Direct Mail vs CouchSurfing

This is a core part of my communication toolkit. While I still use other mailing list platforms for specific purposes, this solves very specific bulk mailing needs.

- Ian G. Producer

It's absolutely helped us to expand our reach. Recipients often comment on how beautiful our emails are. Very satisfying to use and to receive such feedback.

- Magda B. Executive Director

I was looking for a low-cost mail program that was very easy to learn and get up and running. The major issue was getting a zap to work, but once that was working, I was very happy with the result. Likewise, zaps for onsite forms. But the learning curve for actually USING it, and sending emails. Cost per email is very very low - I buy 10K at a time for $99 so one cent each. Pretty good pricing! Delivery is almost instantaneous, and it is fun to watch the responses roll in.

- Eric A. President

I stayed with Chiara, and Lorenzo. They were such great hosts from making me feel welcome, to great conversations; and great food! I had a great experience with couch surfing, and recommend it to anyone!

- Erica A.

"Great concept, UX and UI could use some work. I think the site could be wildly more popular." What do you like best about CouchSurfing? I like the camaraderie and openness - it's a good feeling to know there are generous and friendly people in the world. I often check the site when traveling. I think the site could be wildly more popular if the design was better looking and had a more unique look and navigation that had an easier flow. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about CouchSurfing? It's all about the flow of the site, I do wish it was more Airbnb streamlined and easy to navigate and less craigslist. It's a challenge navigating from one profile to another - it would be great if once you click on a user's profile you could then navigate to another without having to go back. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering CouchSurfing: It's a great site for expanding your networking and creating a community in a new area. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is CouchSurfing solving and how is that benefiting you? again knowing that there are good, honest, warm people around is just amazingly comforting even if you don't actually meet them.

- Jen L.

"CouchSurfed during a motorcycle trip from Virginia to Texas" What do you like best about CouchSurfing? The CouchSurfing community is incredibly welcoming and friendly. I enjoyed the feeling of staying with a friend versus staying in a hotel or even an AirBNB. I made new friendships, bonded with my hosts and learned about lifestyles & interests that were new to me. Hanging out to watch TV, or meet hosts' friends over a beer are memories that will last forever. They added to my trips in ways I didn't anticipate. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about CouchSurfing? The only real downside is it can take a lot of effort to find a bite for hosts. The amount of inquiries and connections needed for a single stay may be daunting for some users. Given the nature of hosting a stranger for free on your couch, it's not terribly surprising though. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering CouchSurfing: Forget any stigma about staying on a stranger's couch. It's not shady or weird or icky. It's a great way to meet people and make lasting friendships. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is CouchSurfing solving and how is that benefiting you? There are a few problems that were solved with CouchSurfing: Price/Budget - having somebody host you overnight for free, especially on their sofa is a huge benefit to keeping long road trip budgets in check. With a light pack and some smart food planning, lodging becomes one of, if not the biggest expense. Cutting that out helps make long bike trips affordable. Location - With most road trips, there may not be as many lodging or AirBNB options available in certain areas. I found that basing my trips around CouchSurfing destinations added interesting stops to the trip. Adventure/Interest/Bonding - Hotels and AirBNBs are fine for getting a roof over your head for the night. But I loved the personal connections that I made with my hosts. They were friendly, warm, and opened up their extended friend network to me. The memories from those connections made every trip better.

- Aaron G.