Planning an International Trip? This New Home-Swapping Trend Can Save You Money

In today’s digital age, travelling is becoming increasingly expensive, especially in European cities where hotel rooms and Airbnb rentals have reached record prices. Amid this situation, a new platform called Kindred has emerged as a budget-friendly alternative. According to a report by The New York Times, many travellers are now turning to home swapping to reduce accommodation costs, and Kindred is enabling this shift. The platform works on a “give-to-get” model, allowing members to open their homes to others and, in return, stay at another member’s home anywhere in the world. This members-only network promotes affordable travel while offering a local living experience.

Kindred is essentially a trusted home exchange community that was launched around 2022–23. It connects both homeowners and renters through a structured membership system. While joining the platform is free, interested users must submit an application. Homes listed on Kindred need to be clean, well-furnished, and suitable for travellers. Once approved, members become part of the network. Currently, Kindred offers access to more than 220,000 homes across over 100 cities in North America and Europe. The platform operates on a core principle called “Give a Night, Get a Night,” which defines how members earn and use stay credits.

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Under Kindred’s credit-based system, new members receive five credits at the start, allowing them to stay up to five nights anywhere without hosting a guest immediately. Each time a member hosts someone in their home, they earn one credit per night. These credits can then be redeemed for stays at other members’ homes. No direct cash transactions take place between hosts and guests. Travellers only pay cleaning and service fees, keeping costs low. On average, a week-long stay costs under $500, compared to over $2,000 for hotels in cities like New York. Kindred also provides professional cleaning, video-call verification, and insurance coverage up to $100,000 for hosts.