Couchsurfing is the only form of accommodation that, yes, lets you stay somewhere for $0 total when traveling — is there really no catch?
View from my Couchsurfing host’s luxury home that I stayed at for free in my own private room.
- What is couchsurfing?
- How do you find a host?
- Is couchsurfing safe?
- How do I find a good host?
- Pros and Cons of Couchsurfing?
- My Experience Couchsurfing
What is couchsurfing?
Couchsurfing is a type of accommodation when traveling where a host allows you to stay at their home for free.
Most hosts are men.
How do you find a host?
There are different ways but I’ve found the most success with the app “Couchsurfing” which costs $15/year to use the platform.
Travelers upload the dates and destinations of their travel plans, and hosts in the destination can send invitations to travelers to stay at their home.
As a solo female traveler, I often had a surplus of invitations from hosts to stay with them, and never had an issue (except in smaller populated destinations) finding a host.
However, I’ve heard from male travelers that it is much more difficult to find a host, and they often need to send direct messages to hosts requesting to stay at their place.
Is couchsurfing safe?
I have never been in an unsafe situation as a solo female traveler; however, I fully admit there have been uncomfortable experiences with hosts.
I would NOT recommend couchsurfing for everyone, as it requires using street smarts, strong intuition, and a measure of trust in a stranger.
But the benefits are obvious: a free stay is unbeatable for a budget traveler.
Is there really no catch, you ask?
If you have a good host — yes!
Many hosts genuinely want to meet other travelers (being travelers themselves) and are kind-hearted human beings who open up their home to you without expecting anything in return.
My best experience on Couchsurfing was with a man who owned a stunning million-dollar home on the beach in Alicante, Spain, and drove me to beautiful locations around the city that only locals know about.
Secret spot in Alicante, Spain that my Couchsurfing host drove me to
However, if there’s any catch, it’s just that: finding a host who does not expect anything in return.
I’ve unfortunately been hit on more than once by hosts I’ve stayed with, and have had more hosts than I’d like to admit who wanted something more.
As a solo female traveler, I’ve grown accustomed to shutting down advances from men, so it is not out of my comfort zone to be in uncomfortable situations.
My advice to solo female travelers is not to try couchsurfing if they are not willing to be in a potentially uncomfortable situation.
Is couchsurfing my ideal choice of accommodation?
Certainly not — BUT it’s allowed me to travel to as many places as I have on a budget, so I wouldn’t not recommend it.
The most important thing is to proceed with caution, as I’ll explain in the next section.
How do I find a good host?
Reviews
I read EVERY review submitted by past guests about the host.
You may have to read between the lines for some, as they are not always straightforward.
What I mean is that some guests may hint that the host tried to make an advance with them, but will not explicitly state in the review.
Or you might find reviews from past guests RAVING about the host, that to me, seemed suspicious.
Like I mentioned, trusting your intuition is key, and it starts with the beginning of the searching process.
Bio
Do they sound like a normal person? Someone that you can get along with?
Even if you don’t hang out with them during your stay, you’ll inevitably interact with them, so make sure that what they write about themselves matches the kind of person you would want to spend time with.
Social media
I always request the host for their social media accounts to see if their profile information matches.
Green flag: their posts align with who they say they are on Couchsurfing.
Red flag: posts don’t match their Couchsurfing profile, they have no posts at all, or they follow a disproportionate amount of females over males on their account.
Communication
Prior communication is essential for me before I stay with a host.
Are they responsive and friendly in their messages?
Do they seem like a genuine host who wants to meet a fellow traveler?
Or do their messages suggest they are looking for something more?
Green flag: they are willing to video call beforehand.
Red flag: they question or refuse to video call beforehand.
Photos
Do they have multiple, clear photos of themselves?
Red flag: photos they provide are blurry/hard to make out, and they have fewer than 3 on their profile.
Pros and Cons of Couchsurfing?
Pros
- You don’t pay anything for accommodation
- Local hosts can give you inside recs and even act as a tour guide around the destination, showing you things you wouldn’t be able to find on your own
Cons
- Choosing a host is like rolling the dice…
- Their home may not be clean, comfortable, or as private as you’d like
- More difficult to meet other travelers vs. say a hostel (see previous post on hostels)
My Experience Couchsurfing
A scenic lookout in Nador, Morocco that my Couchsurfing host took me to see during a day tour around the region
I’ve had positive Couchsurfing experiences that were the entire reason why my trip was so memorable.
These include my hosts in:
- Alicante, Spain
- Seville, Spain
- San Sebastian, Spain
- Nador, Morocco
I’ve had positive Couchsurfing experiences that saved me immense amounts of money in expensive destinations such as hosts in New York City and Paris.
And I’ve had negative Couchsurfing experiences where hosts made me slightly to extremely uncomfortable.
It does not matter which destination you are in, there are honest and less honest hosts anywhere in the world.
Once again, intuition is imperative, especially my ladies out there, since hosts are predominantly male. If you don’t know how to use your intuition, let me know and I’d be happy to cover that in a future article.
Conclusion
So what are your thoughts?
Have you ever tried Couchsurfing? If so, I would love to hear your experiences.
If not, is it something you would ever try?
Let me know in the comments down below!
This article is meant to empower solo female travelers on a budget with the knowledge they need to fuel their travel ambitions.
As always, my DM’s are always open if you have any further questions 🙂
Join the Wanderluster community! We’d love to have you 🙂
gottacaseofwanderlust 
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