Welcome to HelpX
HelpX is an online listing of host organic farms, farmstays, hobby farms, lifestyle blocks, homestays, ranches, lodges, backpackers hostels and even sailing boats who invite volunteer helpers to stay with them short-term in exchange for food and accommodation. HelpX is provided primarily as a cultural exchange for working holiday makers, who would like the opportunity during their travels abroad, to stay with local people and gain practical experience. In the typical arrangement, the helper works an average of 4 hours per day and receives free accommodation and meals for their efforts.
This time range can vary considerably depending on the tasks at hand and the host's preferences. Some hosts may require just 2 hours per day for accommodation only, and ask you to provide and cook your own food.
Others may expect 6 hours per day in return for meals, your own room and sometimes other benefits such as free Internet use, horse riding, kayaking, bikes, local sight-seeing trips, yoga or English lessons, etc. Some will give weekends off, while others might allow you to put in 8 hours one day and later take a full day off. Helpers often live with the host family and are expected to join in and offer a helping hand with day-to-day activities.
Volunteer helpers are required to register for one of two levels of membership, Free or Premier. Helpers must upgrade to Premier membership to take full advantage of all HelpX has to offer. Premier membership costs 20 Euros for 2 years and allows the helper to contact all hosts and read all host reviews. Premier helpers can browse this site and contact hosts directly to see about making arrangements to stay.
Hosts wishing to add a free listing inviting helpers to stay will need to register. Registered hosts may update their details as often as they like and view helper profiles.
We advise both helpers and hosts to ask plenty of questions about each other in order to establish expectations from each party. Helpers should never turn up without prior arrangement.
Helpers can also opt to provide a self description for hosts to view who may then wish to invite the helper to stay with them. We advise helpers to include in their profile any skills or experience they may have, such as gardening, farming, agriculture, permaculture, fruit-picking; trade skills such as building, carpentry, landscaping, sail boat crewing; working with animals or an ability to care for and ride horses. Helpers can also look for travel companions.
HelpX (not helpex), operates worldwide including in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Europe including France.
Where will you go to next?
Australia
New Zealand
Europe
North America
Central America & Caribbean
South America
Pacific Islands
Asia
Africa
Testimonials
I have been a host for many years now. It is the best site ever. I have had people from all over the world and all of us learned so much in our cultural exchange. I can recommend to anyone who is travelling and also to become a host. It makes me happy to be hosting, you would love it.
HelpX has been a great match for us since our move about ten years ago!. HelpX has helped us connect withsome awesome volunteers, interested in learning about our lifestyle.They have turned out to be really focused, with a lot of initative!! I always enjoy our volunteers..still...twenty years of hosting...I still am inspired by folks out to learn and help better our Earth!
I love HelpX - could not do without all the lovely travellers we have hosted. We look forward to many more.
HelpX has brought so many people from all walks of life and from all around the world to discover CHOICE Cambodia, a small but trustworthy charity. Its a two way street, CHOICE is able to help visitors to discover the culture and meet the true Khmer people. As well many HelpX users have been of great support to CHOICE and have enjoyed their visits over the years. Great organization HelpX, we really appreciate your support.
Helpx is the best thing that ever happened to us. Not only has it made our farm more fun, I believe that it has enriched our lives and the lives of our family. Our international visitors are very welcome at lambing time when the workload seems a bit too much to handle. Thank you for a great website! We welcome more visitors and hope that this can continue for years to come.
Helpx is awesome! Such a good way to meet people and to be really a part of the local culture. You give as much as you receive.
As a host, my life has been enriched by the exchange brought about through Helpx. With approximately 30 helpers staying with me since I joined in 2009, much good things have been created here at my Guest House, and in the process have met some lovely young people from all over the world, and made many friends. Some came and visited me again, and I in turn have visited them in their habitat.
Helpx has been a wonderful experience for us.Having such great people share our tasks makes it fun not hard! The travellers meet are honest, hard working and interesting and take us back to our days of being on the road. HelpX offers a terrific service we can`t thank you enough.
We have had great experiences with all of our guests/travellers and absolutely recommend this site.
We have found HelpX a really good website and have connected with lots of travellers to NZ. Keep up the good work.
We are growing our family by being hosts and we are enjoying the cultural exchange and making progress on projects we are not able to manage alone. Thank you to all the helpers we have met and yet to meet, a wonderful site helping each other to succeed.
We have been with HelpX as hosts for the last few years. During that time we have met some really wonderful people, who have stayed as part of our family, and will always remain good friends. We love the transparency of HelpX, the easy website, and the connectivity is great. When we next travel, we will spend some time as HelpX Volunteers in other countries too. Thoroughly recommend HelpX to hosts and people who want to see the real country they are travelling in.
I have been a host for many years now. It is the best site ever. I have had people from all over the world and all of us learned so much in our cultural exchange. I can recommend to anyone who is travelling and also to become a host. It makes me happy to be hosting, you would love it.
HelpX has been a great match for us since our move about ten years ago!. HelpX has helped us connect withsome awesome volunteers, interested in learning about our lifestyle.They have turned out to be really focused, with a lot of initative!! I always enjoy our volunteers..still...twenty years of hosting...I still am inspired by folks out to learn and help better our Earth!
I love HelpX - could not do without all the lovely travellers we have hosted. We look forward to many more.
HelpX has brought so many people from all walks of life and from all around the world to discover CHOICE Cambodia, a small but trustworthy charity. Its a two way street, CHOICE is able to help visitors to discover the culture and meet the true Khmer people. As well many HelpX users have been of great support to CHOICE and have enjoyed their visits over the years. Great organization HelpX, we really appreciate your support.
Helpx is the best thing that ever happened to us. Not only has it made our farm more fun, I believe that it has enriched our lives and the lives of our family. Our international visitors are very welcome at lambing time when the workload seems a bit too much to handle. Thank you for a great website! We welcome more visitors and hope that this can continue for years to come.
Helpx is awesome! Such a good way to meet people and to be really a part of the local culture. You give as much as you receive.
As a host, my life has been enriched by the exchange brought about through Helpx. With approximately 30 helpers staying with me since I joined in 2009, much good things have been created here at my Guest House, and in the process have met some lovely young people from all over the world, and made many friends. Some came and visited me again, and I in turn have visited them in their habitat.
Helpx has been a wonderful experience for us.Having such great people share our tasks makes it fun not hard! The travellers meet are honest, hard working and interesting and take us back to our days of being on the road. HelpX offers a terrific service we can`t thank you enough.
We have had great experiences with all of our guests/travellers and absolutely recommend this site.
We have found HelpX a really good website and have connected with lots of travellers to NZ. Keep up the good work.
We are growing our family by being hosts and we are enjoying the cultural exchange and making progress on projects we are not able to manage alone. Thank you to all the helpers we have met and yet to meet, a wonderful site helping each other to succeed.
We have been with HelpX as hosts for the last few years. During that time we have met some really wonderful people, who have stayed as part of our family, and will always remain good friends. We love the transparency of HelpX, the easy website, and the connectivity is great. When we next travel, we will spend some time as HelpX Volunteers in other countries too. Thoroughly recommend HelpX to hosts and people who want to see the real country they are travelling in.