HomeSwap
HomeSwap is a consumer home-exchange marketplace where members earn travel credits by hosting and redeem those credits to stay in other members' homes globally. It serves families, couples, and travelers in 15 European cities via a €199/year subscription and self-serve web platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What HomeSwap does
HomeSwap operates a web-based, credit-based home exchange marketplace that enables members worldwide to swap homes with each other. Members list their properties (rented or owned, of any size), earn travel credits when they host guests, and redeem those credits to stay in other members' homes — including on a non-simultaneous basis, which materially relaxes the temporal constraint of classic reciprocal home exchanges. The platform includes a trust and verification system comprising verified profiles, post-swap reviews, secure messaging, pre-travel agreements, and insurance coverage of up to €50,000 per stay. The technology stack is a self-serve web application with no mobile app currently shipped; the source code reveals no disclosed AI/ML components, third-party SDKs, or public APIs.
The company monetizes through a single €199 annual membership fee (subscription, recurring) that grants unlimited platform access, home listing, credit earning, and credit redemption, with no per-night or per-stay service fees charged to guests. Hosts may optionally set per-stay cleaning fees (averaging €120–150 in major European cities), which function as a pass-through rather than material platform revenue. Go-to-market is product-led growth: users self-serve sign up via homeswap.com, receive 500 welcome credits (≈5 nights at standard rates), and can book up to 5 nights before being required to host. Acquisition is driven by content marketing (blog/SEO, comparison content versus Airbnb) and organic social (Facebook, LinkedIn), consistent with a 1–10 person team constraint.
The company is registered as Homeswap Group Aps (Danish entity, registration DK45566951) with its headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark; firmographic data also lists New York, United States, suggesting a dual-jurisdiction footprint. The sole disclosed funding round is $300,000 dated April 2011, and there is no evidence of subsequent institutional venture funding. Geographic focus at launch is concentrated in 15 major European cities (London, Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Rome, Lisbon, Madrid, Stockholm, Oslo, Prague, Warsaw, Dublin, Brussels), with stated intent to expand globally. Target customer segments span families (primary), couples, digital nomads, retirees, city dwellers, and first-time swappers.
HomeSwap firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HomeSwap
- Legal name
- Homeswap Group Aps, Inc.
- Website
- https://homeswap.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- HomeSwap is a consumer home-exchange marketplace where members earn travel credits by hosting and redeem those credits to stay in other members' homes globally. It serves families, couples, and travelers in 15 European cities via a €199/year subscription and self-serve web platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HomeSwap industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Home Exchange Marketplace
- NAICS
- Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (72131)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Owner-Occupied Private Rooms (Homestays) (THAMABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Co-Living Private Rooms (Short-Term) (THAMABAI)
Keywords
Where HomeSwap is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
HomeSwap business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Annual Membership Fee: Members pay €199 per year for access to the platform. This covers listing homes, earning credits by hosting, and using credits to stay in other homes. No per-stay service fees are charged.
- Cleaning Fees: Optional cleaning fees are charged per stay, set at the discretion of hosts. Average €120-150 in major European cities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual membership covering all platform access, home listing, credit earning, and stay booking |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
HomeSwap product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HomeSwap operates a worldwide home exchange community where members list their own homes and swap with other travelers using a credit-based system. Members earn travel credits each time they host a guest and use those credits to stay in other members' homes globally, eliminating per-night accommodation costs. The platform charges an annual membership fee of €199 with no per-stay service fees, includes €50,000 in insurance coverage per stay, and currently operates in major European cities with worldwide reach.
Product overview
Homeswap operates as a single unified platform for home exchange. The core product is the Homeswap platform itself, which enables members to list their homes and exchange with other travelers using a credit-based system. New members receive 500 welcome credits upon sign-up. The platform facilitates both direct swaps and non-simultaneous credit-based exchanges. Additional content includes blog articles about home swapping, a browse/search feature for available homes, and informational resources about home exchange.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Homeswap Platform A credit-based home exchange marketplace where individual travelers (members) create profiles, list their own homes, and swap with other members worldwide. Members earn travel credits by hosting guests and redeem credits to stay in other members' homes. Includes €50,000 insurance coverage per stay and up to 5 nights of initial booking before hosting.
