RentAFriend has two prices, and most people find out about the second one after paying the first. Here is the whole bill, what a typical evening costs, when the membership makes sense, and how to do the same thing without it.
Price one: the membership#
Friends list on RentAFriend for free. The person who wants to hire pays a membership, reported at about $24.95 a month or $69.95 a year on the US site (the UK site shows a different figure). The membership is what unlocks messaging and the friends' contact details; without it you can browse profiles but not reach anyone. Figures in articles are often a year or two old, so check the site's own pricing page before you pay.
Price two: the friend's hourly rate#
Each friend sets their own rate, commonly reported between $20 and $50 an hour, and you pay them directly, usually in cash, when you meet. RentAFriend takes no cut and does not process it. Some friends list minimums (two or three hours), and most expect the outing itself to be covered: their ticket, their meal, their drink.
What one evening really costs#
A three-hour dinner with a friend charging $30 an hour:
| Their time, 3 hours at $30 | $90 |
|---|---|
| Their share of dinner | $30 to $60 |
| Membership, if this is your only outing this month | $24.95 |
| Total for the evening | about $145 to $175 |
Use it four times in the month and the membership becomes about $6 an outing. Use it once and it is nearly a third of the bill. That is the whole calculation.
When the membership is worth it#
- You live in a large US city (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Miami) where enough friends are listed and active.
- You want local company, not a travel companion: a plus-one for an event, a dinner, a gym partner, a walk.
- You will use it several times a month, so the membership is a small share.
When it is not#
- One outing. The membership roughly doubles a single evening.
- Outside the big cities. Reviews describe paying, messaging, and hearing nothing for weeks where listings are thin.
- Travelling. RentAFriend is a general US directory; it is not built around someone showing you their city, and listings abroad are sparse.
How to spend less on it#
Browse before you pay: profiles are visible without a membership, so check how many friends are in your city and when they last updated. Buy a month, not a year, until you know the reply rate. Message several people at once. And agree the hours and the rate in writing before you meet, so there is no renegotiation at the table.
The way without a membership#
On Roavi you browse and message Local Friends free. The only money that changes hands is the friend's own hourly rate, which they set and you pay them directly; Roavi takes no commission and does not process the payment. Profiles are reviewed by a person before they go live and carry three real photos, reviews from previous bookings, and an optional identity-verified badge.
The honest caveat: Roavi's US listings are still thin today, a handful in New York and Los Angeles and a few in other cities, and it is strongest for travellers in Latin America and Asia. It is worth a look before you pay a membership. It is not yet a guaranteed replacement in every US city.
Related#
An honest RentAFriend review. Is RentAFriend legit and safe?. Every alternative, with what each charges. What people pay for a friend's time, city by city. If you are the one who wants to be paid: RentAFriend vs Roavi for friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a RentAFriend membership?
Reports put it at about $24.95 a month or $69.95 a year for the US site, with a different figure on the UK site. Friends list for free; it is the person who wants to hire who pays. The membership is what unlocks messaging and the friends' contact details. Check the site's own pricing page before you pay, because figures in articles are often a year or two old.Do you also pay the friend?
Yes. The membership only buys access. Each friend sets their own hourly rate, commonly reported between $20 and $50 an hour, and you pay them directly, usually in cash, at the meeting. The site does not take a cut of that and does not process it. You also cover the outing: their ticket, their meal, their drink.What does one evening on RentAFriend really cost?
Take a three-hour dinner with a friend charging $30 an hour: $90 for their time, their share of the dinner, and the membership spread across however many times you use it that month. If it is your only outing that month, the membership roughly doubles the bill. If you go out weekly, it becomes a small share.Is RentAFriend worth the money?
If you live in a large US city, want local company rather than a travel companion, and will use it several times a month, the membership is a small part of the cost and the name recognition means more friends are listed there than anywhere else. If you will use it once, are outside a big city, or are travelling, the membership is the expensive part, and reviews describe thin reply rates outside major cities.Is there a way to do this without a membership?
Yes. On Roavi you browse and message Local Friends free, and the only money that changes hands is the friend's own rate, which they set and you pay them directly. Roavi takes no commission and does not process the payment. The honest caveat: Roavi's US listings are still thin (a handful in New York and Los Angeles, a few elsewhere), and it is strongest for travellers in Latin America and Asia. Worth a look before you pay a membership, not a guaranteed replacement in every city.Can you get a RentAFriend refund?
The membership is a subscription and the site's terms govern refunds; people online report mixed results asking for one after a month with no replies. The safer approach is to browse first (profiles are visible without paying), check how many active friends are in your city and how recently they updated, and only then buy a month rather than a year.