Do you want to try house swapping? But you don’t know which website to use? There are so many to choose from, and you don’t want to pick the wrong one!
We’ll show you our favorite international house swap websites so you can make an informed decision. After reading this article, you’ll be ready to start swapping homes!
Table of Contents
What Is House Swapping?
House swapping is the act of swapping houses with someone for a set amount of time. People use websites to find someone they would like to swap homes with.
Instead of paying someone to stay at their home, you let them stay at yours. Even if you don’t have a house for other people to stay in, you can still take advantage of many of these sites.
Why Should I House Swap?
House exchanges are a great way to travel without paying for lodging. A hospitality exchange can make international travel more affordable for many people.
It is also nice because you know your home will be in good hands. Some people prefer staying in houses to hotels, which is another good reason to consider signing up on exchange sites.
Is House Swapping Safe?
House swapping is generally safe. However, you need to follow basic safety protocols. Many websites make it easy for travelers to find a home in their desired location. Using a trusted exchange site decreases your risk of a sketchy home swap.
Many of these websites charge an annual membership fee, which helps prevent scammers from using the services. Ensure you learn about the person, their home, and their location. The more you know, the safer you will be.
What Is The Best International House Swapping Website?
There are so many house-swapping websites to choose from. We’ll discuss the major ones below.
Home Exchange
Home Exchange started as a book before it went digital. This site offers messaging features for communicating with other homeowners, which allows you to learn about the area and know what you’re getting into.
Since this website uses a points system, you don’t have to exchange simultaneously. You get points when you host, and you can use them whenever you want to stay in someone else’s home.
Because of the points system, you can do unlimited exchanges if you have enough points.
Homestay
Homestay has homes in over 150 countries. No matter where you want to travel, you can probably find a home to stay in. This website will try to match people based on their profiles. So hosts and guests with the same interests can stay at each other’s homes.
Green Theme International
This website is designed for traditional home swaps and only supports simultaneous exchanges. Once you find someone who wants to travel at the same time as you, you can finalize the details. You can stay in each other’s homes to enjoy an affordable vacation.
Home Link
Home Link is an excellent website for traditional home swaps. However, it is not as big as some of the others. You won’t find as many good reviews and your destinations will be limited.
It does have cheaper fees than most sites. This makes it a more affordable option even if it isn’t as evolved as its competitors.
Bedycasa
While this is a smaller platform, Bedycasa offers many types of exchanges. This site has farm stays, rural homes, and hostel accommodations. You can also stay in guest homes or with an exchange family.
You can stay at a riad in Morocco or a traditional Japanese inn.
Holiday Swap
While Holiday Swap is a less popular option, it has over a million users. This website has some selling points to have such a large user base.
The Holiday Swap is very flexible. For instance, you can swap a spare room instead of an entire home. They also value your safety and take many precautions to keep users safe.
Intervac
Intervac accommodates traditional home exchanges. However, it also offers a couple of other options. You can use the bed and breakfast option, or you can use the rental option for very affordable rentals.
This platform offers flexibility in travel planning and has over 6,000 listings, most of which are in Europe.
Home For Swap
Home For Swap has locations in over 120 countries and multilingual customer support. These features make it easy to plan effortless travel.
Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home is a new home exchange platform with few rules. You can do unlimited exchanges, list as many properties as you’d like, and plan flexibly.
The membership doesn’t cover insurance, so you may want to buy travel insurance. If you host people in your homes, you may want to increase your insurance at home.
Aussie House Swap
Aussie House Swap is a great house-swapping website for Australians, and it can also be used outside of Australia.
Switchome
Switchome is a small platform with only a few thousand users. The majority of these homes are in France, so it may be a good option if you’re planning to spend extended time there.
This website doesn’t have membership fees, but it also doesn’t have many good reviews. Part of that is because so few people have used it, though. If you choose this website, you may want to do further research.
IVHE
IVHE, or International Vacation Home Exchange, focuses on exchanging vacation homes. The homes on this platform are primarily second homes. This allows more flexibility in swapping because the homeowner doesn’t live there daily.
Casa Particular
If you’re visiting Cuba, you should know about Casa Particular. Cuban families have opened their homes to tourists for decades.
Sharing homes in Cuba was popular long before it became mainstream. This is partially due to the lack of hotels in the country. Staying with a family in their cozy home is the cheapest way to travel in Cuba.
Not Ready to Start House Swapping?
Not sure house swapping is for you? Here are some other ways to get free accommodation to explore the world.
Wwoof
Wwoof stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. This is a good platform to learn about sustainable living.
Some of the hosts are breweries, woodlands, and education centers. You can learn many things, including beekeeping, cheese-making, and organic gardening.
Couchsurfing
This site is one of the originals. It was designed to help travelers find a couch to stay on, no matter where they were. Some private homes on this website also offer free spare rooms. Many hosts are quite hospitable and may act as a travel guide.
With over 12 million members, you can find someone nearly anywhere you wish to travel.
Culture Go Go
English teachers started Culture Go Go, a platform that connects English-speaking travelers with hosts who want to practice their English.
Travelers will have local guides who ensure a fulfilling trip, and hosts will have the opportunity to practice speaking conversational English with native speakers.
Homestay in
Homestay is aimed at younger people, especially students. Most of the guests happen to live in Asian countries but want to stay in countries that speak English.
There isn’t a membership fee, but you must pay for each stay. With every transaction, though, they donate a meal to a child in Africa.
People Like Us
People Like Us has a trial option for anyone who isn’t entirely sure about home swapping. They also have a Facebook group that can make the community of members seem more like a family.
You can arrange a house swap anywhere you want to stay. Using a more flexible website, you can easily pick travel dates. Even if you don’t have a house to offer to others, some of these websites will work for you.
Happy house swapping!
Author: Britt
I am Britt. I have been house-sitting and pet-sitting for the past seven years. I have cared for 25 dogs, 35 cats, one turtle, and one rabbit over 80+ houses in 15 countries.
The opportunity to experience different homes, cultures, and communities has been extraordinary.
I’ve connected with homeowners seeking reliable sitters through house-sitting platforms like Aussie House Sitters and Trusted House Sitters. This unique way of living has allowed me to save money on accommodation, explore new cultures, and meet new people.
Being a member of these platforms has broadened my horizons and opened doors to short- and long-term house-sitting jobs. I’ve found joy in providing excellent pet care and ensuring the home is well-maintained.
I get many questions about how to start as a housesitter, so please reach out if you have any questions! I want everyone to enjoy this incredible lifestyle as well!
You can read more about Jay and me here!
Or connect with me on Facebook or in our house-sitting community on Facebook.
thanks so much, this was so helpful I think i am going to look for a house swap for Christmas this year!
Hello, guys..thanks for the awesome info, we are looking to start house swapping in 2024 🙂