Comparison

SpareRoom vs Roomster

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

Head to head
About

SpareRoom

Find your ideal room or flatmate with the UK's leading platform. Browse thousands of listings across the UK, connect with potential housemates, and secure your perfect living situation on the go.

Highlights
  • Room and roommate search
  • Thousands of UK listings
  • On-the-go access
  • User support
  • Connect with housemates
Features
Read full description

As the UK’s number 1 flatshare site, we’ve helped over 13,000,000 people to find their perfect room or roommate. With our apps, you can do it all while on-the-go. Repeatedly featured by Apple as App Of The Day and in the categories of Your New Home, Apps for the Weekend, What’s Hot, and Popular Apps and Games. Rated by The Sunday Times as one of the top apps on the App Store. SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE Whether you’re starting university, relocating to the UK, tired of living alone, weighing up what to do with an empty room, or, quite simply, searching for another flatmate or flatshare, we’re the service for you. UNRIVALLED CHOICE With thousands of flatsharing opportunities to choose from in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and right across the UK, you’ll be able to find your perfect flatmate or flatshare. OUR PHILOSOPHY Experience has taught us that flatsharing is as much about the people as it is about the property. To help you find the best of both, we provide unparalleled tools, choice, and support. As a result, on average, every 3 minutes someone finds a flatmate through SpareRoom. HELP & SUPPORT Our award-winning customer support team are here to help you with your search. If you require support, come across a problem, or want to provide feedback, you can get in touch by email (support@spareroom.co.uk) or phone (1 877 834 2909).

About

Roomster

Find a room to rent or a compatible roommate globally. Connect with verified individuals and browse thousands of listings with photos and detailed descriptions. Securely message potential matches and receive real-time alerts for new opportunities.

Highlights
  • Browse rooms and apartments for rent
  • Connect with validated roommates
  • Global listings in 18 languages
  • Private in-app messaging
  • Easy profile setup with social validation
  • Real-time alerts
Features
Read full description

Easily find a room to rent or a compatible roommate—anywhere in the world. Roomster connects you with validated renters and roommates in over 192 countries. Whether you're relocating nearby or abroad, Roomster helps you find safe, affordable housing and people you can trust. Key Features: Browse Rooms & Apartments for Rent Discover thousands of listings with photos, pricing, and detailed descriptions. Connect with Validated Roommates Match with roommates whose lifestyle, interests, and habits align with yours. Global Listings in 18 Languages Search rooms and roommates in cities across the globe. Private In-App Messaging Chat securely without giving out your personal contact info. Easy Profile Setup with Social Validation Add photos, interests, and social media links to make your profile stand out and validated. Real-Time Alerts Get notified instantly about new messages, likes, and room listings that match your preferences. Why Roomster? Trusted since 2003, Roomster has helped over 10 million people find roommates and rooms for rent. From students to professionals, Roomster is the go-to app for finding flexible, safe, and affordable living options. Download Roomster today and make your next move easier—whether you're searching for a room, a roommate, or both. Consult our Privacy Policy at https://www.roomster.com/privacy And our Terms of Use at https://www.roomster.com/terms We are always working hard on improvements to make finding your next home even easier. Please continue to send your feedback to iosfeedback@roomster.com. We appreciate it!

Screenshots

SpareRoom4 screens
Roomster4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SpareRoom at 4.7 against Roomster's 4.0. SpareRoom also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (49% vs 22%). Roomster's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly) and chart position (#71 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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. SpareRoom sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Roomster sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SpareRoom holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roomster has 22K ratings behind it against 4.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of SpareRoom's written reviews are positive against 22% of Roomster's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SpareRoom ships an update fortnightly, Roomster every 3 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
SpareRoom versus Roomster: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpareRoomRoomster
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (4.2K ratings) — better4.0 (22K ratings)
Positive reviews48.9% of reviews — better22.1% of reviews
Number of ratings4.2K22K — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#71 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB99 MB
Age rating+417+
DeveloperFlatshare LtdRoomster Corp.

Customer experience

SpareRoom

All ratings4,153 ratings
Positive92.2%
Neutral3.4%
Negative4.4%
Written reviews397 reviews
Positive48.9%
Neutral13.4%
Negative37.8%

Roomster

All ratings21,892 ratings
Positive72.8%
Neutral4.3%
Negative22.8%
Written reviews1,380 reviews
Positive22.1%
Neutral2.6%
Negative75.3%

User reviews

SpareRoom

From 4.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 👍 Great for finding rooms/flatmates
  • 💡 Useful features like filters
  • 🌟 Positive overall experience

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches
  • 💰 Expensive paid features
  • 🤖 Fake/unresponsive listings
  • 🚫 Discrimination in listings

Roomster

From 22K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 💡 Lots of options
  • 🚀 Convenient for travelers

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns
  • 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
  • 🗣️ Fake/spam messages
  • 💰 Misleading pricing

Bugs and requests

SpareRoom

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes and sign-outs
  • Inconsistent behavior between app and website
  • Issues with updating and editing listings

Requested features

4 requests
  • Better messaging/communication tools
  • More advanced search and filtering options
  • Improved verification of listings and users
  • Feedback/review system for landlords/tenants

Roomster

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login issues
  • Frequent crashes
  • Listings not updating
  • Verification problems

Requested features

4 requests
  • Better search filters
  • Ability to delete account
  • More transparent pricing
  • Improved user experience

In-app purchases

7 purchases

SpareRoom

One-time7
  • Boost$9.99
  • 7-Day Upgrade$12.99
  • 1-Week Upgrade2 variants$15.00
Show 4 more
  • Verification$15.00
  • 14-Day Upgrade$23.99
  • 30-Day Upgrade2 variants$25.99
  • 4-Week Upgrade2 variants$30.00
9 purchases

Roomster

Subscriptions5
  • Full access$9.997 Days
  • Full access$11.997 Days
  • Full access$19.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Full access$29.991 Month
  • Full access$49.992 Months
One-time4
  • Id Verification$2.99
  • Id Verification$5.99
  • Background Check2 variants$9.99
Show 1 more
  • Id Verification$14.99

Questions

Is SpareRoom free?
SpareRoom is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Roomster free?
Roomster is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SpareRoom or Roomster?
SpareRoom is rated higher. SpareRoom averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.2K ratings, while Roomster averages 4.0 from 22K ratings.
Do SpareRoom or Roomster have ads?
Roomster shows ads; SpareRoom does not.
Which is updated more often, SpareRoom or Roomster?
SpareRoom ships an update fortnightly, and Roomster every 3 days. Most recently, SpareRoom was updated on November 6, 2026 and Roomster on November 6, 2026.

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