Worldpackers Review 2024 (Honest Pros & Cons)

Starting at $39/year (with promotional code)

Use our promo code at checkout for $10 off your Worldpackers membership.

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 came upon Worldpackers a few years ago, I admired the diversity of countries and volunteer programs they provided.

Above all, I appreciated the simple newbie-friendly user interface and the rating system that assisted me in finding the perfect host for myself in Seoul, South Korea.

For the most part, it’s a gradual ascent on a well-maintained trail with great views of Mount Baker and the surrounding landscape.

But I felt reassured when I discovered Worldpackers Safeguard, which relocates you if you have a negative experience. The platform also covers your lodging in a hostel if the volunteering experience is unlike what the host publicized.

Worldpackers’s entry-level strategy has an annual fee of $49 for solo travelers and $59 for couples. In my view, that is a good deal when considering all the advantages received, like tips for your trip, certified hosts, honest Worldpackers reviews, and guidance throughout the entire volunteering experience.

You are able to decrease that fee further by claiming your $10 membership reduction 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
• Reimbursement in the first month if 5+ hosts don’t respond
• Community blog and online humanized support

Cons of Worldpackers

• There is a character limit to Worldpackers reviews
• Hosts can request a volunteer to work up to 32 hours
• Residence shared with employer and availability often expected.

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
• Lazy people
• Individuals who feel uncomfortable sharing living quarters with others

👉 Claim $10 off your Worldpackers membership with our promo code at this time

Worldpackers Review (Full)

So that was a brief summary regarding this Worldpackers review. Now let’s delve deeper into what Worldpackers is, how it functions, and the volunteer programs that it offers to its community of travelers.

How Worldpackers Works

Worldpackers website is an online 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 a low price for solo travelers and a slightly higher fee for couples.

While these all consist of the platform’s experience insurance known as WP Safeguard, online assistance, and access to the community, the premium packages offer even more value to your Worldpackers experience.

Here is what to expect for the memberships:

• Solo Trips and Companion Trips – entry-level plan which includes WP Safeguard, access to all volunteering opportunities, and platform assistance for a $49 annual fee for solo travelers and $59 for couples or friends.
• Solo PackandCouples Pack – includes all Worldpackers beginner plan features, plus extended WP Safeguard, priority support, and lessons on earning while traveling solo or as a pair for $99 and $119 annually.
• Solo Pack Plusand Couples Pack Plus – these plans contain all of the above aspects, and also include prime WP Safeguard that covers up to $399 in accommodation expenses if the volunteering experience does not meet expectations promised. The annual fee is $129 for solo travelers and $149 for couples.

After opening a profile you can search positions by various factors like destination, skill required, host type, or using keywords. You will see the specifications for your volunteer job outlined on your host’s profile.

You’ll also find information on the response times volunteers provide, any fees required for guests` stays, opportunities to volunteer, and reviews from past volunteers who lodged there.

Most hosts will ask you to work around 25 hours per week and you can use the rest of the time for sightseeing. Some will also request 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 medium of transportation like bikes or scooters.

After finding an accommodation that suits your needs, you can apply for the living situation directly through the host`s online profile. If within the first month you apply to stay at five or more locations but do not receive feedback from the hosts, Worldpackers will reimburse your membership cost.

Following your experience, Worldpackers will invite you to provide a review. Remember not to let any host pressure you into doing odd jobs or writing 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 provide honest Worldpackers reviews, as they guide future helpers.

Worldpackers Programs & Volunteer Positions

The Worldpackers memberships provide a variety of volunteer options for all types of travelers. Whether you’re looking to save money or to immerse yourself in the culture like a local, you’ll find a stay that fits your needs.

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

• The Work Exchange focuses primarily on hostels and guest houses.
• The Eco Program offers opportunities in eco-villages, farms, and permaculture initiatives.
• Openings are available at schools, non-governmental organizations, and social projects through the Social Impact Program.

NGO

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

NGOs need multiple abilities simultaneously so you can find NGOs that need volunteers for gardening, painting, and construction, and NGOs that need helpers for marketing, photography, and video production.

Hostel

Hostels frequently supply volunteer positions that are highly popular as initial experiences for novices venturing into humanitarian work abroad.

Duties for hostel volunteers include tasks like cleaning, reception work, providing entertainment for guests, and marketing. This was the type of work I did during my first experience with an exchange program through Worldpackers.

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

If you feel unsure about volunteering in secluded destinations, hostels situated in main cities provide a good initial experience.

Use Worldpackers filters to find them and check out a guide by Taylor to working in hostels to get the most useful tips.

Farm and Permaculture Projects

In both agricultural and permaculture jobs, volunteers can assist with gardening, caring for animals, and cultivating the land.

The main difference between conventional farming and permaculture lies in permaculture`s aim to create sustainable agriculture through self-sustaining methods and organic cultivation practices.

