People Like Us is a home-exchange platform that offers both traditional and premium homes, is typically welcoming to pets, and available on six continents. But what really sets the platform apart from the rest is its dedication to users forming lifelong friendships. People Like Us is known for putting on fun events to keep the warm, fuzzy travel feelings thriving (like a global Secret Santa) and has a social feed where members can chat about their upcoming plans. The platform is also partners with World School Home Swap, making it an especially great fit for families.
Anyone can test out a free trial for 30 days, and then it's $159 per year. Membership also comes with what PLU calls a “globe,” a token for a non-reciprocal visit that puts you first in line for the most coveted destinations. This means you don’t have to worry if your home isn’t in a top spot, because your chances of scoring that romantic Parisian flat are as good as anyone’s.
Kindred is where home swapping meets traditional vacation rentals; these are real residences, but with some organizational and brand oversight. Kindred homes are accepted on a rolling basis depending on market demand and must be approved before they’re offered up to guests. And the company provides some cool benefits for hosts, like damage coverage and a complimentary guest kit.
There are no upfront fees to join Kindred, but there are some additional service costs after you book. Still, a few hundred dollars for a week in Bali is not a bad deal.
TrustedHousesitters is ideal for anyone traveling on a budget. Here's how it works: Pet owners in need of a sitter post their homes on the website, and in exchange for taking care of their home and pet, you get to stay in a (typically beautiful) home for free. In fact, one writer has used TrustedHousesitters to live in luxury homes rent-free while traveling to places like Lummi Island in Washington and California's wine country. The service has more than 100,000 experienced pet sitters, and all are required to undergo ID verification and background checks.
TrustedHousesitters has a few different plans—the basic one is $129 a year, but you can pay $169 for the standard plan and $259 for the premium. All plans include unlimited sits, so you can travel to your heart's content.
Home Exchange, known as HE among subscribers, started decades ago and now has over 360,000 houses available in all sizes and styles. Dreaming of an Italian villa, an Appalachian cabin, or a row house in Amsterdam? HE has it. You can even choose from really specific filters if your ideal vacation requires a grill or bikes. HE is also a certified B corporation, so when you join, you know you’re supporting an organization that is dedicated to social and environmental consciousness. The service works similarly to The Holiday—you create a profile, list your home, and look for homes in destinations that interest you. From there, you can send exchange requests to hosts all over the world, and you can swap homes at the same time or on different dates. HE also has points system; if you stay at someone's home, but they don't want to stay at yours, you can instead give them GuestPoints, which will grant them access to a different member's home of their choosing.
HE membership costs $235 annually and includes unlimited stays—as much as you want for as long as you want. This long-established site also has 24/7 customer service support.
Kommu fills in the gaps between a hotel stay and sleeping on your buddy’s couch. The concept is pretty straightforward. You know how you have acquaintances putting down roots in amazing places all over the world? Well, with Kommu, those are all potential stay matches—friends of friends, old and new, who just can’t wait to host you in their homes.
Download the Kommu app, connect it with your social and business networks, find a home through someone you already know, and set whatever terms you’d like. And the more network channels you open up, the more the world is at your fingertips.
You might have heard of WWOOFing before—the org has been around for over 50 years, but has grown considerably alongside the rise of ecotourism and slow travel. The voluntourism platform is all about prioritizing educational and cultural exchanges on organic farms. WWOOFers stay on farms and participate in day-to-day agricultural activities like bread-making and harvesting cut flowers, and they receive complimentary room and board for their time. Working wanderers can choose from farms from over 130 countries and can often stay as long as they’d like. It’s a great way to dive into the permaculture scene and really get to know local residents.
WWOOF’s membership costs vary by country and the number of people traveling together, but in the U.S., the fee is $65 per couple for a year. Note that membership to one country doesn’t give access to others.
The Home Exchange Collection is Home Exchange’s wealthy sibling, meant for those seeking an air of luxury in their house swaps. The pitch is that you don’t just trade houses on HEC, you trade lavish lifestyles—and create connections in the process. These homes are vetted by the site for their beautiful design and opulent amenities and are guaranteed to be completely private.
Membership is on the pricier side at $1,000 per year, but the annual fee gives guests unlimited access to gorgeous houses all over the world. You’ll need to get your house certified prior to any exchanges.
Workaway is similar to WWOOFing, but less farm-centric and with a focus on learning. Opportunities include anything from babysitting to sailing to wildlife rescue, and you’ll find it’s a great way to volunteer abroad without agency costs. Hosts and guests write detailed bio pages specifying what they’re looking for, and then the matchmaking begins. Workaway has more than 50,000 project opportunities in 170 countries for solo travelers, couples, families, and groups—and yes, the volunteer work comes with housing.
A Workaway membership is global. It’s $49 per year for one person or $59 per year for two, though the site often has sales.