My Honest Review of Worldpackers (Pros & Cons)

👉 Jump to: Review Summary | Worldpackers Review | Programs & Volunteer Positions | Destinations | Worldpackers vs Workaway | Final Verdict | FAQ

Looking for a comprehensive Worldpackers review? You’re in the right place!

Honestly, I was skeptical when I first stumbled upon Worldpackers and learned that you can exchange your skills for accommodation. It seemed too good to be true. But, from my experience, it only takes a few minutes of exploring the Worldpackers platform to fall in love with it. 

In this review, I’ll share my Worldpackers experience and give you insight into how the organization works, its programs, and all the honest pros and cons of it.

I’ll also include an alternative to Worldpackers, so you can decide for yourself in the end! If you do decide to join Worldpackers, I’ll even share a special promo code for a code.

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A Quick Summary

What is Worldpackers? Is Worldpackers legit?

Worldpackers is an online platform that connects traveling volunteers with hosts around the world through a community of experienced travelers and hosts. Travelers can open a profile, and search through hundreds of volunteering experiences.

When I first found Worldpackers a few years ago, I liked the diversity of countries and volunteer programs they offered.

More than anything, I loved the simple newbie-proof user interface and the rating system that helped me find the perfect host in Seoul, South Korea.

It was my first time volunteering and staying in a country for more than a few nights, and I was scared my host would end up exploiting me.

But, I felt reassured when I found out about Worldpackers Safeguard, which relocates you if you have a negative experience. The platform also covers your stay in a hostel if the volunteering experience is different from what the host advertised.

Worldpackers’s entry-level plan has an annual fee of $59 for a solo traveler and $69 for couples. In my opinion, that is a bargain when you consider all the benefits you get, like tips for your trip, certified hosts, honest reviews, and guidance through the whole volunteering experience.

You can even lower that fee further by claiming your $10 membership discount here.

Pros of Worldpackers

• Free accommodation while traveling
• Meet other fellow travelers
• Get a profound cultural experience
• Learn new skills and grow experience
• Honest review system to pick the best hosts
• WP Safeguard promotes safe travel
• Certified and verified hosts
• Host response guaranteed
• Refund in the first month if 5+ hosts don’t answer
• Community blog and online humanized support

Cons of Worldpackers

• There is a character limit to Worldpackers reviews
• Hosts can ask for a volunteer to work up to 32 hours
• You live with your boss and you’re usually on call 

Worldpackers is best for:

• Budget travelers
• Digital nomads
• Solo travelers
• Solo female travelers
• Backpackers
• People taking a gap year
• Young professionals or college students

Worldpackers might not be a fit for:

• Luxury travelers
• People who need absolute privacy
• Complainers
• People who are looking for a vacation vs work experience
• People who are uncomfortable sharing a room with others

👉 Claim $10 off your Worldpackers membership with our promo code now

My Full Worldpackers Review

That was a quick summary of this review. Now, let’s dive deep into what Worldpackers is, how it works, and the volunteer programs it offers to its community of travelers.

How Worldpackers Works

Worldpackers website is a platform with a supportive community dedicated to connecting volunteers with potential hosts.

Worldpackers offers six different memberships with just one annual fee. The entry-level plan starts at $59 for solo travelers and $69 for couples.

These two memberships include the platform’s experience insurance known as WP Safeguard, online support, and access to the community. However, the premium packages add even more value to your Worldpackers experience.

Here is what to expect for the memberships:

• Solo Trips and Couple Trips – an entry-level plan that includes WP Safeguard, access to all volunteering opportunities, and platform support for a $59 yearly fee for solo travelers and $69 for couples or friends.
• Solo Pack and Couples Pack – includes all of Worldpackers beginner plan features, plus extended WP Safeguard, priority support, and lessons on how to make a living while traveling. It’s a $109 annual fee for solo travelers and $129 for couples.
• Solo Pack Plus and Couples Pack Plus – these plans have everything above, plus prime WP Safeguard that covers up to $399 in accommodation if the volunteering experience isn’t what you were promised. The yearly fee is $139 for solo travelers and $159 for couples.

After opening a profile you can search positions by destination, skill, host type, or by keyword. You will see the requirements for your volunteer job on your host’s profile.

You’ll also find the time they take to answer back, if they charge a fee for your stay, volunteering openings, and reviews of volunteers that stayed with them. 

Most hosts will ask you to work around 25 hours a week and you can use the rest of the time for sightseeing. Some will also ask for an additional fee for your stay, which usually serves as a security deposit.

