control for accountability: with a property manager, one team owns day to day operations and results in your local market, so ask any manager, Surge included, for its track record with homes like yours.

We also offer Surge Design for furnishing and launch, and our STR brokerage helps buyers in Texas find homes that pencil as short term rentals.

How much do co hosts charge? Fees on a $40,000 year

Percentages are hard to compare across different fee structures, so here is the math on an illustrative $40,000 in annual gross bookings. For reference, the median Houston-area entire-home rental earned about $34,300 in the twelve months to August 2026, according to Surge market data.

Fee structure	Year one cost	Year two cost
12.5% + $99 per month	$6,188	$6,188
15% + $1,000 setup	$7,000	$6,000
15% full service, no setup	$6,000	$6,000
18% flat	$7,200	$7,200
18% + $500 to $1,000 setup	$7,700 to $8,200	$7,200
19% to 24% + $150 to $500 setup	$7,750 to $10,100	$7,600 to $9,600

The headline fee is only part of the cost. Compare what each fee includes. A co host with a lower co host fee who leaves cleaning, supplies, maintenance and tax filing with you may cost you more hours than full service management that charges a few points more. Co host fees in Texas typically range from 15% to 24% among companies that publish them, while property management companies usually charge 15% to 25% in major Texas markets. Ask every company for a sample monthly owner statement, and ask whether they mark up maintenance invoices. Our Airbnb management contract guide lists the clauses to check with Airbnb co hosts and property managers alike.

Co hosting and the short term rental tax loophole

Surge is a real estate brokerage, loan broker and property manager, not a CPA firm or tax advisor. This is general education, not tax, legal or investment advice. Confirm your situation with a qualified CPA before you buy, file, change withholding, or move retirement money.

If you are buying a Texas short term rental to use the short term rental tax loophole, who runs the property matters as much as the fee. Under Treasury Regulation 1.469-1T, a property with an average guest stay of seven days or less is not a rental activity. If you also materially participate, losses from depreciation can offset other income. The material participation tests in Regulation 1.469-5T are where hiring help gets tricky:

• The 100 hours test requires more than 100 hours from you and not less than any other individual. A co host is another individual, so are your cleaner and handyman.
• The 500 hours test works no matter who else helps, but 500 hours is a lot for one home.
• The facts and circumstances test is unavailable if anyone else is paid to manage the property.

Property managers running full service management will almost always out-log the owner. A co host who handles messaging and cleaner scheduling may too. Some owners keep the loophole with a co host who only handles a narrow task, but it depends on actual logged hours, so plan it with your CPA. The IRS explains the passive activity rules in Publication 925, and our guide to material participation for short term rentals covers hour logs.

That is why Surge caps its year one role for loophole buyers at a listing setup: we handle the listing build, photos, copy, initial pricing setup and the Surge Design launch, and you run the day-to-day. Full service management can start in year two, once the year you need the hours is behind you. Related reading: real estate professional status vs the STR loophole and what a cost segregation study costs.

Texas rules every co host agreement should cover

Texas cities regulate short term rentals and collect hotel occupancy tax on top of the 6% state rate set by the Texas Comptroller. Local filing duties often stay with the owner even when a platform remits some taxes. In San Antonio, Airbnb and Vrbo remit state and city tax, but owners still file city reports and pay the Bexar County portion. In Dallas, owners file and pay city tax themselves. Austin requires a short term rental license and a local contact. Our Texas Airbnb laws guide covers each major city.

Put these in writing with any co host, because local regulations and Texas regulations put the burden on the property owner, not the platform:

• Who files hotel occupancy tax reports, and who pays if a filing is late.
• Whose name is on the city permit or registration.
• Which insurance policy covers guest damage and liability.
• The dollar limit for repairs without your approval.
• How the co host is paid (percent of what, gross or net of cleaning fees) and how expenses are reimbursed.
• Notice period, and what happens to future reservations when either side ends the agreement.

How to choose an Airbnb co host in Texas

Every Airbnb co host in Texas will tell you it has local expertise. These steps help you test it before you hand over the keys to your short term rental business.

1. Decide how much work you will keep. If you want to keep cleaning, maintenance and taxes, a messaging-only co host is enough. If not, look at full service co hosting or one of the property management companies in your city.
2. Check the local footprint. Ask how many vacation rental homes they run in your city and your property's location, and who physically responds to a lockout or AC failure on a Saturday night.
3. Time a guest reply. Message one of their listings as a guest and see how long the response takes. Fast guest support drives guest satisfaction and reviews.
4. Get every fee in writing. Setup, monthly software, cleaning markups, linen programs and maintenance markups.
5. Ask for two current owner references with homes like yours, plus performance data such as occupancy and average nightly rate versus the market.
6. Read the exit terms before the fee. Month to month with 30 days notice and a 12 month minimum are very different commitments.

Still comparing property managers instead of co hosts? See our list of the best Texas Airbnb management companies, or city guides for Houston, Dallas and San Antonio.

Frequently asked questions

Do Airbnb co hosts work in the vacation rental industry full time?

Some do. Professional Airbnb co hosts run co hosting operations as a company with staff, while others are individual hosts who help a few neighbors. Ask how many homes the co host manages, whether that is their main job, and who covers guest complaints when they are away. A qualified co host will answer all three without hesitation.

Do Airbnb co hosts handle permits and taxes in Texas?

Some do, many do not. Most Airbnb co hosts focus on guest communication, guest support and pricing, and leave permits, hotel occupancy tax filings and insurance with the owner. If you want those handled, ask for it in writing or use a property management company that includes compliance in its rental management fee.

What does an Airbnb co host do?

Airbnb co hosts help the listing owner run a short term rental. Depending on the agreement, that can mean guest messaging, reservation management, pricing, cleaner coordination, restocking, maintenance and listing optimization. The owner and co host decide the scope in advance.

How much do Airbnb co hosts charge in Texas?

Among Texas companies that publish pricing, co hosting fees run from 15% to 24% of booking revenue, and some add a one-time setup fee of $150 to $1,000. HostStarter charges 12.5% plus $99 a month for full service management. Individual co hosts on Airbnb's Co Host Network set their own rates.

Are Airbnb co hosts the same as property managers?

No. A co host works on your listing and usually leaves some work and most legal responsibilities with you. A property manager takes on the full operation, including vendors, compliance and owner statements. Some property management companies offer both, using different names for each.

Can I use Airbnb co hosts and still qualify for the STR tax loophole?

Possibly, if you still log more than 100 hours and more than any other individual, including the co host, or more than 500 hours. A co host who handles most of the work will usually make that hard. Confirm with a CPA before you sign any agreement.

Does Surge offer co hosting?

No. Surge Airbnb management is full service, starting at 15%, plus a year one listing setup for buyers using the short term rental tax loophole. If a co host fits you better, use the list above. If you want short term rental management where one team owns the results, talk to Surge Airbnb management.

Do I need a permit to use a co host in Texas?

The permit attaches to the property and the city, not the co host. Your local market sets the rules. Austin, San Antonio and other cities require short term rental licenses or permits, and cities collect hotel occupancy tax on top of the 6% state rate. Check your city's rules before listing.

Surge is a real estate brokerage, loan broker and property manager, not a CPA firm or tax advisor. This is general education, not tax, legal or investment advice. Confirm your situation with a qualified CPA before you buy, file, change withholding, or move retirement money.