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Couchsurfing.org

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Overview

Couchsurfing.org has a rating of 1.6 stars from 66 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Couchsurfing.org most frequently mention credit card problems. Couchsurfing.org ranks 135th among Rental Homes sites.

  • Service
    21
  • Value
    18
  • Shipping
    12
  • Returns
    17
  • Quality
    17
Positive reviews (last 12 months): 0%
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Reviews (66)

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people (15)
Thumbnail of user dariak66
Poland
1 review
0 helpful votes
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October 20th, 2024

As a young, naive person I went on a trip and felt very unsafe! Also, now I see manipulation to dissmiss my feelings. It is unacceptable! This kind of mfs should be immediately banned from this website.

Date of experience: October 20, 2024

Thumbnail of user myap13
Minnesota
1 review
4 helpful votes
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December 3rd, 2023

Don't trust the site claims that you can join for one month for "only $2.99." Once they ask you for your credit card information they charge you $60 to "authorize" you. At no point did they ask if they could actually charge this, they just do it. Then the site is filled with old, old profiles and almost no one current.

This used to be free, foreign owners got money hungry and now defraud innocent people. There are a few legit hosts on here but it's not worth a penny and you'll end up being upset by the site's poor design as well as misleading lack of information or appropriate American accountability.

Tip for consumers:
Don't trust them.

Products used:
Site access. Then the ridiculous unauthorized $60 "verification charge," which they never actually asked if I authorized it.

Service
Value
Quality

Date of experience: December 3, 2023

Thumbnail of user sebajs
India
1 review
1 helpful vote
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April 5th, 2023

Who should close the account of those people who misuse it Since 4 months I am waiting for my account. You guys are not turning on.I have more than 50 references and excellent on all references.I request you to restart my account else I am about to commit suicide. I got very upset my 5 years of hard work!You spoiled my hard work in one shot. Please on my account please

Tip for consumers:
I want to ask people please write the review bad review go you are not listen me

Products used:
Not reactive my account

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: April 5, 2023

Thumbnail of user noelt102
Spain
1 review
1 helpful vote
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March 24th, 2024

Do not trust people on couchsurfing! I used couchsurfing 2x in Spain. Both times both hosts lied about sleeping arrangement, they thought just because they host me I have to sleep with them. I never felt so unsafe as a solo female traveller using an app. I also payed for the app and they don't even give the benefits what they offer on the website and just steal your money! Couchsurfing is a trash! I do not recommend to use it for anyone! Be careful!

Tip for consumers:
It's unsafe!

Products used:
Couchsurfing

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: March 24, 2024

Thumbnail of user portermoodymusic
Arizona
1 review
0 helpful votes
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April 25th, 2024

I signed up and got the account verification thing without knowing it would charge me $60. Now I'm scrambling as hard as I can trying to get a refund for that $60. I just wish I didn't do that verification because now Im struggling to get a refund. So I'm here writing bad reviews.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns

Date of experience: April 25, 2024

Thumbnail of user terrymarlott734
Washington
2 reviews
5 helpful votes
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October 6th, 2023

So after years with couch surfing, they totally deleted my account. They said, someone Flagged me... I reached out to them. I talked to the rep. I said, what did I do? What did I say? Would you mind telling me...and Crickets?...NO RESPONSE...NO Clarification...Who the hell needs this? Seriously, when you've been paying a Montly fee? Every single month, don't you defer to the people that are paying for your service, your platform... that is failing. I hear financially. Wow. You would take the words of someone that would. Flag OVER a longtime. Paying customer. You deserve to FAIL Couchsurfing... Go away.!

Service
Value
Quality

Date of experience: October 6, 2023

Thumbnail of user declanm51
France
1 review
3 helpful votes
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January 22nd, 2023
Verified purchase

Another very similar review to many already on here, but I'm quite happy to bring the overall rating down even lower. I was tricked like many others into paying $102 AUD when I actually had no idea I was paying anything. The amount and even the fact that it was a transaction and not some sort of automatic validation process (which it heavily implied) were written in light grey 10pt font such that people go straight to autofilling credit card details. I have no idea how these people go to sleep at night knowing that they steal people's hard-earned money.

Tip for consumers:
THAT IT ACTUALLY INCURS A COST

Products used:
Validation

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: January 22, 2023

Thumbnail of user olivern75
GB
1 review
2 helpful votes
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June 17th, 2023

Disgraceful company.