Besides a free place to stay, some hosts offer free meals, laundry service, free tickets to attractions, tours, and a mode of transportation like bikes or scooters. 

After finding your ideal host, you can apply for the position directly on the host’s profile. If you apply for five experiences or more and don’t hear back from your hosts in the first month, Worldpackers will refund your membership fee.

After your experience, Worldpackers will invite you to write a review. Remember not to let any host pressure you to do odd jobs or write a false review.

And if the experience isn’t what the host had promised, you can use your WP Safeguard benefit and get relocated with a new host.

Always aim to write honest reviews, as they’re the guide for future helpers.

Worldpackers Programs & Volunteer Positions

The Worldpackers memberships offer a variety of volunteer options for all kinds of travelers. Whether you’re looking to save money or to experience the culture like a local, you’ll find a stay that fits you.

The three main Worldpackers programs include the Work Exchange Program, the Eco Program, and the Social Impact Program:

• The Work Exchange focuses on hostels and guest houses.
• The Eco Program sports opportunities in eco-villages, farms, and permaculture projects.
• The Social Impact Program offers openings in schools, NGOs, and social projects.

NGO

NGOs are Non-governmental organizations that support humanitarian causes like clean drinking water for underdeveloped countries, universal education, and reducing waste.

NGOs are generally looking for multiple positions and skills. You can find NGOs that need volunteers for gardening, painting, and construction and NGOs that need helpers for marketing, photography, and video making. 

Hostel

Hostels are one of the most common volunteer jobs and the most popular among first-time volunteers.

Hostel volunteer tasks include cleaning, reception, guest entertainment, and marketing. This was the one I did during my first work exchange with Worldpackers.

From my experience, it’s the best type of work exchange to meet lots of new people. I’m still friends with three German girls I met back at my hostel in Seoul.

If you feel insecure about volunteering in secluded destinations, hostels located in main cities are a good first experience.

Use Worldpackers filters to find them and check out Taylor’s guide to working in hostels to get the best tips.

Farm and Permaculture Projects

In both farming and permaculture jobs, volunteers can work in gardening, taking care of animals, and sowing the land.

The difference between normal farming and permaculture is that permaculture looks to create sustainable agriculture through self-sustained methods and organic farming.

Some of the farming opportunities also include tasks about social media, content creation, and web development.

School

School volunteering opportunities are mostly about teaching sports and languages to kids.

This is also one of the best options to do social work and make an impact on someone’s life while traveling the world.

Besides teaching, you can help with manual labor, gardening, cleaning, cooking, video making, and marketing.

Homestay

Homestays are great for experiencing life as a local. You get to live with the host family and help them with their tasks.

Some homestay tasks are child care, housekeeping, cooking, and gardening.

But, you can also find homestays in which you’ll do tasks like teaching, marketing, video making, photography, arts, and social work. 

Surf Camps

Surf camps are one of the most fun volunteering jobs in Worldpackers. The best is you don’t necessarily have to know how to surf to help!

You can learn how to surf while you help with cooking, cleaning, making videos, or marketing tasks. Some surf camps also request volunteers who can teach yoga or other classes.

Holistic Center

If you’re looking for a more relaxing, slow-paced, and healing experience while traveling, then you can volunteer at a holistic center.

Holistic centers help people to develop a healthy and mindful lifestyle while learning about themselves and connecting with nature.

You can help with tasks like social work, gardening, farming, cooking, cleaning, photography, content writing, and video making.

Where You Can Go with Worldpackers

Worldpackers offers volunteering opportunities in Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania, North America, Central America, South America, and even the Caribbean!

They cover all the popular gap year destinations, plus many more spots around the world.

Best of all, you can volunteer in most countries with a tourist visa and without any additional paperwork.

Let’s take a quick look at some of Worldpacker’s more popular destinations for volunteering. 

👉 Click the country names to explore their offerings, but be sure to enter code TRAVELLEMMING at checkout for your $10 discount:

• Mexico –  Mexico is great for working in hostels, farms, eco-villages, and permaculture projects while you practice a bit of Spanish, and enjoy all the many fun things to do in Mexico in your free time. 
• Brazil – Brazil is the home of Worldpackers, where everything started and so, you can find all kinds of volunteer opportunities in hostels, farms, campings, permaculture projects, pousadas, eco-villages, and holistic centers.
• Costa Rica – Costa Rica is famous for its focus on nature and not on war, which is why you’ll find volunteer opportunities in eco-villages, eco-lodges, campings, hostels, farms, and NGOs. Check out our guide to the best Costa Rica destinations.

