This article has links to products and services we love, which we may make commission from.
Want to travel but can’t afford to? Work exchange programs like Workaway and HelpX may be the solution. If you want to do volunteer work abroad for free travel and accommodation and have time to offer and basic skills to swap, then you, like us, could experience travel through a local’s eyes while on a budget.
For those considering work and travel, here are the benefits, downsides, and processes of work abroad programs such as Workaway and HelpX.
What is Workaway, HelpX and Hippohelp?
Programmes such as Workaway and HelpX allow travellers to live with and work for hosts worldwide.
Generally, the volunteer does not financially pay the host for the opportunity, and the host does not pay the traveller a wage (salary) for using their time, skills, and experience.
Workaway, HelpX and Hippohelp differ from housesitting as there is an element of work involved.
Are you in the planning stages of your trip?
Don’t miss out on our guide to how much long-term travel costs.
Who Are Workaway Hosts
My personal experience is with the website Workaway.
Workaway hosts come in all shapes and sizes!
Some are hostel/hotel owners; others are organic farmers.
Families often need some help with childcare; sometimes, stables need people to muck them out!
We have lived in a beach hotel in Nicaragua, with a (mostly) self-sustainable household in the Hungarian countryside.
I’ve volunteered my services as an English native, and we’ve been dog walkers in Granada, Spain.
I like that some of the Workaway hosts we met also travel and work abroad for free, then go home and invite us into their homes and businesses.
Workaway does not hold the monopoly on travel exchanges; there are alternatives!
HelpX has often been mentioned on the road, whereas I’ve not met anyone who has used Volunteers Base.
Types of Jobs for Work Exchange
The type of work you do will depend on the host and the time of year. Hostel and hotel owners may expect you to clean, cook, and interact with guests.
We’ve planted potatoes and flowers and painted fences (all new to me!)
I’ve dabbled in social media promotion and website help.
Sensible hosts will tap into your skill base and use it!
Just consider whether the exchange is worth it.
» Sign up for Workaway here → Receive three free months on top of your annual subscription
Workaway Experiences
Nicaragua
In Las Peñitas, I served customers, helped in the café, took photos, and wrote for the website.
- Duration: 5 weeks
- Reward: double bed in a four-bed dorm, one meal and nice company
- More information: Things to Do in Las Peñitas
Life’s a beach volunteering abroad
Hungary
After a week of partying in Budapest (eating Lángos and drinking pálinka), we moved to the countryside to help a family turn their outhouse into a guest room.
We also did some light farming while eating a ridiculous amount of home-cooked food!
- Duration: 3.5 weeks
- Reward: private room with kitchen and bathroom, three meals plus snacks
- Check out more of Budapest and Budapest day trips (here’s our full Hungary travel guide)
Sometimes, hosts feed you a lot! Hungarian sour cherry soup – yum
Spain
During the 1.5 months we spent in Spain, we lived with a single parent and four dogs!
Our primary role was to walk our furry friends three times per day and make dinner.
The family child was around at the weekends, and I sporadically walked him to the bus stop for school, but that was the extent of childcare.
This family was not very transparent in their profile.
They sold themselves as a three-person family who required childcare help as the mum was sick.
We were a bit miffed at not being notified of the changes before we arrived at the house.
- Duration: 3.5 weeks
- Reward: private room, swimming pool, 15-minute bus ride from Granada
- Have a gander at our tips for Granada, Spain
Essential Information
Hours of Work
Work hours can vary from 2.5 to 5 hours per day / five days per week; in my experience, anything more than that wouldn’t be worth it unless it is short-term and unique to you.
The expected hours should be stated in the advert and reconfirmed upon arrival!
The nature of the business might require flexibility, but remember – you are a volunteer, not a paid staff member!
The Hungarian/English language programme took place from 8:30 to 21:30+, with 1.5 hours of free time in the afternoon.
However, it was only for five days, and the programme was immersion for the participants!
Do Workaway and HelpX Pay?
Workaway-style programmes do not offer paid work abroad.
Hosts don’t tend to pay in cash; in exchange for your help, you are given a bed and sometimes meals.
We’ve had everything from no meals to three meals and snacks.
However, if you want to earn some cash, here are some ways to earn money and travel.
How Long Are Exchanges?
The length of stay depends on the host’s needs and the volunteer’s availability.
