Swaphouse Features

How It Works

On Swaphouse, you browse homes one at a time and decide whether to like or pass. When you like a home, that person gets notified, and if they like yours too, it's a match. Once you match, you can start chatting, get to know each other, and see if your travel plans align. This creates a relaxed and natural way to connect with other remote workers and travelers who are genuinely excited about the idea of swapping homes.

Why It Matters

The double opt-in system keeps things simple, safe, and focused on quality connections. You only talk to people who are mutually interested in your home, so there are no random requests or unwanted messages. It helps you form real connections that can lead to great swaps while keeping the experience friendly, personal, and enjoyable.

How It Works

At Swaphouse, we believe trust and transparency are essential when swapping homes. That's why signing up and logging in happens through LinkedIn. When you join, we only access the basics: your first and last name, email address, and profile photo. That's it. We don't see your full profile, messages, or contacts, and we'll never post anything on your behalf.

LinkedIn is the go-to platform for professionals and remote workers, which means profiles are generally up-to-date and representative of real people. This helps reduce fake accounts and keeps the Swaphouse community more trustworthy and transparent.

It's also simpler for you. No extra passwords or usernames to manage. Just sign in with your LinkedIn account and start exploring.

Why It Matters

Everyone on Swaphouse signs up the same way, creating a sense of trust and mutual respect across the community. It's our version of a virtual handshake: a quick, secure, and transparent way to help you connect with confidence before swapping homes.

If you'd like, you can also make your LinkedIn (or other social links) visible on your profile to help others learn a bit more about you.

👉 Why Swaphouse uses LinkedIn for sign-up

How It Works

Swapping homes should feel exciting, not stressful. That's why Swaphouse partners with Truvi to offer an optional Damage Protection Service. For up to $25 per home swap, this service helps protect your home from damages that could occur during a stay, giving both swappers an extra layer of confidence and security.

You can activate the service through Truvi when confirming your swap. It's not insurance, but rather a simple and affordable way to protect your home and enjoy your swap without worry.

Why It Matters

Trust and peace of mind are key to every great swap. Truvi's Damage Protection Service helps you focus on what matters most: exploring new destinations, feeling secure, and having a worry-free home swapping experience.

👉 Learn more about Truvi's Damage Protection Service

Built by Travelers, for Travelers

We're Kat and Tobi, the couple behind Swaphouse (meet us here). One of the questions we get most often is: "Is Swaphouse really free?" And the answer is yes, it truly is. There are no membership fees, no hidden costs, and no credit card required. You can browse homes, match, and swap completely for free.

We started Swaphouse from our own love for travel and home swapping. After realizing how much we could save by swapping homes instead of paying for hotels or rentals, we wanted to make that experience easier and more accessible for others too.

Why We Keep It Free

Instead of monetizing Swaphouse, we reinvest our own travel savings directly into the platform. This helps cover hosting, maintenance, and ongoing improvements. We still work full-time jobs, which allows us to keep Swaphouse free while focusing on what matters most: building great features and growing the community.

Our goal is simple: to make home swapping easy, affordable, and accessible to everyone. More homes, more swaps, more adventures — all for free.

In the future, we might introduce optional paid features like ID verification or travel protection for those who want extra peace of mind. But the core of Swaphouse — connecting people to swap homes freely and easily — will always remain 100% free.

👉 Read the full story behind our free platform

How It Works

Swaphouse is built as a web app, meaning you can add it directly to your phone's home screen and use it just like a native app. Open Swaphouse.io in your browser, tap the share icon, and select "Add to Home Screen." That's it, the Swaphouse icon will appear alongside your other apps for quick and easy access.

Why It Matters

Our responsive web app gives you the full Swaphouse experience without needing to download or update anything. It saves space on your device, always keeps you on the latest version, and works seamlessly across phones, tablets, and Macs.

👉 Read the full guide to see how it works on iPhone, Android, and Mac

How It Works

You can test your internet speed right inside Swaphouse. Go to the "Work From Home" section of your listing, select "Conduct a Wi-Fi speed test," and click "Start Speed Test." Your verified download and upload speeds will automatically appear on your home listing along with a Wi-Fi badge showing they've been tested.

Why It Matters

For remote workers and digital nomads, a stable connection can make or break a home swap workation. Verified Wi-Fi speeds take the guesswork out of swapping by helping users know exactly what to expect before they arrive. It builds trust, saves time, and gives everyone peace of mind that their new home office will be ready to go from day one.

