Kindred Home Swapping Review: How I Save Thousands on Travel

After three full years of traveling full time; living out of suitcases, bouncing between Airbnbs, and navigating hotel check-ins, I finally decided to slow down. Spain’s digital nomad visa gave me the chance to set up a home base, and I chose Barcelona. (If you’re curious about that process, check out my post on how I got my digital nomad visa in Spain here).

But even with a home base, my travel cravings didn’t stop. I still wanted to explore new places just without spending thousands every time I left. I briefly considered subletting, but the logistics (screening guests, coordinating stays, the legal gray area) made it feel like more stress than it was worth.

That’s when I discovered Kindred, a home-swapping platform designed for people like me: frequent travelers who still have a place to come home to.

Kindred Home Swapping for Travelers: How I Save Money on Travel

If you’ve ever wanted to travel more without constantly paying for hotels or short-term rentals, Kindred home swapping for travelers has completely changed the way I explore new cities. As a full-time traveler and digital nomad, finding comfortable, reliable places to stay long-term is essential, and Kindred has become one of my favorite ways to do that.

What is Kindred?

Kindred is a members-only home-swapping network for travelers who have a home base but still want to explore the world affordably. The concept is simple:
➡️ When you host someone in your home, you earn credits
➡️ You use those credits to stay in other members’ homes while you travel
✔️ You can also choose to swap directly with another member—but it’s totally optional

Kindred handles the logistics, vetting, and scheduling across the entire network, making it super flexible.

At its core, Kindred home swapping for travelers allows members to stay in vetted homes around the world using a credit-based system, rather than exchanging homes at the exact same time. This makes it far more flexible than traditional home exchanges.

Why I Chose Kindred Over Subletting

I was initially hesitant. Hosting strangers? Letting someone stay in my home? But Kindred makes the process feel safe and seamless. They handle cleaning, linens, and even insurance with their host protection policy. You just set up your space, review requests, and get ready to earn travel credits.

Plus, you get to approve who stays in your home. I personally requested FaceTime chats with both of my guests, and it helped me feel confident about saying yes.

My Experience Using Kindred After 58 Nights Away + 71 Nights Hosted

Since I first started using Kindred, it has become one of the main ways I save money on accommodation while traveling.

At this point, I’ve spent 58 nights in Kindred homes and hosted travelers in my own home for 71 nights, so I’ve experienced the platform extensively from both sides.

I’ve used Kindred for stays across Europe, including London, Barcelona, Nerja, Paris, Amsterdam, Switzerland, Italy, and more. As someone who travels as frequently as I do, having another accommodation option besides hotels and Airbnbs has made a huge difference, especially in expensive cities where even a few nights can quickly add hundreds of euros to a trip.

And after this much use, I can confidently say Kindred isn’t something I only tried once for the sake of reviewing it. I actually use it regularly as part of the way I travel.

What I love most about Kindred home swapping for travelers is how well it fits into a flexible, location-independent lifestyle. Whether I’m staying somewhere for a few days or a few weeks, it truly feels like living in a home, not just visiting.

My First Taste of the Kindred Community

Before signing up, I actually attended a Kindred event in Barcelona to get a feel for the community. The event was hosted at a member’s beautiful home, and I met other people who had already been using the platform. Their stories, advice, and rave reviews really gave me the reassurance I needed to give it a shot. You can see my recent video on how it works here.

It honestly felt like a group of like-minded, thoughtful travelers—people I’d actually want to swap homes with.

Why It’s a Game-Changer for Frequent Travelers

If you’re someone who travels often, whether that’s for work, creative projects, or just because you can’t stay still. Kindred makes it possible to keep your travel lifestyle going without draining your budget. Even the most affordable hotels or short-term rentals start to add up quickly.

Kindred has totally transformed the way I travel. Not only am I saving money, I’m also staying in real homes, hosted by people who also live this lifestyle and know how to make a space feel welcoming.

How Much Have I Saved With Kindred?

It’s difficult to calculate exactly how much I’ve saved over all 58 nights, but it’s easily well over €1,000, and realistically, probably much more when I compare some of my stays with what I would have paid for hotels or Airbnbs in the same destinations.

For example, on a recent two-night trip to Amsterdam, I paid around €110 total in cleaning fees plus Kindred credits for my stay. Even at a relatively conservative €75 per night for alternative accommodation, two nights would have cost at least €150, and hotels in Amsterdam can easily cost considerably more depending on the dates and location.

London was an even better example. I recently stayed for five nights and paid around €170 total in cleaning fees plus credits. At approximately €120 per night for alternative accommodation, five nights could easily cost around €600, meaning that one trip alone potentially saved me hundreds of euros.

