Heading out on an independent trip? Your first step is booking accommodation. At TooSIM, we’ve rounded up the top apps for finding hotels and apartments – from the most popular options like Booking and Airbnb to more unique choices. Ever thought about staying for free or living on a yacht? We’ll show you how.
Airbnb
An app where you can book accommodation in 200+ countries across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and more. While the focus is on apartments, rooms, and vacation homes, many hotels and hostels also list their properties on Airbnb – often at lower prices than on Booking. Key advantages:
- Renting an apartment, room, or even an entire house is often cheaper than booking a hotel room – especially beneficial for solo travelers.
- A closer connection with locals. Instead of a hotel, staying with a host often means a warmer and more personal experience. Many are happy to chat, share local tips, and sometimes even offer extras like fruit from their garden, an airport pickup, or a trip to nearby sights.
- Access to a kitchen, which can save a significant amount on dining out during your trip.
- A wide range of filters when searching: property type (room, apartment, house, hotel room) and amenities (pool, hot tub, AC, Wi-Fi).
- Plenty of pet-friendly options – more so than on Booking.
Important: Wi-Fi isn’t always guaranteed, but that’s an easy fix – with a TooSIM travel eSIM you’ll have reliable mobile internet. Plans start at just $3.99, so weak or missing Wi-Fi is no reason to pass on a great place to stay.
Agoda
A user-friendly mobile app with accommodation in 200+ countries. You can book hotel rooms, apartments, houses, private rooms, or even dorm beds. It supports multiple payment options, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. Key advantages:
- Strong focus on Asia, with more accommodation choices in the region than on Booking or Airbnb;
- Frequent last-minute deals with big discounts, plus a rewards program to save even more;
- Similar to Airbnb, it lets you book accommodation directly with locals and immerse yourself in the culture;
- Fast, hassle-free booking through the mobile app.
- In many cases, hotel rates are cheaper than on Booking – especially with long-term stays of a month or more.
Couchsurfing
A non-typical app for finding accommodation, Couchsurfing lets you stay for free in a local’s apartment or home. Often you get a private room, but sometimes just a bed. Through the app, users can post that they’re available to host and specify the duration (1 night, 3 days, a week), while travelers can filter by country and contact anyone who is free. It’s available in 200+ countries.
Advantages:
- Completely free accommodation;
- Chance to interact with locals and share experiences. They often give city tours, take you to attractions, and share insights about their country;
- Become part of a large social community.
The downsides are that accommodation options are usually limited, so it can be difficult to find a place for specific dates. The comfort level is often lower than in hotels, and you need to stay active in communication since there’s no guarantee your request will be accepted. There are also some safety risks, which makes it important to carefully check profiles and focus on verified users with positive reviews. Finally, this option isn’t the best fit if you prefer to keep social interaction to a minimum.
Find a Crew
Find a Crew is another non-typical platform – instead of hotels or apartments, it connects travelers with yacht and boat owners who are looking for crew members. Owners post where they’ll be and their planned route, and you can apply to join them. The service doesn’t have an app in the App Store or Google Play, but you can use the platform directly or download the app from their website. Advantages:
- A unique stay on a real yacht + plus a full travel experience.
- Multiple options: free volunteering, cost-sharing, paid accommodation, or even professional crew positions with salary if you have experience. You list your skills and preferred format, while boat owners specify the terms they offer;
- Built-in company: a chance to meet people from around the world and share the journey.
Note: At TooSIM, we offer regional plans that are perfect for sea trips. For example, our Asia plan ranges from 1GB to 50GB, giving you reliable coverage in coastal cities and often even along the shoreline.
Booking
This is the most popular app for finding hotels and the top choice for many travelers. Booking offers accommodation in 220+ countries. While the main focus is on hotels and hostels, you can also find apartments and private homes. Advantages:
- Huge selection: over 28+ million properties;
- Convenient filters: by price, property type, amenities (pool, kettle in the room, bathroom, etc.), plus map search to see exact locations;
- You can often pay directly at the property, without prepayment, and many listings also offer free cancellation;
- Loyalty program with discounts and frequent promotional rates;
- Reliable and fast customer support.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for classic accommodation, like a hotel or hostel, we recommend comparing prices on Booking, Agoda, and Airbnb. If your focus is on apartments, houses, or private rooms, the best deals are often on Airbnb. But if you want more than just a place to stay – a true adventure, meeting new friends, and immersing yourself in another culture while saving money – check out Couchsurfing and Find a Crew. And to stay online wherever you go, without relying on Wi-Fi, we offer a TooSIM travel eSIM with plans cheaper than traditional roaming.