Withlocals: Can They Really Change the Way You Travel? Our Review

Being a tourist in a foreign county can both be exciting and scary at the same time. As a tourist, you can experience every landmark, every spot with a fresh perspective. But as a tourist, you also don’t know anything much about the area and the people you meet. What if you want to go deeper? What if you want to experience the place as locals do? Lucky for you, there’s an app that can help you discover a city through the eyes of a local. 

WithLocals is a travel app that lets you enjoy any city like a local. With the app, you can book private tours and activities with locals. You can avoid crowds and go to the best and most authentic local spots. 

Want to learn more about how WithLocals can actually make your trip more interesting? Read on. ‍

What Is WithLocals? 

Founded in 2013 by brothers Marijn and Willem Maas, travelers from the Netherlands. The app was inspired by their travel experiences around Asia. He found that the best way to explore a city was to connect with locals who can give you unique and authentic travel experiences. 

With a mission to connect people with local culture and “break down barriers between travelers and locals worldwide”, WithLocals does a great job of sharing local city passions with new or seasoned travels. 

With this app, you’ll get to experience every city like a local. Your local guide will take you to hidden gems in the heart of the city. You’ll also get to experience the best local food, music, culture, and a lot more! 

How Does WithLocals Work? 

Wondering how to use WithLocals? It’s quite simple. WithLocals is a marketplace for travelers and local experts to offer or book tours. 

The app allows you to connect with locals as a tourist or vice versa. It also allows you to book tours provided by locals. They can choose tours for one person or group. 

As a local, you can get paid after completing a tour within three days. The fee is only 20% for the tours you provide and arrange. If you want to be a guide with a pre-existing itinerary set by WithLocals, you’ll pay30% commission on the booking. 

Local experts can offer different kinds of tour packages for travelers. You can set tours to remote areas, hiking tours, visiting spots such as museums, wineries, beaches, or camping. 

What Makes WithLocals a Great Travel App? 

• Private, Personalized, and, Authentic Experiences 

Some of us don’t just travel to see a place. We also cherish the physical experience of being there. WithLocals is an app that believes that to truly enjoy a city, you have to find a local expert. Someone who knows how to avoid crowds, see the hidden gems, and enjoy the best experiences. 

• Wide Range of Tours and Activities 

You don’t need to spend weeks or a full month to truly know a city. Having a local as your travel companion provides you with tons of ways to enjoy the city. You can choose a theme for your tour, a tour guide, and the type of activity you want. (You can opt for a day tour or try a cultural activity). You can also participate in group tours, enjoy local home dinners, or visit a hidden spot! After all, traveling is all about experiences not just photos. 

• Meet New Friendly Locals 

Instead of meeting locals by visiting bars or cafes, now you can meet friendly and like-minded locals through an app. WithLocals allows you to travel with expert locals who have excellent knowledge of the history of the city. Any tour can be unforgettable and special with an amazing tour guide. 

• Experience Europe and Asia Like Never Before 

Currently, WithLocals covers cities on continents of Europe and Asia. It continues to add more destinations all around the globe. 

• User-Friendly

One of the great things about this app is its user-friendly interface. Scheduling tours and communicating with tour guides are so convenient with this app. You can even select locations and use a map app you have on your phone. 

Aspects WithLocals Can Improve On

Not all apps are perfect, so here’s our honest review about what WithLocals can improve on. 

• Needs To Cover More Cities and Countries 

At the moment, WithLocals only has services in various cities in Asia and Europe. Travelers who want to find locals in continents such as Africa, Russia, or Australia will be disappointed to know that there isn’t any service in these areas. 

• Canceled Tours

A lot of users complain about canceled tours minutes or days before the trip. Some also claim that the app refuses to give refunds for canceled tours. 

How Do I Know if WithLocals is Good for Me?

WithLocals is undeniably a great app for solo travelers who like to meet new people and go find new adventures in foreign places. It might also suit couples or groups of friends who love to travel in the company of new faces. If you’re comfortable with dining with strangers, talking and meeting new people, or going to hidden gems—this app is made for you! 

Travel Better With Pilot 

Planning a trip soon but not sure how you can better plan on exploring the city? Give Pilot a try!