How It Works

Swaphouse makes it easy to share everything remote workers need to know about your space. When creating or editing your listing, you can add specific details about your workspace setup, such as the type of desk, number (and location) of workspaces, available monitors, and ergonomic features.

This information appears directly on your listing, helping other swappers quickly see whether your home fits their work style. It's especially helpful for remote workers looking for reliable, comfortable places to work while traveling.

Why It Matters

Strong Wi-Fi is great, but a well-equipped workspace makes all the difference. Sharing your home's workspace details helps attract other remote workers, builds confidence in your listing, and makes your home stand out as the perfect spot for productive workations.

How It Works

When adding photos to your listing, you can write short captions for each one to give a little context or personality. Mention things like your best workspace, the view from the balcony, a nearby park, or the cozy reading corner in your living room. These small details help the other swapper imagine what it's like to live and work in your home.

Why It Matters

A few words can make a big difference. Captions add warmth and personality to your listing, helping it stand out and feel more inviting. They give swappers a clearer picture of your home and make it easier for them to see why it's a great fit for their next stay.

How It Works

When you upload photos to your listing, you can change their order anytime with a simple drag and drop. Move your best shots to the top to make a great first impression or group similar photos together to tell a better story about your space.

Why It Matters

First impressions count. Being able to reorder photos lets you highlight what makes your home unique, from the workspace setup to the sunny terrace or cozy living area. It's a quick and easy way to make your listing more appealing and give swappers a clear sense of what staying in your home feels like.

How It Works

When confirming a swap, you can add your own house rules to help the other swapper understand how to treat your home. Mention things like whether pets or kids are welcome, if smoking or parties are allowed, or if you'd like guests to water your plants or take out the trash. You can be as clear and detailed as you'd like. It's your space, your rules.

Why It Matters

Good communication makes for great swaps. Setting clear house rules helps avoid misunderstandings, ensures everyone feels comfortable, and keeps your home just the way you like it. It's a simple way to build mutual respect and make each swap a positive experience for both sides.

👉 What else to share when planning a home swap

How It Works

When setting your availability, you can add your preferred destinations to let others know where you'd like to swap homes. Choose as broadly or specifically as you want, from "Europe" or "Asia" to cities like Lisbon, Bali, or Berlin.

Your preferred destinations appear on your listing, helping potential swappers find and connect with you based on mutual travel interests. Not sure yet? You can also select "No preference" to stay open to anywhere.

Why It Matters

Adding preferred destinations makes it easier for others to find you and suggest swaps that fit both your travel goals. It helps spark more relevant connections and increases your chances of finding the perfect home swap, whether it's somewhere you've always dreamed of or a place you never expected.

How It Works

When adding your availability, you can choose your preferred swap duration to show how long you're open to exchanging homes. Whether you're looking for a one-week getaway, a month-long workation, or something longer, you can set the time frame that works for you.

Your preferred duration appears on your listing and helps other swappers find matches that align with their own travel plans. You can adjust it anytime as your schedule changes or if you're open to different lengths of stay.

Why It Matters

Home swapping should fit your lifestyle. By sharing your preferred duration, you make it easier for others to understand your expectations and find swaps that work for both sides. It saves time, reduces back-and-forth, and helps create smoother, better-matched swap experiences.

How It Works

You can upload multiple personal photos to your Swaphouse profile to give other swappers a better sense of who you are. Share pictures of yourself, your partner/spouse, family, friends, or even your pets (whoever's part of your swap adventures). These photos appear on your profile and help other swappers see who they'll be exchanging homes with.

Why It Matters

Home swapping is about trust and connection. Adding a few personal photos makes your profile feel more open and genuine, helping others feel comfortable reaching out. It's a simple way to put a friendly face to your home and start building meaningful connections within the Swaphouse community.

👉 More tips on how to write the best Swaphouse user profile

How It Works

Understanding who you're swapping homes with is an important part of home swapping. That's why you can add your professional details directly to your Swaphouse profile. Simply go to your Profile page and include your job title, company, and the number of days you typically work from home. This information appears on your home listing, giving potential swappers a clearer picture of what you do and how you live.

Why It Matters

Home swapping is built on trust and real connections. By sharing a glimpse into your professional life, you make your profile feel more personal and relatable. It helps others feel confident about who they're connecting with and often sparks common ground, especially among remote workers and digital nomads.

