Work exchanges are a wonderful way to travel for free and to learn more about a different culture. Two of the biggest work exchange websites are Workaway and Worldpackers, and people often wonder which is the best work exchange site. I’m here to share everything I know about the two sites, including my personal experience of using Worldpackers and Workaway to help you decide which is best for you: Workaway or Worldpackers! I’ll compare the advantages and disadvantages of each website in the ultimate showdown of Worldpackers vs Workaway.
Which is Best, Worldpackers or Workaway?
If you want to get straight into it without reading the full article, in my opinion, Worldpackers is the best work exchange website.
I have used both Worldpackers and Workaway to volunteer, and while they are both good options, the excellent value of the Worldpackers membership (especially with my $10 USD discount code), the level of support for members, Worldpackers Insurance and the chance to earn money with Worldpackers Programs gives them the edge over Workaway.
Save up to 20% on Worldpackers Membership
Save $10 on a year's membership with Worldpackers with the discount code TALESOFABACKPACKER (that's up to 20% off a Solo Membership).
PLUS register with Worldpackers before 30 September 2024 and get access to travel mentorship to make your dream trips come true with the help of experts from the Worldpackers team!
If you want to know more about why I prefer Worldpackers over Workaway, read on for a brief Workaway review, a Worldpackers review and a full comparison of Worldpackers vs Workaway.
What is a Work Exchange?
First of all, let’s start with the basics. I presume that as you’re reading this article you will have an idea of what a work exchange is, but just in case, let’s be clear: A work exchange is where you volunteer your time and skills in exchange for free accommodation and other benefits.
There are all sorts of volunteer jobs available on work exchange sites. You could volunteer to work in a hostel in exchange for a dorm bed and breakfast, on a farmstay in exchange for a private room and fresh organic produce, in a family home helping with childcare for a shared room and all your meals, or volunteer for a whole range of different people and organisations.
As well as free accommodation, some of the benefits of work exchanges include the chance to get work experience for your resume or CV, learn new skills, learn another language, spend more time in a destination to really get to know it well, and learn about another culture and share your own culture with others. Some work exchanges also offer the chance to earn money as you travel.
If you’re not sure whether work exchanges are for you, you can read my guide to work exchange programs, and take a look at all of my other work exchange articles here.
Using Work Exchange Websites to Find Work Exchanges
Work exchange websites like Workaway and Worldpackers act as an intermediary between hosts looking for potential volunteers, and volunteers who are looking for a work exchange placement.
Hosts advertise available placements on these work exchange platforms, then volunteers apply for suitable positions and they arrange the details between themselves.
Work exchange sites are the easiest and safest way to find work exchanges, as they have lots of volunteering opportunities listed together in one place, and they offer some help or support so you’re not completely on your own trying to figure it out as you go.
There are several work exchange platforms out there; but the two I want to talk about here are Worldpackers and Workaway, as in my opinion they are the best work exchange websites. Worldpackers is still slightly less well-known than Worldpackers but I’m here to share why you should at least look into Worldpackers before you sign up for Workaway!
Worldpackers vs Workaway
Now, let’s get into detail to help you decide which is the best work exchange website for you – Worldpackers or Workaway. I’ll share my own experiences, research and information I’ve got from other volunteers to summarise the pros and cons of each, so you can decide which is the best work exchange site for you.
Let’s start with the underdog – Worldpackers:
Worldpackers Review
Worldpackers is the newer of the two work exchange websites, and according to their website, Worldpackers is
“a collaborative community which connects you with welcoming hosts all over the world, where you can stay by exchanging your skills for accommodation”
Founded in 2013 by two friends, Eric and Riq, Worldpackers wanted to help empower budget travellers to travel by exchanging their skills for accommodation across the world. Worldpackers is free to join and browse, but you need to pay a membership fee to contact hosts and to take part in a work exchange.
Worldpackers started in South America, so they have a lot of opportunities there and have rapidly expanded the number of placements available in the rest of the world, with hosts in 170 countries and a network of around 2 million volunteers.
There is a wide range of volunteer opportunities available with hostels, campsites, NGOs, social projects, farms, ecovillages, restaurants, and small businesses, families – you name it, they’ve got it.
