Couchsurfing : FAQ

How can I use CouchSurfing?

CouchSurfing is your ticket to explore the world -- from the road or from your own home. Over a million members are out there waiting to learn about your culture and show you some of theirs. Eat borscht in Odessa. Watch kangaroos in Adelaide. Find the best noodles in Tokyo. Show travelers the best live music near your home, or your favorite hiking trail. Meet locals in your own city who share your interest in travel and the world.

How do you do it? 

Check out these step-by-step guides to your first CouchSurfing experiences!
Getting Started: How to Travel with CouchSurfing
Getting Started: How to Host Travelers with CouchSurfing
Getting Started: Getting Involved in Your Local CouchSurfing Community

Is CouchSurfing free?

Absolutely. CouchSurfing is a non-profit organization dedicated to making it more accessible for all people to explore the world and share inspiring experiences. Not only will we never charge for members to use the site, CouchSurfing's terms of use also forbid any commercial activity from occurring on the site. Hosts should never charge their CouchSurfers; anyone who does will be removed from the site. Most CouchSurfers do like to thank their host with a small gift or an act of kindness (such as cleaning the house or cooking a meal), but this is not required and should not be requested by a host -- the only thing that's expected is an inspiring experience!

Is CouchSurfing safe?

When a lot of people hear about CouchSurfing, they wonder if it's OK to invite someone new into their home, or stay with someone they've never met. Our members think about safety, too -- and that's exactly why CouchSurfing is a safer way to meet people than you might think. As a tight knit community, CouchSurfers help protect themselves and each other by educating themselves and sharing information.
With CouchSurfing, you have a lot more information about new people than you do in most circumstances. Think about when you meet someone at a hostel or on a train. What information do you have? Just your own first impressions. Through CouchSurfing, it's more like meeting a friend of a friend. You have the chance to read all about other members' experiences with that person, whether positive or negative. You have a full profile's worth of information about their interests and perspectives. You can see who their friends are and how they know them. And you have the ability to correspond with them as much as you want before you meet them.
Go to our safety page for more information about the different types of information systems that help you make educated decisions while using CouchSurfing.
Where are CouchSurfing members located?
Our members are located all over the globe! The United States and Europe are where CouchSurfing is most popular, but we have members in over 230 countries and territories (even Antarctica!). CouchSurfers use over 302 different languages, and live in over 67,000 different cities. Learn more by looking at our statistics!

Do I have to let everyone stay at my house?

Not at all. You can -- and should -- pick and choose who you want to host, and when. When CouchSurfers contact you, read their message and profile carefully before making your decision. You can also meet people to hang out for a coffee or a drink only, or you can even make your couch completely unavailable. Don't offer your couch out of a feeling of obligation: that doesn't make a good experience for you or for your CouchSurfers. Offering your couch is all about increasing the number of interesting people and possibilities in your life experience, and learning about other cultures and perspectives.

Do I have to host someone first in order to surf?

No, CouchSurfing isn't a direct exchange of hosting for surfing. Instead, we ask all members to participate and add to the community in whichever way they enjoy most. People choose to host because they like the experience of meeting new people and sharing with them, not because they're trying to rack up imaginary points. Of course, it can be helpful to make friends and gain references before your trip. Hosting's a great way to do this, but there are a lot of other options, like attending an event or meeting nearby travelers for a coffee or a drink. Read our step-by-step guide to getting involved in the community for advice about meeting CouchSurfers!

How is the privacy of CouchSurfing members protected?

Members choose which information they wish to share with the CouchSurfing community by selectively filling in their profiles, and by customizing their privacy settings. Through these settings, members can choose which pieces of personal information to display, who can see their profile, who can search for their profile, and whether or not other members can see when they're online.
CouchSurfing's vision is to bring our spirit of exploration and connection to the world. In order to attain that vision, not only do members share inspiring experiences with each other, they also share their experiences with respected thinkers from accredited institutions. The findings that come from this collaboration help improve CouchSurfing's services for members while also bringing the world closer to our vision. When we facilitate this type of work, we are very careful to protect the privacy of our members. All information shared is anonymized and aggregated, and members who are interviewed for surveys are always given the right to decline. Check out our research page and privacy policy for all of the details.