👉 More tips on how to write the best Swaphouse user profile

How It Works

Want to help others feel more confident about swapping with you? Adding a few social links to your profile is a simple but powerful way to build trust. You can link to your LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, or even your Airbnb profile (anything that gives others a bit more insight into who you are).

If you've hosted or traveled on Airbnb, linking your profile is a great way to showcase your reviews and reliability.

Why It Matters

Home swapping is all about connection and credibility. Social links add authenticity to your profile and help you stand out as a trustworthy, open member of the Swaphouse community. A little transparency goes a long way in creating great swap experiences.

How It Works

Once your swap is complete, you and the other swapper can each leave a review about your experience. Reviews can include what you loved about the home, how communication went, and any helpful tips for future swappers. Once both reviews are submitted, they'll appear on your profiles and listings for others to see.

Why It Matters

Reviews help keep the Swaphouse community transparent and trustworthy. By sharing honest feedback, you help other swappers feel confident about their next stay and contribute to a culture of openness and reliability. It's a simple way to give back and strengthen the community with every swap.

👉 More info and tips about reviews

👉 Read reviews from other swappers

How It Works

Smart Filters make it easy to explore homes that match exactly what you're looking for. On the Explore page, you can filter listings by the number of guests, bedrooms, and bathrooms, as well as house rules like children, pets, or smoking allowed.

You can also filter for work-from-home facilities like the number of workspaces and minimum Wi-Fi speeds for both download and upload, ensuring your new home office meets your remote work needs.

Why It Matters

Whether you're planning a solo workation, a family swap, or a pet-friendly adventure, Smart Filters help you find the right home faster. No more endless scrolling or guesswork. Just set your criteria and discover homes that fit your needs perfectly. It's the simplest way to plan a swap that feels like home from day one.

How It Works

When someone likes your home, and you haven't liked or passed theirs yet, their home appears in your Match Requests tab on the Explore page. This gives you more visibility and helps you connect faster with people who are already interested in your place.

Simply open the Match Requests tab to see who's liked your home, explore their listings, and like back if you're interested too. When you both like each other's homes, it's an instant match, and you can start chatting and planning your next swap.

Why It Matters

This feature makes finding your next swap easier and more transparent. You can see exactly who's shown interest in your home, giving you a head start on creating genuine connections. And to make sure you never miss out, you'll also receive a monthly email summary (if you haven't logged in recently) showing how many match requests you've received, complete with a link to your Match Requests tab.

How It Works

When two people like each other's homes, it's a match. That's the first step toward a possible swap. The next step is seeing if your travel dates align. With the Filter by Availability feature, you can now view your matches' available dates at a glance and filter them by specific timeframes.

Why It Matters

This feature makes it easy to plan your next swap without endless back-and-forth. Quickly see which matches are available when you are and focus on the ones that fit your schedule. It saves time, helps you plan smarter, and gets you closer to your next home swap faster.

How It Works

On your Matches page, you can switch between list view and map view to see all your matches pinned by their city or town. The map view helps you visualize where your potential swaps are located, from nearby destinations to homes across the globe.

Why It Matters

Seeing your matches on a map makes it easier to plan your travels and discover new opportunities. Whether you're aiming for a specific region or just curious about where in the world your connections are, the map view gives you a clear and inspiring overview of your global swapping network.

How It Works

While browsing on the Explore page, you can like homes you're interested in or pass on those that aren't quite the right fit. All your likes and passes are saved automatically, so you can revisit them anytime.

If you change your mind, it's easy to update your choice. Switch a pass to a like, or undo a like, with just one tap. Maybe you clicked too quickly or found yourself reconsidering a destination. Whatever the reason, you're always in control.

Why It Matters

Finding the right swap should feel flexible and fun. This feature helps you keep track of your preferences and revisit homes as your travel plans evolve. It's the easiest way to stay organized, explore freely, and keep your next great swap just a tap away.

👉 Learn more about how the Swaphouse match system works

How It Works

Ever matched with someone, had a chat, and realized it's not quite a fit? Maybe they're looking for a family-friendly swap while you're planning a solo workation, or their house rules don't align with your plans. No problem. Sometimes a match just isn't the match, and that's totally fine.

To unmatch, go to your Matches page, click the three-dot menu next to the conversation, and select "Unmatch." The chat will be removed from your Matches list, helping you keep things organized and focused on connections that really work for you.

