Hipcamp vs. Boondockers Welcome
Hipcamp is like Airbnb for campers. You can find many places to park your RV, pitch your tent, or enjoy some glamping. The website is free to search but you will have to pay a nightly fee to stay at a location. Locations can range from ranches, vineyards, farms, open fields, or a driveway. They have recently expanded to include rooms and cabins similar to Airbnb and VRBO. Additionally, Hipcamp now offers experiences such as animal encounters or the opportunity to stay in a tiny home.
Boondockers Welcome has many similarities with Hipcamp, but also some important differences. We also offer various types of camping experiences, some hosts have hook-ups, you can use a filter to search for the right location, and you can read references for host locations (and guests!).
The main difference is, with Boondockers Welcome, you pay a yearly fee to join (although if you are a host you could be a guest for free) but then all your stays are free except for the cost of any hookups you use. Boondockers Welcome also does not allow tent campers to join as guests. Our hosts prefer guests who are traveling in fully self-contained rigs. While some hosts on Hipcamp allow reservations for a week or more, our hosts’ availability vary from one night to five nights. We also don’t offer organized experiences although most guests and hosts will tell you they have great experiences meeting each other.
Here’s a handy table to see the major similarities and differences:
| Hipcamp | Boondockers Welcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $15-$60/night | $79 yearly fee (free for hosts), all stays are then free |
| Hookups | Available with some hosts, included in the nightly fee. | Available with many hosts at cost. |
| Amenities | Varies by host, can include fire rings, waterfront, bathrooms, showers. | Varies by host, can include fire rings, waterfront, etc. Bathrooms and showers are uncommon since all guests must be self-contained. |
| Search | Ability to search based on date, amenities, RV length, etc. | Ability to search based on date, amenities, RV length, etc. |
| User References | Ability to leave references for both hosts and guests. | Ability to leave references for both hosts and guests. |
| Reservation Style | Some “instant bookings” available, others require host to accept. | All stay requests allow hosts to review and accept or decline manually. |
| Hosts | Hosts are property owners hoping to make some spare cash. | Hosts are usually RVers or aspiring RVers themselves, interested in sharing their property and area and meeting and/or learning from their guests. Hosts also earn credits towards their guest subscription with each stay. |
| Stay Length | Up to hosts, some specify a minimum number of nights. | Up to hosts, 1-5 nights per stay request allowed. |
| App | Apple & Android app available | Apple & Android app available |
So, while Hipcamp can seem similar to our service on the surface you can tell we’re quite different in many, important ways.
If you’ve used both services, include a comment below on your experiences with both and how they compared!
Learn More About Boondockers Welcome
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Most of the Hip Campers that have visited are unaware of BoonDockersWelcome. I promptly inform them if the difference in both. Most are grateful for the new knowledge.
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Thanks for spreading the word about our community!
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The Boondockers welcome app is currently available for Apple & Android.
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Ah, thank you so much for catching that! We have updated the blog post. 🙂
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Earn an easy passive income renting out your land to campers. Some folks are looking for unique settings to spend time outdoors. Do you have a blueberry farm with space for a tent or a camper? Perhaps you have some undeveloped property with available space. Some adventurous types would even enjoy spending time in a tree house.
Hosts keep 90% of earnings from bookings, and Hipcamp uses the remaining 10% to offer support team access and insurance. Hipcamp hosting is available in the US, Canada, Australia, and GB. Sign up here at https://www.hipcamp.com/r/laurenp33838d
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