*Updated September 18, 2025.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. That means if you purchase using these links, I will receive a commission. I only share and promote companies I stand behind and use myself.

For most of us, traveling the world feels like a dream we will never achieve. A lavish and outrageous idea that is kept at bay by societal expectations, fear, and financial constraints. We grew up with parents who have never left the country and in a community that is scared of the unknown. Traveling the world never felt sensible or possible.

I’m here to tell you, that’s a bunch of B.S.

If you’ve felt the itch to travel (iykyk) but feel held back by money, time, fear…then you’re in for a treat. Because once you realize there are many different ways to travel, new avenues open up.

Opportunities for travelers of all kinds have been popping up and growing outside of the niche travel community. “Average” people can also have these once in a lifetime travel experiences. One such opportunity is Worldpackers. A program I, personally, endorse and have used multiple times now to travel as a self-employed solo business owner in my 20’s.

What is Worldpackers?

Worldpackers is a work exchange/volunteer program that allows for travelers to offer their time and skills to hosts all around the world in exchange for free accommodation, and other amenities.

The purpose of Worldpackers is to help make travel more accessible and to promote cultural exchange and community.

Worldpackers was founded by two friends (travelers, of course), one of whom spent years in the US volunteering at a hostel in San Diego for the free accommodation. The OG volunteer. (San Diego is still a hotspot for volunteers, it’s where I did my first experience!)

Is Worldpackers Legit?

Worldpackers is one of those programs that seems too good to be true on the surface but it is a legit corporation that has been operating since 2014. Of course, every experience, from host to volunteer, is going to be unique. I’ve personally completed 5 volunteer jobs with them with no issues, worked with them on social media and am now hosting my first group trip with them to Costa Rica.

With a company like this, safety is an obvious concern. They have extensive safety measures in place for travelers. Putting your life into the hands of a host you haven’t met, and traveling to a new place takes a lot of trust, so being hesitant or unsure about the whole endeavor is understandable.

Here are a few of the Worldpackers Safety measures:

• All Hosts are verified and vetted before being able to post jobs on the site
• Community reviews; Detailed and representative accounts of the experiences and you can message individual travelers who have previously been there.
• Formal agreements. For peace of mind, and security, for both parties involved, there is written proof of your exchange with details confirmed by the volunteer and host.
• Cancellation policies such as the Host Response Guarantee: If you apply to at least 5 jobs and don’t hear back from any hosts within 30 days you can cancel your membership (usually 7 days).

The WP Safeguard is the most important safety feature. In the unlikely, but possible, event that the job isn’t as promised or a situation arises with a host and you need to leave the job, Worldpackers will help you find a new volunteer experience and even pay up to a certain amount for accommodation elsewhere if necessary.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE: There are different levels to the WP Safeguard. It’s based on the WP plan you have that will determine how much assistance you are eligible to receive.

As of now (2025) I have done 5 experiences with Worldpackers. The jobs itself were exactly as described, and the hosts were both experienced with volunteers and offered a comfortable stay. I never felt unsafe in any way.

Read about my first experience and check out the review I left on Worldpackers about my second experience below.

How Does Worldpackers Work?

Ok, now you know the gist of what Worldpackers is and how you’ll be protected and supported by the program. You can sign up for Worldpackers for free to browse jobs, but in order to apply for the jobs you will need to purchase a membership (more info below).

THERE ARE THREE PROGRAM TYPES:

• Work exchange: The most common program where you offer your time in exchange for accommodation. Usually in hostels or homestays doing work like housekeeping or reception.
• Eco program: These are your farms, ecovillages and permaculture projects in places like Hawaii, Costa Rica, Indonesia, etc.
• Social Impact: Usually with NGO’s or schools teaching english or other subjects with an emphasis on sustainability and community.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOSTS:

• Hostel
• NGO (non-governmental organization)
• Homestay/Guest House
• Farm
• Permaculture Project
• Ecolodge/Ecovillage
• School
• Camping
• Holistic Center

(There are more types of hosts, but these are the most popular)

The different skills you are able to provide in exchange for staying with these hosts range from housekeeping to painting to bartending to pet sitting. The most asked for skills among the jobs IMO are housekeeping/cleaning, reception/admin, handywork, and gardening/farm work.

