If you are looking for a room, a WG, or an apartment in Germany, three names come up again and again: HOMY, WG-Gesucht, and ImmoScout24. They solve the same problem in very different ways. Here is an honest comparison so you can pick the right tool — or use them together.
Quick comparison
| HOMY | WG-Gesucht | ImmoScout24 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Fast room & roommate matching | Shared flats (WGs) | Full apartments & buying |
| How it works | Swipe-to-match, chat on mutual match | Classified listings + messages | Classified listings + applications |
| Platform | Mobile app (iOS) | Website + app | Website + app |
| Contacting listings | Free; chat opens on match | Often a paid membership for full access | Premium tiers to stand out |
| Inbox experience | Organized 1:1 chats, no mass templates | High volume, copy-paste applications | Formal application flows |
| Commission / fees | Provision-free, direct | Mostly private & provision-free | Mix of private and agent listings |
When to use each
Use WG-Gesucht when you want the largest pool of WG listings and don't mind writing many applications and competing with hundreds of others. Its inventory is unmatched, especially in big student cities.
Use ImmoScout24 when you're after a full apartment, a long-term lease, or you're buying — it's the biggest general property portal and includes professional agents and landlords.
Use HOMY when you want speed and a mobile-first experience. Instead of writing cover letters that get lost in a flooded inbox, you swipe through rooms and people, and a chat only opens when both sides are interested. It removes the bureaucracy and keeps your conversations tidy — ideal for students and young professionals who need to move quickly and provision-free.
The honest take
There is no single winner — it depends on what you need. WG-Gesucht wins on raw WG inventory; ImmoScout24 wins on full apartments and buying. HOMY wins on speed, mobile convenience, and direct human-to-human matching with no mass-message clutter. Many people use HOMY alongside the classics: HOMY to match quickly and chat directly, the portals for breadth. Together they cover the whole market.