Comparison · 2026
Lokal360 vs Booking.
Direct booking against an 18% commission.
The verdict in 1 sentence
Booking is essential for winning new customers (over 100 million users). Your own Lokal360 system takes over 30-50% of reservations as direct ones (no commission), which saves a typical guesthouse 5,000-30,000 PLN a year. The strategy: a 30/70 split, 30% through Booking, 70% directly through your own system.
- Booking: 17-22% commission on every reservation, data on Booking's servers, the guest starts on Booking and keeps coming back there
- Lokal360 System Standard: 5 999 PLN up front plus care, 0% commission, data on your server, the guest starts on your site and comes back directly
- Payback: a guesthouse with 100k PLN in turnover hands over 18k PLN in commission to Booking. Lokal360 pays for itself in 4-6 months at 30% direct reservations.
- The key: you do not replace Booking, you add a direct channel alongside it
Comparison table
| Dimension | Booking | Lokal360 System Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | 0 PLN, 1 day | 5 999 PLN, 10-14 days |
| Commission per reservation | 17-22% | 0% (Stripe 1.4% on the payment) |
| Annual cost at 100k turnover | ~18,000 PLN | ~1,400 PLN (1.4% Stripe) |
| Reach | Very large (100 million users) | None (depends on your SEO and marketing) |
| Guest data | Booking (Netherlands, EU) | Your server |
| Guest email | Hidden by Booking | Full access (newsletter, follow-up) |
| System shows competitors | Yes, heavily | No |
| Genius / Preferred programs | An extra 2.5-7% commission for visibility | Not applicable |
| Cancellation policy | Limited (Booking favours the guest) | Full control |
| Channel manager connection | Full (Octorate, MyAllocator) | Yes (set up by me) |
| Vendor lock-in | High (terms, ratings, ranking) | None (your code, your data) |
The real math for an 8-room guesthouse
A guesthouse with 100k PLN in turnover a year (50% occupancy, 6 people on average at 250 PLN × 12 months ≈ 100k):
Option A: Booking only (current state)
- 18% commission × 100k = 18,000 PLN / year
- 5 years: 90,000 PLN
- plus Genius Plus 5% to keep visibility: an extra 5,000 PLN / year
Option B: Booking plus Lokal360 (70/30 split, target after 6 months)
- 70% through Booking: 70k × 18% = 12,600 PLN / year
- 30% direct (Lokal360): 30k × 1.4% Stripe = 420 PLN / year
- Setup: 5 999 PLN one-off
- Tech care: 399 PLN × 12 = 4 788 PLN / year
- Total year 1: ~23 807 PLN (vs 18,000 PLN Booking only)
- Total year 2+: ~17 808 PLN / year
- 5 years: ~95 039 PLN
Savings over 5 years: ~25,000 PLN
On top of that: a list of 30% of your guests (emails) for a newsletter and repeat bookings. On top of that: you do not hand your customers to competitors in "Similar guesthouses".
Option C: Strong push for direct bookings (50/50, target after 18 months)
This takes active work: strong SEO, content, social media, Google reviews. Realistic for guesthouses with a good location and brand. Savings over 5 years: ~50,000 PLN.
The 30/70 strategy step by step
- Week 0: roll out the Lokal360 reservation system and connect it to your website.
- Month 1: you add a "Book directly" button on the site, on social media and on your Google Business Profile.
- Months 2-3: texts to guests after checkout with a link to direct booking and a 5% discount for coming back. Active collection of Google reviews.
- Months 3-6: blog posts (e.g. "What to see nearby", "The best restaurants in the area") with a link to direct booking.
- Months 6-12: you reach the target of 30% direct reservations and save 5,400 PLN a year. Booking keeps working.
- Year 2: you move to 40% direct (a newsletter to a base of 200+ emails), saving 7,200 PLN.
FAQ
Can I leave Booking entirely?
In theory yes, in practice it is risky. Booking brings a typical guesthouse 30-60% of new customers. If you leave, you have to replace that channel with something (Google ads, content, social media). For 95% of guesthouses a 30/70 split is safer.
Won't Booking punish me for promoting direct bookings?
Booking requires the same price on its platform and on your site. You cannot advertise a lower price on the site. But you can: add extras (parking, breakfast, early check-in) only with a direct booking, run a newsletter for returning guests and have your own loyalty program.
What about channel sync? Booking, Lokal360 and Airbnb at once?
That is the standard setup. I connect Lokal360 to Octorate or MyAllocator, and from there to all the booking portals. Availability syncs in real time, with no risk of a double booking.
What about payments? Booking charges the guest's card.
Directly: Stripe (card) or Przelewy24 (BLIK, bank transfer). A 1.4-1.9% commission instead of 17-22% on Booking. On top of that you have the money in your account in 2 days, while on Booking it is after the guest checks out plus 7 days.
Will Booking lower my ranking if I have a direct channel?
No. Your ranking on Booking depends on how many people click and book, on ratings, an identical price and room availability. A direct channel does not affect that.
Start saving on Booking commissions
The real math for your guesthouse in 15 minutes. No pressure.
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