Wondering what the best homestay finders available online are?
If you have never used alternative accommodations like a work exchange or a homestay, then it could feel a bit daunting at first.Accommodation is a crucial part of a new experience.
It can make or break your trip; it is one of the essentials of travel unless you are some of those amazing van life people (can I just say I’m a little jealous of them waking up to incredible views).
Of course, there is more to accommodation than a pretty view, especially for those travelers that want to feel at home in a country – even though they have just arrived.
This is where the idea of a ‘homestay’ comes into play.The meaning of a homestay is pretty obvious because it is in the name. Instead of a hotel, you stay in a home.
This means you live with a local family in their spare bedroom, adjoining apartments, or even stay in their place while they’re away.
Like most people, I do love having the privacy and quiet of a hotel room to relax, but sometimes it is almost too perfect and too boring.
Doing a homestay is kind of like trading the beautiful but lifeless hotel vibe for authentic, real-life accommodation.
Rather than sitting on the bed in your empty hotel room trying to figure out, ‘what’s next’, you can stay in a local neighborhood and meet locals that will welcome you and show you around.
My Two Favorite Homestay Finders
But how can you get this? Thankfully, the internet has started to remedy that.
It has never been so easy to search on homestay finders for great host families.
My top two favorites are TrustedHousesitters and Homestay.
Want to start right away? Here’s your free credit!
Some amazing stays on Homestay.com
Homestay Finders Positives & Negatives
TrustedHousesitters Positives
- Unlimited, worldwide house sitting opportunities
- House sits in 130 countries (they have more than all other housesitting websites in the world combined)
- Both short & long term accommodation stays available
- More affordable & cost-effective than traditional travel accommodation like hotels & resorts
- 1-year membership is $119/€99 (if you use it 6 times, it means you paid around $20 for each stay)
- An affordable way to stay in expensive destinations like London or New York City
- You can find unique & amazing accommodation that would normally be hundreds per night
- Perfect for animal lovers & those with previous animal care experience
- Free access to a 24/7 vet advice line
- Great customer service & support for members
- Free identity verification (this can help you get more housesits!)
- Easy to use mobile app for your phone
- 4.7 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot
TrustedHousesitters Negatives
- They don’t offer free credit like Homestay since the cost is based on a yearly membership
- Paying a membership fee doesn’t guarantee a housesit
- You could join TrustedHousesitters & try it out, only to find you don’t enjoy animal care
- Smaller platform than Homestay
- 1-year commitment vs booking individual stays on Homestay
- You don’t stay with a local family, just in their home while their away (which could be a good thing if that’s what you want)
- Finding a house sit involves more effort than booking directly on Homestay
Homestay.com Positives
- $25 / €20 free credit when you sign up here
- 33,000 accommodation stays in 160 countries
- 7 languages offered on the website
- Both short & long term accommodation available
- Besides travel/tourism, can be used as an alternative for student accommodation & business trip accommodation
- Requires hosts to meet guests on arrival
- No vacant properties – always stay with host families
- Local guidance & assistance during the whole stay
- Hosts encourage local experiences & immersion
- Emphasis on getting guests into the local community
- Accommodation can be arranged faster since it’s a booking system
- Mostly positive reviews on Trustpilot (4.2 stars out of 5)
Homestay.com Negatives
- More expensive than Trustedhousesitters (in the long run)
- Less privacy compared to house sitting where you are alone with the pets
- Staying with a local family can mean you have less time for solo adventures (which can be good or bad depending on what you want though)
Which Homestay Finder I Suggest
Like anything, these platforms have good and bad aspects.
What it comes down to is deciding what you want and need for travel accommodation.
TrustedHousesitters is a game-changer for the travel industry.
Not only does it offer an alternative to supporting huge, international hotels and resorts, but it gives an affordable way for people to travel.
Gone are the days when traveling meant choosing between extremes like either expensive hotels or camping.
Now you can immerse yourself in a culture and put your travel money into the local economy during your homestay.
TrustedHousesitters is a great platform that connects people who want to pet sit in exchange for free accommodation or those with pets who want to travel with peace of mind.
They even have a combination membership where you can do both!
My favorite part of TrustedHousesitters is that for a one-time, annual fee, you can do as many house sits as you want. To me, that sounds like an incredible deal!
I also like that it’s the largest housesitting website in the world, with more opportunities than all other sites combined.
If you are thinking of house sitting, it’s a no-brainer to go with them.
On the other hand, Homestay.com is great because it is a fast and efficient way to still support the local economy while booking accommodation.
Their whole emphasis is on having a local experience by things like: making sure you are greeted by the host on arrival, staying with a local family for cultural immersion, and getting local tips and guidance.
Homestay’s goal is to help travelers connect to the local community as soon as possible.
My favorite part of Homestay is their commitment to helping their guests immediately feel welcomed and spend their time living like locals.
They value quality over quantity when it comes to hosts, which is always a good thing to me!
Out of the two homestay finders, my recommendation for an authentic, local experience would be with Homestay.
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