Kindred Home Swapping vs Carmel Guide
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Kindred Home Swapping
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.
- Members-only home exchange
- Travel with trusted community
- Earn credits by hosting
- Concierge services for logistics
- Access homes in North America and Europe
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Kindred is a members-only home swapping network that harnesses the power of a trusted community to unlock a lifestyle rich with travel and human connection. By exchanging homes and apartments with peers, both renters and owners alike can access the opportunity to travel between homes across North America and Europe. HOW IT WORKS Using Kindred is simple: you give a night to get a night. Members can swap homes 1-for-1, or book stays with credits earned by hosting others. For each night you host a member, you receive a credit to book a stay of your own at any Kindred home. Once booked, your Kindred concierge takes care of all of logistics to make hosting and staying a breeze - from professional cleaning, to providing access to our members-only hosting essentials marketplace - so you can focus on enjoying your trip. HOW TO JOIN We are accepting applications at https://livekindred.com. FEEDBACK We’d love your feedback as we build this product and community! Please reach out to hello@livekindred.com with any questions or feedback.
Carmel Guide
Discover local businesses, dog-friendly spots, and outdoor dining in Carmel and Monterey County. Includes helpful tools like a parking meter timer, tip calculator, and menu translator for visitors.
- Curated local business listings
- Dog-friendly venue finder
- Outdoor dining recommendations
- Parking meter timer with alerts
- Tip calculator and currency converter
- Menu translator
- Real-time weather updates
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Carmel Guide is your pocket companion for exploring Carmel-by-the-Sea and the greater Monterey County area. Browse over 464 hand-picked local businesses across dining, shopping, galleries, wineries, outdoor activities, hotels, and essential services. DISCOVER LOCAL FAVORITES Explore curated listings for restaurants, cafes, bakeries, wine tasting rooms, art galleries, boutique shops, spas, and more. Each listing includes photos, hours, location, phone number, and website so you have everything you need at a glance. DOG-FRIENDLY GUIDE Carmel is one of the most dog-friendly towns in America. Find restaurants with dog-friendly patios, pet-welcoming hotels, off-leash beaches, and pet supply shops — all in one place. OUTDOOR DINING Discover the best patios, courtyards, and ocean-view terraces for al fresco dining along the Monterey Peninsula. TOURIST TOOLS Built-in tools designed for visitors: a parking meter timer with alerts so you never get a ticket, a tip calculator for quick dining math, a currency converter for international travelers, and a menu translator to help decode local cuisine. EXPLORE BY AREA Browse businesses across Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove, Monterey, Big Sur, Carmel Valley, Pebble Beach, and Seaside. Whether you are planning a weekend getaway or a week-long vacation, find exactly what you need in every corner of the county. SAVE YOUR FAVORITES Bookmark the places you love and build your own personalized guide to revisit anytime. REAL-TIME WEATHER Check current conditions and the forecast before heading out to explore the coast. Carmel Guide is free to use with no account required. All data is stored locally on your device for fast, private access.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Kindred Home Swapping at 4.9 against Carmel Guide's 3.7. Kindred Home Swapping also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 3). Carmel Guide's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads 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
Both are free to download. Carmel Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Kindred Home Swapping asks for nothing beyond the download.
Kindred Home Swapping holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kindred Home Swapping has 1.8K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Kindred Home Swapping | Carmel Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (1.8K ratings) — better | 3.7 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 60.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.8K — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 146 MB | 49 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Kindred Concepts Inc | Splitsnap |
Customer experience
Kindred Home Swapping
Carmel Guide
Bugs and requests
Kindred Home Swapping
Reported bugs
3 issues- Login issues and account verification problems
- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inaccurate availability and booking information
Requested features
6 requests- 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
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- Enhanced app stability and performance
Carmel Guide
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Kindred Home Swapping
No in-app purchases
Carmel Guide
- Lifetime Access$4.99
Questions
Is Kindred Home Swapping free?
Is Carmel Guide free?
Which has better reviews, Kindred Home Swapping or Carmel Guide?
Do Kindred Home Swapping or Carmel Guide have ads?
Which is updated more often, Kindred Home Swapping or Carmel Guide?
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