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

School

Volunteer opportunities in schools generally involve teaching sports and foreign languages to the students.

Volunteering with social services while traveling the world is also an excellent way to make a positive impact on someone’s life.

In addition to educating, one can assist with manual labor, gardening, cleaning, food preparation, video creation, and marketing.

Homestay

Homestay`s volunteer openings are excellent for experiencing life as a local. You get to live with the host family and assist them with their tasks.

Some common homestay tasks include childcare, 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

Volunteer positions assisting with surf camps are among the most enjoyable opportunities provided by Worldpackers. Notably, surfing experience is not necessarily required to help out!

You can learn surfing while assisting with tasks like cooking, cleaning, making videos, or marketing. Some surf camps also request volunteers able to teach yoga or other classes.

Holistic Center

For anybody seeking a more peaceful, slow-paced, and therapeutic experience while traveling, volunteering at a holistic center is an option.

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

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

Where You Can Go with Worldpackers

Worldpackers offers volunteering opportunities in numerous regions around the globe including Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania, North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean!

They cover all the popular locations for gap year trips, plus numerous other places around the world.

Best of all, you are able 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 widely known destinations for volunteering.

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

• Mexico – Mexico presents good opportunities for working in hostels, farms, eco-villages and permaculture projects while also practicing some Spanish, and enjoying all the numerous fun activities available in Mexico during free time.
• Brazil – Brazil offers volunteer opportunities in hostels, farms, camps, permaculture projects, guesthouses, eco-villages, and holistic centers as it is the founding home of Worldpackers.

Just past the taxi stand and across the street is the small Aegina transport center, a small ticket booth with a canopy for shade. Aegina Town is the main hub for transport on the island, with all routes beginning and ending there. Buses from Aegina Town regularly run to and from Agia Marina, Souvala/Vagia, Perdika, and Agios Nektarios monastery. Buses operate a few times a day, with the last route around 5pm; departure times are displayed on the kiosk. The bus drivers and staff are friendly, and tickets are reasonably priced.

• Thailand – Thailand offers travelers the chance to not only visit but volunteer with hostels, NGOs, farms, schools, eco-villages, guest houses, permaculture projects, and homestays through programs with Worldpackers.
• Vietnam – If you’re exploring educational opportunities, Vietnam offers many of them! You will also find chances in NGOs, homestays, guesthouses, farming projects focused on sustainability, and eco-villages.
• United Kingdom – This location offers options for volunteering on farms in rural areas as well as hostels in cities. Opportunities also exist to assist at guest houses, eco-lodges, holistic centers, and homestays.
• Italy– One place where you can easily move around while participating in community service projects is Italy, where volunteering roles are available in hostels, farms, eco-lodges, permaculture initiatives, guest houses, campsites, homestays, and schools.

👉 Planning an Eurotrip? Don’t overlook Travel Lemming’s Complete Guide to Backpacking Across Europe so you experience every destination you love.

• Portugal – You can volunteer in Portugal at guest homes, hostels, permaculture initiatives, eco-lodges, farms, homestays, and campsites, all while practicing your Portuguese language skills.
• Spain – If you enjoy breathtaking coasts and large ocean waves, volunteer at a surf camp in Spain! You can also find opportunities in hostels, guesthouses, eco-villages, farms, and holistic centers there.
• The United States, which is a dream destination for many people worldwide according to some, offers volunteering opportunities at hostels, farms, non-governmental organizations, homestays, guest houses, campsites, and holistic centers through organizations like Worldpackers.

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

But, if your goal is making a social impact or immersing in the culture, you should search for options like homestays, schools, farms, or non-profits.

Worldpackers vs Workaway

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

Worldpackers and Workaway are both online platforms for work exchange and volunteering abroad, each with their advantages and disadvantages.

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

While Workaway has been around longer and includes more hosts than Worldpackers, it seems to obscure negative reviews from hosts, making it difficult for potential volunteers to make fully informed decisions.

Workaway offers higher probabilities to get volunteer opportunities due to its many hosts.

However, Worldpackers is perfect for new travelers as it possesses the WP Safeguard benefit and is the only platform that offers an online community with travel tips, and constant online assistance throughout the volunteering experience.

If any difficulties arise during a work exchange, you can immediately contact Worldpackers to utilize your WP Safeguard benefit and get relocated at no additional expense.

That’s why I opted for them as my stage when I had to individually choose between Worldpackers and Workaway.

To get a more complete assessment, check out my full analysis of Worldpackers versus Workaway.

Final Verdict – Is Worldpackers Worth It? 

Starting at $39/year (with promotional code)

Use our promo code at checkout for $10 off your Worldpackers membership.

👉 Those interested in working abroad should consider visiting Worldpackers and entering the code TRAVELLEMMING to receive $10 off their verification.

FAQs about Worldpackers

Starting at $39/year (with promotional code)

Use our promo code at checkout for $10 off your Worldpackers membership.