Kindred
Kindred (Kindred Concepts, Inc.) operates a members-only home swapping platform where verified homeowners and renters exchange their primary residences via a credit-based economy. The platform serves over 300,000 members across 190+ cities in North America and Europe through iOS, Android, and web apps.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Kindred does
Kindred Concepts, Inc. operates a members-only home swapping platform that enables verified homeowners and renters to exchange their primary residences for travel without paying nightly rental fees. Founded in 2021 in San Francisco by Justine Palefsky and Tasneem Amina, the platform uses a "give-a-night, get-a-night" credit economy in which members earn one credit for each night they host and redeem those credits for stays at any Kindred home globally. Credits cannot be purchased, which structurally prevents commercial short-term rental operators from exploiting the marketplace; the firm states that 95%+ of listed homes are single primary residences. Membership requires identity verification (via Stripe) and home verification, and every booking includes up to $100,000 in damage protection and professional cleaning coordination through a vetted cleaner network.
The product surface consists of the core Kindred platform available on iOS, Android, and web (livekindred.com), a $600/year "Kindred Passport" subscription that eliminates service fees on unlimited trips, the "Circles" affinity-based sub-community feature (with the Women Traveler Circle and Google Circle as the first entries), and a Kindred Marketplace for hosting essentials with partner discounts for Passport holders. As of early 2026 the platform reports more than 300,000 members across 190+ cities in 11 countries across North America and Europe, with 350,000+ cumulative nights booked since founding and member-reported savings exceeding $100 million on accommodation costs. The company has raised $132.75M in disclosed equity across a $7.75M April 2022 seed led by Andreessen Horowitz, a $40M February 2026 Series B co-led by NEA and Dylan Field, and an $85M February 2026 Series C led by Index Ventures.
Monetization is structured around a per-booking service fee averaging $20-45 per night (described as covering identity verification, customer service, travel protection, and platform operations), the optional $600/year Passport subscription, and pass-through cleaning fees on which Kindred does not take margin. Go-to-market is product-led and community-led: application-based onboarding, a 5-credit new-member grant, a 2-credit referral mechanic for verified referrals, organic social content on Instagram, TikTok, X and LinkedIn, and content marketing through the company blog. Press coverage in the New York Times, Bloomberg, Financial Times, Wallpaper, The Times and The Guardian positions the platform as a credible mainstream alternative to hotels and short-term rentals.
Kindred firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kindred
- Legal name
- Kindred Concepts, Inc.
- Website
- https://livekindred.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Kindred (Kindred Concepts, Inc.) operates a members-only home swapping platform where verified homeowners and renters exchange their primary residences via a credit-based economy. The platform serves over 300,000 members across 190+ cities in North America and Europe through iOS, Android, and web apps.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Kindred is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kindred business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Service Fees: Members pay a service fee per booking to cover trip support, travel protection, identity verification, customer service, and platform operations. Service fees vary by trip and are displayed before booking confirmation.
- Kindred Passport Subscription: Optional annual subscription at $600/year that eliminates service fees on unlimited trips during the 365-day membership period. Generates predictable recurring revenue from frequent travelers. Can be paid upfront or in quarterly installments.
- Cleaning Fee Pass-Through: Cleaning fees are charged per trip and passed entirely to cleaning vendors or hosts using their own cleaners. Kindred does not take margin on cleaning fees—these cover costs only.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Membership - No fee to join |
| Subscription | Annual | Kindred Passport - $600/year |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Kindred product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kindred operates a members-only home exchange platform that enables identity-verified homeowners and renters to swap homes across 190+ cities without paying nightly rental fees. Members earn credits by hosting other members and spend those credits on reciprocal stays, with every stay including professional cleaning between visits, $100K damage protection, 24/7 concierge support, and access to affinity-based Circles (e.g., families with children, remote workers).
