Airbnb
Airbnb Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Payments Terms
Airbnb is an online marketplace platform that lets Hosts publish and offer accommodations, experiences, and services, and lets Guests search for and book these Host Services.
Analyzed May 21, 2026
Key findings
Summary
Airbnb's terms are broad but largely typical of major online marketplaces, covering complex multi-jurisdictional contracting entities, extensive dispute resolution provisions including mandatory US arbitration with a class-action waiver, and a broad content license for user-submitted material. Liability is capped at modest amounts (often the fees paid or $100), and the company retains wide discretion to suspend or terminate accounts, though with notice requirements in most cases.
Category Breakdown
Airbnb collects account, payment, identity/background screening, and usage data, including verification checks and search/recommendation profiling, with no described opt-out from core verification data collection.
From: TERMS OF SERVICEwe may, but have no obligation to (i) ask you to provide identification or other information, (ii) undertake checks designed to help verify your identity or background, (iii) screen you against third-party databases or other sources and request reports from service providers, and (iv) obtain reports from public records of criminal convictions or sex offender registrations or their local equivalents.View source document
Airbnb's stated privacy principles explicitly disclaim selling personal data and emphasize transparency and user control, with data sharing described as being for service delivery and safety purposes.
From: PRIVACY POLICYWe don’t sell your personal data to anyone.View source document
Users grant Airbnb a broad worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, sublicensable, and transferable license to use and exploit submitted content to operate and promote the platform.
From: TERMS OF SERVICEyou grant Airbnb a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, sub-licensable and transferable license to access, use, store, copy, modify, prepare derivative works of, distribute, publish, transmit, stream, broadcast, and otherwise exploit, in any manner such that Content to provide and/or promote the Airbnb Platform, in any media or platform, known or unknown to date and in particular on Internet and social networks.View source document
Airbnb can terminate accounts for breach or legal reasons with 30 days' notice generally, but may terminate immediately without notice for breaches, inactivity over two years, or protective reasons, with no restoration of account or content after termination.
From: TERMS OF SERVICEAirbnb may terminate this agreement and your account for any reason by providing you 30 days’ notice via email or using any other contact information you have provided for your account. Airbnb may also terminate this agreement immediately and without notice and stop providing access to the Airbnb Platform if you breach these Terms...View source document
For US users, Airbnb requires binding individual arbitration administered by AAA with a class-action waiver and jury trial waiver, but provides a small claims court carveout and an opt-out mechanism via written notice; European users are subject to court venue clauses under Irish law instead.
From: TERMS OF SERVICEYou and Airbnb each retain the right to seek resolution of the dispute in small claims court as an alternative to arbitration... If Airbnb amends this Section 23 after the date you last accepted these Terms...you may reject the change by sending us written notice no later than 30 days of the date the change is effective.View source document
Bookings involve disclosed fees, currency conversion, and installment payment options (Pay Part Now, Part Later; Reserve Now, Pay Later); service fees are generally non-refundable, and Airbnb can charge stored payment methods automatically per disclosed schedules.
From: PAYMENT TERMSExcept as otherwise provided on the Airbnb Platform, service fees are non-refundable.View source document