FareHarbor Pricing 2026: The 6% Fee Math (Real Cost Breakdown)

Quick answer (April 2026): FareHarbor charges $0/month + ~6% per booking in North America (varies by region). It's the cheapest option for operators under ~80 bookings/month — but expensive at scale. At 200 bookings/month × $85 AOV, FareHarbor costs ~$12,240/year vs Bokun's ~$2,400. Calculate your exact cost →

FareHarbor is the most popular tour booking system in North America by volume — partly because the headline pricing is genuinely simple: zero monthly fee, ~6% commission per booking, no setup cost. This guide covers what you actually pay, the regional rate variations, the hidden fees, and exactly when FareHarbor is cheaper (or more expensive) than alternatives.

FareHarbor's pricing structure

FareHarbor operates on a single pricing model — no plans, no tiers, no decisions required:

The ~6% rate varies by region. Operators in the US, Canada, Mexico, and parts of the Caribbean typically pay 6%. Operators in Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia have reported rates between 5–8% depending on negotiated contracts and country.

There's no public commission schedule because FareHarbor negotiates rates per operator during onboarding. New operators in standard markets almost always start at 6%.

What FareHarbor's fee actually covers

A 6% commission feels steep until you list what's included:

• Free website — FareHarbor includes a basic tour website with their booking system embedded. Functional for operators without an existing site.
• Booking widget for embedding on your existing site (most operators use this rather than the FareHarbor-built site).
• Mobile POS app — generally considered the best in the industry for walk-up sales, kiosks, and in-person bookings.
• Channel manager — sync availability with Viator, GetYourGuide, Booking.com (FareHarbor is owned by Booking Holdings), TripAdvisor.
• Customer support — phone-first support is FareHarbor's signature differentiator. Most operators report support response times under 30 minutes.
• Payment processing — included in the 6% (you don't pay separate Stripe fees on top).
• Automated emails — booking confirmations, reminders, post-tour messages.
• Reporting and analytics.

That last point is a real differentiator: FareHarbor's 6% includes payment processing. Bokun, Rezdy, Checkfront, and most others charge their fee PLUS pass through Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢ on each transaction. So FareHarbor's "6%" is closer to "9% effective" on competitors that charge separately.

This matters for the cost math: when you compare FareHarbor's 6% to Bokun's 1.5%, the apples-to-apples comparison is FareHarbor 6% vs Bokun's 1.5% + payment processor (~2.9%) = ~4.4% effective. Still a big gap, but smaller than the headline.

What you actually pay (real-world examples)

Example 1: Brand-new operator, 30 bookings/month at $75 AOV

• 30 × 12 × $75 × 6% = $1,620/year
• Monthly fee: $0
• Total: ~$1,620/year

For comparison, Bokun on the same volume would be $588 monthly + (360 × $75 × 1.5%) = ~$993/year. Bokun is still cheaper here, but the gap is small ($627/year), and FareHarbor's $0 upfront commitment is psychologically valuable for new operators.

The break-even where Bokun overtakes FareHarbor is around 8–10 bookings per month. Below that, FareHarbor wins on absolute cost.

Example 2: Mid-size operator, 200 bookings/month at $85 AOV

• 200 × 12 × $85 × 6% = $12,240/year
• Total: ~$12,240/year

This is where FareHarbor gets expensive. At 200 bookings/month, Bokun would cost about $2,400/year — FareHarbor is 5× more expensive at the same volume. Most operators feel this pain around 100–150 bookings/month and start seriously evaluating alternatives.

Example 3: Large operator, 800 bookings/month at $95 AOV

• 800 × 12 × $95 × 6% = $54,720/year
• Total: ~$54,720/year

At this volume, FareHarbor is dramatically more expensive than any competitor. Rezdy on the same volume (assuming 30% OTA mix) would cost about $10,000/year — a $44,000 annual difference. Operators at this scale almost always migrate off FareHarbor.

The hidden cost: every booking pays the fee

Unlike Bokun (0% on Viator) and Rezdy (0% on direct), FareHarbor takes the 6% on every booking, every channel:

• Direct website booking → 6%
• Walk-up POS sale → 6%
• Phone booking entered manually → 6%
• Viator booking via channel manager → 6% (PLUS Viator's 20–25% commission)
• Booking.com booking → 6% (PLUS Booking.com's commission)
• B2B reseller booking → 6%

That last point matters: when you sell through Viator on FareHarbor, you pay Viator 20–25% AND FareHarbor 6% on the same transaction. Effective fee on a $100 Viator booking: $26–$31, leaving you $69–$74. On Bokun, the same Viator booking has 0% Bokun fee, so you keep $75–$80.

For operators with high OTA volume, this double-fee structure is the single biggest reason to migrate.