Our longest was five weeks, and the shortest was five days.
We initially agreed on two weeks in Nicaragua, but extended this to five.
Hosts tend to be ex-backpackers too, so they know how backpacking life works, tranquilo!
If you are only temporarily in a city, it might be worth checking out Couchsurfing.
Here, you stay free with a host for a set time and are not expected to work; we’ve not used this ourselves.
Accommodation
There is no standard for Workaway, HelpX, or Volunteer Base exchange accommodation.
We’ve slept in a private garden house with a bathroom and kitchen, a private room with a shared bathroom (and pool!), and a four-bed dorm.
The latter was not great for us as a couple, but would suit others.
Many hostels offer beds in their staff dorms, depending on their setup.
Sleeping arrangements should be stated in the advert.
If you are staying in a hostel dorm bed, our top tip for privacy is to take a bottom bunk, pack an oversized scarf or flag and tuck it into the bed frame, creating a curtain.
You’ll have to live like this for a while, so your sanity will require privacy.
How Workaway Works
See this link to sign up.
It is £49 per person or £59 per couple for an annual subscription.
If you sign up through our link, you will get three free months added to your subscription!
Next, create a profile, add some photos or a video, and tick the boxes for the work you want to do and the countries you are interested in.
Be honest!
If you don’t want to get muddy, don’t tick gardening!
In the comments below, a helpful host for Workaway and HelpX advised us that she chooses volunteers based on the details of their profiles and the excitement in their pitches.
She also wants to see that you are willing to put the effort in and are not just looking for a free ride!
Thanks for the tips, Anke.
Are you a host who wants to help volunteers have the best chance of being chosen?
Share your tips in the comments below.
Searching for Workaway Hosts
There is a search function on the website.
Select the continent and country you are interested in.
This will pull up hosts in that area.
Check the calendar for availability and read the advert.
Double-check the type of work, sleeping arrangements, hours of work, and perks!
There may also be reviews at the bottom.
If that programme seems suitable, use the email system to contact the host.
Personalise the email; our Hungarian host says he gets many generic emails where the prospective volunteer hasn’t even bothered reading the profile!
Our Nicaraguan friend told us he was inundated with emails, so you need to stand out!
Use the host’s name, tell them why you are suitable for the position, and give your availability.
We also stick our availability in the email header.
Become a Workaway Host
Unlike Wwoofing, signing up as a host on Workaway, HelpX, and Volunteer Base is free.
Complete the form online, let the company vet your information, and wait for the volunteers to contact you!
Remember to update your calendar regarding your availability *pet hate*.
Adding images will also increase your likelihood of gaining attention.
Our host in Hungary, Robert, is also an avid Workaway volunteer!
How HelpX Works
HelpX offers two levels of membership – free and premium.
You can create a profile for free, and hosts can contact you.
Workaway vs HelpX vs Hippohelp
Workaway vs HelpX, HelpX vs Workaway, how do you choose?
Workaway has a more polished website but is slightly more expensive.
HelpX has a strange fee system that suggests you upgrade to premium for complete access, whereas Workaway has a straightforward flat fee.
The website does not indicate how many jobs HelpX has on it; Workaway states, ‘over 50,000 opportunities’.
My good friend and fellow Scotland blogger, Sonja from Migrating Miss, used HelpX to find an exchange in a traditional Spanish house.
Here’s her experience.
The only way in was via Land Rover, which drove over a dry riverbed! The hosts invited multiple volunteers to help clean around the house, cook, plant, etc, which suited Sonja as she was a solo traveller.
Another bonus of volunteering abroad is meeting new friends!
She chose HelpX over Workaway because of word of mouth; a friend had completed an exchange with HelpX and recommended it.
Sonja also liked how HelpX displayed adverts on a map; she said there was plenty of variation in work, and hosts were ‘so-so’ at replying (like Workaway then).
Check out her experience of the work exchange in the Spanish countryside!
Volunteers Base – Workaway Alternative
Volunteers Base sells itself as a free alternative to Workaway, HelpX, and Wwoofing.
Neither the volunteer nor the host pays.
The site covers a variety of positions, from farm work to childcare, all over the world.
They also claim to check over profiles before they are published live.
I’ve not tried this, but it is a free alternative to Workaway and HelpX.