• Thailand – Thailand is a dream destination for many people. With Worldpackers not only you can travel to Thailand, but you can volunteer in hostels, NGOs, farms, schools, eco-villages, guest houses, permaculture projects, and homestays.
• Vietnam – If you’re looking for school opportunities, Vietnam offers a lot of them! You will also find opportunities in NGOs, homestays, guest houses, permaculture projects, and eco-villages.
• United Kingdom – If you’re either looking for a farm in the countryside or a hostel in the city, the United Kingdom has it all. You can also volunteer at guest houses, eco-lodges, holistic centers, and homestays.
• Italy – If you’re looking for a place where you can easily move around while volunteering, head over to Italy, where you can work in hostels, farms, eco-lodges, permaculture projects, guest houses, campsites, homestays, and schools.

👉 Heading to Europe? Don’t miss Travel Lemming’s Ultimate Guide to Backpacking in Europe so you don’t miss a single destination you love. 

• Portugal – You can volunteer in Portugal in guest houses, hostels, permaculture projects, eco-lodges, farms, homestays, and camping, all while practicing your Portuguese.
• Spain – If you’re into breathtaking coasts and big waves, volunteer at a surf camp in Spain! You can also find opportunities in hostels, guest houses, eco-villages, farms, and holistic centers.
• United States – The United States has plenty of volunteer opportunities, including hostels, farms, NGOs, homestays, guest houses, campings, and holistic centers.

When choosing a place to volunteer, take into account your skills and final goal. If you want to meet new people, then a hostel probably works better for you.

But, if you want to make a social impact or immerse yourself in the culture, you should look for opportunities like homestays, schools, farms, or NGOs. 

Worldpackers vs Workaway

Looking for Worldpackers alternatives? The most popular alternative to Worldpackers is definitely Workaway.

Worldpackers and Workaway are both online platforms to do work exchange and volunteering abroad, each with its pros and cons.

You can browse both websites for free, but to see all the hosts in Workaway, you have to join the platform.

While Workaway is an older platform and has more hosts than Worldpackers, it seems to filter negative reviews from its hosts, which makes it challenging for potential volunteers to make fully informed decisions.

At the same time, Workaway offers higher chances to get volunteer opportunities because of its many hosts.

But, Worldpackers is ideal for new travelers as it has the WP Safeguard benefit and is the only platform that sports an online community with travel tips and constant online support through all the volunteering experience. 

If something goes wrong with any of your work exchanges, you can immediately communicate with Worldpackers to claim your WP Safeguard benefit and get relocated at no extra cost.

That’s why I chose them as my platform when I had to personally choose between Worldpackers and Workaway.

If you want a more detailed comparison, check out my full breakdown of Worldpackers vs Workaway.

Final Verdict – Is Worldpackers Worth It? 

Worldpackers is ideal for travelers who want a free bed while traveling.

But, it’s also for people who want to connect with the local community, learn new skills, make new friends, contribute to a greater cause, and grow as a person.

In my experience, the annual membership fees of Worldpackers pay for a lot more than just the platforms, it means getting more support, a community, travel safety, and life experiences.

👉 Visit Worldpackers and enter code TRAVELLEMMING for $10 off

FAQs

Is Worldpackers legitimate?

Worldpackers is a legitimate online platform that helps travelers find volunteering opportunities around the world. The platform sports an experienced online community and different programs in eco projects, organic farms, hostels, schools, and animal sanctuaries.

Is Worldpackers better than Workaway?

Worldpackers is better than Workaway for volunteers who wish to have a supportive community through their volunteering process. Worldpackers also has a unique and exclusive benefit, WP Safeguard, that guarantees a fair exchange experience as well as an extensive pool of certified hosts. 

Is Worldpackers safe?

Worldpackers is a safe work exchange platform for travelers and volunteers. Worldpackers verifies the identities of all hosts. Worldpackers also features honest reviews about each volunteering opportunity and offers the WP Safeguard benefit, which relocates volunteers to a new place when something goes wrong with their work exchange.

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I hope this Worldpackers review helps you get started on your volunteering journey with a community that believes in the importance of cultural exchange and social impact. If you’re volunteering in Europe, check out this guide with the honest budget-friendly places to stay in Europe. Safe travels!