Since I am a social media freelancer, I will note that there are a good amount of social media/marketing jobs on Worldpackers. My first experience was helping a hostel with social media but I’ve also done housekeeping.

There are THOUSANDS of jobs on the site in, quite literally, all corners of the world. Most jobs are accepting applications as early as the same month and as far out as 5 months. If an experience is no longer available it will be taken off the site. How many volunteers a host can accept per month varies, as some are hostels with dozens of rooms and others only need a handful of volunteers at a time.

Most hosts also ask that volunteers can commit to a certain number of days/weeks, and some even for months at a time. There are week long trips, but from my many hours spent searching through the jobs, I’ve found that most jobs ask for at least 4 weeks and as many as 12 weeks. Of course that can vary and most hosts are flexible.

How Much Does Worldpackers Cost?

You can start by making a free account, which will allow you to browse the site and jobs, but not apply to them. Worldpackers offers 3 types of memberships, with options for solo travelers and couples/friends. The latter being $10-$20 more expensive depending on the tier. All memberships are valid for 1 year of unlimited travel and applications. They are always running promotions for signing up and offering goodies like 3 extra months, money toward flights, discounts on other travel sites, and more.

The most basic plan is $49 for the year ($39 with my discount!) and is for budget travelers and those interested in low-stakes experiences. I signed up on this plan when I first started a few years ago, but I’m heavily considering upgrading to the pack plan soon after completing a few experiences and feeling more comfortable.

What’s included in the basic solo trips plan:

• Membership for 1 year
• Apply, and go on, as many experiences as you want
• $49 worth of reimbursements for emergency accommodation with WP safeguard
• Host response guarantee

When they say basic, they mean basic, because let’s look at the next membership option.

The Solo Pack plan offers everything from the solo trips plan but also:

• Up to $199 work of reimbursements for emergency accommodation with WP safeguard
• Transfer up to 2000 euros on Wise without paying any fees
• 25% off HostelPass annual plan

As well as a few other things like money toward Sim cards and luggage storage.

The Solo Pack Plus plan offers everything from the Solo Pack Plan, but with up to $399 of reimbursements for emergency accommodation with WP Safeguard.

Because of how the plans work, Worldpackers is heavily marketed for people who are doing a gap year of some sort, BUT in my opinion, even going on one experience is worth the fee.

Traveling out of the country? You need travel insurance! Here’s my favorite for longterm travel.

Other Frequently Asked Questions About Worldpackers

How old do I have to be to use Worldpackers?

You do have to be 18 years or older to travel with Worldpackers.

Can I travel with someone else?

Yes, there are memberships options for couples or even groups of people. Or you could each get a solo membership and try to travel together, although being accepted to the same job isn’t guaranteed. While there are ways to travel as a couple or group, the majority of experiences are looking for solo travelers.

What about a visa?

You as the traveler are responsible for any documentation you may need while traveling to another country. This is what Worldpackers suggests:

Because every country has its own unique policies that vary according to the nationality of travelers, the best place to check requirements is the consulate or embassy of the country you’d like to visit.

How long in advance should you apply?

Technically, applications are open 6 months in advance for all experiences. The sweet spot, in my experience, is ~2 months before you want to start. Some popular jobs may book up quickly so applying early might be a better idea. Often times, hosts are looking for volunteers within the same month or the month after. It’s really a gamble, unfortunately, but you can always apply more than once if you don’t get a response right away.

Is it all completely free?

No! It’s important to know that YOU are responsible for everything but accommodation. You are responsible for your flight, insurance, transportation, food, activities etc. Most jobs do supply some meals but not all, so be prepared for these types of expenses.

For even more about Worldpackers check out their Help Center which truly has every answer to any question you have.

Make sure to follow me on Tik Tok where I share more about Worldpackers and solo travel!