Guest Acquisition Cost Calculator
OTA vs Direct — See Which Booking Really Costs You More
How much does it actually cost you to get one guest?
An OTA booking looks like full revenue — but after commission, boosters and promotions, 18–25% is gone before you see a rupee. A direct booking looks "free" — but payment gateways, Google Ads and discounts add up. This calculator shows the real numbers side by side.
OTA Commission 15–25%
Visibility Booster +5%
Direct: Gateway + Ads
Your standard BAR — before taxes
Used for monthly/annual projection
🏨 OTA Booking Costs
🌐 Direct Booking Costs
Direct Booking Saves You Per Booking
₹0
You keep 0% more per direct booking
OTA Booking Breakdown
Room Rate
₹3,000
Effective Rate
₹3,000
Base Commission
−₹540
Total Cost
−₹540
You Keep (OTA)
₹2,460
Net Revenue Per Booking
Via OTA
₹2,460
Cost: 18% of rate
Via Direct
₹2,940
Cost: 2% of rate
Acquisition Cost as % of Room Rate
Direct Booking Breakdown
OTA — You Keep
₹2,460
Acquisition cost: ₹540
Direct — You Keep
₹2,940
Acquisition cost: ₹60
Monthly saving (direct vs OTA)
₹19,200
Based on 40 bookings/month
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average OTA commission for hotels in India?
Standard commission ranges from 15% to 20% depending on the platform. MakeMyTrip and Goibibo typically charge 15–18%, Booking.com charges 15–20%. This is before any boosters or promotions, which add further cost on top.
What is a Visibility Booster and is it worth it?
A Visibility Booster (offered by Booking.com, MakeMyTrip and others) increases your listing rank in exchange for an additional commission — typically 5% above your base rate. It only pays off if the incremental bookings it generates exceed the extra cost. Use this calculator to see the net revenue impact before activating one.
Is direct booking always more profitable?
Usually yes, but not always. If you are spending heavily on Google Ads and offering a large direct discount, your effective cost can approach OTA levels. The goal is to keep direct acquisition cost below 8–10% of room rate, which is still well below a typical OTA commission.
What payment gateway charges should I expect in India?
Razorpay, PayU and CCAvenue typically charge 2–3% per transaction for credit/debit card payments. UPI transactions are generally 0–1%. Use 2% as a safe planning average for credit card bookings on your website.
How do I calculate cost per direct booking from Google Ads?
Divide your total monthly Google Ads spend by the number of direct bookings it generated that month. For example, if you spend ₹8,000/month and get 40 direct bookings, your cost per booking is ₹200. Track this in Google Ads or your booking engine's source attribution report.