No matter where you decide to go volunteering abroad, you should be able to find Worldpackers placements and you can even do a work exchange in your own country.
You can choose to travel and volunteer alone, or travel with a partner or friend and take out a joint membership so you can apply for work exchange placements together.
I’ve used Worldpackers to volunteer and I loved how easy the site is to use – and how quickly hosts responded to my messages. Check out the review of my personal Worldpackers experience here.
How Worldpackers Works
For more information on how Worldpackers works, read my full Worldpackers review here.
Worldpackers Fee
Worldpackers is free to browse and find volunteer opportunities that are available but to apply for a position you need to become a member. Once you are a verified member you can apply to and message all the hosts on Worldpackers and volunteer all over the world.
Worldpackers costs $49 USD for 12 months for a solo membership (or $39 USD with this discount code), and $59 USD for 12 months for a couple/joint membership (or $49 USD with this promo code).
Benefits of Worldpackers
- The Worldpackers website is easy to use and navigate. You can sign with your email or via Facebook for ease of access or you can even download the Worldpackers app and use that to search and apply for placements.
- Worldpackers is very focused on safety and security, verifying each host before they are accepted on the platform to make sure that they offer a safe, Worldpacker worthy experience for travellers.
- Worldpackers offer 24/7 support to volunteers and hosts, by email as well as through their app. I haven’t needed to get in touch with the support team myself, so I’m not sure in practice how easy it is to get help, but if they do what they say they will, that is definitely reassuring!
- With this and the screening process, Worldpackers are proud of the fact that a lot of their volunteers are solo female travellers – about 60% apparently – so that is good peace of mind for us ladies!
Another thing I really like about Worldpackers is that they offer “Worldpackers Insurance”. This means that if the host does not abide by what has been previously agreed, Worldpackers will help you find another host nearby. If they cannot relocate you, Worldpackers will pay up to 3 nights of accommodation in another hostel in the same city to give you time to figure out what to do next.
Worldpackers also have a strong community where experienced Worldpackers members are available to chat with newer travelers for peer-to-peer advice. They also frequently contribute as writers to the site, including with videos and advice on how to have the best Worldpacker experience possible.
Earn Money with Worldpackers
Another huge benefit of Worldpackers is the opportunity to earn money as you travel through their Worldpackers Programs. Once you have done a couple of work exchanges through Worldpackers and got good reviews from hosts, you can then apply to create video or blog content for Worldpackers and get paid for your contributions.
Save up to 20% on Worldpackers Membership
Save $10 on a year's membership with Worldpackers with the discount code TALESOFABACKPACKER (that's up to 20% off a Solo Membership).
PLUS register with Worldpackers before 30 September 2024 and get access to travel mentorship to make your dream trips come true with the help of experts from the Worldpackers team!
Transparency on Worldpackers Reviews
Another definite plus for Worldpackers is how they manage their review system. It works a bit like Airbnb in that once your placement has finished, you have two weeks to leave a review for your host, and they have the same time limit.
The host cannot see your review until either they have left a review for you, or the review deadline has passed, so you don’t need to worry about “revenge” reviews and the host leaving a negative review for you if they didn’t like what you said about them. This is an issue with Workaway reviews as I’ll explain below.
Workaway Review
Workaway is the largest and best-known work exchange site. They have placements all over the world with hosts who advertise volunteer exchange positions in hostels, on farms, in private homes – pretty much everywhere you can imagine. They even have pet and house-sitting opportunities.
Workaway started years ago, although I couldn’t find much information about the details it seems that Workaway began in 2002 and has grown into a global work exchange site since then. Over half of the 40,000 hosts on Workaway are in Europe, so if you plan to do a work exchange in Europe, this is a good place to start.
Similar to Worldpackers, Workaway also offers the option to travel alone, or to pair up with a partner or friend and take out a joint membership. Workaway also allow you to add children under 18 to your profile, either as a single parent or as a couple with a join membership, so if you are travelling as a family it could a good choice for you.
Workaway Fee
Workaway costs $49 USD per year for a solo membership, or $59 USD for a couple/joint membership. If you’re travelling with children you can now add kids under 18 to your Workaway account free of charge.
