Calculator · for hosts
Host earnings calculator — your inputs, your math.
An honest host-earnings calculator: pick your rig type, state, days you'll list, and expected occupancy. The nightly rate you enter is the base price you set — your take-home. PickRV's 15% markup is added on top of it to build your public listing price, not a deduction from your payout, so it is not subtracted here. See itemized yearly gross, Stripe processing (2.9% + $0.30 per booking), cleaning costs, and a recommended maintenance reserve. Renters see your listed price and pay a separate transparent 10% service fee at checkout — the renter's line, not a deduction from your payout, so it is not modeled here. Every line is your input × a canonical rate; nothing fabricated. There is no "average host earns $X" claim on this page — we are too early-stage to publish a statistically meaningful typical-results figure. Model your own scenario; if the math works at conservative occupancy, it works.
FAQ
Why no "average host earns $X/yr" claim?+
We don't yet have a statistically significant number of completed bookings to publish a typical-results figure (FTC §255.2 requires a median across a representative sample). Instead, this tool lets you model YOUR own scenario from your real rig, your real availability, and your real expected occupancy — then shows itemized math so you can see exactly where the money goes.
How does PickRV's commission work?+
You keep 100% of the price you enter. PickRV adds 15% on top of it to build the price renters see, so nothing is subtracted from you and there is no fee line in the net above. Renters also pay a transparent 10% service fee, shown before checkout — that is the renter's line, plus state tax.
Who pays the card-processing fees?+
PickRV does. Card processing (Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per charge) comes out of PickRV's side of the transaction — it is never deducted from your payout. The calculator shows the line at $0 so the math stays fully itemized: your base price is yours in full.
Is the 10% maintenance reserve really required?+
It's not a PickRV fee — it's a host budget recommendation. IRS Schedule E + RV-industry rules-of-thumb suggest setting aside ~10% of gross for amortized chassis service, tires, appliances, generator, awning, and seasonal winterization. You can lower or zero it in the calculator, but skipping it usually means a surprise repair bill that wipes out a whole season's profit.
How is occupancy realistic?+
Peer-owner hosts (you own one rig, you drive it on weekends) typically achieve 25–35% occupancy in year one per industry benchmarks. Pro fleet operators (multiple rigs, delivery service, photography polished) can hit 50–65%. The 60% default reflects an established second-year host; drop it to 30–35% if you're new.
What about taxes on the income?+
This calculator estimates GROSS-MINUS-COSTS net. It does NOT subtract federal income tax (typically 22–32% for most filers), FICA self-employment tax (15.3% on Schedule SE income), state income tax, or state property/registration tax on commercial-use vehicles. Plan to keep ~30–40% of net annual back for taxes; consult a CPA for your specific situation.