Kindred

One of the biggest misconceptions we hear: “I’d love to home swap… but I have a pet.” The reality is, many of our members are doing both. They’re hosting their homes, earning credits, and continuing to travel, all while keeping their pets part of the equation. It’s not about choosing one or the other, it’s about rethinking what’s possible. We’re hosting a live conversation with real pet parents in our community to share how they make it work, what surprised them, and what they wish they knew before starting. If you’ve ever been curious about hosting with a pet, this one’s for you.

NBC News spotlights the growing trend of home swapping on the TODAY show, featuring Kindred as part of the conversation with Vicky Nguyen exploring new ways people are planning and booking travel. From 3:45, dive into how Kindred works in practice: from direct swaps to using credits, enabling members to travel simply by opening up their homes. Watch the full segment via the link in the comments 👇

Kindred’s Google Circle is now live! 2,500+ Googlers and Xooglers across North America and Europe have already joined - from New York and London to Paris and 140+ more cities. In just over a week since launch, Circle members have already booked 160+ nights of travel, representing nearly $26k+ in travel savings. If you’re a current Google employee or Xoogler curious about home swapping, you can learn more and join the Circle here: https://lnkd.in/gAiR2mqT Plus, the Kindred is now available in the Google Perks portal for current Google employees! Here are just a few homes currently available to book today (direct link to homes in comments):

Leo L. at Consumer Startups writes a thoughtful look back at the early days of Kindred. From our co-founders manually matchmaking the very first trip, to the intention and effort behind building a product and community that truly meets the moment, this piece captures the journey with clarity. Curious to read how Kindred started? Read the full article in the comments.

What makes someone open their home? Recently, we featured Olivier, a creative director in Montmartre, Paris. He said something we haven’t stopped thinking about: “Hosting isn’t about opening your door. It’s about inviting someone into your world.” That’s the shift. Kindred isn’t built on inventory. It’s built on people who see their homes as extensions of who they are. They host because they care about experience, culture, and connection. Because they’re proud of the life they’ve built. Because sharing it feels meaningful. When hosting becomes identity driven rather than transactional, trust scales. That’s what makes this work. And that’s what makes hosting powerful.

There’s a version of hosting that feels like performance; Perfect table. Perfect menu. Perfect timing. And then there’s the version we believe in. Kindred’s CEO and Co-founder Justine Palefsky sits down with Wallpaper* to ‘dissect the fine art of entertaining’. “The secret is remembering that hosting is about connecting, not performing.” She talks about impromptu dinners - knocking on a neighbor’s door 15 minutes before. About ordering takeout without apology. About putting a puzzle on the table so the introvert has somewhere to land upon arrival. ‘My co-founder [Tasneem Amina] and I started Kindred in 2021, really as an experiment in seeing if we could build the kind of world that we want to live in,’ explains Justine. A more generous one. A more connected one. A more human one. "People won’t remember what everything looked like. They’ll remember how you made them feel.” Read the full article in the comments.

Responsible travel isn’t a trend — it’s a shift. One driven by the growing pressure cities face from over-tourism, as reported by The Times. In the article, Kindred is highlighted as a trusted home swapping community responding to this change. Described as one of the “ethical companies” leading the charge, Kindred offers a members-only model where listing is free and members earn credits to travel by opening their homes. As more travelers look for alternatives to transactional hospitality, we’re building a model rooted in trust — centred on primary homes, so that locals aren’t displaced from their own cities. Read the full article in the comments.

Googlers and Xooglers, this one’s for you. Join us live with Anna Riera Pascual, founder of Google’s G-Swap, to talk home swapping, community, and the launch of the Kindred Google Circle. Learn how the Google Circle on Kindred makes it easy to swap homes and travel affordably within a network you already trust. See you at the virtual info session. Feel free to invite fellow Googlers and Xooglers.