Once you have paid the registration fee, every work exchange during your membership year is free of charge. The hosts will provide accommodation and usually some meals but check each individual listing for details. The site is easy to use, and reviews are provided for hosts and travellers so you can see what other people thought about their experience.
My Workaway Experiences
I have had several successful work exchanges through Workaway, working in hostels and also as a web developer and blog writer. Most of the exchanges were great, but one host really wasn’t very welcoming and was quite rude to their volunteers, complaining that we were taking up their hostel beds and not giving us work to do.
For any work exchange experience, how much you enjoy it really depends on how well you get on with the host and with the other volunteers. When I worked at a hostel in Mexico City I had a great time as there was a really great team of volunteers and the hosts were friendly and well-organised too which definitely helps!
The Problem with Workaway Reviews
There is one major downside to Workaway which is their review system. Workaway allows you to leave a review for a host at any time, whether that is during your stay, months after you have stayed, or if you haven’t even stayed with them at all. The same applies for the host leaving a review for you.
It seems an odd way of doing it to me, as hosts can read what you wrote before they write a review of you, so there is a chance of “revenge” reviews. In my not-so-pleasant experiences, I’m sad to say I didn’t leave any reviews at all as I didn’t want the host to give me a negative review in return.
This could be why you don’t often see negative reviews on Workaway. And even when there are negative reviews, Workaway hide the details of any 1* review so no one can’t actually read what it says. They say that “we do not publish insulting feedback” which I understand if it is abusive, but perhaps it would be better to show what was said then you can decide for yourself if you think the host or the Workawayer was at fault.
I’ve heard a few Workaway horror stories from other travellers, and without being able to see the reviews it is hard to know the full picture and make your own judgement.
Workaway Support
Although the site is very professional and there are a lot of placements, I’ve spoken to people who have had trouble getting to speak to their support team if something goes wrong. It says that paid members get access to 24/7 support but I couldn’t find a phone number anywhere on their website, just a contact form to fill in so if you need instant help for any reason it looks like you would have to wait.
Workaway Hosts
I’ve often had trouble getting responses from prospective hosts on Workaway, and there is nothing more frustrating than paying for a service where hosts don’t respond. I think it might be because of the sheer size of the network, as hosts in popular destinations can get bombarded with requests for exchanges and you might be less likely to get a reply from them.
In my experience, Worldpackers hosts have always been very quick to respond so it seems easier to guarantee a placement with Worldpackers. However, if there aren’t any listings on Worldpackers for the destination you want, then you may have better luck with Workaway.
So which is best – Worldpackers or Workaway?
Workaway and Worldpackers are in my opinion the two best work exchange sites out there, but with the excellent value of the Worldpackers membership (especially with the $10 USD discount), their level of support including Worldpackers Insurance, and the chance to earn money with Worldpackers Programs gives Worldpackers the edge over Workaway.
For these reasons, I’d say that Worldpackers is the best work exchange site and my first choice.
Workaway is better for families as you can add your children to your Workaway account.
However, if you are still struggling to decide between Workaway or Worldpackers, the deal-breaker really depends on what work exchange placements are available where you want to go. Before you sign up for either platform, have a look at the opportunities available on the sites for your chosen destination and choose the one which has the best opportunities.
You can find out more about Workaway alternatives such as Helpx, WOOFF and Hippohelp in my other article here if don’t think that neither of these sites will work for you.
Still have more questions? Check out my Worldpackers Workaway FAQ:
Workaway Worldpackers FAQ
What is Workaway?
According to their website, Workaway is "the leading community for cultural exchange, working holidays and volunteering". Potential hosts advertise placements for volunteers who offer their skills and time working for a few hours a day in exchange for free accommodation and often meals and other perks.
While Workaway is certainly the biggest work exchange website, it isn't necessarily the best, and there are several Workaway alternatives which may be better for you.
Is Worldpackers Legit?
YES! I've used Worldpackers myself to volunteer and I assure you, Worldpackers is legit. Once you have paid your membership fee you can reach out to hosts and arrange volunteer placements all around the world.
Is Workaway Legit?
Yes, Workaway is a legitimate website. I've used Workaway myself to volunteer in several countries around the world and have managed a hostel where we hosted volunteers through Workaway.
