The 12 Best Home Exchange Sites to Save Big 💰💰💰 in 2024

Are you looking for the best home exchange websites for your next vacation? Let’s face it: the cost of living is going up. Inflation, rising housing costs, and many other factors leave people looking for ways to save on accommodations.

While Airbnb and VBRO used to be cheaper alternatives to hotels, their prices have soared. In fact, according to All the Rooms, in 2021, the average Airbnb cost was around $137 USD per night globally, and over $208 in North America, often surpassing hotel rates.

That’s why my family and I turned to home swapping. It’s a fantastic way to cut costs and enjoy comfortable stays. We’ve joined many vacations in the past years using one of the top 13 home exchange websites, and it’s been amazing.

Not only do we save money, but we also get to live like locals.

That’s why, today, I’m going to tell you about:

• the best house exchange websites you can use this upcoming year
• the home exchange site our family is using.
• alternatives to home swaps.
• tips to be successful on your first home exchange.

Ready to explore the best home exchange sites for your next trip? Let’s dive in!

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What is Home Swapping? What’s a Home Exchange site?

A home exchange (or a house swap) is when two families decide to exchange their homes for a specific amount of time. It can be short-term (a few days only) or long-term (a few months).

A house sway can be international or local. We’ve been doing both for a few years so far.

A home exchange website (or a home swap website) is a platform that hooks two homeowners up for an agreement: they’ll essentially swap homes for an agreed-upon amount of time to experience a new culture without paying for lodging. 

It’s a secure way to do home swaps.

🧳 Try HomeExchange.Com for your next vacation. Pay only when you find the perfect exchange!

The Home Swap Site Our Family Use: Home Exchange 

Here’s our story of how a vacation home exchange website allowed us to stay in Banff for USD $ 16/night. In 2020, our little traveling family made our way across Canada. We sold our home, sold all of our things, made a strict budget, and hit the road. 

Before we did, though, we had signed up for a website named HomeExchange. And it turned out to be WAY better than your average vacation rental.

We paid the $150 registration fee (in 2020) with 1300 points as a gift for signing up. Those 1300 points got us a place in Banff (AB) for five nights and four nights in Canmore (AB). When we checked the places we’d stayed on Airbnb and VBRO, the total cost for the 9 nights was well over $2000. 

But for us, it cost $150 in registration fees, and that was it. 

In other words, we got freakin’ spoiled with this house swap. And now, we want you to get spoiled, too!  You can read our Home Exchange review here.

🧳 Try HomeExchange.Com for your next vacation. Pay only when you find the perfect exchange!

TOP 3 Home Exchange Websites to Use in 2024

1. HomeExchange

💰 Cost: $220 for annual membership. 

🤝 Type of exchanges: reciprocal exchanges or Guest Points exchanges (GP based on the house amenities)

❤️ What we love about Home Exchange: It’s the world’s leading home exchange platform. It has more than 230,000 houses and flats available in more than 130 countries. It makes it easier to find the perfect exchange.

❌ What we don’t like about Home Exchange: There are some secondary houses that are also available as short-term rentals on other platforms, making it sometimes difficult to find an exchange in some popular places.

🧳 Try HomeExchange.Com for your next vacation. Pay only when you find the perfect exchange!

HomeExchange is the only vacation home-swapping website we used firsthand on the list. Not because the others aren’t worth it, we just had such a great experience with HomeExchange that we have less incentive to try something new. In the past three years, we did more than 15 exchanges with HomeExchange in Canada and USA, including:

• Canmore,
• Scottsdale,
• Las Vegas,
• South Lake Tahoe,
• Glacier,
• and many more.

HomeExchange is a French company that has now expanded all over the globe. They operate on a point system, meaning you don’t need to reciprocate the exchange simultaneously. 

Instead, you can host people at your house whenever you leave for things like business, long weekends, visiting family, etc. And you get a certain number of points each night that you open your home to a guest. 

Then, you can use these points when you travel to available homes. But you can also do typical reciprocal exchanges. 

Swapping out physical currency for points simplifies everything. After you register the USD $220 USD, which comes with Guest Points, there’s no more money involved at any time in the process. The welcome Guest Points are enough for a few days’ trip to try home swapping. After that trip, you’ll be hooked.

Plus, their customer support is always there to help with any problems arising before, during, or after your stay. Home Exchange also has a big Facebook community (one in English and one in French), where you can ask questions and find home swapping partners.

