Google Circle FAQs

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The Google Circle is a community of current and former Googlers sharing their homes on Kindred. The Google Circle will launch in February 2026. During the pre-launch period, members can join to earn exclusive rewards.

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How it works

Join the Google Circle by verifying your current or previous employment

Becoming a member of the Google Circle is open to anyone who currently works at Google or its affiliated companies (such as YouTube or Waymo), or are verified as an ex-Google employee. Homeowners and renters are both welcome.
We identify eligible members through:

Email verification using an @google.com address, or

LinkedIn profile

Earn credits when you’re away, spend them later to travel

You earn 1 night of travel for each night you host. Everyone starts with 5 nights.

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Book 220k+ member homes globally, just pay for cleaning & service fee

Redeem your hosting credits to book any one of Kindred’s 220k+ homes globally.

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$100k host protection and professional cleaning included

All stays include host protection, check-in and check-out cleaning, and 24/7 concierge.

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FAQs

Is this for work or personal travel?

Both! Kindred is a great option for both work and personal travel.

Who is eligible to join the Google Circle?

Anyone who is currently at Google or has worked at Google in the past is eligible to join the Circle, including current employees, past employees, contractors and interns. Googlers and Xooglers are verified using work email addresses and LinkedIn.

If I join the Circle can I only book Googler homes?

No, you will be able to book any home on Kindred as long as you complete verification of your ID and home. Homes from Googlers will be prioritized in search to make it easier to find homes from your connected communities.

Who will be able to book my home?

As a member of the Google Circle, you’ll have the option to add your home as being available to Googlers only or to all Kindred members. Choosing the Googlers-only setting will make it so that only Googlers can send you messages or trip requests. Your home is always discoverable by all Kindred members, but non-Googlers cannot see dates if your home is set to Googlers-only.

Can I join if I am a renter?

Absolutely! Because there is no cash exchange between members, using Kindred is not the same as listing your home on a short-term rental website. It’s more similar to letting a friend stay in your home while you’re away.

If in doubt, we recommend checking your rental contract or asking your landlord.

Do all trips have to be reciprocal, 1-for-1 swaps?

No, they do not. In fact, most of our trips do not include two members staying in each other’s homes at the exact same time.

Our "give a night to get a night" policy gives members greater flexibility by allowing members to host others and earn credits for those nights. Those credits can then be used to stay at a different Kindred home in the future.

Today, you earn one credit for each night hosted, regardless of the city or home size, and there is no way to purchase credits – members earn credits only by contributing to the community.

We believe that giving a night to a member of the community is a gift, regardless of your square footage – and we believe that those who give to the community should be able to receive from the community in return.

How does pricing work?

When you book a trip, you pay only a cleaning and service fee per trip. The cleaning fee covers the cost of cleaning your host’s home before and after your trip, while the service fee covers trip support, travel protection, and arranging all the logistics that go into making a Kindred trip possible.

Hosting on Kindred is completely free and seamless. We’ll coordinate all cleanings and handle the end-to-end logistics of the trip.

Can exchanges be done for money instead of credits?

No, you cannot exchange for money instead of credits on Kindred. Kindred is strictly "give-to-get." This ensures everyone on the platform is contributing equally and keeps our sharing economy running.

You can earn credits by hosting and or by referring other members.

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Support?

If you have any additional questions or need support, please email hello@livekindred.com.

See full Kindred Circle Rewards Program Terms and Conditions here.