Are you planning a big move in the near future? Whether you’re moving within the city, to a new one, or even to a different country, you’ve probably got a lot on your mind. First and foremost, though, has got to be the question of, where are you going to live? How does one go about finding the perfect place to rent? Well, there are Facebook pages and Craigslist ads that will help you find rooms for rent. There are also apps like RentHop and Roomi that will give you a host of options to choose from. But how do you decide which is the best website to use to find rooms for rent? Ideally, you want an app that’s going to help you find the safest option out there, and one that’s got all the amenities you need. In this article, we’ve compared RentHop to the best RentHop alternative, Roomi, taking into consideration features, pricing, and security, to help you decide which is the best room finder out of the two!

Features: What filters & preferences do these room finders offer to help you find your perfect room?

Safety’s got to be your #1 priority, but that’s not all you’re going to be looking for in a new apartment. You probably have a list of preferences as long as your arm, like the number of rooms you need, whether you’re willing to share with a roommate, what’s your preferred gender to share with, whether or not it’s pet friendly, and how close it is to stores, your workplace/school, etc.! The best website to find rooms for rent should help you filter your choices based on all of your preferences. We’ve looked at what apps like Renthop and Roomi offer below, so you know just what you’re getting from each of them!

No fee apartments

RentHop partners with real estate agents to help you find rooms for rent. So, on this platform, you will find both fee and no fee apartments, but you can filter out the fee-paying apartments if you prefer. On the other hand, the RentHop alternative we’re looking at, Roomi, only lists no-fee apartments. Once you choose a listing based on the rent, that’s all you’ll be paying for it. There are no hidden fees to worry about!

Pet-friendly apartments

If you have a pet, you know they’re like part of the family, and you could never just leave them behind when you move. Some landlords allow pets in their buildings, but many don’t, so it’s important to check before you sign a lease whether or not pets are permitted in your new apartment. Both RentHop and Roomi let you filter your search by whether cats or dogs are allowed.

But, if you have an unconventional pet like a hamster and choose RentHop, you will need to contact the landlord directly to find out their stance on this. By contrast, Roomi has an additional filter, ‘other pet friendly’, to make your search quicker and more convenient.

Related: 6 Low Maintenance Pets For Apartments & Small Spaces

Subletting

You can filter for sublets on RentHop. But to contact the person you’ll be subletting from, you will have to go through the contact form on RentHop’s website. On the other hand, the RentHop alternative Roomi allows you to contact the individual directly through the secure messaging service on their app. You can also ask potential roommates to complete background checks so you feel completely comfortable before agreeing to live with them!

Filtering rooms based on amenities

When you’re using apps like RentHop and Roomi, you’ll almost always be able to filter listings by houshold amenities. But this doesn’t mean they’ll have the same number of options. On RentHop, for example, you only have the most basic filters, like whether or not the rental is furnished, has in-house laundry, a dishwasher, private outdoor space, and a parking space. And that doesn’t seem like enough, right?

That’s why Roomi offers filters for everything from in-unit washers to whether there’s WiFi, air conditioning, and a 24-hour power supply. And keep in mind that these amenities are only a few out of 15+ options you can filter by!

Filtering rooms based on Listing Type

RentHop lets you filter through three listing types: exclusive, sublet/lease-break, and short term. Using a different filter, you can choose whether you want a studio, room, or a rental with a certain number of rooms. But, there’s only one filter – exclusive – that gives you information on whether you’re going to have roommates or not.

Here’s where Roomi steps in and steps up. You can filter by entire place, private room, or shared room. Using another filter, you can also choose your preferred gender of roommate, whether that’s male, female, or non-binary. You can also choose the preferred age bracket of your potential roommate! Need we go on?

Filtering rooms based on House Rules

House rules are super important when you’re choosing a place to rent. After all, your rental is going to be the place you go to relax at the end of a long day. You want to be comfortable and unrestricted, even if you’re sharing this space with someone else. Unfortunately, RentHop offers no filter for house rules except for the pet policy. If you choose the RentHop alternative Roomi, you can choose from 11 filters for house rules that begin with no smoking and go as specific as being okay with dogs, cats, or other pets!

Related: What Happens When You Share An Apartment With Too Many Roommates?

Pricing: Are these room finder apps free or paid?

Bearing in mind all the expenses of moving to a new place, you’re probably wondering if you should pay extra for a room finder or save your money for rent. We’ve compared RentHop and Roomi on their subscription plans and what advantages you can gain by paying for a premium membership.

Allowing Free Listings

RentHop allows you to post 1-5 listings on the basic plan. If you want to post more, you’ll have to opt for one of their three subscription plans – Silver ($69), Gold ($149), or Platinum ($199). Each plan gives you a certain number of ‘Pro Credits’ that you can use to activate more listings. The number of listings you can activate is also dependent on the plan you choose.

In the free version of Roomi, you can sign up and start postings listings without spending a cent. You’ll also be able to activate up to two listings on the platform. Roomi Gold, which is priced at just $29.99 a month, gives you five active listings and free bookings, which can help you save over $100 dollars! If you want a shorter subscription period, you can pay $14.99 a week for the same benefits. With all that information, Roomi is the clear winner when it comes to value for money!

In-App Messaging

RentHop allows you to contact landlords and sub-letters through a contact form on their website. This sets up an email thread between you and the lister through RentHop. Instead of messaging them directly on the app or the website, you’ll have to correspond via email.

Roomi allows you to contact listers directly on the platform itself, whether you’re on desktop or using the mobile app. You have five swipes and can send up to five messages per day if you’re on the basic plan. If you choose to subscribe to Roomi Gold, which is priced at only $29.99 a month (about a dollar a day!), you can send unlimited messages. And that’s not all you get! Roomi Gold also gives you a ranking boost for 7x more views on your profile and listings, and you will have access to ID verification, which in turn will get you five times more messages.

Related: Is Roomi free to use?

Security: How do these apps ensure that the listings are credible?

If you’re contacting listers through a room finder, you want to make sure the listings are credible. So, what security measures do these platforms take? Well, RentHop has algorithms and manual processes to verify listings that are posted on the platform. They also have information on what you can do to stay aware of online scams. The alternative to RentHop that we’re looking at here, Roomi, has a robust system put in place to verify their listings. There are three key steps taken to ensure your safety:

• All listers’ information is verified.
• Listers can choose from three levels of ID verification, and their level is displayed to you.
• Any discrepancies you find in the listings can be reported to Roomi’s 24/7 moderation team.

So, Which Is the Best Room Finder For You?

When you’re deciding between ways to find rooms for rent, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons of each room finder app and ask yourself some questions. Does RentHop give you everything you’re looking for? Does Roomi have more to offer? Which room finder ticks all the boxes for what you’re looking for? Once you have the answer to these questions, you’ll know which is the best website to find rooms for rent for you! And we’re sure you’ll agree with us that it’s Roomi!

Related: Is It Time For You To Move To Another City?

---