Have you used Volunteers Base?
Tell me about your experience in the comments below. I like the idea of paying because a premium service offers a level of security, and the product in question is you. Your safety is paramount.
Live here for free! Las Peñitas, a hidden gem in Nicaragua
Benefits of Work or Volunteering Abroad
Local Experience
Many programmes allow you to work with local people in their environment, so you can learn about their culture. We tried lots of homemade Hungarian food—this wouldn’t happen during the normal hostel-hopping type of travel!
Hidden Areas
Many programmes take you away from the touristy trail — countryside, mountains, islands, and villages that Lonely Planet misses out on!
Saves Money
Volunteering while travelling makes a small budget last longer. We saved £20k for our backpacking trip, but without Workaway, we would have been packing our bags for home by month ten!
Slow Travel
The one-night here and two nights there type of travel is exhausting.
Not only does stopping to volunteer reduce your carbon footprint, but it’s also a nice way to give back to local communities.
Plus, if you gain travel weight quickly like me, staying put in one place increases the chance you’ll pound those mean streets with your sneakers or hit the gym, pool, or sea.
Downsides of Exchange Websites
Responses
Don’t get your heart set on one advert; there is a good chance they won’t reply!
Especially if you are applying for programmes in popular destinations like Costa Rica.
Apply for multiple exchanges for your desired destinations, but remember, personalise!
Cost/Effort Balance
Depending on the cost of living where you are travelling, it may be cheaper to book a hostel room when you consider the time you work and the cost of a stay.
For example, in Hanoi, Vietnam, hostel dorms can be found for under £8 per night.
Is it worth it if you work for 5 hours per day and the agreement includes only a bed?
Something to consider.
Grey Areas of Workaway and HelpX
There are a couple of things to be cautious of while considering volunteering while travelling.
Visas—technically, you are working.
Get travel insurance.
Accidents can happen when climbing ladders, washing sloths or leading a bar crawl!
Double-check that your provider covers manual work and alcohol.
We use True Traveller and couldn’t be happier with the service.
I had to pay the GP and the physiotherapist for a visit to Canada, and annoyingly, I had to pay them!
However, I was refunded speedily.
Communication has been excellent, and I am that annoying traveller who asks questions. Read our comparison guide of True Traveller and World Nomads here.
Days off are made for swinging in hammocks – Workaways = Swingaways
Work Exchange Packing List
The country will dictate this time of year, how long you have been travelling, and what you intend to do afterwards. I never travel without the following.
Marmot PreCip Jacket
My Marmot PreCip jacket US / UK is lightweight, folds neatly into its pocket into a day bag, and is waterproof. I think it looks pretty sharp, too; I have the electric blue version.
Hiking Boots/Trainers
I prefer trek/hike trainers/shoes over boots.
Trek trainers are lighter and look like trainers, so they are a bit more flexible if you want to match the rest of your backpacking wardrobe.
I took my Salomon Eclipse US / UK, which I trekked with to Machu Picchu, shoes everywhere.
They’ve hiked up mountains, volcanoes (and sledged down it) and through rainforests.
Pacsafe
If you travel with expensive electronics, it will be worth investing in security protection for your belongings.
We travelled around 16 countries with this PacSafe net US / UK.
We packed our electronics, passports, and money into one of our day bags, put the bag in the PacSafe net, closed it over, secured it against a non-movable bedpost or radiator, and padlocked it.
Other Budget Tips
We cover this extensively in our long-term travel planning guide, but here is a summary of budget tips to help you get on the road or stay on the road!
Destinations
Balance your budget against the cost of travel to a destination and the amount of money you will need when you are there.
Countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, and the US are more expensive than some South American countries, such as Bolivia and Peru, and Southeast Asian countries, like Vietnam and Cambodia.
However, if you live in the States, it might be more affordable to travel closer to home and avoid an expensive air ticket.
Here’s a list of the cheapest cities and national parks to visit in the US in February and March, which is low season for some.
The same goes for European readers, what about an Eastern European inter-rail where you budget stretches?
Budapest is a fun city, and Krakow is where you visit Auschwitz, a day trip that will never leave you.
Cheap Flights
Be cautious of red-eye flights! If they arrive at 3am how will you get to your accommodation?
Once you get to your accommodation, can you hang out before check-in?
