# Kindred Home Swapping vs Elya

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Kindred Home Swapping at none against Elya's 12. Kindred Home Swapping also leads on ratings volume (1.7K vs 1) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Elya sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Kindred Home Swapping asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Kindred Home Swapping against 5.0 for Elya. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kindred Home Swapping has 1.7K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Kindred Home Swapping ships an update weekly, Elya every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kindred Home Swapping | Elya |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kindred-home-swapping/id1603228195/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elya/id6642709950/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 61.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 136 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kindred Concepts Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1603228197) | [Hadoken](https://appshunter.io/developer/1564986727) |

## What reviewers say

### Kindred Home Swapping

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kindred-home-swapping/id1603228195)

This members-only platform facilitates home exchanges, allowing renters and owners to travel by swapping homes with a trusted community. Earn credits by hosting and use them to book stays, with concierge services handling logistics like cleaning and supplies.

**Highlights:** Members-only home exchange, Travel with trusted community, Earn credits by hosting, Concierge services for logistics, Access homes in North America and Europe

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fantastic hosts and great communication
- 🏠 Cozy and comfortable homes
- 💰 Affordable alternative to hotels
- 🌇 Great locations and views
- 🧹 Professionally cleaned homes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Confusing app navigation and functionality
- 🕰️ Slow response times from hosts
- 🚫 Difficulty booking desired dates
- 💰 Expensive service and cleaning fees
- 🤨 Lack of transparency around host ratings

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and account verification problems
- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inaccurate availability and booking information

**Requested features**

- Improved search and filtering options
- More transparent host rating system
- Flexible date changes and cancellations
- Better in-app messaging and communication
- Streamlined onboarding and profile management


### Elya

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elya/id6642709950)

Explore cities independently with this app, featuring self-guided tours, GPS navigation, and interactive scavenger hunts. Immerse yourself in local history with audio commentary, photos, and videos at each step.

**Highlights:** Self-guided city tours, Interactive scavenger hunts, GPS navigation, Multimedia audio, photo, video content, Local guide-curated routes, Intuitive interface

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jeu de piste | $4.00 | one-time |
| Visite | $9.00 | one-time |
| Visite | $10.00 | one-time |
| Jeu de piste | $17.00 | one-time |
| Bundle visites | $39.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kindred Home Swapping free?

Kindred Home Swapping is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Elya free?

Elya is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Kindred Home Swapping or Elya?

Elya is rated higher. Kindred Home Swapping averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Elya averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Kindred Home Swapping or Elya have ads?

Neither Kindred Home Swapping nor Elya shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kindred Home Swapping or Elya?

Kindred Home Swapping ships an update weekly, and Elya every 2 weeks. Most recently, Kindred Home Swapping was updated on October 16, 2026 and Elya on September 23, 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.*