Comparison

Dorms.com vs a&o Hostels

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Dorms.com

Find and book safe, budget-friendly student accommodations and backpacker hostels worldwide. Discover city guides, special deals, and manage your bookings on the go for a seamless travel experience.

Highlights
  • Search student housing and hostels
  • Find last-minute deals
  • Book on the go
  • Manage bookings
  • City guides with tips
  • Review accommodations
Features
Read full description

Book safe student accommodation and backpacker hostels with Dorms.com. Designed with students, backpackers and digital nomads in mind, our budget-friendly selection of student accommodation and hostels makes youth travel easier and safer. From London to Paris, from Berlin to New York, Dorms.com connects you with the best deals for student housing and backpacker hostels. Not sure where to head next? Our city guides help you get inspired before you hit the road. Wherever you want to go, find a hostel downtown or in a trendy neighbourhood, or a room in the university district, close to bus and train stations, airports or major attractions. With over 1 million bookings already made, we can help you find your next great stay. With the free app you can: - Search hostels, student housing, homestays, dorms, and shared or private rooms - Find last-minute hostel deals - Get special deals on cheap hostels and safe student accommodation - Book a hostel on the go, for tonight or your next trip - Keep your booking confirmations in the app, no printing needed - Manage your bookings - Use "Take me to my room" so you never get lost - Read city guides with tips and free activities - Chat with our support team Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DormsCom/ Backpacking hacks: https://www.dorms.com/Hostel-Backpacking-Hacks Hostel blogs: https://www.dorms.com/Hostels-Blogs Website: https://www.dorms.com/ Problems or ideas? Write to us at info@dorms.com.

About

a&o Hostels

Book budget-friendly accommodation in over 39 hostels across Europe. Check in online and use your smartphone to unlock your room door, streamlining your travel experience.

Highlights
  • Book accommodation
  • Online check-in
  • Digital room key
  • Find hostels in 23 cities
  • View room categories
  • 24-hour service
Features
Read full description

a&o Hostels App – Book, Check In, Open the Door Book accommodation, check in online, open your room door – your app for everything! With over 40 hostels in more than 30 cities, a&o is Europe’s largest hostel provider, offering affordable and centrally located accommodations in the most popular cities. Available room categories include single, double, family, and dorm rooms. Backpackers, business travelers, couples, families, and larger groups such as school classes or clubs will find the right bed or room here—equipped with a private bathroom with shower/toilet, hairdryer, and toiletries. There’s also free high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the building, as well as 24/7 service and a snack bar that’s open at all times. Aachen – Antwerp – Berlin – Bremen – Brighton – Brussels – Budapest – Dortmund – Dresden – Düsseldorf – Edinburgh – Florence – Frankfurt – Graz – Hamburg – Cologne – Copenhagen – Leipzig – London – Milan – Manchester – Munich – Nuremberg – Prague – Rotterdam – Salzburg – Stuttgart – Venice – Warsaw – Weimar – Vienna a&o – everyone can travel YOUR FEATURES AT A GLANCE Booking: Whether a bed or a room – select your desired city and easily book your affordable and centrally located accommodation on the go at the best a&o price! Check-in: Skip the trip to the front desk! You can check in on your own—no waiting, just a few clicks, starting 24 hours in advance. Open the door: Say goodbye to room keys. With the app, you can open your room door. Turn on Bluetooth, hold your smartphone up to the lock, tap, and you’re done!

Screenshots

Dorms.com4 screens
a&o Hostels4 screens

Verdict

The call

Dorms.com and a&o Hostels both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 67% of Dorms.com's written reviews are positive against 26% of a&o Hostels's. a&o Hostels's advantage is ratings volume (113 vs 18). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Dorms.com against 4.6 for a&o Hostels. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: a&o Hostels has 113 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of Dorms.com's written reviews are positive against 26% of a&o Hostels's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Dorms.com versus a&o Hostels: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDorms.coma&o Hostels
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (18 ratings) — better4.6 (113 ratings)
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews — better26.4% of reviews
Number of ratings18113 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 9 days
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size95 MB183 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDorms.comA&O HOTELS and HOSTELS HOLDING AG

Customer experience

Dorms.com

All ratings18 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral5.6%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

a&o Hostels

All ratings109 ratings
Positive89.0%
Neutral2.8%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews72 reviews
Positive26.4%
Neutral1.4%
Negative72.2%

In-app purchases

None

Dorms.com

No in-app purchases

None

a&o Hostels

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Dorms.com free?
Dorms.com is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is a&o Hostels free?
a&o Hostels is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Dorms.com or a&o Hostels?
Dorms.com is rated higher. Dorms.com averages 4.7 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while a&o Hostels averages 4.6 from 113 ratings.
Do Dorms.com or a&o Hostels have ads?
Both Dorms.com and a&o Hostels show ads.
Which is updated more often, Dorms.com or a&o Hostels?
Dorms.com ships an update every 9 days, and a&o Hostels every 9 days. Most recently, Dorms.com was updated on November 11, 2026 and a&o Hostels on November 6, 2026.

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