Other features we love about Home Exchange include:

• Unlimited exchanges
• Non-reciprocal exchanges
• Non-simultaneous exchanges
• Annual membership fee
• LOTS of great home listings for a holiday swap
• And much more…

We HIGHLY recommend families sign up for Home Exchange as you’ll find many safe homes in fun neighborhoods worldwide. 

💰💰 How much does Home Exchange cost? A membership fee of USD $220 per year

Love Home Swap vs Home Exchange

Love Home Swap was acquired by Home Exchange in the spring of 2023. Both home swap websites (and members) operated under the same brand, Home Exchange. It is now the world’s leading home exchange website, with over 230,000 houses and flats available in more than 130 countries.

🧳 Try HomeExchange.Com for your next vacation. Pay only when you find the perfect exchange!

2. Kindred

💰 Cost: between 15 and $35 per night (depending on the number of nights + cleaning fee or $600 for annual membership

🤝 Type of exchanges: reciprocal exchanges or Kindred credit exchanges (1 credit = 1 night)

❤️ What we love about Kindred: No need to worry about the cleaning part of home swapping, it’s taken care of. Also, only primary houses can be added to the platform, which helps keep the home exchange feeling alive. Plus, all homes are well-loved and offer a feel-like homestay.

❌ What we don’t like about Kindred: It’s more expensive than other platforms. It’s $35 per night (max) or $600 for a yearly membership, plus the cleaning fees.

🧳 Join Kindred and pay only when you find the perfect exchange! Also, by using this link your application will get a priority review and jump the 45,000-person waitlist.

Kindred is a new home swapping platform. It started in 2021 and quickly gained traction in North America and Europe, with over 3,000 members and over 45,000 people on their waitlist. Every single profile on Kindred is analyzed by a team member and manually approved.

But Kindred’s home swapping platform operates on a different model than other home exchange platforms like Home Exchange or People Like Us.

It’s, in fact, all about the Kindred experience, making the home-swapping experience less stressful with minimal work from the host side. The Kindred team provides linen, towels, and guest essentials. Plus, the team takes care of the cleaning before and after a stay, which is, to be honest, the hardest part of home exchanging, especially when you have kids (trust me!).

Also, on Kindred, homes are vetted and professionally photographed, so you know that what you see accurately represents what you’ll get (look at this beautiful house in Denver, Colorado). The level of service Kindred provides also ensures guests can trust a high level of quality on every stay.

Kindred provides a concierge service to help you book trips and coordinate back and forth with members. It is especially interesting when you are located in a trendy area and get multiple home-swapping requests per week. The team will go through the initial discussion to make sure there are some serious and compatible requests for you.

There is no membership fee to register or even to start exchanging. When you secure an exchange, you’ll only have to pay the service fees (up to $35 per night) and the cleaning fees (between $150 and $250 total per trip). Also, once your application is accepted, you’ll be gifted with 5 credits (which equals five nights anywhere) so you can try the Kindred experience. 

If you think you’ll be doing multiple exchanges throughout the year, you can opt for the annual membership, and the service fees will be waived for all exchanges.

3. People Like Us

💰 Cost: $95 for annual membership (saving on 2 or 3-year memberships)

🤝 Type of exchanges: reciprocal exchanges or non-reciprocal exchanges

❤️ What we love about People Like Us: They are a really engaged Facebook community where you can easily find home swapping opportunities. Plus, they recently announced a partnership with the Worldschooling community, making it the perfect platform for world schooling families.

❌ What we don’t like about People Like Us: Most exchanges must be reciprocal which can be hard for families to coordinate. They have a Globe system (1 Globe = 1 Stay), but you also receive one globe if you register for the 3-year membership.

We have just registered with People Like Us, but haven’t done any house exchange yet.

As the creator, Drew, says on the website, “People Like Us brings together my love of travel, my nerdy love of software development, and my aspirational love of language learning.” 

He built it to create a large network of fellow travelers who wanted to experience new cultures, languages, and destinations without paying an arm and a leg for lodging. People Like Us also have an engaged private Facebook group to help finalize exchanges.

Though we haven’t secured an exchange yet through the People Like Us website, this seems like an excellent option. And it’s possible to register as a TRIAL member to get an idea before paying for the membership.

💰💰 How much does People Like Us cost? A membership of $95 for a year or $225 for a 3-year membership (that includes a Globe, which allows you to do a non-reciprocal exchange). 

