Not sure how many people have actually heard of Couchsurfing, but AirBnB has become huge within the last couple of days. What are the differences?
It is very simple, AirBnB is an alternative to hotels. It is a website where you can find a room for much cheaper (sometimes 1/4th the price) of the hotel, yet receive similar service to that in a hotel. If someone has a room in their house and they want to make extra cash, they list it on AirBnB. Sometimes hosts provide free breakfast, toiletries and, most importantly, a piece of advice.
Couchsurfing, on the other hand, is a free service where you send a request to a potential host and hopefully get a reply. This is more of a cultural experience, rather than a free hotel, so people are generally expected to interact more.
Personally, I love Couchsurfing, especially if I travel alone. The host may spend a lot of time showing you around or just provide directions of what sights are worth seeing. You might get the same type of service from AirBnB hosts, but more often they go on with their lives while you are exploring the city.
Since AirBnB is a paid service, I do not feel obligated to spend any time with the hosts. With Couchsurfing, it is more like spending time with your relatives. Also, it is much easier to find an AirBnB place than a responsive Couchsurfer. Out of 20 requests I sent to Couchsurfers in Chicago, IL, I received only 2 replies.
The bottom line is: if you are looking for a quick booking, go with AirBnB, but if you are traveling alone and want some company, try out Couchsurfing.
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