# Dorms.com vs Mad Monkey Hostels

The clearest difference is ads: Mad Monkey Hostels at none against Dorms.com's shown. Mad Monkey Hostels also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Dorms.com against 4.6 for Mad Monkey Hostels. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18 and 7 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of Dorms.com's written reviews are positive against 73% of Mad Monkey Hostels's.

Dorms.com ships an update every 2 weeks, Mad Monkey Hostels every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 30, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dorms.com | Mad Monkey Hostels |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dormscom/id1190536834/reviews)** | [4.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mad-monkey-hostels/id1606681928/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **18** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **72.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 89 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Dorms.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/1190536833) | [Mad Monkey Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1599212102) |

## What reviewers say

### Dorms.com

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dormscom/id1190536834)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mad Monkey Hostels

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mad-monkey-hostels/id1606681928)

Book accommodations and tours across Southeast Asia with guaranteed lowest prices and flexible cancellations. Earn loyalty rewards like free drinks and discounts, and access exclusive deals on experiences and parties. Manage all your bookings and travel plans in one convenient place.

**Highlights:** Lowest prices guaranteed, Flexible free cancellation, Loyalty rewards program, Effortless booking management, Exclusive tour and party deals, 24/7 customer support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dorms.com free?

Dorms.com is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mad Monkey Hostels free?

Mad Monkey Hostels is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dorms.com or Mad Monkey Hostels?

Dorms.com is rated higher. Dorms.com averages 4.7 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Mad Monkey Hostels averages 4.6 from 7 ratings.

### Do Dorms.com or Mad Monkey Hostels have ads?

Dorms.com shows ads; Mad Monkey Hostels does not.

### Which is updated more often, Dorms.com or Mad Monkey Hostels?

Dorms.com ships an update every 2 weeks, and Mad Monkey Hostels every 3 weeks. Most recently, Dorms.com was updated on July 30, 2026 and Mad Monkey Hostels on September 19, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*