Kick Costly Habits
If you smoke, have a sweet tooth or drink most days, you will find your budget depleting rapidly!
Try to give up your home habits or reduce your spending to save on your travel budget.
Final Words
If budget dictates or perhaps you are looking to engage your brain again, Workaway and HelpX projects are a great way to enhance your travelling experience in exchange for your time and helping hand.
Don’t forget to claim your three free months with Workaway here
Looking for travel and work abroad? Pin and save for later.
Over to you, any questions? What’s your experience? Is Workaway worth it?
So many issued I had with this platform during my Brazil escapade for a year, hard to count. First you need to be aware, that only volunteers pay a subscription, not the host, but still – as clients – they have less rights than hosts. If you had am extremely bad experience with a host, you can publish a review, but it will be erased to keep an ilusion of a perfect scenery. Many hosts are scammers and even after many reports, their profiles have not been taken down. Even though I paid, I cannot send out copy-paste messages to hosts more than a few, if I do, my account would be blocked for a week Like, seriously? I couldn’t use my account for days that I paid for, and when I wrote a complain, I wouldn’t receive my money back, in fact the contact with the administration is very difficult and seems authomatic, same responses all over again. I really do not recommend this website, there are much better ones, and it’s a pity I can’t even express how I feel on more reliable information sources. I feel terribly deceived and if I knew before, I would choose worldpackers or wooff.
Great read!
We started workaway travel full time late last year and had an incredible experience in Montenegro just before the lock down.
I couldn’t believe we didn’t hear about it until very shortly before we left.
Such a great way to meet locals eh? I was just saying to someone that Montenegro is still high on my bucket list!
Its incredible!
We stayed in a tiny village called Virpazar. Its entire tourism flow is based around boating tour on the Lake and has some of the most incredible hikes all within 30 minutes of the village.
I would absolutely suggest going there if you ever make it to Montenegro.
Thank you! <3
Hi, I followed the link to renew my membership “Sign up for Workaway here
→ Receive three six free months on top of your annual subscription” and doesn’t appear me anything about the six free months, it just appear the initial 3 free months.
Hey Joseph, let me check with Workaway. Email me at gemma@twoscotsabroad.com if you have a different email to the one in the comments box. Cheers, ~ Gemma
Thanks Gemma, they reply me and told me that your code only works on new sign-ups, not renewals but anyway they have however extended my renewal by 24 hours so I can renew at the discounted rate and make the most of the 3 months Covid 19 offer we have.
Maybe for new sign-ups, they have the 6 months offer. Cheers!!
I was just logging in to say you should have a message from them. Thanks for getting back to me. Keep in contact. I’m on IG Stories everyday @twoscotsabroad. Say hi.
Really detailed post on work exchange programmes and volunteering. It’s a great way of seeing a destination in detail and would be ideal for a small island like Gozo or one of the Croatian islands. I have to agree with you in that doing 2 nights here and 3 nights there is exhausting.
Definitely need that downtime on big trips! Thanks for commenting.
It looks like old slaves.
Food and a roof for work.
Are there too many unemployees in the world today to steal others jobs? It’s a luxury first world kids take.
Nah. Slaves aren’t free to leave at any time. They don’t read reviews about programmes before freely applying for them. It’s short term and you don’t do as much as an employee mostly. Not a new idea either. Happy travels.
Hi there, this article has been really helpful and interesting. In your opinion would any of these workaway situations be suitable as a family? Could we find any that would accept 2 adults and 5 children? Or would this be a no no? Thanks
Lovely to hear from you. Each case is different so you would have to contact hosts. I can’t see any of the programmes we’ve been on being able to accommodate you. Maybe house sitting is a better option?
Hi,
You covered most of the points and it is really helpful to start the workaway or Helpx. However I met a problem some countries has special requirement , such as New Zealand and it required has working holiday visa then we can work and exchange from the host , it is true? as i saw it stated on the Helpx website and i am not sure if tourist visa will be a problem although it is not payable job.
I can’t speak for NZ I’m afraid as I’ve only been on holiday there. You would need to speak to immigration.
You do need a working holiday visa for New Zealand. I would also emphasis the need for Travel Insurance as accidents and sickness do happen.
We have just signed up as hosts on Workaway but have hosted “Wwoofers” for several years in NZ.
