Whether your present roomie is moving out because of a new job or you’re the one moving and are in need of a place to stay, bunking with other people helps cut down costs significantly. Moving to new cities comes with a host of different challenges, but finding a roommate isn’t one of them.
Wondering how? You have to remember that just like you, thousands of others might also be in a phase of their lives where they’re actively looking for a roommate to live with. You just need to know where to find these people, and that’s where we step in!
Go through our list of the best online roommate finders and you’ll be good to go!
1. Roomster
Looking for a website that allows you to run background checks on potential roommates because you can never be too sure? Built using an interface that lets you connect your social media profiles to your Roomster account, Roomster might just be where you find your next roommate.
Not only does Roomster let you post ads if you’re in need of a roommate, but it also lets tenants put up ads for empty rooms in their houses, so that’s something you can look at!
How It Works:
All you have to do is create an account on the website and then put up a listing. Remember that your listing will have to include updated photos and descriptions. Once your listing is up, you’ll start receiving messages from people who have paid accounts and want to reach out.
Are There Costs?
Yes, if you want to use all of Roomster’s services like access to users’ social media accounts, you’ll have to pay a subscription fee. Roomster charges $5.95 for a three-day trial which increases to $14.95 and $29.95 for two and four weeks respectively.
Did you know? Roomster is one of the best websites in the game with listings from more than 195 different countries!
2. Roomi
You can never be too careful when it comes to ensuring that the person you’re going to have as a roommate isn’t a con artist or someone waiting to burgle your home! If all this is something you’re terrified of, Roomi has your back.
Roomi screens all users who make an account and post listings, ensuring that fraudulent behavior doesn’t go under their radar. This means that you can browse through the different profiles on the website and look for a roommate without being skeptical of scammers.
How It Works:
Roomi lets you create an account and post a listing for free, so you don’t need to keep your credit card by your side at the start. What’s best about Roomi is that their interface is built to mimic a dating app, so as you go through different profiles, you can easily get in touch with someone. You’ll also be given the option to keep your email address confidential at the start so that’s added security for you!
Are There Costs?
Roomi is completely free and won’t charge you to get in touch with someone or perform other functions. But they do have a feature to boost your listing; it’s a paid feature if you want to use it. It basically means that you can increase your listing’s exposure in your locality by paying $2.99 for three days or $9.99 for ten days.
Fun fact: Badges are displayed at the top of userprofiles if they’ve successfully completed Roomi’s background checks.
3. Spareroom
One of the biggest room-finding websites in the world, Spareroom isn’t just to find rooms to live in, it can also be used to find roommates! Just like Roomster, Spareroom lets users post ads for both, empty rooms in their houses that they want to rent, and to find flatmates to rent with.
How It Works:
The best part about Spareroom is how quick and easy to navigate its interface is. You start by creating an account and a listing, where the app asks for details like the amenities you’re looking for, your monthly budget, the area you’re in, etc. You can then put in filters depending on age, profession, and locality, and look for people who you can reach out to if you think they’ll make good roommates. Spareroom advises its users to look at houses physically or over zoom before committing to them, so that’s something your potential roommate might want to do.
Are There Costs?
Spareroom functions in a very unique way, and what we mean is that you don’t necessarily have to pay a fee if you’re not in a hurry. We’ll explain it better – when you create a free account on Spareroom, you won’t be allowed to reach out to many users who match what you’re looking for since their profiles will be locked. So if you’re in a hurry to find a roommate, you might have to upgrade your account.
Upgraded users, on the other hand, can contact and be contacted by anyone and everyone. This means you can get in touch with a potential roommate as soon as possible. This feature is called getting “bolded”, which makes your listing appear at the top of other people’s results with a blue surrounding square. To upgrade, you’ll have to pay $10.99 for a week which increases to $24.99 for four weeks.
Did you know? If you aren’t successful in finding a roommate or a room in four weeks’ time after paying for their upgrade, Spareroom gives you a free upgrade for an additional four weeks!
4. Rainbow Roommates
It can be quite taxing looking for roommates who are supportive of the LGBTQ+ community if it’s something you want to be very sure of before you commit to living with a person. If you’re someone who wants to be certain that your roommate will allow you to have a safe space, Rainbow Roommates might be your answer to finding someone who fits that box.
As the name suggests, Rainbow Roommates is a website that’s built exclusively for the LGBTQ+ community. It works like other websites, where it lets users who want to advertise a home and those looking for a home with other roommates put up listings.
How It Works:
Rainbow Roommates is like any other service you’ll find online where you first create an account and then post a listing. Your listing will have to include appropriate pictures and descriptions.
Are There Costs?
If you’re the one looking for a roommate or a space where you can live with someone else, then you are required to pay a subscription fee of $45 that works for 15 days. If you don’t have any luck with finding a place to live within this time, a 90-day subscription costs $140, and yes, it’s on the expensive side.
5. Roomiematch
Roomiematch is another well-known website to find roommates in the United States with a very unique selling point – you’re given a wide range of roommates to select from based on personality characteristics!
What sets Roomiematch apart is the effort they take to ensure that you’re not cheated by scammers. As opposed to many such websites that use softwares to run background checks on their users, Roomiematch goes a step further – it uses humans to go through user profiles and check for fraudulent behavior. So you can be certain that the company is doing its best to ensure that you find the kind of roommates you’re looking for without being duped.
