Is Worldpackers Legit? (+ Other Common Questions)

Sharing is caring!

If you’ve done any research on work exchange programs, long-term travel, or volunteer travel, then you’ve likely come across Worldpackers before. Now you’re probably wondering, “Is Worldpackers legit?”

I can tell you from first-hand experience that it’s definitely a legit company and a massive asset whether you’re a budget traveler, solo traveler, or empty-nester.

I recently took my first trip with Worldpackers and now I’m excited to spill all the tea about how it works and some common questions that you may have before using the platform.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through this link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. Thanks for keeping Stuck On The Go going!

Is Worldpackers Legit?

Absolutely! Worldpackers is a legitimate company and a platform that helps you travel cheaper and longer.

I recently used the Worldpackers platform to travel to north Florida where I worked on a commercial Blueberry and Turmeric Farm for 5 hours per day in exchange for 3 meals a day and lodging.

I was only there for a week, but I was able to visit two different springs, watch a sunset at the beach, and enjoy lots of bonding activities with the other volunteers like playing volleyball after work.

I was super excited because the springs nearby were some of the best places to kayak with manatees in Florida.

There are over 4.8 million travelers in the Worldpackers community and there are thousands of hosts in over 140 countries. If you’ve ever heard of WWOOF or Workaway, Worldpackers is a similar concept.

You don’t need to be scared that it’s a scam or that they’ll take your money and run. They just want to help make travel more accessible to everyone.

Already know you want to join Worldpackers? Choose your plan here and use the promo code STUCKONTHEGO for $10 off your purchase!

How Does Worldpackers Work?

The whole idea behind Worldpackers is that it’s a work exchange program where you can trade your skills for free accommodation and possibly meals.

When you join the Worldpackers community, you’ll have to set your profile up so that hosts can get to know a bit more about you, see your photo, and determine if you’re a good fit for their experience.

Once your profile is complete, you can start browsing experiences and filter by things like location or length of stay.

You can also filter by type of stay since Worldpackers has farms, hostels, historic homes, and so many other opportunities on their platform that you can help with.

Their platform has hosts in over 140 countries, so it’s a great way to save on international accommodations.

Once you find an experience you’re interested in, check that they are accepting applications for the time period that you want to travel and the length of time fits with your schedule.

If you have questions about the listing, then you can always message the host before you send a request.

When you go to apply, you’ll send proposed dates and have to answer a few questions about why you would be a good fit. You’ll likely want to apply to a few experiences because some of them can be competitive.

Once everything is confirmed, you’ll need to make your travel arrangements to get there and if you plan on flying, you can even upload your flight confirmation so the host has that info.

When looking through the experiences, make sure to take note of how many meals are included in with the experience.

Some hosts include three meals a day, while others will only include one or even no meals during your stay.

One thing to think about – I wouldn’t recommend taking any experiences that require you to work more than 25 hours a week especially if you want to do some exploring during the week.

While I was working on the farm in Florida, even though we were only working 5 hours per day, it was really tiring.

Is Worldpackers Free?

No, Worldpackers is not free. There is a yearly membership fee that you have to pay in order to use the platform.

However, the yearly membership fee for the basic plans is cheaper than one night at a budget motel.

There are multiple different options that are priced differently, but even the most expensive options are cheaper than a night at a mid-range hotel.

This almost makes the Worldpackers membership a no-brainer, especially if you’re flexible with your travel schedule.

Is Worldpackers Safe?

Obviously, everyone has a different experience and nothing in life is 100% safe. What I can say for sure is Worldpackers is a legitimate company with legitimate hosts. I personally went to a rural experience in Florida and had an amazing time.

I do a lot of solo travel, and I actually felt safer traveling through Worldpackers because I had a group of other volunteers who I could go out and explore with.

Worldpackers does verify all of their hosts but to feel safer about choosing an experience, make sure to read reviews from from past volunteers about hosts that you’re considering applying to.

If the host doesn’t have any reviews yet, you can message them to get a better idea of what to expect and get a feel for their personality.

Is Worldpackers Worth It?

Like I mentioned above – in my opinion, Worldpackers is a no-brainer.

For the price of one night in a hotel room, you can travel for weeks and even months where your accommodation is covered and even some meals.

While you do have to work for a few hours each day, there is plenty of time to go out and explore the area. If you’re traveling long-term this especially works well since you can explore even more on your weekends off.

Does Worldpackers Pay For Your Flight?

No, Worldpackers does not pay for your flight. You are responsible for your travel expenses getting to and from the experience.

You’ll also need to budget money for any additional travel you want to do while there so think about gas money if you’re driving and any additional meals that aren’t covered by the host.

If this is an issue for you, look for experiences close by where the travel expense wouldn’t be too big or try to use points and miles to get there instead.

Is Worldpackers Ethical?

Yes, Worldpackers is an ethical way to travel and volunteer. You are not only supporting the local community, but there are numerous opportunities where you can volunteer at orphanages, help build schools, or support small villages in other ways.

If you really want to make an impact then you can search for NGO or Non-Profit School volunteer opportunities. An NGO is a Non-Government Organization and an example would be Habitat for Humanity.

Can You Extend Your Stay if You Like the Place?

This will all depend on your host but in some places, yes. On the farm where I volunteered, if you were a good worker and there was room for you, then you could extend your stay.

However, not all experiences will be like that. If your travel plans are flexible and you think you might want to extend your stay, this would be a question to ask the host before you confirm your trip.

Do You Get a Paid Job While There?

Again, this depends on the host and the type of work that you’re doing. Some of the hostels only require working for a couple hours a day so in those cases, you may be able to get another job.

This MUST be discussed with the host ahead of time because your responsibility is to help them first.

While working in Florida, we were working five hours a day – typically three hours in the morning then two more hours in the afternoon after lunch. So it would be more difficult to get a second job there.

However, one of the guys was able to pick up some side work on the weekend to make a little bit of extra cash from a neighbor.

I would be open and honest with your host if you are looking to get a job so that you can make some money while you’re in the area because it will really be up to them and their work schedule.

How Much Money Do You Take With You?

I would think about what activities you are interested in doing while you’re in the area and plan accordingly. If the host, doesn’t include all three meals then you’ll want to take enough money to buy groceries or eat out.

This can vary depending on the place and depending on your travel style, I would budget anywhere between $50 on the low end up to $100 on the high end for three meals per day.

Other than that, look at what activities are in the area that you might need money for and think about cost of gas if you’ll be driving.

To get the best exchange rate, you want to withdraw money from an ATM anyway so you can always wait and see how much things are gonna cost you.

✈️ Find the right Worldpackers plan here. Don’t forget to use the promo code STUCKONTHEGO for $10 off your membership! Options start as low as $39/year with promo code.

Wrap Up: Is Worldpackers Legit?

Working at a farm in Florida was an incredible experience, not only because I was able to explore some of the gorgeous springs, but also because I got to meet some truly amazing people.

Although it was hard work, it was incredibly rewarding to contribute to the big picture on the farm and get to bond with the other volunteers.

If you’re on the fence about Worldpackers, I highly recommend giving it a try and see where it takes you.