Couchsurfing Reviews 766

They ask for you CC details for "verification" but small letters make you agree to an annual subscription and they immediately deduct this. No refund after getting in touch. Contact your credit company for the refund!

My "profile has been removed due to a Terms of Use violation", so the support says. They did't proactively tell, no, I had to ask them by email what has happened. They first forwarded my request to a "specialist who will get back ... as soon as possible" and then they told me, I had violated their terms and "that is all the information we can provide due to privacy reasons". So they claim that I have violated the terms, but they cannot prove it.
When I asked about where, when, with what action I violated anything, they did not respond any more.
To be clear: Violations happen and it is good that they try to ban people for that, but not being able to tell you how you did the violation, is called arbitrariness and censorship. In that case, they even don't have a virtual householder's right, at least German judicature says they don't.
They then refunded me 2.89 EUR which is a joke to the "verification" fee and all the time that I invested into writing to travellers and hosts, where in 95% of cases people do not respond and about 50% respond when you remind them of their antisocial behaviour. Because not responding to a friendly message while you can is not social. I am close to calling Couchsurfing professional fraudsters.

I registered because I was really struggling to find accommodation in Australia. I create my profile, and I see that you have better luck by checking your email or your phone number, there are only two options. I click on the phone, and I am asked for my bank details in addition to the number. I told myself that it was to check more and that this was definitely a serious site. I validated, and suddenly I noticed that there is a third button for payment. My bank did not need to validate and they took €56 from me without it being indicated. I immediately contacted customer service, they did not want to know anything despite the law which protects consumers. They haven't responded to me since. Plus on couchsurfing only men who don't seem serious, I didn't find what I was looking for and what's more I was scammed out of €56.

i was also scammed by couchsurfing payments.

deleted my account, they kept the prenumeration on stripe. contacted support which asked me for a bunch of information i mostly already had provided, then had the nerve to say that cancelled accounts don't get charged. yeah, how come you are charging me anyways? it is in my account balance!

instructed my bank to deny payment to couch suffering.

I logged back on after several years absence having pre-knowledge of the awaiting charge. The problem is Couchsurfing refuses to give access to the site therefore cannot view whether it’s changed better or worse.

Big red flag banning access without payment and after read many reviews I won’t be back.

In its day (many years past) Couchsurfing was a great experience. Happy memories I refuse to have clogged up by negative and greedy site owners.

After having enjoyed the service for many years, I stopped my membership in Couchsurfing.
The 'normal behavior' of surfers is not to reply as soon as they find another hosting opportunity. Even hosting offered on 'public trips' will go unanswered... Not even a 'thank you for considering'.
It makes me feel like a disposable and that is not what I like.
I have been a member of hospitality groups since the 80s, but this is not the group that I want to be part of.

I recently gave the Couchsurfing app a try, and it's safe to say that I now understand why it has garnered such low ratings on platforms like Trustpilot (1.1 stars) and Google Play (2.6 stars). While the concept of Couchsurfing initially seemed like a fantastic way to connect with people and find affordable accommodation, my experience left me questioning the legitimacy and safety of this platform.

The primary issue I encountered on Couchsurfing is the prevalence of freeloaders who blatantly abuse the system. Instead of offering a "couch" to crash on, many users on this app seem more interested in securing a completely free private room. This completely goes against the spirit of Couchsurfing, which is meant to be about sharing experiences and forming connections, not just finding a free place to stay.

To make matters worse, if you encounter a guest who proves to be problematic or rude, and you decide to address the issue and ask them to leave, be prepared for potential retaliation. Many users resort to writing revenge references or reports, making it challenging for hosts to maintain a positive reputation on the platform. It's especially frustrating that these revenge reports are sometimes unfairly favored towards guests, causing harm to the reputation of well-intentioned hosts.

Additionally, there is a disturbing trend of gender bias on Couchsurfing. Male hosts seem to be at a higher risk of being banned from the platform, as they are often accused of inappropriate behavior or intentions without proper evidence or due process. This unfair bias not only damages the reputation of genuine male hosts but also raises questions about the platform's commitment to fairness and safety.

Contrary to its name, Couchsurfing is not entirely free. While you can use some features without payment, there is a subscription model that offers additional perks for a fee. This adds to the sense of deception, as the platform often portrays itself as entirely free.

Furthermore, the prevalence of fake accounts and the lack of robust verification processes raise serious safety concerns for both males and females using the app. The reviews on the platform highlight numerous instances of uncomfortable and even dangerous encounters, leaving users feeling vulnerable.

In conclusion, the overwhelmingly negative reviews of Couchsurfing cannot be dismissed as baseless complaints. There are genuine issues with freeloaders, revenge references, gender bias, and safety concerns on this platform. My experience, combined with the reviews of many others, paints a bleak picture of what was once a promising idea. Before considering Couchsurfing, I would strongly advise potential users to read the reviews and carefully weigh the risks and benefits. Your safety and peace of mind should always come first.