However, I have had issues getting responses from hosts who can get overwhelmed with requests from volunteers. There are also people who say their negative reviews haven't been published or have been edited before publishing, so read all reviews carefully and try to read between the lines of reviews too!
Is Worldpackers Safe?
Worldpackers is as safe as it possibly can be. As with anything in life, nothing is 100% risk-free, but Worldpackers do everything they can to keep volunteers and hosts safe, a lot more than what other work exchange websites claim to do.
Worldpackers work hard to maintain a safe environment for volunteers and guests, and they have a dedicated page to safety on their website. All hosts go through a verification process, and all Worldpackers members are asked to write an honest review after they have completed an experience with a host.
In addition to that, Worldpackers offer 24/7 support in 3 languages from their customer service team, and they offer Worldpackers Insurance which means that should you have to leave a placement because the host has not fulfilled their part of the agreement, Worldpackers will cover up to 3 nights for you at a nearby hostel and their support team will get you set up with another Worldpacker placement as soon as possible.
Is Workaway Safe?
As with anything in life, nothing is 100% risk-free, but generally speaking, Workaway is safe. Should you need assistance they have 24/7 customer service on hand to help.
However, if you are a first-time traveller or a solo female traveller, you may prefer to use a different work exchange website like Worldpackers which has even more robust safety procedures.
Worldpackers work hard to maintain a safe environment for volunteers and guests, and they have a dedicated page to safety on their website. All hosts go through a verification process, and all Worldpackers members are asked to write an honest review after they have completed an experience with a host.
In addition to that, Worldpackers offer 24/7 support in 3 languages from their customer service team, and they offer Worldpackers Insurance which means that should you have to leave a placement because the host has not fulfilled their part of the agreement, Worldpackers will cover up to 3 nights for you at a nearby hostel and their support team will get you set up with another Worldpacker placement as soon as possible.
Is Worldpackers Free?
Worldpackers is free to browse but to contact hosts and arrange placements you need to become a verified member and pay the $49 registration fee ($39 with this discount code)
Is Workaway Free?
Workaway is free to browse but to contact hosts and arrange placements you need to become a verified member and pay the £37 registration fee (approximately $46 USD). If you sign up using my affiliate link you will also get 3 months extra free on your membership.
How Much is the Worldpackers Fee?
Without the Worldpackers discount code, a year's verified Worldpackers membership costs $49 USD for one person - which is reduced to $39 with the $10 promo code.
If you are travelling with a friend or partner, you can sign up together for a joint membership for just $59 for the year ($49 with the promo code), and with that, you can apply for work exchange placements together.
Is Worldpackers Worth it?
Absolutely! In my opinion, yes Worldpackers is definitely worth it. For less than $40 you can get a whole year of free accommodation by doing cultural and work exchanges through Worldpackers so that is a total bargain!
Not only that, but Worldpackers also gives you the chance to earn money while you travel by helping other travellers and creating blog and video content through Worldpackers Programs.
How Much is the Workaway Fee?
A year's verified Workaway membership for one person costs £37 GBP (approximately $46 USD). Using this link to sign up will add an extra 3 months to your membership.
If you are travelling with a friend or partner, you can sign up together for a joint membership for just £44 GBP for the year (approximately $55 USD), and with that, you can apply for work exchange placements together. Again, using this link will add 3 months to your membership.
If you're travelling with kids, you can now add kids under 18 to your profile, either as a single parent with a solo membership, or as a couple with a joint membership.
Is Workaway Worth it?
Absolutely! In my opinion, yes, using work exchange websites like Workaway or Worldpackers is definitely worth it. For less than $50 you can get a whole year of free accommodation by doing cultural and work exchanges so that is a total bargain!
Not only that, but Worldpackers also gives you the chance to earn money while you travel by helping other travellers and creating blog and video content through Worldpackers Programs. So not only can you save money while travelling, but you can come out of the experience having more cash!
Do you Have a Workaway Discount Code?
Workaway doesn't offer discount codes or coupons for discounts or free membership. However, if you sign up using my affiliate link you will get 3 extra months added to your membership for free.
