When vacations come, we are filled with happiness, but it doesn’t always last. The moment we realize how expensive hotels are, we look for secondary options such as, Airbnb. However, with inflation spreading around the globe, Airbnb has let many travelers down. Currently the prices are almost the same as hotels, so it brings us to the question of ” Where will I be staying?” Do not cancel your plane tickets yet; house swapping is still an option! A temporary exchange of dwellings is known as a house swap or home swap.
Here is the best home sharing alternatives to Airbnb:
The Best Airbnb Alternatives
With all the comforts of homes and less of the expenditures or fees associated with hotels, it enables two individuals or families to take advantage of a change of scenery. Although short-term house swaps are most frequently used for vacation stays, they may be a realistic alternative for many people who require longer term options. By exchanging your house, you get a chance to live like the locals. There are thousands of different home sharing companies. Let’s see which one you should try for your next adventure.
- Holiday Swap
- Home Exchange
- Love Home Swap
- Couchsurfing
- People like us
1- Holiday Swap
Holiday Swap is a company that started in 2017 and is currently available in 185 countries, making it one of the first global home exchange companies. As a global leader, it has over 1 million user. Users can visit any of the countries they desire without being restricted to popular destinations. Holiday Swap offers 24/7 customer service, built-in real time map, and chat section in the app. Of course, everybody wants to have the perfect holiday without any problems, but since it is a two-way street, there are many things to go wrong. You want good help from customer service in time of need, and Holiday Swap is there for you along the way. Moreover, the map in the app makes your job a lot easier to discover new places living in your new house. The only thing to do is pay the monthly 10$ fee, which is so low compared to the service they offer and compare to the other house exchange companies.
Benefits:
- For $10 per month, swap vacation homes.
- Connect with millions of people all over the world.
- There are properties in more than 185 countries.
- Make lifelong friends.
- Outstanding customer service
Cons:
- needs development
2- Home Exchange
Home Exchange is one of the oldest companies in the field, making it one of the most-known companies when it comes to home swapping. There are a lot of reviews you can see in and out of the app, which makes it easier for you to decide whether you should choose Home Exchange or not. Despite its experience, Home Exchange has a higher annual fee and a disconnection with its customer service.
Benefits:
- Easy to use
- You can find comfortable places to stay
- Good customer service
Cons:
- Hard to find swaps
- Hosts don’t keep their calendars up to date
3- Love Home Swap
Love Home Swap is another experienced company in the market, and they are also in 100 countries. Their team, website, and app are well-designed and ready to guide you. As it can be understood from their name, people enjoy LHS very much; you can see their reviews on Trustpilot. They have two kinds of swaps, the first one being your classic home swap. The other one is the points swap which is basically the points you earn from swapping your home that can also be swapped between people. The only downside of it is the extra fee when you want to swap your house, in addition to the monthly/annual fee you pay.
Benefits:
- Great communication and service
- Satisfactory accommodation opportunities
- The website provides good information
Cons:
- Lack of staff available for certain timezone
- Requires a little tighter coordination
4-Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is one of the companies that made their name into a verb. So, it is quite possible you have heard the name Couchsurfing before. It works a little bit differently than the home-swapping apps we mentioned above. In Couchsurfing, you do not have to swap in order to stay in one’s home; you can stay in their home while they are living in it. However, there are several comments/reviews about scamming. Even though the claims are neither proven nor denied, it is still an important topic to consider when choosing Couchsurfing since experienced users are warning others on the internet about Couchsurfing.
Benefits:
- You can find events
- Opportunity to meet with locals
Cons:
- Claimed lots of scammed and get charged accounts
- Sends a lot of messages
- Dissatisfactory customer service
5- People Like Us
Finally, on our list, we offer you People Like Us. This company was founded by a travel enthusiast named Drew Seitam in order to create a safe network for people who want to travel, meet new people, and explore the world but do all of that with a budget. PLU is often described as user-friendly, convenient, and useful. It has very cordial member groups on social media so that users can get help from people like them. However, it is still one of the companies with a higher annual fee without an app that you can use all the time on your travels.
Benefits:
- Good network
- Has free version
Cons:
- The website’s owner censors free speech on his Facebook page.
- Unprofessional translation
What’s the Top Airbnb Alternative?
In the twenty-first century, our mobiles are our best friends; we use them frequently, each day, every second; in fact, we require them for almost everything. When it comes to vacations, nobody of us can imagine not carrying our phones with us. Vacationers rely on cell phones more than ever to help them plan and book their vacations. Travel apps are extremely beneficial for making reservations and dealing with practicalities, in addition to being a fantastic source of inspiration. So, in this list, we present the top three components of a good travel app. These three basic features will greatly assist you in navigating your travels.
FAQs on Airbnb Alternatives
Got questions about Airbnb alternatives? You can send your questions to marketing@holidayswap.com
Here’s one common question we’re usually asked:
Are there cheaper alternatives to Airbnb?
Instead of just a bed to sleep in, imagine paying for a flight and then spending the rest of your money on tours and actually exploring a destination. The Holiday Swap concept is very appealing to our users. Everyone can make new connections and friendships all over the world, with your room or property essentially serving as your profile. You will be able to travel for less with Holiday Swap!
Next, start your free trial with Holiday Swap!
