# Couchsurfing: Stay, Meet, Host — Locals, Travelers & Hangouts > Global community for travelers to find hosts and make friends. (iPhone/iPad app by CouchSurfing International Inc..) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/couchsurfing-stay-meet-host/id525642917 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [CouchSurfing International Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/525642921) - Category: Travel, Lifestyle - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.50/5 from 9,165 App Store ratings · 850 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 17+ - Requires: iOS 15.0 · 218 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2012-06-06 - Data updated: 2026-08-28 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/couchsurfing-stay-meet-host/id525642917/reviews.md ## What is Couchsurfing? You have friends around the world, you just haven’t met them yet. Couchsurfing is the best way to stay with amazing locals, make lifelong travel friends, or host travelers coming to your hometown. Over 12 million travel enthusiasts use Couchsurfing in more than 230,000 cities around the world. Use the Couchsurfing app to plan and manage your trip itinerary. Find hosts in your next destination • Browse the millions of local hosts offering a place to stay in thousands of cities and towns • Stay with and meet locals and have an authentic travel experience • Explore accommodations options near where you are right now, or near your future destination Make New Friends • Discover thousands of fun events planned by other Couchsurfers in your hometown or in your next travel destination • Use Couchsurfing Hangouts to show you who’s nearby your current location and available to meet up right now Meet Travellers Without Traveling • Host or meet up with incoming travellers coming to your city • Can’t travel right now? Let new cultures and friends come to you And More • Easily create and manage a Couchsurfing profile • Manage your incoming or outgoing requests, messages, and more • Add pictures to document your travel adventures • See which of your Facebook friends also have a Couchsurfing account ## Key features - Find local hosts worldwide - Make lifelong travel friends - Host travelers in your hometown - Discover local events - Use Hangouts to meet nearby people - Manage trip itinerary and requests ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Annual Contribution | $19.99 | per year | | Monthly Contribution | $1.99 | per month | | Annual Contribution | $13.99 | per year | | Monthly Contribution | $4.99 | per month | | Annual Contribution | $19.99 | per year | | Annual Verification | $29.99 | per year | | Quarterly Contribution | $9.99 | per 3 months | ## Chart rankings - #55 in Top Grossing · Travel (US App Store) ## What do users think of Couchsurfing? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 Connecting travelers - 👍 Great for networking - 👍 Life-changing experiences - 👍 Excellent community - 👍 Wonderful way to travel **Cons** - 🐛 Buggy and slow - 💰 Mandatory paid subscription - 🔒 Verification issues and lack of refunds - 🕸 Inactive users and lack of hosts - 🤖 Poor customer service **Commonly reported bugs** - Crashes and freezes - Unreliable notifications - Inaccurate location data - Glitches in messaging and profile editing **Most requested features** - Improved search and filtering options - Better notification system - Ability to view past references - Easier account management and data access - Cleaning up inactive accounts ## Recent user reviews (10 of 850) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/couchsurfing-stay-meet-host/id525642917/reviews.md ### 2/5 — Not liking the update *2026-08-17, version 7.2.11* I usually embrace change, but I do dislike this update; difficult to find things, the photos appear cropped, there’s now no longer keyword search. Did you have a group of testers before launching it? Do you use TestFlight? ### 1/5 — Ugly New Format *2026-08-15, version 7.2.11* I wish there was a way to revert back to the old format of the app. The new one is extremely awful! ### 1/5 — Sad *2026-08-15, version 7.2.11* Stupid greedy pigs ruined this once amazing community with their pay model. It’s been over for years - waiting for something to take it’s place! ### 1/5 — AI (not human) Designed *2026-08-12* NOT user-friendly. Lots of unnecessary bells and whistles that distract from primary functions that work less efficiently than the previous version. Small type, tiny useless photo icons, notification alarms for the slightest activity you do in app as well as any Friend’s any trip. Multiple Chat features are confusing and based on category. All past guest conversations and photo captions are lost. Hangouts is mixed in with auto-generated local curated public Events and not as expedient to use. Multiple levels and inefficient menus for every communication. Plus CS reprimands you by email for not using their clunky platform and trying to take your guest vetting off-app to actual, real phone contact! Of the 50+ international CouchSurfers I know, no one likes the new app, so it’s mind boggling it has such a high rating here. Many of my friends have now opted out of CS until the former ease-if-use is restored again. Others overseas can’t afford it anymore. But it has attracted a lot of newbies… who are mostly free loaders and don’t care about cultural exchange. 