Couchsurfing Alternatives – 7 Best Websites and Apps To Try
Couchsurfing has changed a lot since its beginning and is causing people to seek Couchsurfing alternatives including both websites and apps for free homestays and accommodations in other people’s homes.
The following seven websites and apps are the best Couchsurfing alternatives. I highly recommend that you try them out and let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.
1. BeWelcome
BeWelcome calls itself “a free, open-source, non for profit, democratic community”. Touting 180,000 users in 2021, across 216 countries, BeWelcome is one of the largest communities of all the Couchsurfing alternatives on this list.
2. Trustroots
Trustroots has close to 75,000 users with 25,000 new members in just the last year. Trustroots is the fastest growing alternative to Couchsurfing and is the second place I go to when searching for a host.
I find the website is a lot smoother and easier to use than BeWelcome and they also have Android and iOS apps available. Trustroots would be my number one choice if they had the same amount of users which may soon be the case.
3. Couchers.org
With only 10,000 members, couchers.org has some catching up to do.
4. TrustedHousesitters
TrustedHousesitters has over 60,000 total users in over 130+ countries and is growing quickly with over 30,000 new users in just the last year. Since it was founded in 2010, TrustedHousesitters has facilitated more than 4 million nights of pet sitting.
TrustedHousesitters is the first Couchsurfing alternative on my list that is not free.
For unlimited house sits, you will have to pay a yearly fee of at least $129 although it might be worth $259 a year so you can get liability insurance, sit cancelation insurance, a premium badge on your profile, and 2 airport lounge passes.
5. Warmshowers
Warmshowers is a place for bicyclists to find showers and places to stay while traveling on their bikes. If you aren’t on your bike, you’ll have to skip this one.
Starting out simply as a spreadsheet of names more than 10 years ago, Warmshowers is currently more than 185,000 users strong and is continuing to grow every year.
Since covid, they have implemented a one-time fee of $30 to join and if you plan on using the iOS and Android apps, you will have to pay a subscription fee of $3-$5 per month.
6. Servas International
Servas International’s goal is to connect people and cultures for peace.
7. Airbnb
As a last resort, you can always pay for a place to stay on Airbnb.
Bonus: Host A Sister
Host a Sister is a Facebook group dedicated to helping women connect and host each other around the world. As I’m not a female, I can’t really join and I can’t tell you what it’s like. I do however think it can be more than feasible with it’s more than 267,000 members! It has more members than any other free option on my list!
If you join Host a Sister and use the Facebook group to find a place to stay, let me know how it worked out for you in the comments below!
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I love Host a sister group and also recommend Travel Ladies app which is a couchsurfing app for female travellers.