Frequently asked questions
Have questions about how NOMAD works, what to expect during a home exchange, or how our Travel Groups are formed? You’re in the right place.
Our FAQs cover everything from booking logistics and cleaning fees to safety protocols and platform policies—so you can travel with clarity and confidence.
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
NOMAD is a home exchange platform, not a rental service like Airbnb. Instead of booking stays, members exchange their homes with others in curated groups tailored to their listing and location preferences. Our focus is on fostering providing secure, budget friendly accommodation options for our customers.
How is this different from Airbnb?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
Our curated home exchange groups are called Travel Groups! You submit your listing and location preferences, and we create a Travel Group of like-minded individuals who are ready to swap homes with each other.
What is a Travel Group?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
We prioritize the safety and security of our customers. All customers must successfully complete a background check, powered by Stripe Identity, and upload documentation verifying that the listed address is registered in their name before their listing becomes active and they can participate in Travel Group assignments.
Is this safe?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
Both renters and property owners are welcome to use our platform. To ensure safety and security, we only accept single-dwelling listings, guaranteeing the entire property is available for your Travel Group. All members must provide documentation verifying that the property is registered in their name.
What if I'm a renter?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay.
Is there a membership fee?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
The cleaning fee is paid by the guest and helps cover post-stay cleaning tasks. Hosts typically use this payout to hire a cleaning service, so they can return home without worrying about clean up. The service fee supports NOMAD’s platform—allowing us to keep stays affordable and community-driven.
What do the cleaning and service fees cover?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
Yes. Hosts can opt into guest damage protection for just $5 per night, providing coverage of up to $50,000 in the event of accidental damage caused during a stay. It’s a simple way to add peace of mind and protect your home while welcoming travelers.
Can hosts add insurance coverage?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
Cleaning fees are distributed to hosts after each completed stay. To access your payout, visit the My Account portal and click “Cash Out.” You’ll be prompted to securely connect your bank account via Stripe, our trusted payment processor. Funds are typically transferred within 5 business days following the end of the guest’s stay.
How does the cleaning fee payout work?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
If you encounter any issues during your stay, you can message your Travel Group host directly or contact NOMAD to report the problem. Please provide details about the issue so we can assist you promptly.
What if there's an issue during my stay?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
To report any issues during your stay, please contact NOMAD directly. We also encourage customers to share honest reviews about their experiences. Members with the most positive reviews and ratings are more likely to be selected for Travel Group assignments.
What if the home isn't clean?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
Since we are a home exchange platform, not a rental service, we accept only one property per customer.
Can I list multiple properties?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
Our community-driven, trust-based approach to home swapping fosters mutual respect and care for each other's properties. Your Travel Group was curated based on mutual property requests, promoting respectful stays, cleanliness, and proper upkeep. Should you experience any issues during your stay, we advise you to contact NOMAD directly.
How do I know my home will be taken care of?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
We recommend that all hosts add on guest damage protection coverage, through our partnership with Truvi, to ensure their property is protected in the event of any damages after a stay.
What if there are damages to my property after a stay?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
We challenge you to find a rental platform that offers safe, secure, affordable, and community-focused single dwelling rentals. If you find one that offers better pricing and features, we would love to hear about it—but we doubt you will!
Is this cheaper than other platforms that don't require me to list my property?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
Of course! NOMAD encourages all types of accommodation, if you like it, we'll love it!
Do you accept RVs?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
We understand that plans can change! If you need to return to your home during a stay, simply submit a request to NOMAD. The Travel Group member staying at your home will be reimbursed the cleaning fee and any service fees for the unused days.
What if I need to return home during a stay?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
Each Travel Group host provides an on-the-ground emergency contact to assist members during their stay. In the case of medical emergencies requiring immediate attention, we recommend heading directly to the nearest hospital.
How do you handle medical emergencies?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
To prioritize safety and security, we only accept single-dwelling listings, ensuring the entire property is available for your Travel Group. All members must provide documentation verifying that the listed address is registered in their name and must pass a background check powered by our partner Stripe.
What is the criteria for listing my property?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.
Not a problem! The NOMAD platform is tailored to the long-stay traveler. We ask that Travel Group Members wishing to extend their stay submit a new stay request to their Host.
What happens if I want to stay longer?
We do not charge a membership fee. Once you’ve been placed in a travel group, a one-time $50 fee is applied when you book your first stay within that group. After that, each stay includes only a service fee and a cleaning fee—no hidden charges. The cleaning fee goes directly to your host as a payout after your stay, helping ensure homes are well cared for and hosts are fairly supported.