Why It Matters

Unmatching keeps your Swaphouse experience smooth, clear, and full of genuine swap opportunities that fit your travel style. It's all about keeping your Matches page focused on the swaps that truly get you excited for your next adventure.

How It Works

Messaging on Swaphouse is simple, safe, and based on mutual interest. You can only chat with people you've matched with, meaning you've liked their home, they've liked yours, and both sides are interested in connecting. Once there's a match, a chat automatically opens so you can start talking.

Use messages to ask questions about the home, discuss travel plans, or simply get to know the other swapper better before deciding if the swap is right for both of you. You'll find all your conversations neatly organized by name and destination on the Messages page, making it easy to stay on top of your chats.

Why It Matters

By only allowing messaging between matches, Swaphouse keeps conversations relevant, respectful, and free from random requests. It's an easy way to build trust and connection before finalizing a swap, and to make planning your next adventure feel natural and personal.

👉 What to do when you have a new match on Swaphouse

How It Works

You can search your Messages by name or destination, whether it's a country, city, or town, to quickly find the conversation you need. Looking for that swap request from Louis in France or details from Alex in Amsterdam? Just type it in and jump straight back into the chat.

Why It Matters

Managing multiple swaps and connections can get busy. The message search feature helps you find the right chat faster so you can focus on planning, not scrolling. It's a small update that makes a big difference in keeping your swapping conversations smooth and stress-free.

How It Works

You can now plan and confirm your home swaps without leaving Swaphouse. From your Matches page, send a Swap Request, select your preferred dates, and review the terms. Your match gets an instant notification, and once they accept, your swap is confirmed.

From there, you can both share all the important swap details with each other, including contact information, addresses, Wi-Fi info, house rules, and more.

Why It Matters

By keeping the entire process in one place, Swaphouse makes home swapping easier and more organized. No more endless message threads or scattered details. Everything you need to confirm and manage your swap lives right inside the platform.

How It Works

The Swaps page is your central hub for managing every home swap. Once a swap request is sent or received, it automatically appears here. You can see all your pending, upcoming, active, and completed swaps at a glance, and filter by status to find what you need quickly.

From your Swaps page, you can also share and access all the key details of your swaps, including home addresses, house rules, Wi-Fi info, and more.

Why It Matters

This feature keeps everything organized so you can manage your swaps with ease. No more losing track of requests or details. Everything lives in one simple, clear overview that helps you stay on top of every stage of your swapping journey.

How It Works

After your swap is confirmed, Swaphouse gives you a secure space to exchange all the important information with the other swapper. You can share details such as who's traveling with you, your contact information, home address, key handover instructions, Wi-Fi network and password, cleaning guidelines, and house rules.

All shared information is only visible to you and the other swapper, keeping your personal details safe while making sure both sides have everything they need for a smooth and comfortable stay.

Why It Matters

Good communication makes every swap better. This feature helps you share what matters most in a clear and secure way so both swappers can feel confident and prepared. Your personal details stay private, and your swap runs smoothly from start to finish.

How It Works

After confirming your swap, you can share detailed instructions on how your guests can access your home keys. This might include lockbox codes, key pickup locations, neighbor contacts, or other secure arrangements that work for your situation.

All key access information is shared securely through the platform, so you don't have to worry about sensitive details being lost in email threads or messages.

Why It Matters

Clear key access instructions eliminate stress and confusion on arrival day. Your guests can get into your home smoothly, and you can rest assured knowing they have all the information they need to access your space safely and securely.

👉 What else to share when planning a home swap

How It Works

Once your swap is confirmed, you can securely share your Wi-Fi network name and password through the platform. This information is automatically available to your guests when they arrive, so they can connect immediately without having to ask or search for details.

Why It Matters

Instant internet access makes your guests feel welcome and helps them settle in quickly. For remote workers, it means they can maintain their work schedule without any technical hiccups, making your home a true workation destination.

👉 What else to share when planning a home swap

How It Works

When confirming your swap, you can clearly communicate your cleaning preferences. This might include whether you prefer to handle all cleaning yourself, expect guests to do basic tidying, or have specific arrangements like professional cleaning services.

You can also specify what "clean" means to you, whether that's just putting things back where they found them, doing dishes, or more thorough cleaning tasks.

Why It Matters

Clear cleaning expectations prevent misunderstandings and ensure both parties are on the same page. This helps maintain a positive relationship throughout the swap and makes the departure process smooth and stress-free for everyone involved.

👉 What else to share when planning a home swap