Ask HN: a better couchsurfing platform?

8 points

13 years ago

I moved recently in Belgium from Germany. I started using cousurfing (couchsurfing.com) to host people and meet couchsurfers because I live in a small town and it is refreshing to meet with this type of people.

Now, the good:

1. The community is amazing. I just love meeting and talking with these people

2. It gives you the opportunity to find buddies for your trips/visits

3. You build a worldwide net of friends

The bad:

1. The website experience is horrible. The site is down at least daily and it is non responsive most of the time

2. The tools given to screen people are good, but they should be improved. For example, I hosted a guy that left me no reference, this shouldn't happen

3. The community is very young (22-23 ish). Which I think is due to how the community is managed more than "couchsurfing is for young people only".

I start to think that some of this destroying is being done on purpose and that couchsurfing.com will die a slow death. This is a shame, it's a 5M people community. With amazing goals and values, I can't believe we are letting this go to waste.

I propose:

To start the discussion on a better platform (starting from which framework/language/DB to use). This is truly now just a need, a strong need, I have and I see. I am not planning on money, the first driver is really making the world slightly better. But, if you prefer money, I believe these users WANT to pay something for such a service (like ~USD 10 per year), so make your numbers.

My email is in my profile. If you are interested, just drop me a message.

#Edits below (based on comments)

1. Why not Airbnb?

I will tell you why I don't use Airbnb. First, I am hosting people because I enjoy it, because we go out for a drink or, if I am too busy, we have a talk about travelling/world/dreams. Second, because I only offer a bed on the floor, nothing else. With Airbnb the burden for the hosts is bigger (like offering towels, sheets, etc.). Finally, Airbnb is no community: you don't always meet your host; you can't post in their website to find people for a beer; etc.