Multiply those savings across dozens of nights in destinations like Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, Switzerland, Italy, and beyond, and you can see why Kindred has become such a useful part of how I afford to travel as frequently as I do.

Want to Try Kindred?

If Kindred sounds like something you’d use, you can apply through my Kindred referral link below and use my code nan.sev. Once you’re accepted, you’ll receive 5 nights of travel credit to help you start planning your first stay.

I’ve now personally used Kindred for 58 nights of travel, so if you’ve been wondering whether people actually use those credits to travel, so yes, I definitely do. 😂

You can sign up for access using my referral link:
👉 https://livekindred.com?invite_code=nan.sev

Overall, Kindred home swapping for travelers has become one of my favorite ways to travel more sustainably, affordably, and comfortably, especially as someone living abroad and constantly on the move.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kindred

Is Kindred free to use?

Kindred is not completely free, but it’s far more affordable than paying for hotels or short-term rentals. Members typically pay an annual membership fee, and stays are booked using credits rather than nightly rates, which can save you a significant amount of money over time.

Is home swapping safe for solo travelers?

Yes, especially with Kindred. All homes and members are vetted, and the platform is designed with trust and safety in mind. As a solo traveler myself, I’ve found Kindred to be one of the more secure and comfortable ways to stay in new cities, particularly compared to booking random short-term rentals.

How does Kindred compare to Airbnb?

The biggest difference is cost and experience. Airbnb charges nightly rates plus service and cleaning fees, while Kindred uses a credit-based home swapping model. With Kindred, you’re staying in real homes that are lived in, which often feels more authentic, and much more budget-friendly for longer stays.

Can digital nomads use Kindred?

Absolutely. Kindred is especially well-suited for digital nomads, remote workers, and slow travelers. The homes are fully equipped, comfortable for longer stays, and often better set up for daily life and work than hotels or short-term rentals.

Is Kindred Passport Worth It?

If you travel as frequently as I do, Kindred also offers an option called Kindred Passport, which is what I personally use.

I currently pay around €150 per quarter for Passport. For me, the biggest advantage is predictability: rather than paying Kindred’s usual nightly service fees when I travel, I primarily pay the cleaning fee for each stay and use my available credits.

With the standard membership, you can still travel using your Kindred credits, but you’ll generally pay the cleaning fee plus Kindred’s applicable service fees for your stay.

For someone who only uses Kindred occasionally, paying for Passport may not make sense. But because I’m constantly traveling and have already spent dozens of nights in Kindred homes, the subscription can pay for itself pretty quickly for me.

My take: If you’re only planning one or two Kindred stays, I’d start with the regular membership. If you find yourself using Kindred frequently, then I’d compare what you’re spending in service fees with the cost of Passport and decide whether upgrading makes sense.

What I Don’t Love About Kindred

Kindred has saved me a lot of money, but it isn’t perfect. The biggest thing to understand is that booking isn’t as instant or predictable as booking a hotel. You’re staying in real people’s homes, so availability depends on when members make their homes available, and sometimes a home you love won’t work for your exact dates.

You may also need to send multiple requests before finding the right stay, especially in popular destinations or during busy travel periods. And while Kindred can dramatically reduce accommodation costs, it isn’t completely free, there are still cleaning fees and, depending on your membership, other applicable fees.

Hosting also requires some effort. I need to prepare my home before guests arrive and make sure everything is ready for them, so earning credits isn’t completely passive.

For me, though, those trade-offs are worth it because of how much I travel and how much I’ve been able to save.

Is Kindred Worth It?

After 58 nights staying in Kindred homes and 71 nights hosting travelers in my own home, I think it’s safe to say Kindred has become much more than a travel app I decided to try, it’s genuinely become part of how I travel so frequently without spending a fortune on accommodation.

I’ve now used Kindred for trips across London, Barcelona, Nerja, Paris, Amsterdam, Switzerland, Italy, and beyond, and I’ve easily saved over €1,000 in accommodation costs along the way. While it won’t necessarily replace hotels or Airbnbs for every trip, having Kindred as another option gives me so much more flexibility when planning my travels.

Of course, home swapping isn’t completely free, and finding the perfect home for your exact dates can sometimes take a little patience. But for me, the savings have far outweighed the downsides, especially as someone who travels as often as I do.

If you have a home you’re able to host and love the idea of using it to help you travel more for less, I definitely think Kindred is worth checking out.

Ready to give Kindred a try? You can apply using my referral link and code nan.sev to receive 5 nights of travel credit once you’re accepted. That could already go a long way toward your first trip!

Happy home swapping, and maybe your next stay will cost a whole lot less than you expected. 🏡✈️