Finding a place to live in a new country is often one of the most challenging parts of moving or taking a long trip. Today, dozens of online platforms let you rent an apartment, a room, or a house remotely before you even arrive in the country. Learn more about the best services for renting housing in Europe and what makes them unique

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Renting a place to live in Europe no longer requires visiting real estate agencies in person or searching through classified ads in local newspapers. Today, most apartments, rooms, and houses can be found online before you even move, allowing you to compare prices, view photos, and even sign a lease remotely. This is especially important for students, digital nomads, expats, seasonal workers, and tourists planning a long-term stay in another country.

At the same time, the choice of platform matters. Some services specialize in short-term rentals, while others offer housing for several months or years. Some operate across Europe, while others focus on specific countries or cities. Additionally, the level of listing verification, commission fees, and available tenant protection tools can vary significantly.

In this article, we’ll look at the best platforms for renting housing in Europe in 2026, their advantages, features, and the situations where each service will be most useful.

In the previous article, we reported on the most expensive cities in the world to live in in 2026, according to Numbeo.

Are you planning to buy real estate abroad? Before concluding a deal, it is important to consider not only the price per square meter, but also tax liabilities, restrictions for foreigners, title checks, and additional costs. Visit World's real estate lawyers will help you analyze the property, assess legal risks, and accompany you at all stages of the transaction: from the initial consultation to the signing of the contract. Get professional support and confidence in every step.

Why are more and more people looking for housing through online platforms?

The rental market in Europe is becoming increasingly digital. Online services allow you to find housing in virtually any country without wasting time on in-person viewings or searching for local agencies. For many foreigners, this is the only practical way to secure housing before arriving in a new city.

Key benefits of these platforms:

- Ability to search for housing in different countries through a single service

- Filters by budget, neighborhood, property type, and lease term

- Remote booking

- Verified owner profiles and tenant reviews

- Payment protection through the platform

- Support in English

However, it’s important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all platform. Your choice depends on the country, the length of the lease, and your goals—whether it’s for study, work, relocation, or travel. That’s why it’s worth considering the features of each service individually.

HousingAnywhere

HousingAnywhere – an international platform for renting furnished housing abroad. The service is primarily suited for students, expats, and professionals who are moving to another country and looking for an apartment, studio, or room for several months or a longer term.

The main feature of HousingAnywhere is its focus on medium- and long-term rentals. On the platform, you can find housing in various European cities, review move-in conditions, minimum lease duration, deposit amount, monthly rent, and additional fees.

The service allows you to communicate with the landlord through the platform, submit a booking request, and make the first payment online. This is convenient for those who are not yet in the country and want to sort out their housing before moving.

HousingAnywhere is worth considering if you need housing not just for a few days, but for study, work, an internship, or relocation. For a short tourist trip, the platform is less convenient than short-term rental services.

In our previous article, we discussed where apartment prices are rising the fastest, how much housing costs in different cities across Hungary, and what to expect from the market.

Spotahome

Spotahome is a platform for remote housing rentals that operates in major European cities. Here you can find rooms, studios, and apartments without having to visit the property in person before booking.

The main feature of the service is its thorough verification of listings. Many listings include professional photos, video tours, and floor plans, allowing you to get significantly more information about the property than on most standard real estate websites.

The property listing typically specifies the rental terms, deposit amount, house rules, and whether furniture and utilities are included. This helps you compare options without having to contact the owner.

Spotahome will be useful for those moving to another country who want to thoroughly assess a place before signing a lease. The largest selection of listings is available in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, and Germany.

We previously covered the most expensive EU capitals for renting in 2026.

Uniplaces

Uniplaces is one of the most popular platforms for finding student housing in Europe. The main types of properties are rooms in shared apartments, studios, and small apartments near universities.

The service operates in many student cities across Europe and allows you to book housing online before arriving in the country. Listings typically specify living conditions, security deposit, utility bills, and minimum lease term right away.

Best suited for exchange students, international applicants, and young professionals looking for housing for one or more semesters.

Learn more about the best apps for traveling in Europe by following the link.

Flatio

Flatio specializes in medium-term rentals—typically ranging from one month to one year. The platform is geared toward digital nomads, remote workers, expats, and people temporarily relocating to another country.

Most properties are already furnished and ready to move into. In many cases, tenants can avoid the complex long-term contracts typical of the traditional real estate market.

Flatio is best suited for those who need temporary housing during a period of adjustment, while working on a project, or while searching for a permanent apartment.

In our previous article, we discussed what to look for before buying an apartment in Poland and how to avoid common mistakes.

Idealista

Idealista is one of the largest real estate portals in Spain, Portugal, and Italy. The platform hosts millions of listings from owners, agencies, and developers.

The service allows you to search for housing by city, neighborhood, budget, size, and other parameters. In addition to rentals, you can find properties for sale through Idealista.

This is one of the best options for those planning a long-term stay in Southern European countries and wanting the widest possible selection of listings.

We previously reported that the Greek real estate market is shifting toward compact housing, which is showing faster growth in prices and demand.

Airbnb

Airbnb is one of the world’s most famous platforms for renting housing. On the service, you can find rooms, apartments, houses, and even unusual options like castles, boats, or cabins in the mountains.

The platform is primarily geared toward short-term rentals, but in many countries, options for several months are also available. Users can view ratings, reviews from previous guests, and house rules before booking.

Airbnb is best suited for tourists, digital nomads, and those looking for a place to stay during the first few weeks or months after moving.

In our previous article, we reported that Spain has been named the best country for real estate investment in Europe for the first time.

Booking.com Apartments

Booking.com is best known as a hotel booking service, but it also offers a wide selection of apartments, condos, villas, and houses throughout Europe.

The platform’s main advantage is its vast database of properties and the ability to compare different types of housing in one place. Many options are available with free cancellation and instant confirmation.

The service is best suited for short-term rentals during travel, business trips, or when looking for temporary housing after moving.

We previously reported that housing prices in the EU have risen by 65% over 10 years.

Immowelt and WG-Gesucht for Germany

If you’re looking for housing specifically in Germany, it’s worth checking out local platforms. Immowelt is one of Germany’s largest real estate portals, where you can find apartments, houses, and rooms for long-term rent.

WG-Gesucht specializes in finding rooms in shared apartments (WG), making the service particularly popular among students and young professionals. You can also find temporary housing for a few months or sublease offers here.

Both platforms offer significantly more local options than international services, so they are often used by people who are already in Germany or plan to move there in the near future.

Buying a home in another country is not only an investment but also a serious legal procedure. Mistakes in documents, unaccounted taxes or restrictions for foreigners can lead to financial losses. Consultation with a real estate lawyer from Visit World will help you to safely complete the transaction, check the seller and avoid hidden risks. Contact the experts to make your real estate purchase abroad as transparent and secure as possible.

We remind you! The Cypriot parliament is considering draft laws that could significantly change the conditions for buying real estate for citizens of countries outside the European Union. The initiatives include quantitative limits on properties, geographical bans and transparency requirements for transactions. Read more about the proposed restrictions, foreign purchases statistics and how to prepare for possible changes in the Cyprus real estate market.

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Travel guide for 200 countries;

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Travel insurance around the world (please select the country of interest and citizenship to receive services);

Medical insurance all over the world.

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