Hidden costs to know about

• Cancellation policy violations — FareHarbor's standard contract allows them to charge for processed bookings even if cancelled. Most operators don't hit this, but read the contract carefully.
• Custom development — FareHarbor's API is included, but custom integrations to your CRM/accounting/marketing stack are your cost.
• SMS notifications — Optional add-on, charged per message.
• Multi-currency conversion — Standard ~1% currency conversion fee applies (passed through).
• Premium support tiers — FareHarbor offers premium support packages for high-volume operators; these are negotiated, not publicly priced.

When FareHarbor is the right choice

Despite being expensive at scale, FareHarbor is genuinely the best option for many operators:

FareHarbor wins when:

• You're brand new and want zero financial commitment to test the booking volume
• Your volume is under 80 bookings/month and likely to stay there
• You sell heavily at walk-up locations (FareHarbor's POS is industry-best)
• You depend on Booking.com (FareHarbor's parent company integration is unmatched)
• You want phone-first support during US business hours
• You don't have technical resources to manage a more complex platform like Rezdy or Checkfront
• You strongly prefer an "all-in-one" provider over best-of-breed components

FareHarbor is the wrong choice when:

• Your volume is 150+ bookings/month and growing (the 6% on everything compounds fast)
• You sell heavily through Viator/GetYourGuide/TripAdvisor (the double-fee on OTAs is brutal)
• You want to grow direct booking margins (Bokun's 1.5% direct or Rezdy's 0% direct preserves more margin)
• You need a multi-activity platform (tours + rentals + accommodations) — Checkfront handles this better

FareHarbor vs alternatives (cost-only comparison)

At 200 bookings/month × $85 AOV with 40% OTA share, here's annual cost across platforms:

*Peek Pro's fee structure assumes Peek.com bookings are at 0%; real savings depend on whether you use the Peek marketplace.

For full head-to-head breakdowns: FareHarbor vs Bokun | FareHarbor vs Rezdy | Master comparison.

Migrating off FareHarbor

If you've decided FareHarbor's economics no longer work, the migration is straightforward but takes time:

• Data export: FareHarbor exports historical bookings via CSV. Future-dated bookings (already-paid customers) need careful handling — usually run both systems in parallel during the transition.
• OTA channel re-mapping: Disconnect FareHarbor's Viator/GYG/TripAdvisor connections, reconnect on the new platform. Plan for 24–48 hours of channel sync downtime.
• Website integration: Swap the FareHarbor widget code for the new platform's. 1–2 hours of dev work.
• Email rebuild: Recreate automated email flows on the new platform. 2–4 hours.
• Staff training: 2–4 hours depending on platform complexity.

Total: 1–2 weeks of part-time work, plus 1 week of parallel-run safety period.

FAQ

Is FareHarbor really 6%?

In North America, the standard rate is 6%. Some operators have negotiated 5% (typically high-volume) or pay 7–8% (typically smaller markets or specialty regions). The exact rate is set during onboarding and is negotiable for high-volume operators.

Does FareHarbor have a monthly fee?

No. FareHarbor charges no monthly subscription, no setup fee, and no contract minimums. The 6% commission is the only standard cost.

Are FareHarbor's payment processing fees included in the 6%?

Yes. Unlike Bokun and Rezdy (which pass through Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢), FareHarbor's 6% includes payment processing. The effective rate comparison is FareHarbor 6% vs competitors' headline rate + ~2.9% pass-through.

How does FareHarbor's 6% compare to Bokun's 1.5%?

At 200 bookings/month × $85 AOV with 40% OTA share, FareHarbor costs ~$12,240/year vs Bokun's ~$2,400. The difference grows linearly with volume — at 1,000 bookings/month, the gap is over $50,000/year.

Can FareHarbor be cheaper than Bokun for some operators?

Yes — at very low booking volume (under ~10 bookings/month), FareHarbor's $0 monthly beats Bokun's $588 annual subscription. But the crossover happens fast.

Does FareHarbor charge extra fees on Viator bookings?

Yes. FareHarbor takes its 6% on every booking source, including Viator. Viator also takes its standard 20–25%. Combined, a $100 Viator booking yields $69–$74 to your bank account on FareHarbor (vs $75–$80 on Bokun, where Bokun charges 0% on Viator).

Is there a contract minimum?

FareHarbor's standard contract is month-to-month with no minimum. You can leave with 30 days' notice. There's no early-termination fee.

Run your specific numbers

Booking volume and OTA mix change the math dramatically. Use the free booking fee calculator to see exact annual cost on FareHarbor, Bokun, Rezdy, Peek Pro, Checkfront, and Bookeo for your specific situation.

If you're paying FareHarbor more than $5,000/year and considering switching, book a free 30-min audit — we'll calculate your migration ROI and tell you whether the 1–2 weeks of friction is worth the annual savings.