Congratulations Eve, that’s a cool move. Thanks for the input and best of luck with your new venture.
Hi guys! I thought this was a really useful post. I run a work exchange for writers, called The Content Castle. I wondered if you might be interested in coming to join us, and writing about your experience? Please get in touch! 🙂
Thanks for asking Kaila. I actually run our travel platform as a full-time business so can’t join you. All the best.
Oh darn! Well, best of luck to you both 🙂 Keep up the great content.
Cheers Kaila! Best of luck to you too.
This helpx-awayawok is the most important website and It gives us the great opportunities to contribute in the world. Thank you!
Thank you and happy travels!
Just some feedback from me being a host on both helpx and work away in southeast Asia. I do get 3-5 times the amount of volunteer messages on workaway compared to helpx, which reflects the differences in amounts of available hosts within each portal for my country. Profiles of volunteers on workaway tend to be more detailed/filled up, so I choose more often volunteers from work away then from helpx. We are usually hosting 1st timers to our country, rarely 1st timers to travelling, and make decisions based on level of excitement to stay with us, sorting out snobs, cultural non-fits and extreme cheap Charlies ;).
So far, all volunteers had only subscribed to either one portal, though I’m still surprised why so few hosts double up, since it’s free…
Happy traveling to all!
This is a great addition to our post, thank you for sharing and also thanks for hosting! I’m going to add your tips to the profile section of our guide.
Thanx
my name is mayssam
My age is 24
I look for work
You need to check out the Workaway, Help X or Hippohelp websites for volunteering opportunities. This is a review. Good luck!
Hi there would you be interested to come to Montenegro. I’m a Brit living here with my doggies. We have volunteers here for the last five years.
My profile is on workaway Montenegro help with house and doggies.
Montenegro is definitely on my itchlist! We’re not in a position to volunteer at the moment as we both run businesses but we’ll keep you in mind for the future. Good luck!
Just my two cents as a host listing on both helpx and workaway, I respond more to workaway requests since not doing so lowers my response rate. This is not a feature on helpx, so helpers have no idea how responsive a host is. And ditto for personalising requests to hosts, I ignore obvious cut and paste messages with generic text. My pet peeve, helpers saying they want to work on my farm…when I don’t have one. BTW, on helpx a host can check your outgoing e-mails to see if you are sending bulk messages of the same size. I don’t see the text of the messages, but I know for sure when a helper’s been “spamming” hosts. Tried Volunteers Base, but deleted my profile because I was getting way too many low quality requests from desperate looking types with zero references. I do host helpers with no references on workaway and helpx since payment kind of verifies their address, plus to me paying shows you’re serious about it.
Hahah! Sorry, laughing at the farm comment. I hate generic comments too, I get so many from people wanting to advertise here at Two Scots Abroad. This is great insight, thanks so much for commenting. Are you based in Canada? Where about?
Thank you so much for writing this post! I’m considering doing a work away this summer but I’m nervous about going alone as a young woman. Do you happen to know any women who have done it alone and if they felt safe?
Thanks so much!
There are heaps of solo travellers that use the site so I wouldn’t worry about that. It might be worth targeted social hostels for work or take care to read reviews for feedback! Wishing you happy travels 🙂
Thank you for sharing this useful article! I have never tried such type of travelling but now it’s high time for me to try) I’ve heard about Help x and Workaway as well,but don’t know why Help X inspires more confidence) I would like to change language knowledges so I think couchserfing is also good idea for that)) Thank you!
I can’t speak for HelpX but definitely found Workaway worth the payment. It’s a great way to travel for longer on a budget!
Great article. Looks an amazing location. Never been down to that neck of the woods and I bet
both of you prefer the weather to Scotland lol. Will check by again Gemma and Craig to see what you are up to in the future.
Major LOL. It’s freezing now, no rain at least!
Thanks for the insightful sharing! However, I have a query. How much did u guys have to travel and explore the places you were at since more than half the time you had to work in the homes? Even if you had a day off or two, were there sufficient time for you guys to travel out?
