couchers.org
Couchers.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit operating a free, community-led couch surfing platform that connects travelers with local hosts across 180+ countries. The volunteer-run service is funded entirely by donations and merchandise sales, with no fees or subscriptions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersRemote/Global, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What couchers.org does
Couchers.org, operated by Couchers, Inc., a Florida-incorporated 501(c)(3) non-profit, runs a free, community-led couch surfing platform that facilitates non-transactional homestays and meetups between travelers and local hosts. Founded in May 2020 by Aapeli and Itsi as an explicit non-profit alternative to CouchSurfing.com after that platform introduced a paywall, the company officially exited Beta with v1.0 in July 2025 and reached 50,000+ registered members across 180+ countries. The platform serves two primary user segments: Hosts (local residents offering spare sleeping space) and Surfers (travelers seeking free accommodation and cultural exchange), supported by a third tier of volunteer Community Builders who organize local events and moderate regional communities.
The product is built on an open-source MIT-licensed stack consisting of a Python/Django backend, TypeScript/React web frontend, PostgreSQL with PostGIS for geospatial queries, Protocol Buffers with gRPC APIs, and React Native/Expo for the native iOS and Android apps that entered Beta in February 2026. Differentiating features include Strong Verification via biometric passport cryptographic signatures, an overhauled references system, a privacy-preserving map search with anonymized location pins, multi-language support, and a notification infrastructure with push delivery. Safety, trust, and non-transactional norms are codified through Community Guidelines and enforced by volunteer moderators.
The business model is donation-funded rather than commercial: the platform is contractually free forever, with no subscriptions, transactions, or premium tiers. Total 2025 revenue was $7,223.71 from 183 unique donors, supplemented by merchandise sales via Printful. Total 2025 expenses were $2,988.34, equivalent to roughly 4.5 cents per user, with AWS hosting the largest line item at $2,024.92. Operations are entirely volunteer-run with no paid staff, and the largest cost categories are subsidized through corporate non-profit credit programs from AWS, Microsoft, GitHub, GitLab, Google, Slack, Stripe, and Anthropic.
couchers.org firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- couchers.org
- Legal name
- Couchers, Inc.
- Website
- https://couchers.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Couchers.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit operating a free, community-led couch surfing platform that connects travelers with local hosts across 180+ countries. The volunteer-run service is funded entirely by donations and merchandise sales, with no fees or subscriptions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
couchers.org industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Travel Accommodation Network
- NAICS
- Other Traveler Accommodation (72119), 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
- Hosted Private Rooms (On-Site Host) (THAMABAB), Shared Accommodation Networks (Homestay/Roomshare Clubs) (THAMAIAJ)
Keywords
Where couchers.org is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Remote/Global
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
couchers.org business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: Primary revenue source. Users can make one-off or recurring donations through the platform. Tax-deductible for US taxpayers as Couchers, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. In 2025, received $7,223.71 total revenue with 183 unique donors. Board members donated 53% of total, with founders Aapeli and Itsi each donating $1,000 at beginning of 2025.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including hats, hoodies, stickers, pins, and flags through the Couchers.org Merch Shop. Donors receive 'Swagster' badge on their profile. Revenue partially offsets production costs (Printful costs $379.73 in 2025).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Core Platform |
| Freemium | Others | Strong Verification (Free) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
couchers.org product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Couchers.org operates a free, non-profit couch surfing platform that connects travelers seeking accommodation with local hosts willing to offer a couch or sleeping space. The platform facilitates free, non-transactional homestays, meetups, and cultural exchange across 180+ countries, supported by an identity verification system, a community references mechanism, event organization tools, and mobile applications for iOS and Android.
Product overview
Couchers.org operates as a unified platform built around a single core product: a free, non-profit couch surfing community that facilitates authentic homestays and cultural exchange between travelers and locals. The platform comprises the main web application, native mobile apps for iOS and Android, and supporting modules including a merchandise shop, donation system, and user verification services. The product portfolio centers on the core hosting/surfing matching features enhanced by Strong Verification (identity verification), event organization tools, community discussions, and a references system for trust building. All offerings are designed to support the non-transactional, community-led mission without extracting profit from users.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Couchers.org Web Platform
- Couchers Mobile App
- Couchers.org Merchandise Shop
Companies that use couchers.org
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
couchers.org technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature7 records
couchers.org partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreAWS provides cloud hosting for Couchers.org platform and development/support/moderation tools. Hosting costs partially offset by AWS non-profit credit program. AWS is the largest expense category for the organization at $2,024.92 in 2025.
- MicrosoftcoreMicrosoft provides free Azure credits for cloud expenses through their nonprofit program.
- GitHubcoreGitHub hosts all Couchers.org code in their monorepo at github.com/Couchers-org/couchers. Provides infrastructure for open-source development and collaboration.
- GitLabcoreGitLab sponsors a generous CI/CD allowance for building and deploying Couchers platform, enabling faster shipping of software.
- StripecoreStripe provides a discount on payment processing fees for donations. In 2025, Stripe fees were 3.4% of donations.
- SlackcoreSlack sponsors a free Pro Plan workspace where core volunteers collaborate on platform development and operations.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
couchers.org competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
couchers.org social profiles
Digital presencecouchers.org compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
couchers.org financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
couchers.org leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
couchers.org funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
couchers.org 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 couchers.org
What does couchers.org do?
Couchers.org operates a free, non-profit couch surfing platform that connects travelers seeking accommodation with local hosts willing to offer a couch or sleeping space. The platform facilitates free, non-transactional homestays, meetups, and cultural exchange across 180+ countries, supported by an identity verification system, a community references mechanism, event organization tools, and mobile applications for iOS and Android.
Is couchers.org a public or private company?
couchers.org is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was couchers.org founded?
couchers.org was founded in 2020.
Where is couchers.org based?
couchers.org is headquartered in Remote/Global, United States, in the North America region.
How does couchers.org make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales.
Does couchers.org have an API?
No public API is recorded for couchers.org.
What industry is couchers.org in?
couchers.org's product category is Travel Accommodation Network. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAMABAH, Couchsurfing & Free/Barter Home Stays, with a secondary code of THAMABAB, Hosted Private Rooms (On-Site Host). Its NAICS code is 72119 and its SIC code is 7000.