I didn't know I was signing up for a lifetime membership at all. Or I was going to be charged. They charged me £54 odd and after a couple of emails back and forth they refuse to refund me despite it being a genuine error.

They have now taken to ignoring me. I asked to speak to a manager but they ignored me.

They weren't sympathetic. Quite robotic in response. Like off a script

Appalling company
Have no respect for them now whatsoever. No decent, honourable company would operate in this manner.

Date of experience: June 17, 2023

Thumbnail of user dariak50
Poland
1 review
3 helpful votes
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August 19th, 2023

Around 8 years ago, as a young woman, I was a guest at a man's apartament in Paris. He crawled at my bed at night. I told him to get out of it and he did it. Next day I didn't let him get out of house in the evening because I didn't trust him. I've seen that he got a bit angry but he stayed. He justified himself by underestimating situation, said sorry and gave me a few tips for safe travelling on CS. After that trip, I deleted my CS account.
If you ever are in a similar situation - leave the accomodation, write long paragraph to warn other women and raport to CS administration. Sexual harrassment is not acceptable!

Date of experience: August 19, 2023

Thumbnail of user jacquelinec757
New York
1 review
3 helpful votes
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July 15th, 2022
Verified purchase

I signed up to use the app and agreed to contribute $1.99 per month to use the community. Then I went and tried to verify my phone and email and somehow that triggered a whole separate charge of $60. And customer service claims I agreed to some one time fee for "lifetime verification" which I NEVER agreed to and never was even given a chance to authorize or not authorize ANY sort of $60 charge.

Then customer service essentially said that they wouldn't refund anything snd that this fee that I NEVER agreed to, is used to keep them in business.

So they won't do anything and now I have to file a dispute with my bank.

And other reviews on trust pilot and other sites clearly have numerous complaints over the same thing.

Just nothing but a trashy, useless and despicable app with a lying and deceitful customer service team.

Products used:
None of them

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: July 15, 2022

Thumbnail of user patv24
Hawaii
2 reviews
11 helpful votes
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February 28th, 2018

During the registration, they stated that it would be faster if users provide a valid government ID, social media account, bank account, email address, phone number, home address etc. They charged $60 without my authorization so I am disputing with Paypal.

Date of experience: February 28, 2018

Thumbnail of user maggiem18
Switzerland
1 review
4 helpful votes
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September 1st, 2016

While Couch Surfing (the system itself, not the website) got a friendly write-up in The New Yorker, their writer was lucky and fooled at the same time. My one actual surfer -- I'm not looking for a place to stay myself -- was a fraud, using a friend's name. I might have been raped and murdered, and not necessarily in that order. Soon after, two women called from the road (I-40) and announced that they were one their way. No you're not! Horrible experience. I asked them to remove my name, but now I see it is linked with CS when I Google myself. You've been warned!

Date of experience: September 1, 2016

Thumbnail of user jayp104
Canada
1 review
6 helpful votes
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October 31st, 2017

It's a great idea, but in practice, especially when you're new (& male), it's difficult to find hosts. I'm a liberal / friendly guy but I've been declined again & again. I have 200 facebook friends, but hardly any who use CS, so I have no references... & apparently most men only host women, most women don't host anyone, and the few who do would never host anyone without a dozen references lol. You can get "verified" -- but it's $84 & i'm not sure how much it would help. I'll keep trying but so far, it's been disappointing :(

Date of experience: October 31, 2017

Thumbnail of user joanmad
Ireland
1 review
0 helpful votes
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April 22nd, 2024

In the early 2000s this site seemed utopian, it was 100% FREE, and the people who participated in it were respectful and genuine, today with the new generation of CS this site has become a nest of disrespectful rats, and after the pandemic the site forces you to pay what is 100% unacceptable to me, I am not going to invest my money in a site like the one it has become, what a shame.

Tip for consumers:
Before it was a 5 stars and it was free, today it is a 0 stars and they want you to pay, but they call forced payment a contribution

Products used:
Standar FREE Gest and Host

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: April 22, 2024

Thumbnail of user nareshk9
New York
1 review
5 helpful votes
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November 17th, 2016

Couchsurfing staff through the networking site, are shamefully violating the 'terms of use' enshrined in the constitution - individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person irrespective of gender, race or religious affiliation, and is a surveillance group with knowingly or unknowingly, a racial bias.
Instead of taking action against a host for committing a crime or with the intention of doing so, Couchsurfing initiates action against hosts from minority communities at the whiff of a complaint. A study conducted by a University graduate researcher confirmed this racial bias recently.

