Compare these five things; ignore the rest:
1. City coverage: does it list YOUR city, or just London and Sydney? WG-Gesucht owns Germany; SpareRoom owns the UK. 2. Scam filters: verified landlords, reporting tools, no "wire deposit to this personal account" listings. 3. Price alerts: new listings in your budget, pushed to you. Good rooms go in hours. 4. Roommate matching: filters for habits, not just price. A bad roommate costs more than expensive rent. 5. Contract clarity: shows bills, deposit, and contract length upfront. Sources: EducationUSA No single app covers every country. Use the local champion for your city plus your university's housing portal. And never pay a deposit through a link in a chat message.
