Should you build a product in this niche? An answer from the numbers: search demand, competitors, napkin economics and what to build first.
Updated · How TGGET measures a niche
Verdict · confidence: medium
The niche shows declining demand (-54% YoY) and strong seasonality. Competition in App Store is high, dominated by general rental platforms (Craigslist, Zillow) rather than specialized roommate apps. Key pain points in reviews include poor filtering, scams, and inaccurate listings. The market is saturated with generalist players, leaving room for specialized solutions.
| Factor | Value | Level | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demand | 1,300 searches a month | medium | 0 |
| Change over a year | -54% over a year | declining | -1 |
| App store | 11 of 47 apps with 10,000+ ratings, median 464 ratings | contested | 0 |
| Search results | 0 of 3 checked search results are weak, 0 strong | taken | -1 |
| Paid traffic | $2.08 a click, people pay in this niche | medium | 0 |
Sum of scores: -2. The verdict is computed by rules from the numbers of the research; its explanation is written by the model.
Source: TGGET, researched on 29 September 2026.
Entry point: None of the checked phrases has weak search results.
Positioning
A verified, safety-first roommate matching platform that eliminates scams and ensures compatibility through strict identity checks and detailed lifestyle profiling.
For whom: Students, young professionals, and urban renters who prioritize safety and compatibility over convenience, particularly in high-density cities.
Main job: Find a safe, compatible roommate without wasting time on scams, fake listings, or incompatible matches.
Platform
IOS+ANDROID
Monetization: Freemium with premium features · Competitors like CoHabby and Roomster charge for premium features, and paid apps are 0, suggesting freemium is viable
1Matches and suggestions have absolutely nothing to do with my criteria; the filter is useless strong
Evidence: 1 complaint from Apartment List reviews
What the product does: Advanced filtering with mandatory compatibility checks before matching
2A lot of scammers. I think there are a lot of scammers. Some of the apartment is not normally cheapest. They all request to deposit before you haven’t make tour strong
Evidence: 2 complaints from Apartment List reviews
What the product does: ID verification for all users and listing owners to prevent fraud
3Too good to be true AI listings?. I like the idea of this app and it did help me explore certain apartments efficiently however some alerts I got were for apart medium
Evidence: 1 complaint from Apartment List reviews
What the product does: Real-time listing verification and photo authenticity checks
4Scams. People posting real apartments and claiming availability and changing the phone numbers to theirs so you’re calling them not the actual place. They want strong
Evidence: 1 complaint from Apartment List reviews
What the product does: Direct messaging within the app to protect personal contact info
5Filters don’t matter. No matter how many filters you put it’s gonna give you things 25 miles out and almost 1k above your budget. Like what’s the point? medium
Evidence: 1 complaint from Apartment List reviews
What the product does: Strict budget enforcement with no over-budget suggestions
| Feature | Pain | Priority | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| User ID Verification | №2 | must | To address scam concerns identified in 2 complaints |
| Strict Filtering Engine | №1 | must | To fix useless filters mentioned in 1 complaint |
| In-App Messaging | №4 | must | To prevent info theft and scams mentioned in 1 complaint |
| Lifestyle Compatibility Quiz | — | should | To improve match quality beyond basic criteria |
| Listing Verification Badge | №3 | should | To combat fake/too-good-to-be-true listings |
| Competitor | Type | Pricing | App | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| spareroom.com SpareRoom: Find Roommates, Rooms for Rent & Sublets | SaaS | no | no | — |
| cohabby.com CoHabby - Roommate Finder App | Find Compatible Housemates | site | yes | yes | — |
| roomster.com Rooms for Rent & Roommate Finder in the US | Roomster | SaaS | yes | yes | — |
| roomiapp.com Room Rentals - Find Your Perfect Room | Roomi | SaaS | yes | no | — |
| craigslist craigslist, inc. | App Store | free | yes | 4.8 · 557,532 |
| Apartment List: Apt rentals Apartment List, Inc. | App Store | free | yes | 4.7 · 503,305 |
| Apartments.com Rental Finder CoStar Realty Information Inc. | App Store | free | yes | 4.9 · 481,698 |
| Zillow Rentals Zillow, Inc. | App Store | free | yes | 4.8 · 388,589 |
| Rent. Apartments and Homes Rent Group Inc. | App Store | free | yes | 4.7 · 219,073 |
Price
$4.99/month for premium features
Competitors like CoHabby and Roomster charge for premium features
Does it add up
Payback period is 2.5 months, which is acceptable if retention is maintained.