Date of experience: November 17, 2016

Thumbnail of user petarb7
Croatia
1 review
2 helpful votes
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January 28th, 2023

DO NOT VERIFY EVER! I didn't. I used this way before. It was a tough site to find place, but now it is dead and just used for stealing money from people. THEY ASK TO VERIFY BY ASKING CREDIT CARD NUMBER! AND NO INFO ON HOW MUCH THEY WILL CHARGE! THEY CAN CHARGE ALL YOU HAVE.
Sorry for caps, just to raise awareness. Sue them if you can.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: January 28, 2023

Thumbnail of user jh1315
Canada
1 review
3 helpful votes
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August 1st, 2023
Verified purchase

My account was shut down after joining for just a day with one bad interaction with a member. Do not recommend. No support. And it's a paid service. The bad reviews speak for themselves.

Tip for consumers:
Don't bother with this website. Scam.

Products used:
Their subscription service. Their platform is behind a paywall

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: August 1, 2023

Thumbnail of user endrep
Turkey
1 review
3 helpful votes
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September 1st, 2019

About 1 hour ago i created a new page at couchsurfing and verified my account with payment 325 Turkish lira. A few minutes ago my page got banned for no reason. This is fraud! I want them to either lift my ban or refund my payment for verifying my account.

Date of experience: September 1, 2019

Thumbnail of user mem31
Netherlands
2 reviews
14 helpful votes
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July 4th, 2012

It USED to be good but now it's just commercial and increasingly the requests are from people looking for free accommodation instead of wanting to actually meet people. Sure, part of the deal is a free room but I've had too many guests now who couldn't even be bothered to say "thank you" and who simply expect me to be their maid or something.

The site is desperately trying to be Facebook. I don't recommend joining at this point. There are other sites out there.

Date of experience: July 4, 2012

Thumbnail of user haileyb78
Canada
1 review
5 helpful votes
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August 31st, 2021

-5 stars

I am honestly SO MAD

They have been scamming people with the "lifetime verification" they did not say that I would be charged $87 CAD until after the fact.

Please, please, please use another platform.

If you have also been scammed out of money... you can file a report through your country's department of consumer protection or go through small claims.

Tip for consumers:
don't use this site.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: August 31, 2021

Thumbnail of user russellw133
Texas
2 reviews
1 helpful vote
  • Send Message
May 11th, 2023

Their website cites that they will not issue refunds. To add insult to injury, most of the hosts on the site are long-inactive, so I couldn't even utilize the service, while I was being overbilled.

Tip for consumers:
AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

Products used:
The site

Service
Value
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: May 11, 2023

Thumbnail of user jodit21
Costa Rica
1 review
6 helpful votes
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June 17th, 2018

Hey charge me every year even though each year I cancel my membership and deactivate my account. I have to dispute the charge each year with my bank. They dont even have my current bank card on file but are still able to charge me. I now have to change my bank to get away from them. They make it impossible to contact them. I stopped using their services years ago. Dont sign up! You will be charged by then forever!

Date of experience: June 17, 2018

Thumbnail of user komailr
Japan
1 review
1 helpful vote
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April 3rd, 2016

I tried CS for a while but for safety I decided to erase all my data and get out. I made a mistake by contacting CS board for asking how to do it. Since then, they confiscated my account and although it exists, I cant access it! Who is using my data right now, no one knows!

Date of experience: April 3, 2016

Thumbnail of user simonj48
Turkey
1 review
7 helpful votes
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October 27th, 2017

A site like Couchsurfing, which was once a good site to meet new cultures, couldn't get any worse than this. I highly recommend that you stay away for your security because of dozens of men who would send horny messages just because you are a girl.

The site itself also charges as much as 50$ without your permission. Couldn't get any worse than this indeed.

Tip for consumers:
Beware

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: October 27, 2017

Thumbnail of user eduardor52
Canada
1 review
5 helpful votes
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September 14th, 2018

I had a recent issue where i tried to help someone on couch surfing that was desesperately looking for a host, i tried to help her but her response wasnt nice and i replied, she bullied me posting a reference and in the public forum, and turned out its a FAKE profile. And yet despite 3 different stranger people messaged me to support, Couchsurfing dismissed my inquires, and ignored to really address the situation.

Date of experience: September 14, 2018

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Couchsurfing is a vibrant travel community of over 14 million locals and travelers. Use Couchsurfing to find accomodations, meetup with nearby locals and travelers, discover the best things to do, or find travel advice.

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