Product overview
Kindred is a members-only home swapping platform that operates as a community-driven marketplace for peer-to-peer home exchanges. The core platform enables verified members to share their primary residences through a credit-based 'give a night, get a night' economy, where hosting earns credits redeemable for stays elsewhere. The product suite includes the core Kindred platform (web and mobile app), a premium Kindred Passport subscription tier ($600/year) offering unlimited $0 service fees, Circles affinity-based sub-communities for specialized groups like the Women Traveler Circle and Google Circle, and the Kindred Marketplace for hosting essentials. The platform differentiates from short-term rentals by emphasizing trust, identity verification, and a cashless exchange model where no monetary transactions occur between members.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kindred Home Exchange Members-only home exchange platform where verified homeowners and renters swap homes across 190+ cities using credits earned by hosting other members, with each stay including professional cleaning, $100K damage protection, and 24/7 concierge support.
- Kindred Passport Annual membership subscription priced at $600/year that provides members with unlimited home swaps and enhanced benefits on top of the standard Kindred membership.
Quantifiable outcome
- Members have saved over $100 million on travel accommodations
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Kindred
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kindred technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Kindred partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kindred competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HomeExchange: The largest and most established peer-to-peer home exchange platform globally, offering reciprocal home swaps across 150+ countries. Closest direct competitor to Kindred's give-a-night membership-based exchange model, with overlapping target customer (budget-conscious traveling households).
- Love Home Swap: Subscription-based home exchange platform with a similar points/credit mechanic to Kindred Passport. Targets families and long-stay travelers through a membership model, directly comparable in product and GTM.
- HomeLink International: One of the oldest home exchange cooperatives, operating a non-monetary reciprocal swap model across Europe and beyond. Comparable to Kindred's primary-residence, no-cash ethos, though with an older, less digital-first user base.
Broad incumbents
- Airbnb: Dominant short-term rental platform; Kindred explicitly positions home swap as a 'third alternative' to hotels and Airbnb. While Airbnb is paid lodging rather than reciprocal exchange, its liquidity, brand, and any future swap offering would be the most direct competitive threat.
- Vrbo: Vacation rental marketplace owned by Expedia Group, focused on whole-home short-term stays. Comparable in unit economics and family/groups traveler segment that Kindred also targets.
- Sonder: Operator of professionally managed short-term rental apartments in urban markets. Adjacent competitor for alternative accommodation seekers — particularly remote workers and families who would otherwise consider home exchange.
Emerging players
- Swapdesk: Newer peer-to-peer home exchange platform focused on digital nomads and remote workers — overlapping with Kindred's remote worker persona segment and credit-economy style swap product.
- SabbaticalHomes: Niche home exchange network for academics and researchers facilitating temporary housing swaps between universities. Operates a similar no-monetary exchange model but specialized to a professional segment.
- Hipcamp: Community marketplace for outdoor stays and unique accommodations, with similar community-led GTM and emphasis on vetted hosts. Adjacent in member-experience design philosophy rather than direct lodging category overlap.
Others
- Guesty: Property management platform for short-term rentals; comparable to Kindred only as adjacent ecosystem infrastructure. Not a direct competitor, but representative of the operational tooling layer a large incumbent could use to launch a swap product.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kindred social profiles
Digital presenceKindred financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kindred leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Kindred funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kindred M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kindred
What does Kindred do?
Kindred operates a members-only home exchange platform that enables identity-verified homeowners and renters to swap homes across 190+ cities without paying nightly rental fees. Members earn credits by hosting other members and spend those credits on reciprocal stays, with every stay including professional cleaning between visits, $100K damage protection, 24/7 concierge support, and access to affinity-based Circles (e.g., families with children, remote workers).
Is Kindred a public or private company?
Kindred is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Kindred founded?
Kindred was founded in 2021. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Kindred based?
Kindred is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kindred make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Service Fees are the primary driver. The others are kindred Passport Subscription and cleaning Fee Pass-Through.
Who are Kindred's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HomeExchange, Love Home Swap and HomeLink International. Broad incumbents are Airbnb, Vrbo and Sonder. Emerging players are Swapdesk, SabbaticalHomes and Hipcamp. Guesty is listed as an others.
Does Kindred have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kindred.