If you’re considering participating in a volunteering program abroad, you may have heard of Worldpackers and Workaway.
Both websites allow you to find volunteer positions in exchange for accommodation and food everywhere around the world.
In this post, I’m comparing Worldpackers vs Workaway to help you decide which volunteering program is better for you.
Read our reviews from both platforms and decide on the best volunteering exchange platform.
So, what is better, Worldpackers or Workaway?
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Worldpackers is cheaper than Workaway if you use our discount code.
- Worldpackers is safer because they provide insurance if something goes wrong during your volunteer placement.
- Workaway has more projects in Europe than Worldpackers.
We believe Worldpackers is better than Workaway because it comes with insurance, it’s cheaper, and you get more honest host reviews from volunteers.
Want more details? Keep reading to discover the main differences between Worldpackers and Workaway.
🔎 Worldpackers Overview
What is Worldpackers?
Worldpackers is an online site and community that lets travelers worldwide search for suitable volunteer opportunities where they can offer their skills and help out in a local community in exchange for a place to stay, free of charge.
Worldpackers matches volunteers and hosts worldwide, acting as intermediaries between the two.
The volunteering opportunities on Worldpackers are vast and include teaching, working in hostels, helping out local NGOs, eco projects, and even health and wellness centers.
Worldpackers is one of the only sites that offer genuine placements with internationally recognized NGOs and nonprofits.
Wondering how Worldpackers works? Watch this video!
📝 Worldpackers Review And Opinion
Worldpackers is unique to other work exchange sites as it offers something called “Experience Insurance”.
This means if your work exchange turns terrible for some reason or your project gets canceled, they will help you find a new host as soon as possible and pay for you to stay in a nearby hostel for a few days.
They also provide honest reviews on the site written by past volunteers. You can tell that the reviews are genuine and honest, as they’re not all positive!
One host in Brazil I clicked on had many one-star reviews and very long feedback comments, so it’s an easy way to figure out which projects are good and worth applying for.
Worldpackers also has a very active online community of past and present volunteers and world travelers.
You can communicate with past volunteers on the site to get more information on what it’s like to live in certain countries, how easy or difficult certain types of work are, or make new online friends.
Wondering how much Worldpackers cost?
The website is free to join/make an account on initially (you can sign in with Facebook), but once you find a host you’re interested in messaging, the fee is $49 for the year.
Although, when signing up through this link, you get a $10 discount. That said, after the discount, your membership will cost you $39.
Want to dive deeper into Worldpackers? Read our complete Worldpackers review.
There’s also a plan for couples/friends. It costs $59, but with the $10 discount, it’s only $49.
Finally, there’s another plan available called the Solo Pack.
You’ll get extended insurance. In short, if something goes wrong with volunteering placement, you’ll get 7 nights covered by Worldpackers. This plan costs $99, or $89, with my discount code.
Worldpackers also boasts a very high percentage of female volunteers, with 62% of volunteers on the site being solo female travelers. This is pretty reassuring.
Worldpackers started in South America, so it has a lot of listings in that part of the world. It has many opportunities in Central America, Asia, and Europe too.
Worldpackers is also known for its dedicated support team for volunteers.
The Worldpackers site focuses on social and eco projects, plus volunteer teaching.
In contrast, some other volunteer and work exchange sites focus more on farm work or volunteering in hostels.
🔎 Workaway Overview
What is Workaway?
Workaway is a similar site to Worldpackers that lets travelers volunteer on farms, hostels, or social projects worldwide in return for free accommodation.
It’s the most extensive work exchange website globally, with over 1 million hosts available.
📝 Workaway Review And Opinion
Workaway provides online support to volunteers when they’re overseas in a contact form on their site.
However, they don’t offer the same “experience insurance” that Worldpackers do should anything go wrong.
Once travelers have finished their volunteer placement, they can leave a review on the Workaway website for future volunteers to read.
However, one main issue is worth noting: Workaway only shows the text of the positive reviews rather than the positive and negative ones.
Many of the negative reviews simply show a 1 out of 5-star rating, and instead of the volunteer review, it simply says, “Please see our feedback policy for more info about why this review is not displayed”.
Workaway has the largest selection of hosts and volunteer projects out of all work exchange websites.
However, there have been issues with hosts not replying to volunteer messages, either because of the sheer number of daily requests or because some listings are old and have never been updated or removed.
Wondering how much Workaway costs?
