Updated September 28, 2026 ยท NomadCue Editorial Team
Hostelsclub vs Hostelworld
Hostelsclub
Hostelworld
Higher score in this comparison
Hostelsclub vs Hostelworld: the differences
| Compare | HostelsclubReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | HostelworldReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Hostels, Hotels, OTA | Hostels, Hotels, Tours, OTACovers more |
| Booking fees | 10% deposit, non-refundable booking fee | Flat booking fee, non-refundable |
| Cancellation terms | Free cancellation up to 24h before arrival | Free cancellation up to 24h before check-in |
| Mobile app | No | YesHas it |
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Key differences
- Hostelworld scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 8.8.
- Products: only Hostelworld offers Tours.
- Mobile app: only Hostelworld.
- Founded is lower at Hostelworld: 1999 vs 2002.
Our verdict on each
Hostelsclub
Hostelsclub suits travellers who want one desk for a hostel bed or a hotel room instead of a whole trip, and the company has run since 2002. The trade-off is scope: hostels, hotels and ota lists stays and nothing else, while every booking carries 10% deposit, non-refundable booking fee.
Hostelworld
Hostelworld suits travelers booking a bed rather than a whole trip, with hostels, hotels and tours built around hostels, hotels and tours. Flat booking fee, non-refundable is the catch, softened by Free cancellation up to 24h before check-in, and the group has traded since 1999.
Score breakdown
| Area | Hostelsclub | Hostelworld |
|---|---|---|
| Offer | 8.8 | 9.2Higher |
| Trust | 9.0 | 9.1Higher |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Hostelsclub | Hostelworld |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels and accommodation | 430 of 637 | 348 of 637 |
| Hotels and vacation rentals | 454 of 648 | 386 of 648 |
| Booking sites and package holidays | 263 of 368 | 214 of 368 |
| Hostels | 15 of 20 | 9 of 20 |
What we checked
Hostelsclub
- hostelsclub.com: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- linkedin.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- play.google.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Hostelworld
- hostelworld.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- apps.apple.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- hostelworldgroup.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- play.google.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Hostelsclub | Hostelworld |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Mo.Lo.Ra. SRL | Hostelworld.com Limited |
| Headquarters | Italy | Ireland |
| Founded | 2002 | 1999Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Pros and cons
Hostelsclub
Pros
- A single checkout covers hostels, hotels and ota, so a group can hold a bed and a room together without moving to a second site.
- Free cancellation up to 24h before arrival gives a group a free exit before arrival, which matters when dates booked for several people shift at once.
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre, so the person who booked for the group can reach a human rather than a queue of messages.
Cons
- hostels, hotels and ota is the whole list, with no flight, rail or bus leg to add to the room.
- There is no mobile app, so both the booking and any change to one run through the website.
- 10% deposit, non-refundable booking fee sits on top of the room rate, so the headline price of a property understates what a group pays in total.
Hostelworld
Pros
- Free cancellation up to 24h before check-in sets a real deadline for changing plans, which suits group bookings that shift around.
- hostels, hotels and tours keeps stays and activities in one range, so tours sit beside beds rather than in a separate search.
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre and phone is one of them, so a change close to check-in is not email only.
Cons
- Every booking carries Flat booking fee, non-refundable, so the cost of making the booking does not fall as the stay gets longer or the party gets bigger.
- Rail, bus, ferry and car rental are not among its products (hostels, hotels and tours), so an itinerary built around moving between cities needs a second site, where 12Go and MoMo keep transport in the same range.
- Live chat is not among its support channels (email, phone and help centre), so a change made close to check-in depends on phone or email rather than a live conversation.
Who each suits
Hostelsclub
Who it suits
- Groups booking beds or rooms together who want Free cancellation up to 24h before arrival as a buffer against changing plans.
- Travellers who have already arranged their transport and only need the stay, and who are comfortable paying 10% deposit, non-refundable booking fee.
- Anyone who values being able to pick up a phone about a booking, which email, phone and help centre covers.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants the bed and the travel in the same basket: MoMo covers flights, rail and bus in one flow.
- Trips that need packages, transfers or tours alongside the stay: WayAway lists flights, rail and bus.
- Anyone planning a route built on ferries or buses: 12Go covers flights, rail and bus, which hostels, hotels and ota leaves out.
Hostelworld
Who it suits
- Travelers whose main spend is a bed and who want hotels and tours in the same range.
- Group bookers who can work inside Free cancellation up to 24h before check-in and accept Flat booking fee, non-refundable as the price of a flat rate.
- Readers who want a named counterparty: Hostelworld.com Limited in Ireland, answering on email, phone and help centre.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone whose trip depends on ferries or rail passes, since 12Go builds its range around those and hostels, hotels and tours does not.
- Travelers who also need a car, a cruise or a transfer, since WayAway lists those beside hotels and tours where hostels, hotels and tours stays with beds and activities.
- Travelers who expect a rail, bus or car rental leg in the same basket, since MoMo covers those and hostels, hotels and tours does not.
Current offers
Hostelworld
Current offer
Discount code
Social Pass 1 month volume saving: Save 67%
1 month EUR 9.99 vs EUR 0.33/day; app purchase, no booking needed
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Social Pass 3 months volume saving: Save 77%
3 months EUR 19.99 vs EUR 0.22/day; app purchase, no booking needed
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
Hostelsclub
What does a Hostelsclub booking cost on top of the room price?+
The headline room price is not the whole cost. Hostelsclub adds 10% deposit, non-refundable booking fee to each reservation, so a group should budget the deposit and the non-refundable fee into the total before it books. The fee sits on the booking rather than on the length of stay, so a longer trip does not soften it.
Can I cancel a Hostelsclub booking?+
Yes, inside a set window. Free cancellation up to 24h before arrival is the published policy, and that cut-off falls before arrival, so a group whose plans change early enough loses nothing. After the cut-off the booking stands, and the 10% deposit, non-refundable booking fee is not returned even if the room is released.
Hostelworld
What does Hostelworld charge on top of a bed?+
The hostel terms set out Flat booking fee, non-refundable, and that is the charge for making the booking at all. Because it is described as flat rather than a percentage of the stay, it does not scale with the price of the bed or the length of the booking, and the terms treat it as non-refundable.
Can I cancel a Hostelworld booking for free?+
Under the terms, yes: Free cancellation up to 24h before check-in. The deadline is tied to check-in rather than to the date the booking was made, so a trip assembled late still has a usable window, and a change made after that point sits outside what the terms describe. It pays to time any cancellation around the check-in date rather than the booking date.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
Hostelsclub
Hostelworld