Comparison

Dorms.com vs Hostelz

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

Hostelz

Features
Read full description

Hostelz shows the price of the same hostel bed on Hostelworld, Booking.com and other booking sites side by side, so you can see which one is cheapest without opening ten tabs. Prices are shown in your own currency. Set it once in Settings and the whole app uses it. WHAT YOU GET • Over 24,000 hostels worldwide • Prices from several booking sites, compared side by side • A map of every hostel in the city. Tap a pin to see its price and rating • Filters for solo travel, female solo travel, party hostels and hostels where it's easy to meet people • Ratings and guest reviews • Nearby cities and neighborhoods based on your location Hostelz doesn't take bookings. When you find the bed you want, tap through and book it on the booking site with the best price. The app is free, and you don't need an account. Download Hostelz and find your next bed.

Screenshots

Dorms.com4 screens
Hostelz4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Hostelz at none against Dorms.com's shown. Dorms.com's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dorms.com ships an update every 9 days, Hostelz every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Dorms.com versus Hostelz: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDorms.comHostelz
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (18 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings18 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size95 MB58 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDorms.comESPAI KREATIV Ltd

In-app purchases

None

Dorms.com

No in-app purchases

None

Hostelz

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Dorms.com free?
Dorms.com is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hostelz free?
Hostelz is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Dorms.com or Hostelz have ads?
Dorms.com shows ads; Hostelz does not.
Which is updated more often, Dorms.com or Hostelz?
Dorms.com ships an update every 9 days, and Hostelz every 2 months. Most recently, Dorms.com was updated on November 11, 2026 and Hostelz on October 31, 2026.

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