"Is Withlocals legit" and "is Withlocals a legit website" are the searches; the answer is an easy yes, and the useful part is what it costs and when something else fits better.
What it is and how it works#
Withlocals is an Amsterdam-based company. Local hosts are vetted and run curated experiences: food tours, city walks, day trips, usually two to four hours, usually private. You book a listed experience at a listed time; the host meets you; the money goes through the platform.
The fees#
Guests pay the experience price plus a 10% service fee at checkout, per the company's own help centre. Hosts pay a commission that varies by booking; older third-party articles quoting 20% describe earlier fee models. There is no membership.
What reviewers say#
The hosts are the praise: knowledgeable, warm, well reviewed. The complaints are structural: price (a curated tour for two is not cheap), set menus (you pick from the host's designs, not your own afternoon) and coverage (few hosts outside the big European and Asian cities).
When something else fits better#
- You want your own plan and a lower price: Roavi (disclosure: this is our site): a free directory where you browse and message local residents, called Local Friends, and pay them directly by the hour for platonic company and local knowledge; most list $15 to $50 an hour; no commission, no membership, every profile reviewed by a person, three real photos, reviews, an optional identity badge. Strongest in Latin America and Asia, growing in US cities; it is company and local knowledge, not a bed and not a guided tour.
- You want a licensed guide for monuments and history: ToursByLocals, about 20% commission, higher prices; ToursByLocals alternatives.
- You want free and can book ahead: the International Greeter Association.
Withlocals alternatives has the full table.
Browse local guides free, message free, pay only the person's own rate.
Meet local guidesFrequently Asked Questions
Is Withlocals a legit website?
Yes. Withlocals is an established Amsterdam-based company; hosts are vetted, experiences are curated and reviewed, and the help centre states a 10% guest service fee at checkout. The complaints are about price and set menus, not about scams.How much does Withlocals charge?
The listed experience price plus a 10% service fee at checkout for guests; hosts pay a commission that varies by booking. Older third-party reports of 20% refer to earlier fee models.