What Does It Cost to House Swap With Kindred?

There are so many reasons to start house swapping with Kindred: the like-minded community, the incredible homes on the platform. But most people initially sign up for Kindred because they are looking for a way to travel more affordably. Here, we’ll go into the details about Kindred’s home exchange fees and show how you can lower your travel costs if you become a frequent swapper.

What are the fees to home swap?

Kindred was made to be radically affordable. There’s no annual membership fee, unlike with other home exchange companies. You’ll only pay cleaning and service fees when you travel. (We don’t even take your credit card until then!) When you host, Kindred provides everything you need, from linens to lockboxes, so you don’t have to spend a dime. There are no nightly rental rates or hidden costs, like there are with hotels and other short-term vacation rentals.

In lieu of that nightly rental rate, we use a give-to-get membership model: The more you host, the more you travel. You’ll accumulate credits for every night you host other members in your home, which you can use to stay in other homes later. You’ll start with five credits when you join, so you can try Kindred before you host.

Credits are entirely about reciprocity and don’t have monetary value, so you can’t buy them. Unlike other swapping websites, one credit always equals one night: All homes are treated equally, no matter the size or location.

So how much for a 7-day house swap in NYC?

Great question. Visit this How Kindred Works page and you'll see this handy calculator:

Play around and you'll see: The longer you stay in a destination, the better the deal. That's because Kindred has service and cleaning fees instead of a nightly rate. Stay in NYC for two weeks, and you'll only pay $755 (plus credits). Seven nights in Paris on Kindred would cost $350. Oui!

Are there ways to pay even less on Kindred?

Yes. When members exchange homes simultaneously, there are no credits given or exchanged; members only pay for cleanings.

And, if you plan to exchange homes more than a few times a year, the Kindred Passport helps you save money on service fees. Pay $600 for the year, and you’ll skip all service fees on unlimited trips. This option makes good sense if you take more than two Kindred trips per year. Some Kindred members are using their Passport to make their dream trips a reality, like Natalia, who spent a full month house swapping in London for $400.

Why are there fees to home swap?

Kindred’s trip fees go toward facilitating home swaps and covering our business operations. Cleaning fees cover exactly what you’d expect. This money goes to the teams who clean each home before and after guests arrive. Service fees, as well as Kindred Passport subscriptions, cover our company’s overhead and margins. That’s how Kindred makes money (which is a question we’re often asked). Our service fees also pay for member services, including:

• 24/7 concierge member support
• Our Host Protection Guarantee, which covers up to $100,000 in rare instances of damage
• Our Guest Trip Protection policy, which helps cover booking third-party accommodations if a host cancels last minute
• Host essentials, including towels, linens, toiletries, a sponge, and a lockbox

And remember: We’ll never make money by selling your information to third parties. We’re a community based on trust, and your privacy is important to us.

Start home swapping

Ready to start earning Kindred credits? Apply to join the community and start swapping today.