What is the Worldpackers Discount Code
Click here to activate your $10 Worldpackers discount code and save 20% on a year's membership, or input the code TALESOFABACKPACKER
Do you need a Visa for Workaway?
If you don’t need a visa to actually travel to the country where you want to go, you shouldn’t need a work visa to do a work exchange, as really it is a cultural exchange and you won’t be doing paid for your work.
However, some countries do require a specific visa for volunteering, so check the host listing to see if they mention needing specific paperwork, and check iVisa to see if you do need a travel visa. Remember, it is your responsibility to make sure you have all of the required paperwork to travel.
Do you need a Visa for Worldpackers?
If you don’t need a visa to actually travel to the country where you want to do a work exchange, you shouldn’t need a work visa to do a work exchange, as really it is a cultural exchange and you won’t be doing paid for your work.
However, some countries do require a specific visa for volunteering, so check the host listing to see if they mention needing specific paperwork, and check iVisa to see if you do need a travel visa. Remember, it is your responsibility to make sure you have all of the required paperwork to travel.
Is there a Workaway App?
Yes, as well as their website, Workaway also has an app where you can browse opportunities, contact hosts and learn more about work exchanges. Search for the app on iStore or Google Play, but, remember to sign up online with this link in order to get your 3 months extra free.
Is there a Worldpackers App?
Yes, as well as their website, Worldpackers also has an app where you can browse opportunities, contact hosts and learn more about work exchanges. Download it here on Google Play or here on the iStore
Are there other Sites Like Workaway?
Yes! There are several work exchange sites like Workaway which might be better for you.
For me, Worldpackers is the best Workaway alternative, thanks to the high level of support and the chance to earn money with Worldpackers Programs.
Are there other Sites Like Worldpackers?
There are several work exchange sites like Worldpackers, but for me, Worldpackers is the best, thanks to the high level of support and the chance to earn money with Worldpackers Programs. If you would like more information about Worldpackers alternatives, this article has a comparison of the top work exchange websites including Worldpackers, Workaway, WWOOF and others.
How Can You Become a Workaway Host?
If you'd like to become a host on Workaway, you can apply on the Workaway website here.
How Can You Become a Worldpackers Host?
If you'd like to become a host on Worldpackers, you can apply on the Worldpackers website here.
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We were hosts with workaway for more than 10 years. Their site was easy to use, communication with volunteers was straightforward and we had many successful and interesting visitors courtesy of workaway.
I saw the comment about workaway hosts failing to reply. Our experience was that workaway would chivvy us if we had unanswered first enquiry emails waiting too long in our inbox; and workaway lists the host’s percentage of replies to enquiries on the host’ profile, so the volunteer does have some warning of hosts that do not respond.
But! About a year ago workaway suddenly suspended our account without warning and we found the message:
“Your host listing is currently offline and being reviewed by our team
Below are some possible reasons for this and what you can do:
If there has been more than one negative feedback left on the profile
If another user has reported a problem, for example an unfair exchange, no food or an undisclosed fee being asked
Your profile may be temporarily offline, as part of a wider review of hosts across the site.”
We are angry about this because it seems to imply that we have offended in some way; an implication that we vehemently reject and whatever review is taking place is taking a long time and we have not been told what to expect.
The real reason, we suspect, is that following Brexit, they have run foul of the UK immigration and employment controls and have been put under pressure by the UK authorities. I suspect that they are considered to be operating as an employment exchange in the UK and are required to ensure that “workers” comply with all the UK employment legislation. Years ago, WWOOF had a similar problem. When we joined them as hosts they were called “Willing Workers On Organic Farms”. When they were challenged by the UK Department of Employment, they solved the problem by changing their name to “World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms.” Workaway can’t do this because “work” is embedded in their name. So all the farms and ordinary small organisations that used to make up the workaway community of hosts in the UK are suspended. Their hosts in the UK can only be registered “not for profit” organisations and registered charities: and the former opportunities for cultural exchange between families has been lost in the UK.
We have recently joined worldpackers in addition to our long standing membership of HelpX.
I’ve used both Workaway and Worldpackers and it’s hard to choose between them honestly. I love that there is WP insurance, so good for new travelers, but Workaway has more opportunities!