Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing operates a free global hospitality exchange platform connecting 14 million travelers with local hosts across more than 200,000 cities, enabling cultural exchange and community-driven accommodation sharing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Couchsurfing does
Couchsurfing operates a global hospitality exchange platform that connects travelers with local hosts willing to provide free accommodation, with the explicit mission of fostering cultural exchange and mutual respect rather than transactional lodging. Founded in 2004 by Casey Fenton, Daniel Hoffer, Sebastian Le Tuan, and Leonardo Bassani da Silveira, the company has grown to claim 14 million members across more than 200,000 cities worldwide. The platform is accessible via a web product and native iOS and Android applications; supporting products include an Events system with co-organizers and calendar view, Place Pages that aggregate city-level hosts and travelers, an Ambassador Program for community engagement, and a Blog used for travel content and company updates. Between 2012 and 2013, the company undertook a complete rebuild of its website on a new code base to improve reliability, search, and performance, funded in large part by its $15 million Series B led by General Catalyst Partners. The company also holds multiple registered trademarks (Couchsurfing, Couchsurfer, logo, and slogans), converted to a B Corporation in August 2011, and maintains a dedicated Trust and Safety team to manage community safety and profile verification.
Couchsurfing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Couchsurfing
- Legal name
- Couchsurfing International, Inc.
- Website
- https://couchsurfing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Couchsurfing operates a free global hospitality exchange platform connecting 14 million travelers with local hosts across more than 200,000 cities, enabling cultural exchange and community-driven accommodation sharing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Couchsurfing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hospitality Exchange Platform
- NAICS
- Accommodation (721), Traveler Accommodation (7211), All Other Traveler Accommodation (721199)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Couchsurfing & Free/Barter Home Stays (THAMABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Shared Accommodation Networks (Homestay/Roomshare Clubs) (THAMAIAJ), Cultural/Language-Exchange Home Stays (THAMABAJ)
Keywords
Where Couchsurfing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Couchsurfing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Pre-revenue / Funded by Investment: Couchsurfing operated as a free platform for users, generating no direct revenue. The company was sustained through venture capital funding ($15 million raised in 2012), with CEO Tony Espinoza explicitly stating the company was not planning to introduce advertising and that surfing and hosting must remain free.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free platform for all users |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Couchsurfing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Couchsurfing operates a global online hospitality exchange platform that connects travelers with local hosts who provide free accommodation in their homes. The platform facilitates cultural exchange and social travel across 200,000+ cities through web and mobile applications, enabling members to search for hosts, view profiles, and arrange stays. It is supported by community features such as local events, an Ambassador Program, and Place Pages.
Product overview
Couchsurfing operates as a single unified platform with supporting mobile apps and community features. The core product is a hospitality exchange platform connecting 14 million travelers with local hosts across 200,000+ cities, enabling free homestays and cultural exchange. The platform is complemented by native iOS and Android mobile apps, an Events system for local meetups with co-organizer functionality, a Blog for travel content and announcements, an Ambassador Program for community engagement, and Place Pages that serve as localized hubs for each destination. The products share a common identity around cultural exchange and social travel, with the core platform serving as the central hub while supplementary features enhance community engagement and mobile accessibility.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Couchsurfing Platform A global hospitality and social networking platform that connects travelers with local hosts willing to share their homes, facilitating cultural exchange and authentic travel experiences. Members can search for hosts, view profiles, and arrange free stays in over 200,000 cities worldwide.
- Couchsurfing Mobile App Native mobile applications for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play) that enable users to access the Couchsurfing platform on mobile devices, browse hosts, manage connections, and access the community while traveling.
Quantifiable outcome
- 14 million members in 200,000+ cities worldwide
Companies that use Couchsurfing
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Couchsurfing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Couchsurfing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Couchsurfing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat3 records
Key highlights1 record
Customer concentration
Couchsurfing social profiles
Digital presenceCouchsurfing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Couchsurfing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Couchsurfing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Couchsurfing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Couchsurfing
What does Couchsurfing do?
Couchsurfing operates a global online hospitality exchange platform that connects travelers with local hosts who provide free accommodation in their homes. The platform facilitates cultural exchange and social travel across 200,000+ cities through web and mobile applications, enabling members to search for hosts, view profiles, and arrange stays. It is supported by community features such as local events, an Ambassador Program, and Place Pages.
Is Couchsurfing a public or private company?
Couchsurfing is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Couchsurfing founded?
Couchsurfing was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Couchsurfing based?
Couchsurfing is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Couchsurfing make money?
One revenue line is on record: pre-revenue / Funded by Investment.
Does Couchsurfing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Couchsurfing.
What industry is Couchsurfing in?
Couchsurfing's product category is Hospitality Exchange Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAMABAH, Couchsurfing & Free/Barter Home Stays, with a secondary code of THAMAIAJ, Shared Accommodation Networks (Homestay/Roomshare Clubs). Its NAICS code is 721 and its SIC code is 7000.