- Annual Membership A €199/year subscription membership granting members full platform access including home listing, credit earning through hosting, and stay booking using credits. New members receive 500 welcome credits upon signup. No per-night or per-stay service fees are charged.
Quantifiable outcome
- Saves approximately €2,800 compared to Airbnb for three trips per year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use HomeSwap
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
HomeSwap technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
HomeSwap partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
HomeSwap competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Vrbo: Major vacation-rental marketplace (Expedia Group) focused on whole-home family stays. Competes for the same family travel wallet share that HomeSwap targets, particularly in leisure/vacation destinations in Europe.
- Booking.com: Largest online accommodation platform globally, offering hotels, apartments, and alternative stays across all HomeSwap active markets. The dominant price-comparison reference point for European travelers comparing home exchange to paid lodging.
- Airbnb: Dominant short-term rental marketplace against which HomeSwap positions its cost-savings and community narrative. Not a direct credit-based exchange player, but the principal alternative and likely future threat if it adds swap functionality.
Direct peers
- Love Home Swap: Subscription-based home exchange platform with a points system analogous to HomeSwap's credit model. Targets a similar family and travel-enthusiast demographic and competes for the same European member base.
- Switchome: European home exchange platform offering simultaneous and non-simultaneous swaps, overlapping directly with HomeSwap in target cities (Paris, Rome, Barcelona) and value proposition.
- HomeExchange: The category leader in reciprocal home exchange (formed via the merger of HomeExchange.com and GuestToGuest). Operates the same credit/points-based non-simultaneous exchange model and is the most direct head-to-head competitor in Europe and globally.
Others
- Couchsurfing: Pioneer of community-based free accommodation via short-term host stays. Operates a different (free, no-credit) model but is a frequent reference point in HomeSwap's positioning against the 'commercialization of the sharing economy' narrative.
Emerging players
- Kindred: Invitation-only home exchange network built on reciprocal stays for remote workers and digital nomads. Smaller and more curated than HomeSwap, but targeting the same non-simultaneous exchange use case among a higher-end persona.
- TrustedHousesitters: Subscription-based house-sitting marketplace offering free accommodation in exchange for pet/house care. Adjacent business model (reciprocal, community-based, annual fee) targeting cost-conscious travelers and pet owners.
Regional players
- Intervac: Long-established home exchange community with strong roots in Northern Europe (Scandinavia) and a traditional simultaneous-swap model. Overlaps with HomeSwap's Northern European member base but with an older, more legacy-oriented user profile.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
HomeSwap social profiles
Digital presenceHomeSwap financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HomeSwap leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
HomeSwap funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HomeSwap 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 HomeSwap
What does HomeSwap do?
HomeSwap operates a worldwide home exchange community where members list their own homes and swap with other travelers using a credit-based system. Members earn travel credits each time they host a guest and use those credits to stay in other members' homes globally, eliminating per-night accommodation costs. The platform charges an annual membership fee of €199 with no per-stay service fees, includes €50,000 in insurance coverage per stay, and currently operates in major European cities with worldwide reach.
Is HomeSwap a public or private company?
HomeSwap is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was HomeSwap founded?
HomeSwap was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is HomeSwap based?
HomeSwap is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does HomeSwap make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Annual Membership Fee is the primary driver. The others are cleaning Fees.
Who are HomeSwap's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Vrbo, Booking.com and Airbnb. Direct peers are Love Home Swap, Switchome and HomeExchange. Couchsurfing is listed as an others. Emerging players are Kindred and TrustedHousesitters. Intervac is listed as a regional player.
Does HomeSwap have an API?
No public API is recorded for HomeSwap.
What industry is HomeSwap in?
HomeSwap's product category is Home Exchange Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAMABAA, Owner-Occupied Private Rooms (Homestays), with a secondary code of THAMABAI, Co-Living Private Rooms (Short-Term). Its NAICS code is 72131 and its SIC code is 7000.