I'm a member of Kindred, one of the three home-swap clubs compared here, and earn Kindred credits if you join through my link. I've tried to make this fair, including when Kindred is the wrong choice. Facts about HomeExchange and ThirdHome come from their own published pages. How referrals work on this site.
The short answer
Kindred fits you if you own or rent a primary home and want credit-based stays, cleaning arranged for each trip and fees paid per stay instead of an annual membership. HomeExchange fits you if you want the largest worldwide network and a flat annual fee, with reciprocal swaps (two households trading homes on the same dates) or points. ThirdHome fits owners of a second home (often a high-end one) who want a vetted club of similar homes. So how do you choose? By the home you can offer, where you want to go and how often you will travel.
All three are home-exchange clubs, where members stay in each other's homes instead of paying rent. I'm Kevin Luten, and I wrote this for Field Office, my guide to working remotely from more interesting places. I have hosted 14 Kindred guests and completed 8 Kindred stays (56 nights). All platform facts below are as of November 2026.
- Kindred: primary homes (owners and renters), one credit per night, no membership fee, cleaning and service fee per trip.
- HomeExchange: $235 a year, unlimited exchanges, reciprocal swaps or GuestPoints, over 600,000 homes reported.
- ThirdHome: second homes only, $295 annual dues plus $495 to $1,995 per stay, Keys earned by offering weeks.
Side-by-side
| Kindred | HomeExchange | ThirdHome | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can join | Renters and owners. Apply with your home and get accepted. Renters or homeowners insurance required. Kindred says 90% of its homes are primary residences. | Members who offer a home to exchange. | Second homes only. Investment and vacation properties may qualify on approval. Homes are vetted. |
| Pricing model | Pay per trip | Annual membership | Annual dues plus a fee per stay |
| Annual fee | None (no membership fee). Kindred has also offered an optional Passport plan (see below). | $235 a year, unlimited exchanges for 12 months | $295 a year, starting the year after you enroll |
| Per-stay fees | Cleaning fee and service fee per trip | None listed ("no additional fees") | Exchange fee $495 to $1,995, by the Keys a stay needs. Keyless stays $595 to $2,095 |
| Credits or points | Earn 1 credit per night hosted, spend 1 per night stayed, any home. New members start with 5. Credits can't be bought. | GuestPoints earned by hosting and spent on stays, or a reciprocal swap with no points | Keys earned by adding available weeks. Peak weeks earn more. Keys last 24 months and have no cash value. |
| Damage protection (as published) | $100,000 damage protection coverage per trip, with conditions | $1,000,000 protection policy. The guest's deposit covers accidental damage first | $5 million host guarantee via Truvi, terms apply. Members must carry homeowners insurance |
| Cleaning | Arranged by Kindred, paid by the guest, before and after each stay | Not described on the pages checked | Not described on the pages checked |
| Network (as published) | 400K+ members and homes. Homes across North America and Europe. 190+ cities | Over 600,000 homes worldwide | Regional counts only, e.g. 1,200+ in the Caribbean, 600+ in Europe, 300+ in Hawaii |
| Best for | Primary-home owners and renters who travel a few times a year and want cleaning handled | Frequent travelers wanting worldwide reach and a flat fee | Second-home owners wanting a vetted, high-end network |
Sources, checked November 14, 2026. Kindred: how it works, home page and host protection policy. HomeExchange: how it works and is HomeExchange safe. ThirdHome: FAQ and how it works.
Kindred
Kindred is a members-only exchange built on credits. You host while you are away, earn one credit a night, and spend credits on stays in other members' homes, so your trip and your guest's do not need to line up.
A night costs one credit whatever the home. That is good news when you stay somewhere large and less good when you host somewhere large (more in is Kindred worth it with a bigger home).
What about cash? Cleaning is arranged by Kindred and paid by the guest, and the cash cost is a cleaning and service fee per trip. Kindred's blog has also described Passport, a $600-a-year plan that waived service fees, which the current how-it-works page does not mention (details in what Kindred stays actually cost).
Its limits are the flip side. Kindred describes its homes as across North America and Europe, so it is a weaker choice for trips elsewhere. Credits cannot be bought, so you travel only as far as your hosting and your 5 starting credits take you. And public reviews raise fees, cleaning quality and claims handling, which I cover in my Kindred review as a host.
HomeExchange
HomeExchange charges a single annual membership, $235 as of November 2026, which covers unlimited exchanges for 12 months with no additional fees. You can arrange a reciprocal swap with another household, or use GuestPoints (earned by hosting and spent on stays) for non-simultaneous trips.
It reports over 600,000 homes worldwide. Its safety page describes a $1,000,000 protection policy, with the guest's deposit covering accidental damage first (HomeExchange).
Who is it for? It suits you if you travel often enough for a flat fee to pay off and want the widest choice of countries. If you travel once a year, the annual fee is due whether you use it or not. Cleaning between guests is also not described as part of the membership on the pages I checked, so ask how it works before you host.
ThirdHome
ThirdHome is a club for second homes only. You add weeks when your second home is free and earn Keys valued by the home and the season (peak weeks earn double, super-peak triple), then spend those Keys on stays. Keys last 24 months and have no cash value.
As of November 2026, members pay $295 annual dues and an exchange fee of $495 to $1,995 per stay. Host members must carry their own homeowners insurance, and ThirdHome describes a $5 million host guarantee through Truvi, an outside rental-protection company (ThirdHome FAQ).
It suits you if you own a vacation home, often a high-end one, and want to swap within a network of similar homes. Is the home you live in your only home? Then ThirdHome is not an option.
When Kindred is the wrong choice
When should you look past Kindred? Four cases:
- You only want to exchange a second home and want a network of similar ones. ThirdHome is built for that.
- Most of your trips are outside North America and Europe. HomeExchange's worldwide network is the better bet.
- You travel often and would rather pay one flat fee than fees on every trip. HomeExchange's annual membership may work out cheaper, and Kindred's Passport plan, if still offered, is the other route.
- You do not want guests in your home. Kindred's credits come from hosting and cannot be bought, so after the 5 starting credits there is nothing to spend.
Other options
- Intervac has run home exchanges since 1953. A membership fee covers unlimited exchanges for a set period, it does not use points, and it offers a 21-day free trial.
- HomeLink is another membership-based home exchange network. Check its site for current terms and fees.
How I chose
Related: home swapping as a homeowner, my Kindred review as a host, what Kindred stays actually cost and is Kindred worth it with a bigger home.
About the author. Kevin Luten is a long-time remote worker and Kindred home-swap host based in Atlanta. He has hosted 14 guests in his home and works from home swaps, ranger cabins and the occasional hotel. He founded the behavioral-science consultancy Behavior Design Works, is a Cialdini Certified Practitioner, and has spent about 28 years in transportation demand management. He writes Field Office. More about Kevin.