More Home Exchange Websites to Try in 2024

4. HomeLink Home Exchange

HomeLink Home Exchange is another option for people who want to swap homes for their next vacation. It was established back in 1953, making the platform the world’s original holiday home exchange community. They are now celebrating 70+ years in business.

Like the other platforms mentioned, you can connect with other like-minded travelers and agree upon a house swap. 

On the plus side, it’s marginally cheaper than the other platforms. When you buy a 12-month membership, it comes out to $8.75 per month or $105 USD per year. Plus, it offers local personal support with Organizers in 20+ countries, such as HomeLink.Ca, representing Canadian members.

This website lets you get started for free. HomeLink offers a free 30-day trial to familiarize yourself with the website and service and browse through listings & contact members. It’s a good way to gain comfort and confidence in the platform.

After the free trial, there’s an annual fee if you choose to continue with the service.

There are a few disadvantages worth noting, however. This platform:

• Is less well-reviewed than the others 
• It is available in limited countries
• It seems a little less professional-looking (from their website)

So, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly platform, this is a winner. Otherwise, you may want to compare this with a few different options first. 

That said, we’ve also never used the platform, so this needs to be taken with a HUGE grain of salt.

💰💰 How Much Does Home Link Cost? The pricing depends on your chosen plan. It can range from $7 to $8.25/month. Only annual memberships are available.

5. Home Base Holidays

Home Base Holidays has facilitated home exchanges for over 30 years. They are a seasoned player in the home-swapping arena. Their platform emphasizes the mutual swapping of accommodations, be it within your own country or overseas. It’s most popular in the UK, Canada and Australia. But they have listings worldwide.

The primary goal of Home Base Holidays? Completely FREE holiday accommodation, allowing travelers to reduce their travel expenses significantly.

The website offers a variety of options, from beach villas and city apartments to unique houseboat swaps.

For those curious about the platform, they offer a free trial, giving potential members a taste of what to expect. And if you’re still on the fence, their promise stands out: if you opt for a swap and it doesn’t happen within your first year, you get a second year for free.

💰💰 Home Base Holidays Pricing: The pricing depends on your chosen plan. For the yearly membership, it’s CAN $59, which is about USD $43 (which is almost a free home exchange website)

6. Family Home Swap: One of the Free House Exchange Sites

Family Home Swaps stands out with its unique focus on family-friendly home exchanges. As the name suggests, this platform is tailored for families looking to swap homes with other families. It ensures that the accommodations are child-friendly and have all the necessary amenities.

This takes the guesswork out of wondering if a home will be suitable for kids.

This home exchange platform was created by Our Tribe Travels online community. From countryside retreats to urban apartments, there’s something for every family’s taste.

One of the differences with this website is that you can’t see any of the home swap listings unless you are a member of the platform.

💰💰 Family Home Swaps Pricing: It’s FREE. 100% free.

7. Switchome: One of the Free House Exchange Sites

Switchome is a free home exchange network with over 2000 users in its community. It’s predominantly used by homeowners in France, but there are locations spread out across the globe.

Like many home exchange websites in this post, you can use Switchome to filter out locations you’d like to stay and coordinate with other homeowners on a house swap. You can contact other people directly from your Switchome dashboard, which makes communication easy.

We should note that this isn’t one we’ve personally tested as a family. I tend to be skeptical of platforms that don’t charge a fee, only because my experiences with free services have been so poor in the past (like when you try to give something for free on a site like Craigslist or Kiji, and you attract a totally different type of audience).

With that in mind, though, this can be a home exchange platform worth experimenting with, especially since there will be no financial risk! It’s one of the best free house exchange sites.

Learn more about Switchome today!

Alternatives to Home Swap Websites

8. TrustedHousesitters

TrustedHousesitters is the largest international house-sitting website and is particularly interesting if traveling to the UK, Europe, Australia or the USA, where most of the sites are offered. The yearly membership is 169$ USD, but you can have a 25% discount when using this link.

We tried the website just pre-covid and were not successful, but there are many families who travel only through Trusted Housesitters. For example, The Little Big Voyagers have done over 6 house sitting in the UK and USA.

Through TrustedHousesitters, they secured house sits after doing video interviews with the homeowners. You can read our TrustedHousesitters review here.

🐶 Try TrustedHousesitters for your next vacation. Take care of a house and/or pets in exchange for free lodging. Use code THS12SAVER for 15% off your membership.

💰💰 Trusted Housesitters Pricing: $169 USD per year for the standard sitter membership.

9. Couch Surfing

Yes, no list on the planet for the best home exchange platforms would be complete without Couch Surfing. 