How It Works:
Roomiematch has a very simple interface where you create an account and then fill in their form to indicate what your preferences are in different areas. What Roomiematch does to preserve your data is not publish it on their website for all to see. In fact, subscribers will get your profile mailed to them based on how much you match them, with comparisons and other inputs for added benefit. The same system works for you where you’ll receive curated matches for potential roommates in your email. This way, you don’t have to surf the internet or have your personal information out there for everyone to see.
Are There Costs?
Yes, you’ll have to pay a fee of $19.95 if you want to subscribe to Roomiematch’s curated function. This gets you a premium profile which is significantly cheaper than what you’d pay for similar services elsewhere. You can use your Roomiematch account for free, but your benefits are reduced and the process won’t be as curated as you’d like.
Did you know? As part of their effort to flag scammers, Roomiematch carries out an IP Address location analysis to confirm the location of the users, which is usually displayed on user profiles.
6. Diggz
Wondering if there’s any service out there that you can actually use for free? Diggz has your back and it lets you search for roommates without paying a single penny. While Diggz has all the features you might look for in such a website, it’s only available in a limited number of major cities in the United States – this is their only downside.
Apart from that, Diggz is as good as it gets if you want to find the right roommate, since it has a very easy-to-navigate and fast interface. You’re also getting the website’s features and security benefits for free, so it’s a system worth considering!
How It Works:
Diggz works in a very simple manner where you’re asked to create a profile for free, highlighting what your preferences in tiny areas might be. These include things like your sleeping schedule, smoking preferences, if you enjoy pets or not, etc. Once that’s done, Diggz gives you ten profiles that it thinks match your preferences best, and if you click on the “like” button, a private chat can take place. It’s eerily similar to using a dating app so if that’s something you’re good with then Diggz won’t give you any trouble at all!
Are There Costs?
As we mentioned before, Diggz does not charge its users for their services, so create an account and get started!
7. Circle For Roommates
Just like Diggz, Circle For Roommates is a website that lets you look for potential roommates with an easy-to-navigate app and free-of-cost features. Great, right? But like Diggz, their features are limited to NYC and LA, so if these aren’t the areas you’re looking at then the website might not be the one for you.
What makes Circle For Roommates interesting is that it lets you connect with mutual friends and acquaintances who are also looking for roommates. You do this by linking your Facebook account to the app, which makes making friends with people from your own locality easier.
How It Works:
After registering for free on the app, you have to create a profile by putting in details about your preferences. You’ll also be asked to add a few pictures and a bio so that other users can have an easier time deciphering if you’re the right potential roommate for them. What’s best is that Circle for Roommates’s interface works like that of Tinder’s, where you can easily swipe on a profile if you think the person can make the best roommate for you.
Are There Costs?
No! Circle for Roommates offers its services free of cost.
Did you know? Users on Circle for Roommates can get verified by offering to submit their driver’s licenses or allowing the system to run a background check on their profiles.
Other Websites To Find Roommates
Apart from the websites we’ve mentioned which are classics in the industry, there are many other places you can visit to continue your hunt for potential roommates. Two of these are Craigslist and Reddit – they might not seem like the best options, but you can’t deny that sometimes they work wonders!
What you can do on Reddit is narrow down your search by typing your locality and the word “roommates” in the search bar. While you will come across a few scattered results, thoroughly going through the threads can give you what you’re looking for.
Craigslist, on the other hand, has its own space for classified ads with a host of people looking for roommates. All you have to do is post a listing for free, or look at posts that others have made, and reach out to those that seem right. Remember though that websites like Craigslist have no way of cracking down on scammers, so you have to be very careful when you decide to reach out to certain posts.
Also See: Searching A Roommate On Craigslist | How To Move Out Of Your Parents House?
FAQs
How Do I Find A Reliable Roommate?
If you’re looking to find roommates whose reliability you can be definite about, then it’s best you start with asking your friends if there’s anyone they know of that is also looking for a roommate.
You can also widen your search by posting ads on websites where background checks are mandatory, like the ones we’ve listed. To go the extra mile, we suggest you conduct multiple interviews and ask the right questions with multiple references. Don’t forget to cross-check these references.
How Much Should You Spend On Rent In A Month?
As a rule of thumb, don’t spend more than 30% of your gross monthly income on rent. This will ensure that you have enough for other necessities and enough to put in your savings account. For example, if you earn $3000 a month, then you can keep $900 for rent every month.
Related: Tips For Finding Short Term Housing
What Are The Disadvantages Of Living With A Roommate?
While living with a roommate can help you save on costs, it can come with certain disadvantages, one of them being a lack of privacy. Your room will be the only space you’ll have, but it isn’t as bad as you might think.
There are other tiny problems that might crop up, like having a roommate who isn’t tidy or doesn’t help with chores. You can avoid these problems by asking the right questions like we’ve mentioned before you commit to making someone your roommate.
Conclusion
Finding roommates can be a very tricky adventure to go on; after all, you have to live with them for a considerable period of time and there’s no room for things to go wrong. When you’re looking for potential roommates on the websites we’ve mentioned, follow the general rule of thumb and don’t give out too much information about yourself from the start. Have a conversation and get your doubts cleared before you commit to something, and above all, meet the person at least once!
Also See: Best Cheap Moving Companies in the US
