Hipcamp review

Hipcamp is a different kind of rental site: it started with campsites and now also books cabins, treehouses and glamping stays, much of it on private farms and ranches. The app counts more than 120,000 private land camping experiences and shows real-time availability on one map alongside public land. Hipcamp says the app is free with no membership fees, and it adds free availability alerts for sold-out national parks such as Yosemite and Zion. Fees are simple but worth knowing: Hipcamp's help center says a service fee proportional to the booking, with a $3 minimum, applies to every booking, and it is not refunded when a guest cancels, even if the stay qualifies for a full refund. Hosts choose from several cancellation policies, and host cancellations refund the guest in full. For a large family house near town this is the wrong tool, which is why it ranks low here.

Who it is for

Outdoor travelers who want a cabin, treehouse or private campsite instead of a house in town.

Price

Free app; service fee added to each booking.

The Hipcamp app is free to use. For everyone. Forever.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• 120,000+ private land camping experiences, plus cabins, treehouses and glamping
• Real-time availability on one map, including public and private land
• Free availability alerts for sold-out national park campsites
• No subscription or membership fees
• 24/7 support from people based in the US and Australia

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Unique rural stays you will not find on the big marketplaces
• Strength: Free alerts for popular parks such as Yosemite and Zion
• Strength: Host cancellations refund the guest in full, fees included
• Weakness: Few full-size houses; most listings are campsites
• Weakness: Service fee is non-refundable when the guest cancels
• Weakness: App is iPhone only on the App Store

Key facts

• Private land listings: 120,000+ camping experiences
• Service fee: Proportional to the booking, minimum $3
• Service fee on guest cancellation: Not refunded
• Membership fee: None
• App Store rating: 4.8 from 56K ratings

Where it ranks

Hipcamp is No. 9 in our Best Vacation Rental Websites verdict.