The Hostel Co vs SponsoredTrip
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Hostel Co
Discover and book backpacker hostels across India. Find curated stays in popular destinations, compare prices, and book verified accommodations with real photos and amenities. Perfect for solo travelers, students, and budget adventurers seeking community and affordability.
- Discover hostels in top Indian destinations
- Book verified and affordable accommodations
- Compare prices and view real photos
- Find dorms or private rooms
- Get notified about deals and new openings
- Connect with like-minded backpackers
Read full descriptionHide full description
Welcome to The Hostel Co — your go-to app for discovering and booking backpacker hostels across India. Whether you're planning a solo adventure, a weekend getaway, or a budget trip with friends, our platform brings together curated stays designed for travelers who value community, comfort, and affordability. Explore Top Backpacker Destinations Find hostels in India’s most loved travel spots: • Goa • Pondicherry • Rishikesh • Bir • Udaipur • Manali • Kasol • Mumbai …and more locations added regularly. Book Verified & Affordable Hostels We partner only with verified backpacker hostels that offer clean rooms, a friendly community vibe, and great amenities. Choose from dorms or private rooms based on your travel style and budget. Quick & Easy Booking Check real-time availability, compare prices, view hostel photos, and complete your booking in seconds. Designed for Travelers The Hostel Co app helps you meet like-minded backpackers, explore local experiences, and enjoy community-driven stays. Real Photos & Amenities Get all essential details like Wi-Fi, common areas, café availability, events, reviews, and more — without hidden surprises. Stay Updated Get notified about offers, last-minute deals, and new hostel openings. Perfect for: • Solo travelers • Students • Digital nomads • Budget travelers • Adventure seekers Travel affordably, meet amazing people, and stay in vibrant backpacker communities. Download The Hostel Co and start exploring!
SponsoredTrip
Discover and win exciting travel experiences through brand-led contests and interactive content. Earn virtual coins by playing games to unlock travel discounts and merchandise. Explore new destinations and enhance your travel knowledge.
- Win free or sponsored trips
- Participate in brand-led contests
- Improve travel knowledge with quizzes
- Earn virtual coins by playing games
- Unlock travel booking discounts
- Redeem coins for merchandise
Read full descriptionHide full description
SponsoredTrip is a travel-driven platform that connects users with brand-led travel experiences through contests, sponsored trips, interactive tools, and engaging content. Users can participate in contests to win free or partially sponsored trips, improve their travel knowledge through quizzes and travel tools, and earn SponsoredTrip virtual coins by playing games. These virtual coins can be used to unlock discounts on travel bookings or redeemed for merchandise, making the app both rewarding and useful for travel lovers. Subscriptions SponsoredTrip offers auto-renewable subscriptions. Monthly Prime • Duration: 1 month • Price: ₹199/month Quarterly Prime • Duration: 3 months • Price: ₹499 every 3 months Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Manage or cancel subscriptions in Account Settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://sponsoredtrip.app/SponsoredtripPrivacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Hostel Co at none against SponsoredTrip's 2. SponsoredTrip's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 75%). On price, update cadence, ads 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
Both are free to download. SponsoredTrip sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. The Hostel Co asks for nothing beyond the download.
The Hostel Co ships an update every 9 days, SponsoredTrip every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Hostel Co | SponsoredTrip |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 73 MB | 135 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Palash Goel | SPONSOREDTRIP PRIVATE LIMITED |
Customer experience
The Hostel Co
SponsoredTrip
In-app purchases
The Hostel Co
No in-app purchases
SponsoredTrip
- Monthly Premium$1.991 Month
- Quaterly Premium$4.993 Months









