How it Works?
Arrive a stranger.
Leave with a mate.
navimate connects you with a local who knows their city — not a tour guide reading from a script. Here’s how a trip actually comes together.
Filter by city, language, and what they're into — photography, food, hiking, nightlife. Set a price range, or show only verified mates. Every profile shows a real rating from travelers who've actually been.
Their calendar shows what's free, what's already booked, and when they're away. Tap a start and end date, say how many of you there are, and the total works itself out — no hidden extras.
Tell them what you're curious about. Nothing is charged — they have to say yes first. If they can't make it, you'll hear why, and nothing was ever taken from you.
Once they accept, a private message thread opens. Agree where to meet, what to bring, whether you want the early start or the slow morning.
You pay your mate directly, in person. Afterwards you rate each other — which is what keeps this place worth trusting for the next traveler.
About payment
You pay your mate directly, in cash, during the trip. Nothing is charged when you book, and nothing sits with us.
The price on a profile is per day, for your whole group. Tickets, taxis and lunch you’d agree between yourselves beforehand.
Why this is safe to try
Every mate is checked
Profiles don't go live until our team reviews them. The gold tick means we've confirmed who they are.
Reviews go both ways
Only people who actually completed a trip can leave one.
Your details stay yours
Your profile isn't public. A mate sees it only once you've sent a request — your phone only after they accept.
Something's off? Tell us
Report button on every profile. The mate never learns who sent one.
Questions people ask
Is a mate a tour guide?
No. A guide explains monuments. A mate helps you get a SIM card, orders the thing that isn't on the English menu, and knows which rooftop lets you up at sunset.
What if my mate cancels?
You're emailed straight away with their reason, and since nothing was charged, you've lost nothing but time. Those dates open back up so you can book someone else.
Can I book more than one day?
Yes — pick a start and end date and the whole stretch is reserved. Some travelers book one day first, then extend once they've met.
How many people can come?
Each mate sets their own limit — usually up to four. The day rate covers the group, not each person.
Do I need to speak the language?
Not at all — that's rather the point. Filter by the language you speak and you'll only see mates who speak it too.
Ready to meet someone?
If you know your neighborhood, speak a second language, and like meeting people, you can host. No tourism qualification needed. This is not a full-time job unless you want it to be.
What you earn
You set your own day rate
Most mates start somewhere between $15 and $40 a day, depending on their city and what they offer. You can change it whenever you like, it only affects new bookings, never ones already confirmed.
You keep 90%
navimate takes 10% of every completed trip. No listing fee, no monthly charge, nothing at all until someone actually books you.
How settlement works
For example a three-day trip at $25 a day
The traveler pays you — $75
navimate’s 10% — $7.50
You keep — $67.50
The payment could be done via bank transfer or cash payment (using USD)
You're paid in cash, on the day
The traveler pays you directly during the trip. There’s no waiting for a payout, no bank transfer, no platform holding your money.
The total is agreed up front , your day rate times the number of days, so nobody is negotiating on the street.
Flip the switch to "Mate" when you register. One minute.
A clear photo, a cover image of your city, the languages you speak, what you're into, which cities you cover, and your rate. Write the "about me" like you're talking to one person, not a crowd.
Tap "Get verified" on your profile and our team reviews who you are. Until then your profile isn't live. Verified mates carry a gold tick , and get chosen far more often.
You see who's asking, which days, how many people, and what they're hoping for. Accept, or decline with a reason. Reply quickly, travelers are usually asking two or three mates at once.
What hosting is, and what it isn't
It is
- Spending a day showing someone around the way you'd show a friend
- Helping with the practical stuff, transport, SIM cards, ordering food, reading signs
- Taking people to places they'd never find in a guidebook
It isn't
- A date. navimate is not a dating platform, and treating it as one gets an account removed
- Being on call around the clock, you agree the hours between you
- Acting as a private driver, a bank, or a translator for someone's paperwork
- Covering anyone's costs. Tickets and meals are the traveler's own
You can always say no. Decline any request without explaining yourself, and end a day early if you ever feel unsafe. Tell us straight away when that happens.
Block out your days
Exams, work, family, mark those days away and nobody can request them.
Cap the group size
Set your own limit. If four is too many, set two.
Decline freely
Nothing obliges you to accept. Declining doesn't count against you.
Two bookings can't overlap
Once a day is taken, it disappears from your calendar automatically.
Your safety matters too
Trust can’t run one way. You get to see who you’re meeting before you agree to anything.
- Travelers are verified too. Email, phone and ID, you can see which checks they've passed.
- Read them before you answer. Every request opens their profile: where they're from, how many trips they've taken, what other mates said about them.
- Messages stay on navimate. Keep the conversation here until you've met, it means there's a record if anything goes wrong.
- Report anyone, any time. Reports come to our team, not to the traveler.
Who makes a good mate
There’s no single type, but the mates travelers rebook tend to be:
Questions people ask
How long does verification take?
A few days at most. We'll email you either way, and tell you what's missing if something isn't clear.
Do I need a car?
No. You can mark whether you have one, and some travelers filter for it, but plenty of the best days out are on foot and public transport.
What if I have to cancel?
Things happen, cancel from your panel and pick a reason, which the traveler is emailed. Do it as early as you can. Cancelling often will affect how we treat your account.
Can I host in more than one city?
Yes, pick every city you genuinely know well. Only list somewhere you could answer questions about.
Is this legal work?
You're hosting independently, not employed by navimate. Whatever you earn is yours to declare where you live.