Like Worldpackers, you can initially browse the website for free and check out some volunteer options.
To see a full list of host reviews and contact a project host, you must sign up for a one-year membership that currently costs EUR 49 per year.
Projects listed on Workaway are primarily based in Europe, where almost half of the volunteer listings are located.
If you aim to land a volunteering opportunity in Europe, this might be the best website to start with.
They also have listings worldwide, with projects to be found in almost every country on Earth.
Once you have finished your volunteer placement and returned home, Workaway has an exciting feature where you can generate a letter of reference for future employment opportunities or explain any large gaps in your resume!
Specific volunteer placements that require more than the standard 20 to 25 hours of work per week will offer meals and sometimes even a small sum of pocket money in addition to free accommodation.
For example, you might be working in a hostel in exchange for a free place to stay, but the hostel may offer commissions if you sell any of their tours.
🔎 Worldpackers Or Workaway: Main Differences
Worldpackers and Workaway are both organizations that offer opportunities to travel and work abroad.
Both have their pros and cons, so it’s important to decide which one is right for you.
Here are the main differences between Worldpackers and Workaway:
- Worldpackers has a more extensive screening process for both hosts and guests. Workaway relies on reviews from its community to vouch for members.
- Worldpackers provides insurance for its members. Workaway does not.
- You’ll find more options for Latin America on Worldpackers and more options for Europe on Workaway.
It really depends on your destination and needs. If you’re on a budget, consider Worldpackers because it’s slightly cheaper.
Whatever you decide, both platforms offer a great way to travel and work abroad!
You can browse volunteer positions on both websites for free, so have a look before getting a membership.
In simple words, Worldpackers is best for solo female travelers and first-time travelers who want to count on insurance. It’s great, especially if you wish to volunteer in South America.
Workaway is best for people searching for volunteer positions in Europe.
🔎 Worldpackers vs Workaway: Full Comparison
Now that you have a better overview of both platforms, let’s compare them in detail. In this section, we’ll compare destinations, types of projects, reviews, safety, costs, and more.
Worldpackers vs Workaway: Destinations
Worldpackers and Workaway offer a wide range of volunteering opportunities worldwide.
Worldpackers started in South America, which is why you’ll find more listings in Central America and South America. That said, you’ll find listings in Asia and Europe too.
Workaway offers more opportunities in Europe, but you’ll also find other opportunities worldwide.
VERDICT If you travel to South America, you’ll find more options on Worldpackers. If you travel to Europe, you’ll find more options on Workaway. That said, we recommend you browse both websites first to see what type of projects are available in your chosen destination.
Worldpackers vs Workaway: Types Of Projects
Both platforms offer a wide range of projects, but let’s consider their offering.
Worldpackers offers the following projects:
- Hostel
- Homestay
- Camping
- Guesthouse
- Holistic center
- Surf camp
- NGO
- School
- Community
- Eco Village
- Farm
- Permaculture project
Workaway offers the following projects:
- Boat
- Hostel
- House stay
- Housesitting
- Animal welfare
- NGO
- School
- Sustainable project
VERDICT Both websites offer lots of options. It really depends on your interests and skills.
Worldpackers vs Workaway: Reviews
Both platforms use a review system so hosts and volunteers can review each other.
Then, when a volunteer wants to apply for a position, they can read the reviews to learn more about the host and the work.
On Worldpackers, it’s very easy to see the reviews. The hosts that have reviews have a number of stars next to their listings.
Then, you can click on the Reviews to read them. The link “View all reviews” brings you to the entire list. You can also read the host’s replies there.
The whole thing is very transparent and gives you a good overview of the host.
On Workaway, you can see the ratings next to the listing. Then, as you scroll down the page, you’ll find the reviews.
To give you an example, I found a host that had 4/5 stars. Looking at the reviews, I can read the ones left by the volunteers, but I cannot read the reply from the host.
When I clicked on the link about the feedback policy, this is what I found.
While I understand the reason why the feedback is kept confidential, from a volunteer perspective, it’s a bit annoying that you’d have to contact other volunteers.
It also doesn’t provide a clear picture of what happened.
VERDICT Both platforms have a review section, but Worldpackers have a more transparent system where volunteers can read all the reviews (positive and negative) from both the volunteers and the hosts.
Worldpackers vs Workaway: Safety
Safety is very important when you volunteer abroad. Let’s see what Worldpackers and Workaway are offering in terms of safety.