I had just became a member of Couchsurfing.com to become more involved in the travel community, I felt OK paying the 14 € yearly fee they require as it was reasonable on September the 27th. 2023. I received a receipt in my email and all was well. I completed my profile and did not re-entered my credit card information nor did I save the information on the site (saving it was not an option). Not even a minute later I get a notification they charged me 56 €. When I asked the Support for a refund, they told me this is not possible. In the European Union you have 14 days to cancel any online transaction and within the first 7 days you don’t have to give an explanation. Paywalling a homepage is also illegal in Europe.

It was good service, I have hosted before pandemic several dozen people via CS. And I would be glad to invite new travelers. But now this service does not allow you to invite people to your place without a subscription. Why should hosters, in addition to inviting guests free of charge, have to pay for it? Hosters are the basis of couchsurfing, thanks to them this whole system is supported.

This company seems to have a history in ripping off people and i am absolutely determined to go further with this as they just charged me for a subscripition i asked to be cancelled an year ago when i first tried it for which i paid almost £60-70 as a first time fee or smth like that and once i actually tried it for a few days and i understood the system did not fit my needs i asked for a refund and subscription cancellation and they denied it throwing in my face terms and conditions. Now, for the second time, this greedy company told me i accessed the app which I didnt and even forgot about it until i saw the charge in my email and when i requested my refund as the system failed in their advantage and i didnt even use the app so i unwillingly paid for a new subsciption whcih as a reply to my tefind request they cancelled my subscirption immediatly but refused to give me my money back!!!!
So in their business politics people unwillingly pay for a service they are able to cancel in just a sec but not pay back due to their system errors

Completely unsustainable company built on making USE of sustainability principles and on greedy ass decision to just rip off people.

cancelled my suscription months ago and still taking money from my bank account. Don't suscribe !

I made 56€ by mistake because I already contributed a fee of 3.5 € and i got confused. Why do they have a verification of 56€ after 3.5€, this is misleading. Be careful!
Thanks

A member for more than 10 years.

Recently logged in after 3 years.
Asks you for a small contribution - fine.

Advertise credit card verification, click on it, put your credit card details thinking it is free. When I clicked verified, saw the message “for just 56 euros, enjoy a lifetime of experience.”

It's a dark pattern and totally illegal.

Contacting their "support" is a lost cause.

Fell for the verification fraud as explained here a lot already.
It's a dark pattern and totally illegal.
Will see if I get my money back through my bank. Contacting their "support" is a lost cause.

Charged me 56 EUR without even telling me about it. Trying to get back my money right now.

I am not able to use my verified and lifetime paid couch surfing account of which I was an active member in Mumbai, India. Now I can't even open it in Canada. That is ridiculous, I am really unhappy abou it. I have stopped using it and lost track of lots of my good friends I was able to make in India over the years.

AL

Same as other stated, I was scammed into giving my credit card information and they retract money for the verification process without informing me.

Although the idea could be nice, it's quite badly implemented: tried to subscribe after advice from a happy friend, and after inserting my data I was asked 2.~£ a month or a yearly fee... which actually I was not going to pay but anyway chose to take my time before deciding. Still, 2 days after I received a request from a guy willing to share a visit with me... I got the email notification but am not able to reply because I can't access my own account unless I pay! And, funny enough (though standard for most companies...) I wrote to their Contact/Support page explaining the issue, and they replied to me "why unfortunately they must charge" WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING the actual issue, that is I'm listed but can't even reply politely to people!
And no further replies to my emails...

The company is charging you 60$ for a verification without telling you it’s a paid service! They refuse to refund after an explanation I wasn’t aware I’m buying something! No price was listed, no mention of a paid service.

Scammers. They have a misleading way to get you to press a button that says 'verify your account' and they'll charge you AU$102. Please report these $%@#ers.

____ Here's where to report them__

United States

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): You can report scams to the FTC using their online complaint form at ftc gov/complaint.
State Attorney General: Contact your state Attorney General's office. You can find contact information for each state's Attorney General at naag.org.
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): If the scam took place online, you can file a complaint with the IC3 at ic3.gov.
United Kingdom

Action Fraud: Report the scam to Action Fraud, the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, at actionfraud.police.uk.
Citizens Advice: They can help you report the scam to the correct authority. Visit citizensadvice.org.uk for more information.
Canada

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC): Report the scam to the CAFC online at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or by calling 1-888-495-8501.
Competition Bureau: You can also report to the Competition Bureau using their online complaint form at competitionbureau.gc.ca.
Australia

Scamwatch: Report scams to Scamwatch, run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), at scamwatch.gov.au.
Australian Cyber Security Centre: If the scam occurred online, you can report it to the ACSC at cyber.gov.au.