Now, let’s be 100% clear: I don’t recommend couch surfing as either a host or a guest if you have a family with young kids. 

But Emilie had done some couch surfing in her early 20s and had a reasonably good experience. The cool part is that hosts are usually more personally involved than on the other platforms (no… not in a creepy way). 

Often, the hosts will have dinner with you, give you the best tips for traveling like a local, and even act as a tour guide for the town. 

Again, couch surfing probably isn’t for everyone. But you can use this service for free, and it can be great for single travelers in a pinch. 

For more family-oriented travels (which this site focuses on), you’d likely do better with a platform like Home Exchange. 

💰💰 Couch Surfing Pricing: Free.

10. Wwoof

Wwoof stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. And the name is fitting.

The way this platform works is simple: you and your family volunteer to work on an organic farm in exchange for a place to stay.

The great thing is that memberships only cost 20 pounds (roughly $25 USD) and that’s it. From there, you’ll work out everything privately with the farm you’re interested in working on.

For the most part, all of your exchanges will be money-free, which means you’ll trade a bit of labor for a place to stay. While every agreement is unique, you’d look at roughly 20 – 33 hours of work per week.

This can be great for traveling families as you can alternate shifts. One parent works the farm one day, another the next, and weekends can be for everyone. You’ll still want some money for food and buying local goods once you’re there, but this can be a great way to live abroad on a budget.

Some places may be kid-friendly, though you’ll want to verify this while selecting your location.

11. Homestayin

Homestayin is another option for families looking for a home exchange site. It allows you to host other people or stay in homes worldwide.

One thing to remember with this website, though, is that it uses money instead of points. So it’s kind of like a mix between Airbnb and HomeExchange.

That said, you can sleep easier knowing that every booking gives one nutritional meal to a child in Africa through UNICEF.

Signing up is free, though you’ll need to pay a 15% fee to Homestayin for each successful booking.

Though we haven’t used this service, it does look tailored for a younger audience (particularly international students).

That said, it can still be used for traveling families (though we recommend going with a point system like Home Exchange if you’re a current homeowner).

12. Green Theme International

Green Theme International provides free accommodations around the globe. The way it works is simple:

• You list your home as a host
• You contact other members
• Agree to a swap

And that’s it! Once you’ve paid your yearly membership ($52 CAD), you can start trading your home quickly! The only downside is that, unlike HomeExchange, there isn’t a good system for exchanging homes at different times.

That means you’ll need to find members who can trade their homes at the same times as you would like to visit theirs.

In other words, you’ll use this website for more traditional simultaneous exchanges.

13. Bedycasa

Bedycasa has been in business since 2007. They have recently updated their website.

This home exchange site offers so much in terms of accommodations. Users can book for:

• Guest rooms
• Hosted stays
• Casas rurales (in Spain)
• Homestays
• Farms
• Hostels
• And more…

Again, they are working on their website, but you may consider registering for updates. They have over 260,000 members, so you’ll be in good company.

How a Home Exchange Works

The typical house swap vacation is reciprocal when family A goes to family B’s house (and vice-versa) at the same time. But there are other types of exchanges:

• Non-simultaneous when the same families swap but at different times.
• Non-reciprocal exchange when a family hosts another family but doesn’t go to that family house.

There are tons of advantages to using a house exchange site to prepare for your next vacation: 

Try Something New:

If you travel often enough, hotel rooms can get old quickly. Yes, they’re a treat for a few days. But if you stay longer, you can start missing basic accommodations like a kitchen or separate rooms (especially for kids). 

Meet Like-Minded Travelers:

Though you may not find your new BFFs, home exchange sites allow you to connect with people who love to travel as much as you! When we did an exchange in Glacier National Park, we had the chance to meet the owner and also other home exchangers. We ended up having a fun BBQ dinner all together.

Save Money:

Home exchanges are great for both parties because you don’t need to pay more for lodging than you already do monthly. This can lead to some major savings. For example, we stayed for 9 nights in the Canadian Rockies with a house swap vacation. It’s less than $21 per night. You can’t even find a national campground in Banff for that price.

Final Thoughts: The Best Home Exchange Sites in 2024?

And that’s it! These are the 13 best house swap websites that you can use for your next vacation home exchange. 

We are big fans of Home Exchange, but I believe the top 3 home exchange sites for 2023 are:

• HomeExchange
• Kindred
• People Like Us

🧳 Try HomeExchange.Com for your next vacation. Pay only when you find the perfect exchange!