Worldpackers offers Insurance as part of all their plans.
This means that if something goes wrong with a host, Worldpackers can help you find another project.
They will pay up to three nights in a hostel to help you out. If you have the Solo Pack Plan, they can cover up to 7 nights.
Workaway doesn’t provide any insurance for the volunteers.
When you take a look at their Safety page, you’ll find that the concept is based on “trust”. You can also report a bad host, or anything suspicious to the Workaway team.
VERDICT Now… when dealing with people online, you must use common sense. Although, when volunteering abroad and dealing with hosts online, I recommend picking hosts with reviews. This is why reviews are so important. I think Worldpackers does a better job with transparent reviews as it also ensures safety for volunteers.
Worldpackers vs Workaway: Features
When browsing both work-exchange websites, you’ll notice that they offer fun features. Let’s talk about what makes them unique and different.
Worldpackers has a network of 3.3 million travelers and hosts around the world.
They have an Academy section with video lessons so that you can learn more about travels and the nomadic lifestyle.
Finally, you can travel solo, with a friend or partner. You could also earn money with the WP programs:
- Creator: Create content for Worldpackers during your trips and earn between $40 and 75.
- Guru: Invite travelers and get paid when someone becomes a member.
- Blogger: Write blog posts for Worldpackers and earn between $65 and 180 for each approved article.
- Scouts: Refer hosts and earn between $10 and 20 for each new approved host.
Workaway has more than 50,000 listings around the world. You can sign up solo or with a friend.
You can get a personal reference letter that includes feedback left by hosts during Workaway experiences.
They also have a feature to help you find a travel buddy and to meet volunteers nearby.
They also have an ambassador program that could give you free membership, goodies, and a special badge for your profile.
VERDICT Both websites offer fun features, but Worldpackers has better programs if you wish to make a bit of money during your travels.
Worldpackers vs Workaway: Free Memberships
You must be a paid member on both websites to contact a host. On a free membership, you’ll get to browse the listings and get an idea of how things work.
So, yes, you can join Worldpackers and Workaway for free if you’re just browsing for volunteer opportunities.
This way, it helps you figure out which platforms have the most exciting destinations and projects.
VERDICT Both websites offer a free version allowing you to browse the listings.
Worldpackers vs Workaway: Paid Memberships & Costs
Both work exchange platforms are affordable.
Worlpackers offers 4 different types of memberships:
- Solo Trips: $39 with my discount code
- Solo Pack: $89 with my discount code
- Couples / Friends: $49 with my discount code
- Couples / Friends Pack: $109 with my discount code
You can get my discount code here.
Workaway has 2 different types of memberships:
- Single: EUR 49
- Couple / Friends: EUR 59
VERDICT If you’re looking for the cheapest option, Worldpackers is cheaper.
Now, you may wonder if Workaway or Worldpackers pay for your flight. They don’t.
Both platforms connect hosts and volunteers, but you’ll have to pay for your flight.
Worldpackers vs Workaway: Mobile
Both websites have an application, making your travels easier.
If you’re not traveling with a laptop, you’ll be pleased to know that you can reach hosts from a mobile application wherever you go.
VERDICT Both platforms have a mobile application.
💡 Final Thoughts On Workaway Vs Worldpackers
If I had to pick between the two, I’d go for Worldpackers because their insurance ensures your experience. Their platform is easy to use, and the website is beautifully designed, making the process easier.
Safety is an essential metric for travelers, so I believe Worldpackers is safer than Workaway. You get Worldpackers insurance and transparent reviews from hosts and travelers.
Now, if you’re wondering, “Which is cheaper, Worldpackers or Workaway?” The answer is Worldpackers.
After the discount, your membership costs $39 instead of EUR 49 with Workaway.
Both websites are legit – so yes, Worldpackers is legit, and Workaway is legit, too!
Both websites are initially free, so you can browse volunteering opportunities before deciding on a platform.
If you’re still hesitating and unsure if Workaway or Worldpackers is worth it, browse both websites to make up your mind.
Volunteering abroad is a unique way to travel further and longer – and is ideal for any budget travelers or students.
Is Worldpackers worth it? Yes. Is Workaway worth it? Yes. Start browsing projects to find one that suits your interests and needs.
Are you searching for different ways to volunteer locally? Read our guide on finding volunteer opportunities.
Want to learn more about cheap ways to travel the world? Read one of the following blog posts:
