Host Agreement / Marketplace Terms

Last updated: July 23, 2026

Overview

This Host Agreement ("Agreement") supplements Vaylume's Terms of Service and applies to anyone who creates a trip listing and acts as a "Host" on Vaylume. By publishing a listing, you agree to this Agreement in addition to our general Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Community Guidelines. If there's ever a conflict between this Agreement and the general Terms of Service on a Host-specific matter, this Agreement controls.

1. Host Responsibilities

As a Host, you agree to:

• List accurately. Make sure your trip listing — destination, dates, itinerary, price, group size limits, photos, and any other details — is truthful, complete, and up to date. Don't misrepresent what a trip includes.
• Honor your bookings. Once a Traveler books a spot on your trip in accordance with your stated listing terms, you're expected to honor that booking as described.
• Communicate promptly. Respond to booking requests and Traveler messages in a timely, professional manner.
• Maintain a safe, respectful environment. Do your part to keep the trip experience safe and welcoming for everyone involved, and follow all applicable local laws for the activities and locations in your listing.

2. Commission Structure

Vaylume charges a tiered commission on trips you complete as a Host, based on your completed-trip history:

Your commission tier is based on your cumulative completed trips as a Host on Vaylume. Commission is deducted automatically from the booking proceeds processed through Stripe before payout.

3. Payout Timing

Funds collected from Travelers for your trip are held by Vaylume through Stripe and released to your connected Stripe account 24 hours after the trip's start date. This hold period allows time to address any early-arrival issues, disputes, or last-minute cancellations before funds are finalized. Payouts are made to the Stripe Connect account you set up during onboarding.

4. Onboarding and Identity Verification (KYC)

To receive payouts as a Host, you must complete onboarding through Stripe Connect, including Stripe's identity verification ("Know Your Customer" / KYC) process. This may require you to provide information such as your legal name, address, date of birth, tax identification information, and government-issued ID, directly to Stripe. Vaylume does not collect or store this verification information itself — it is handled by Stripe under its own privacy and security practices. You will not be able to receive payouts until this verification is successfully completed.

5. Host Conduct Standards

As a Host, you agree to:

• Only list trips you have the legitimate ability and right to offer
• Avoid listing anything illegal, unsafe, or that violates local regulations for the destination or activity
• Treat Travelers who join your trip fairly and respectfully
• Avoid soliciting payment outside of Vaylume's payment system for a booking made through the platform
• Not discriminate against Travelers on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or similar protected characteristics
• Keep your listing information updated, including promptly marking a trip as full, canceled, or unavailable when applicable

6. Cancellations by a Host

If you need to cancel a trip you're hosting, notify affected Travelers and Vaylume support as soon as possible. Cancellations are handled per the cancellation policy stated on your listing at the time of booking. Hosts who cancel confirmed trips frequently, with insufficient notice, or without good cause may face reduced visibility, temporary suspension, or removal from the platform, since reliability is core to Traveler trust in the marketplace.

7. Suspension and Removal

Vaylume may suspend or remove a Host's listings or account, at our discretion, for reasons including but not limited to:

• Violating this Agreement, our Terms of Service, or our Community Guidelines
• Repeated or serious complaints from Travelers
• Fraudulent, misleading, or unsafe listings
• Failure to complete or maintain required Stripe verification
• Attempting to circumvent Vaylume's payment system or commission structure

Where practical, we'll aim to give notice of the reason. Amounts already owed for legitimately completed trips prior to suspension will still be paid out in accordance with this Agreement, subject to any pending disputes.

8. Taxes

Hosts are solely responsible for determining, reporting, and paying any taxes owed on their earnings from hosting trips on Vaylume, including income tax, self-employment tax, VAT/sales tax, or any other applicable tax in their jurisdiction. Vaylume does not provide tax advice, and any tax forms or reporting thresholds applied by Stripe (such as issuing a 1099 or similar form where required by law) do not substitute for your own obligation to report your earnings accurately. We recommend keeping your own records of your Vaylume earnings and consulting a tax professional if you have questions specific to your situation.

9. Relationship of the Parties

Hosts are independent of Vaylume. Nothing in this Agreement creates an employment, partnership, joint venture, or agency relationship between you and Vaylume. You are responsible for how you conduct your own trips, subject to the standards in this Agreement and our other policies.

10. Changes to This Agreement

We may update this Host Agreement from time to time, consistent with the "Changes to These Terms" process described in our Terms of Service. Continuing to host trips after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Agreement.

Contact Us

Questions about hosting on Vaylume? Reach us at:

Email: support@vaylume.app
Website: vaylume.app