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Couchsurfing is a great app for those looking to travel and save money on accommodation. While you won’t earn any money by listing your house on Couchsurfing, you can host other travelers from around the world. In return, you can also stay at someone’s place for free when you travel. The platform comes with a small monthly fee of $2.39 per month or $14.29 a year.
Pros
- Free accommodation while traveling
- Meet new people and make friends
- Host travelers in your home
- Host or find city meet-ups and events
Cons
- A membership fee of $2.39 per month
- No earning opportunity
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Compare to Other Sites to Rent Stuff
Neighbor
Rent garage, driveway, parking lot, basement, bedroom, shed or carport
No listing fees + guaranteed payment monthly even if a renter doesn’t pay
Free coverage for everyone— $1,000,000 for host and $25,000 for renters
FriendWithA
Earn money by renting out your gear with relatively low rental fees – 10%
Average monthly pay – $95 for bike, $145 for camera, $150 for guitar
Personal liability guarantee up to $100,000 and $125,000 property coverage
What is Couchsurfing?
Couchsurfing started as a passion project in 2004 by founder Casey Fenton, who wanted to explore the idea of people sharing their homes with strangers.Â
Couchsurfing International Inc. was formed on April 2, 2003, as a New Hampshire nonprofit corporation, and the website was officially launched on June 12, 2004.
Today, Couchsurfing has created a global community of over 14 million members in over 200,000 cities.Â
Couchsurfing’s mission is to connect travelers with a global network of people willing to share in meaningful ways and make travel a social experience.
Couchsurfing is an app that connects members to a global community of travelers. Travelers can use Couchsurfing to find a free place to stay.
How Does Couchsurfing Work?
With Couchsurfing, you can travel the world while saving costs on accommodation by connecting with other like-minded travelers sharing their homes.Â
Once you’ve created a profile on Couchsurfing, you can get in touch with experienced Couchsurfers in your area to get a feel for how the app works.
You can head to your city’s Place Page and attend one of the events happening near you to get to know fellow Couchsurfers. As soon as you feel comfortable with the app, you can search through cities around the world and send a Couchrequest to potential hosts.
Who is Couchsurfing Best for?
Couchsurfing is best for travelers who want to embark on an adventure while meeting fellow travelers from all over the world. If you’re looking to travel on a budget and want to save on accommodation, Couchsurfing is a great option.Â
What Can You Rent With App?
With Couchsurfing, you can find accommodation in cities all over the world. The accommodation is completely free, and you get to meet hosts who can share their tips about the city you’re exploring.
How Much Can You Earn With Couchsurfing?
Couchsurfing is an app where travelers from all around the world can connect online, find free accommodation, and meet fellow couch surfers during their stay. As such, you shouldn’t expect any monetary incentive when you list your couch on the platform.
To increase your chances of connecting with people, make sure that your profile is a reflection of your lifestyle, your mission, and what’s important to you.Â
Having a complete profile with photos will help people connect with your profile. Attending city events and meeting other couch surfers will also help increase your chances of finding hosts.Â
Couchsurfing Benefits: What Does Couchsurfing Offer?
Get Free Accommodation While TravelingÂ
With Couchsurfing, once you connect with a host you receive free accommodation during your stay. You can travel to new destinations while saving money on accommodation.Â
Connect With People Around The WorldÂ
Not only do you get free accommodation with Couchsurfer, but you also get to meet like-minded travelers around the world.Â
Whether it’s at a city event or your host, you will meet others who love to travel and use Couchsurf.
See Hidden HotspotsÂ
Your host will be in the know about the hidden and local hotspots in the area. They can also give you the best tips on where to explore and travel in their city.
Couchsurfing Fees: How Much Does It Cost to Use Couchsurfing?
Couchsurfing charges a fee of $2.39 per month or $14.29 per year to use. Apart from these fees, you do not have to pay for the accommodation on the app – it’s completely free.
| Monthly Fee | $2.39 |
|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $14.29 |
Couchsurfing Requirements?
The first step to using Couchsurfing is to set up a profile. Your profile is a reflection of who you are and your values.Â
Make sure to include detailed descriptions and photos of yourself.Â
Once you fill out your profile, you’re ready to start using Couchsurfing to find hosts and accommodation around the world.