Great questions Jasmine. Each placement differed. In Las Peñitas we were free after lunch each day and we had two consecutive days off which meant we could visit Leon (and paid for a hostel ourselves). Hungary I was teaching English for a full 5 day intense period but that isn’t the norm and knew that before signing up. The second Hungary placement we just decided with the family when to take time off, very flexible since it wasn’t a business. Hope that helps a bit!
buenas tardes soy colombiano me gustaria hacer parte de esta empresa soy cocinero mesero y mucho mas me encuentro en mocoa putumayo gracias espero su respuesta. att
Gracias por escribir. Este es un sitio web de viajes. Por favor, consulte HippoHelp, Workaway o HelpX para detalles de la empresa que ofrecen oportunidades de voluntariado.
PS Me encanta Colombia.
¡Buena suerte!
Hi there i would like to work abroad in exchange for free food and accommodation. I am A Vegan and i love nature so yeah. Im all about positive vibes and living in the moment.
Fabulous! I’m certain these programmes will have something for you 🙂
Thanks for the great post! I’m currently interested in 8 hosts on workaday and 8 on helpx (obviously haha) and can’t decide where I should register. I’ve found several (older) blogposts saying that helpx has a better response rate, but I’m unsure if I should choose this website, since I can’t even see a picture of my possible host on there (without registering) most of the time. Also, I’m worried about hosts backing out last minute and leaving me alone in a completely foreign city. That would mean unexpected expenses and me panicking. Really unsure about all of this, as you can see. Some advice would be greatly appreciated!
I can’t speak for Help X but our friend Sonja shared her experience in this post. One host did cancel on us in Croatia so we changed our plans and went to Hungary, they were very apologetic and it was out of their control. I can’t pick for you I’m afraid, you’ll just have to with your gut! Good luck.
I really want to give Workaway or HelpX a go on my next trip! I’ve done lots of Couchsurfing in the past and have volunteered abroad teaching, but i would love to try do something totally different! Thanks for the tips 🙂
Cheers Janet! I quite fancy doing housesitting now since my holidays are all work related. Let me know if you do decide to go and do it and you have any questions.
I’ve previously used helpx and had a great experience. I didn’t actually have any issue with non responsive hosts and ended up with far too many host options to choose from… but, it could have been the location. This was in Canada and France, and I was told by a host in New Brunswick, Canada that there are more hosts than helpers so they are constantly struggling to find helpers. My membership expired a little while ago and I was considering maybe trying Workaway this time as some of their hosts look really awesome – but the membership price is now only yearly, not for 2 years, so it works out double the price as helpx… plus, I am sometimes looking for hosts with my partner and sometimes by myself, so I like the flexibility with helpx. I checked out Volunteer Base as well but there weren’t many hosts on there and the ones that were on there seemed out dated. I’m just on a break from a world cycle tour and wanted to find some volunteer work for a couple of weeks while my partner is working… we also will be looking for volunteer work in latin America later in the year. Anyway, thanks for the comparison.
Sounds like a very exciting life you lead! Yes, we were contacted by hosts in Canada one point (wasn’t possible) as opposed to us contacting them. Workaway was only for the year with us too, I wasn’t aware that it was two years in the past. Maybe it’s worth sticking with HelpX if it’s cheaper and you had a great response from hosts? We were applying to hosts in Canada, America, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and lots of places in Europe so it was quite widespread the lack of responses. Hope that helps a little more.
Awesome! I’ve been meaning to look into these programs so thanks for the quick and easy run down – Going to make a profile tonight!
Go Allison! It saved us heaps of money and made life a bit ‘normal’ for a short time! Keep me posted.
Great tips! I met one girl who did this, but she didn’t explain it well. Thanks for the in depth explanation and it sounds like you’ve had some amazing experiences!
We did! I would recommend it to anyone doing long term travel for sure.
Hi Gemma,
Really cool way to travel. Our travel blogging buddy Lash has had solid reviews of doing Help X. If you find good folks to work for you’re golden. We do house sitting – love those doggies you watched in Nicaragua – so know all about sweet free lodging. Doing a 2 week house sit at a glam apartment by Central Park East right now. Watching a fiery but still sweet cat in a big, big apartment for this part of the city. Great write up.
Ryan
Housesitting is definitely I route I would go down if we were to do this type of long term trip again, would have been nice to be living for ‘free’ and not having the work element to deal with at times. I am very jealous of your abode! You have fun you crazy cat 😉
I really want to try this! Literally turned to Sean and said “new plan!”. Sounds like such a cool experience, and a great way to save money.
YES! Great way to travel and save money!