Find a replacement tenant for free: UrbanHome vs Homegate in 2026
Tenants moving out before the regular termination date want to find a suitable replacement tenant quickly and without extra listing fees. UrbanHome lets private users list free of charge without registration; on Homegate, the Classic replacement-tenant listing is free for one week, and Homegate states that during this free week only TenantPlus members can contact the advertiser.
In brief
UrbanHome and Homegate both give private tenants a free way to start looking for a replacement tenant, but the offers are structured differently. UrbanHome allows private listings free of charge and without registration. Homegate offers one free week for a Classic replacement-tenant listing, after which regional weekly fees apply. One particularly relevant detail: Homegate states that for the Basic package only TenantPlus members can contact the advertiser during the first seven days.[1][3][4]
Why “free” needs a closer look when finding a replacement tenant
Tenants who want to return their apartment before the regular termination date are often under time pressure. A listing is therefore more than advertising: it can determine how quickly serious prospective replacement tenants are reached.
Several property portals use terms such as “free”. What matters is what exactly is free: only creating the listing, a limited publication period, or the entire period until deletion? It also matters whether every apartment seeker can contact the advertiser immediately.
In 2026, these points show clear differences between UrbanHome and Homegate.
How does UrbanHome's free replacement-tenant search work?
UrbanHome allows private users to list an apartment free of charge without creating a user account. Its current replacement-tenant page explicitly describes the listing as free and available without registration.[1]
UrbanHome's model for private replacement-tenant searches
- list an apartment free of charge
- no registration required
- no free promotion limited to seven days
- no automatic switch to a regional weekly fee after seven days
- prospective tenants do not need a paid search membership to contact the advertiser
UrbanHome also describes free listings as a core principle of the platform, financed in part through advertising partners and business services.[2]
How does Homegate's free replacement-tenant search work?
Homegate also has a free offer for private tenants looking for a replacement tenant. Under the currently published conditions, a Classic listing is free for one week. After that, the usual regional weekly rates are charged until the listing is deleted.[3]
Homegate states that the free offer can be used once per customer within twelve months.
The key difference: who can make contact during the free week?
Homegate's TenantPlus information explains an important detail: selected private listings can be contacted by subscribers up to seven days before non-subscribers, and contacting the advertiser during this exclusivity period is reserved for subscribers.[4]
This means the replacement-tenant model combines a free publication period for the advertiser with an exclusive early-contact benefit for paying apartment seekers.
That can matter because listings often receive a large share of their enquiries in the first days. Whether this exclusivity is desirable depends on the individual case, but it is a different model from an open contact process in which apartment seekers do not need a paid membership.
UrbanHome and Homegate: direct comparison for replacement tenants
| Criterion | UrbanHome | Homegate |
|---|---|---|
| Start a private replacement-tenant listing | free | free |
| Advertiser registration | not required | user account required |
| Free duration | not structured as a 7-day free promotion | 1 week |
| After the free period | no automatic regional weekly fee after day 7 | regional weekly fees until deletion |
| Contact during the first 7 days | no paid search membership required | exclusive early contact for TenantPlus users on qualifying private listings |
| Restriction on free offer | no comparable once-per-12-month rule stated | once per customer within 12 months |
Status: 7 August 2026. The comparison is limited to private replacement-tenant searches, not other Homegate packages or business offers.
What does this mean in practice for tenants?
If a suitable replacement tenant is found within a few days, a time-limited free offer may be enough. Searches can take longer when the rent is high, the takeover date is inconvenient or only a small number of applicants meet the landlord's requirements.
Two questions then become important: how long does the listing remain free? And how large is the group that can contact the advertiser directly?
Short search
One week may be enough for a highly sought-after apartment, but contact restrictions during that week should still be checked.
Longer search
If the search lasts several weeks, extension fees and flexibility over publication duration become more important.
What does Swiss tenancy law require?
Regardless of the property portal used, Article 264 of the Swiss Code of Obligations applies. A tenant returning a property early can be released from further obligations if a replacement tenant is proposed who is solvent, reasonable for the landlord and willing to take over the lease under the same conditions.[5]
Contrary to a widespread myth, three replacement tenants are not automatically required. One genuinely suitable candidate can in principle be sufficient.
Checklist for a replacement-tenant search
- check the lease and regular termination date
- set the desired handover date
- inform the landlord about the early return
- publish a complete listing with good photos
- check how long the listing actually remains free
- check whether all interested parties can contact you immediately
- collect complete applications from suitable candidates
- submit suitable candidates to the landlord in a verifiable form
- request written confirmation of release from the lease
Transparency note
UrbanHome itself provides a free replacement-tenant service and is therefore not a neutral market observer. For that reason, all statements about Homegate conditions in this comparison are based on publicly accessible Homegate pages and linked to the original sources.
Prices, product names and conditions may change. Always check the conditions displayed immediately before publishing a listing with a third party.
Sources and date
Information checked on 7 August 2026. Third-party prices and conditions may change at any time.
Frequently asked questions about free replacement-tenant searches
Conclusion: “free” does not always mean the same model
UrbanHome and Homegate both offer a free entry point for private replacement-tenant searches, but the underlying models differ.
On Homegate, the Classic replacement-tenant listing is free for one week. Homegate also offers TenantPlus users an exclusive early-contact advantage for selected private listings, while continued publication after the free week can trigger regional weekly fees.
UrbanHome positions the private replacement-tenant search as a free service without registration and without an automatic switch to a paid weekly model after seven days. For tenants looking for a simple, cost-independent search process, that difference is relevant.
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