Help center
Answers to frequently asked questions. Cannot find what you are looking for? Email us.
- Search in /cauta with the city and your dates. Pick a stay you like, click "See host contact · 1 credit" and pay 1 credit to unlock their phone, WhatsApp and email. After unlock you talk directly with the host and arrange everything (price, payment, check-in).
- A credit = one contact unlock. Costs from $1.99 (less in packs). With one credit you see a host's direct contact for the entire duration of your chosen stay. After the period ends, the contact hides again — but the memory of the stay stays, and you can leave a verdict.
- You get 3 free credits on signup (when you verify your email — click the link in the welcome email), plus another 5 when you verify your ID via /cont/verificare. 8 free credits in total — enough for 8 contact unlocks.
- Because we want to be a DIRECTORY, not a marketplace. Marketplaces charge 15-20% commission on the stay — Otiux does NOT. Instead you (the guest) pay a small amount for the contact, and the host receives 100% of the stay value directly from you. Cheaper for everyone.
- A host (or guest) with the "Verified" badge has submitted their ID and a selfie, and an Otiux admin approved them. It signals the person is real and their declared details match the document. We recommend prioritising verified accounts, especially if they have no reviews yet.
- Talk to the host — many accept cash, Venmo, or Zelle at check-in with no deposit. If the host asks for a deposit and has no reviews or the "Verified" badge, be careful: do NOT pay more than about $15 as a deposit. Otiux is NOT responsible for money lost in deposits to unknown hosts.
- Click "Become a host" in the top menu, follow the wizard (6 steps), upload photos and publish. Your listing goes through a quick admin review (usually a few hours) and becomes searchable as soon as it's approved. No cost, ever — guests pay credits to see your contact, you receive 100% of the stay payment directly from them.
- Listing is 100% free — forever. For anyone, any number of places. No commission, no subscription, no features behind a paywall. Check-in form, guest guide, minibar — all free and unlimited.
- It is a badge on the LISTING, awarded automatically: at least 5 verdicts on that listing, an average rating ≥ 4.85/5 and no verdict of 2 stars or below in the last 180 days. It cannot be bought or requested — it is recalculated on its own, so it can also be lost.
- Automatically, based on reputation: an average rating ≥ 4.8 from honest verdicts, several guests who unlocked the contact and booked, and an active host who replies quickly. It cannot be bought — it is earned through happy guests.
- Spent credits (after you see a host's contact) are not refundable — even if the host does not reply or the place is unavailable. The one exception: if the host explicitly declines your request, the credit is refunded automatically. Check reviews, verification badges, and the calendar before unlocking. Unused purchased credits may be refundable within 14 days where law requires it. See the Terms for details.
- Only in exceptional cases: Otiux technical error, double Stripe charge, fraudulent account access, or the host explicitly declines your request (the credit is refunded automatically in that case). Consumed credits are NOT refundable just because you didn't like the result or the host never replied. UNUSED credits remain refundable for 14 days from purchase under law.
- After you unlock a host's contact, you talk directly with them — phone, WhatsApp, or email, no middleman. Otiux's internal chat (/mesaje) only holds older conversations from before the credit-based model.
Did not find the answer?
Write to contact@otiux.ro — we usually reply within a few hours.