Couchsurfing Payout Terms and Options
As a Couchsurfing host, you should never ask for payment. Therefore, there are no payout terms and options available for Couchsurfing.
Couchsurfing Reviews: is Couchsurfing Legit?
Couchsurfing has a 4.6-star rating on Apple App Store, 4.4-star rating on G2, and 2.8-star rating on Google Play Store.
Customers speak highly of how easy the app is to use, having quick access to fellow travelers on the app, and being able to communicate seamlessly with others.
Customers using Couchsurfing have complained about the app charging a fee to use it, lagging during use, and messages not syncing in time.
What Are the Couchsurfing Pros & Cons?
Couchsurfing Pros
- Free accommodation while traveling
- Meet new people and make friendsÂ
- Host travelers in your home
- Host or find city meet-ups and events
Couchsurfing Cons
- A membership fee of $2.39 per month (or $14.29 per year)
- No earning opportunity
How Good is Couchsurfing Support?
Couchsurfing has a detailed FAQ page with all of the most frequently asked questions and their answers.Â
You can also submit a request to receive help from a member of Couchsurfing’s support team.
Couchsurfing Review Verdict: is Couchsurfing Worth it?
Couchsurfing is a great app for those looking to travel and save money on accommodation. While you won’t earn any money by listing your house on Couchsurfing, you can host other travelers from around the world. In return, you can also stay at someone’s place for free when you travel.
If you don’t mind paying the small monthly fee of $2.39 per month or $14.29 a year to use the platform, you can benefit from using Couchsurfing to make new friends worldwide.
How to Sign Up With Couchsurfing?
Signing up with Couchsurfing is simple. First, create a profile on the app and fill out all of your information. Include photos of yourself and add as much detail as you can. Once you fill out your profile and enter your credit card information for the monthly fee, you can start using Couchsurfing.
Sites Like Couchsurfing
| Comparison | Couchsurfing | Neighbor | FriendWithA | Airbnb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earning potential | $0 | $100 – $600 per month | $1,000 per month | $2,500 per month |
| Service fees | $2.39/month | 4.9% + $0.30 | 10% | 0.03 |
| Best for | Free accommodation during travel | Renting storage space | Renting items | Vacation rentals |
Couchsurfing vs. Neighbor
Neighbor Summary
- Earn up to $600 per month renting a garage
- 48 hours to screen potential renters
- Get 1 payment at the end of each month
- $1 million free coverage for hosts
Couchsurfing is an app where you can find free accommodation while exploring new destinations across the globe. With Neighbor, you can rent out storage space and earn money. With Couchsurfing, you cannot earn any money and gain free accommodation insteadÂ
Couchsurfing vs. FriendWithA
Friendwitha Summary
- Outstanding 24/7 customer service
- $10,000 damage protection insurance
- Relatively low fees of 10% per rental
- Earn up to $1000 per month from rentals
On FriendWithA, you can rent out your gear and charge by the hour to potential renters. With Couchsurfing, you can get free accommodation while traveling to new destinations. FriendWithA gives you the potential to earn money, while Couchsurfing offers free accommodation.Â
Couchsurfing vs. Airbnb
AirBnb Summary
- Over 150 million users worldwide
- Earn an average of $924 per month
- Rent out your property whenever you want
- Quick turnaround time for payouts
Both Couchsurfing and Airbnb offer users places to stay however on Airbnb, you can list your property up for people to book their stay, where they pay a nightly fee. Meanwhile, Couchsurfing offers free accommodation for Couchsurfers who connect with hosts.
Couchsurfing FAQs
Is Couchsurfing no longer free?
As of 2020, Couchsurfing charges a fee of $2.39 per month or $14.29 a year to use the platform.
Is Couchsurfing worth it?
Yes, Couchsurfing is worth it for those who want to have free accommodation while traveling and meet new people across the globe.
Is the Couchsurfing app safe?
Yes, the vast majority of Couchsurfing experiences are safe. It’s important to take responsibility for your personal safety when traveling as well as when using the app.
What is the response rate for Couchsurfing?
A host’s response rate is based solely on the Couchrequests they receive and reply to through Couchsurfing.
Who owns Couchsurfing?
Casey Fenton is the founder of Couchsurfing.
