Staying With Newfound Friends, for a Fee (AirBnB, YC W09)

I don't think they are directly comparable. Couch surfing seems more like a lifestyle thing, but airbnb you could perhaps even depend upon for your stay.

I've tried couchsurfing. I tried contacting three people, never heard from any of them. Perhaps I didn't write appealing messages, not sure what the reason was. Or maybe they just signed up and aren't really into couchsurfing anymore. It feels like being a guy on a dating site, you put a lot of effort into writing messages and you are never quite sure if you are just wasting your time.

I don't like where this analogy is going, but suffice it to say that finding the service you need is easier when some money is involved. I have to admit that on airbnb the first person ignored us too, but with the second one we now have a reservation. Our trip is still in the future, so it remains to be seen if everything goes well, but we are optimistic.

I think which is for you, couchsurfing, airbnb or just a hotel really depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for friends and really adventurous, couchsurfing does seem promising. If you can't spend hours trying to hunt down a place to stay, but don't like the sterility and expense of a full-blown hotel, airbnb might be the answer. Our next trip is to Boston, and we got (or are promised) a full apartment for our use for a lot less than the price of a hotel. Still, if you stricly need a place to stay that is absolutely dependable and hassle-free, then go for a hotel.

couchsurfing is tough - for the popular destinations you need to contact lots of people with personalized messages, and you still might not find anyone with a free room. there's just often more demand than supply.

paying might feel weird at first, but it works - you still stay with really awesome people, but since there's money involved, expectations on both sides are slightly different. gotta find out yourself what you're more comfortable with - in general i think i prefer the airbnb experience.