👎 ### 1/5 — Please bring back the old version. *2026-08-11* I had been a subscriber for years and cancelled because of the new layout update, which was very confusing. Please bring back the old version. . Eu era assinante a anos e cancelei devido a nova atualização de Layout que ficou muito confusa. Voltem a versão antiga por favor. **Developer response:** Anos de conexões reais. É exatamente isso que o Couchsurfing é feito para criar. Obrigado por fazer parte dessa comunidade por tanto tempo. ### 1/5 — I’m off. *2026-08-10, version 7.2.9* How can CS claim a 4.8 star rating when every recent review is awarded one star? This is misleading for new subscribers, while long standing members (like me, 15 years +) are all jumping ship. The original concept and site was brilliant, and brought dozens of the ‘right’ people to my door. Revision of the well established and familiar format was pointless, the only fix needed was a spring clean-out of the hundreds of names without any profile details cluttering up the site. Time to move over to the Couchers website. ### 3/5 — Love it, it's the best app to travel *2026-08-10* Previous version wqs a lot better. But, I have met so much people. Kind, friendly, helpful, fun. An app for people that love travels and knowing different cultures around the world ### 2/5 — New version made unusable *2026-08-08, version 7.2.9* The new version of the app is such a bizarre change. It looks like the good people of couchsurfing wanted this app to be more like grindr/dice/discord/some internet dark room. Very hard to use and a shame for people that rely on this for emergency housing while traveling. Also gives off a very wrong vibe to make this look like a dating app when women/queer ppl were already trying not to get SA'd when using the original app. Do y'all not have any women on your team? Seriously how did this get past testing? This app used to be people & community-centric but it's now almost impossible to use. Please at least make a light mode for users. Couchsurfing team really lost the plot on this one. ### 1/5 — 8/2026 Terrible update *2026-08-07, version 7.2.9* Been using Couchsurfing for nearly a decade. This app update is horrible. Part of it’s beauty was the simplicity. Now it lags, it’s hard to find what you’re looking for and it just looks really ugly. Like a sketchy, dark club you get robbed in. I used to love using the hangouts feature to easily meet up with people but the update makes it a bit hard and shows people that are really far away. Go to the hostelworld app if you’re looking for the hangouts feature. So much better than Couchsurfing now. Note to developers - Please go back to the simple, bright, and warm feeling vibe you used to have in the app. And keep it simple. ### 3/5 — no place to stay *2026-08-07, version 7.2.9* I have contacted host for many trips for a place to stay and everyone that says they can host is always traveling. I am in Florida and I could find no one on the coastal areas that could host anytime. ## Frequently asked questions about Couchsurfing ### What is Couchsurfing? Couchsurfing is a global community that connects travelers with locals. It allows you to find hosts for accommodation, make new friends, and discover local events. You can also host travelers visiting your city, fostering cultural exchange. ### How do I find hosts on Couchsurfing? You can browse millions of local hosts offering a place to stay in thousands of cities and towns worldwide. The app allows you to explore accommodations near your current location or future destinations, facilitating authentic travel experiences. ### Is Couchsurfing free to use? The core functionality of finding hosts, making friends, and discovering events is free. However, the app does have in-app purchases, which may offer additional features or benefits to users. ### Can I meet people without traveling? Yes, you can meet travelers without traveling yourself. The app allows you to host or meet up with incoming travelers visiting your city. This provides an opportunity to experience new cultures and make friends from the comfort of your hometown. ### What are Couchsurfing Hangouts? Couchsurfing Hangouts is a feature within the app that shows you who is nearby your current location and available to meet up right now. It's a great way to spontaneously connect with other Couchsurfers in your vicinity for a chat or activity. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 7.2.11 — 2026-08-13 Got a tablet? We've made verification smoother by adding a handy rotate-your-device prompt when you're in landscape mode, so nothing gets in the way of getting you set up. Third-party login buttons have been resized to keep the launch flow nice and seamless, and tapping community links inside the app now takes you exactly where you'd expect—no more surprise detours to a logged-out browser. We also fixed a hiccup where the chat list lost its place after removing a conversation, and as a fun finishing touch, hangout pins on the map now show profile photos so you can put a face to every green dot before you even say hello! ### 7.2.10 — 2026-08-11 Ever feel like the little things make all the difference? This update is packed with fixes and fresh touches that smooth out your Couchsurfing experience from end to end. The "Recently Active" filter now surfaces the hosts and travelers it should, Hangout status chips stick around until a request is actually resolved, and tapping a community name on a post takes you straight to that community page—just as it should. Promotional offers now apply correctly to annual plans, the contact sync prompt will politely reappear if you left it unfinished, and tapping an event pin on the map reliably updates the event card below it. A handful of event bugs on location pages have been swept away too. On top of all that, chatting just got a little more lively. A subtle animation now plays on the chat button when messages are sent and received, giving conversations a satisfying pulse. Your chat inbox filters have been refreshed to behave more intuitively, and a handy new tag on chat rows lets you spot active and past Hangouts at a glance. Small details, big difference—happy travels! ### 7.2.9 — 2026-07-31 Ever feel like the little things make all the difference? This update is packed with fixes and fresh touches that smooth out your Couchsurfing experience from end to end. The "Recently Active" filter now surfaces the hosts and travelers it should, Hangout status chips stick around until a request is actually resolved, and tapping a community name on a post takes you straight to that community page—just as it should. Promotional offers now apply correctly to annual plans, the contact sync prompt will politely reappear if you left it unfinished, and tapping an event pin on the map reliably updates the event card below it. A handful of event bugs on location pages have been swept away too. On top of all that, chatting just got a little more lively. A subtle animation now plays on the chat button when messages are sent and received, giving conversations a satisfying pulse. Your chat inbox filters have been refreshed to behave more intuitively, and a handy new tag on chat rows lets you spot active and past Hangouts at a glance. Small details, big difference—happy travels! ### 7.2.8 — 2026-07-28 Ready to hit the road with a smoother experience? This update brings some great improvements to keep your Couchsurfing journey safe and seamless. Blocked users can no longer view or leave references on your profile, and a handful of pesky counter and summary glitches on profiles and friend requests have been squashed. Friend requests now sort newest-first by default, so you'll always see the freshest connections up top. We've also added a handy "Get Verified" option right in Settings near Manage Subscriptions, making it easier than ever to build trust with the community. On the events and performance side of things, member-created Events sport a refreshed tag style so you can instantly tell them apart from curated ones, and if you're an organizer, your event tools are now just a tap away directly from Feed cards. A new low-battery mode lets you disable blur effects to save power when you're out exploring and running low. We've also fixed incorrect step counts in the Profile Completeness drawer, resolved a connectivity bug that caused usernames to vanish on relaunch, corrected the payment flow during Onboarding, and paused animations on the paywall and login screens to keep things snappy. Adventure awaits—go explore! ### 7.2.7 — 2026-07-24 Getting started on Couchsurfing just got a whole lot friendlier! Photo upload is now optional during onboarding, with a handy fallback if anything goes wrong, so nothing stands between you and your first adventure. Gmail users will love the new Google sign-in shortcut, and if you ever need a hand, there's a fresh support form right on the login screen. We've also been busy making the rest of the app feel smoother everywhere you roam. Chat is more reliable than ever, with better search, fixed direct message routing, and the ability to report chat requests that don't feel right. Profile pages got some love too, squashing a bug that duplicated references and closing a sneaky glitch that could wipe your entire photo gallery. Host search results are more accurate, maps and navigation behave themselves on mobile, and several Android crashes have been shown the door. Happy travels! ## Apps similar to Couchsurfing | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Hostelworld: Hostel Travel App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hostelworld-hostel-travel-app/id348890820) | 4.9 (77,677) | Free | Travel | | [Worldpackers Travel the World](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/worldpackers-travel-the-world/id1133172689) | 4.9 (5,099) | Free | Travel | | [Booking.com: Hotels & Travel](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookingcom-hotels-and-travel/id367003839) | 4.8 (2,122,364) | Free | Travel | | [Skyscanner Flights & Travel](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyscanner-flights-and-travel/id415458524) | 4.8 (496,614) | Free | Travel | | [Packr Travel Packing List](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packr-travel-packing-list/id1208312901) | 4.6 (7,029) | Free | Travel | | [Selina Hotel Travel & Explore](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/selina-hotel-travel-and-explore/id1380472623) | 4.6 (562) | Free | Travel | ## Related topics [couch surf](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/couch-surf) · [couchsurfing](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/couchsurfing) · [couchsurfing travel app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/couchsurfing-travel-app) · [couchsurfing hangouts](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/couchsurfing-hangouts) · [couch surfer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/couch-surfer) · [couch](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/couch) · [bewelcome](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/bewelcome) · [travel buddies app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/travel-buddies-app) · [nomadtable](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/nomadtable) · [travel ladies](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/travel-ladies) · [hostel hop](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/hostel-hop) · [wwoof](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/wwoof) · [gcap cool works](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/gcap-cool-works) · [cool works](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cool-works) · [trip bffs](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/trip-bffs) · [hostelworld](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/hostelworld) · [trusted house sitters](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/trusted-house-sitters) · [worldpackers](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/worldpackers) · [gaffl](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/gaffl) · [weekend travel](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/weekend-travel) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*