Customer acquisition cost
$20.80 (assuming 10% conversion rate from paid search)
Paid search: CPC $2.08 · bids $0.59–$2.80 · competition: Moderate
Revenue per customer
$59.40 (assuming 3-month retention and $4.99/month)
Assumptions to validate:
Product · 6 · 1,860
roommate finder app (1,300) · roomi roommate finder app (480) · roomsurf roommate finder app (40) · app state roommate finder (20) · roommate finder app india (10) · roommate finder app nyc (10)
Commercial · 1 · 30
free roommate finder app (30)
Informational · 1 · 10
what is the best roommate finder app (10)
Comparisons · 2 · 150
best roommate finder app (140) · best roommate finder app reddit (10)
home · Core
title: Safe Roommate Finder App (24)
H1: Find Verified Roommates Safely
description: Connect with verified roommates in your area. No scams, no fake listings. Just safe, compatible matches. (104)
roommate finder app · safe roommate finder
Avoid general rental sites like Zillow and Craigslist
feature · Product
title: ID Verification Feature (23)
H1: Verified User Profiles
description: All users are ID-verified to ensure safety and trust in the community. (70)
verified roommate finder
Highlight security features
comparison · Comparisons
title: Roomi vs CoHabby (16)
H1: Roomi vs CoHabby: Which is Better?
description: Compare Roomi and CoHabby to find the best roommate finder app for your needs. (78)
roomi roommate finder app · cohabby roommate finder app
Target comparison queries
| Topic | Format | When | Phrases |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to Avoid Roommate Scams | article | September | roommate finder app · free roommate finder app |
| Best Roommate Finder Apps for Students | guide | May | best roommate finder app reddit · roommate finder app |
Yes, the basic features are free. Premium features are available for a monthly subscription.
We use ID verification to ensure all users are who they say they are.
Name: SafeRoom (8/30)
Subtitle: Verified Roommate Finder (24/30)
Keywords: safe,housing,rent (17/100)
Category: Lifestyle
Promotional text: Find a safe, verified roommate. No scams, no fake listings.
Screenshots:
Name: SafeRoom (8/30)
Short description: Find verified roommates safely. (31/80)
Key phrases: roommate finder, safe roommate, verified roommate, housing app, rental app
SafeRoom is the safest way to find a roommate. All users are ID-verified, and listings are checked for authenticity. Avoid scams and find a compatible roommate with our strict filtering and lifestyle compatibility features.
The research has no Google Play data: recommendations rely on queries and the App Store.
Benchmarks: 4.5+ (targeting higher than average 2.46) · 1000+ (targeting higher than median 464) · Localizations: en
| Name | .com | .app | App Store | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SafeRoom saferoom | taken | taken | similar exists | Clear, memorable, and emphasizes safety |
| RoomVerify roomverify | taken | free | free | Highlights verification feature |
| TrustMate trustmate | taken | free | similar exists | Emphasizes trust in matching |
| SafeHaven safehaven | taken | taken | similar exists | Evokes a sense of security |
| RoomCheck roomcheck | taken | taken | similar exists | Simple and direct |
Domains checked via RDAP, names via the App Store. Check trademarks before registering.
Find a Verified Roommate Safely
No scams, no fake listings. Just safe, compatible matches.
Yes, the basic features are free. Premium features are available for a monthly subscription.
We use ID verification to ensure all users are who they say they are.
| Channel | What the data supports | First step | Effort | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paid Search Organic search | CPC is $2.08, and competition is moderate | Launch Google Ads campaigns targeting 'roommate finder app' | medium | now |
| App Store Optimization App stores | High competition in App Store requires strong ASO | Optimize app title, subtitle, and keywords | medium | now |
| Reddit and HackerNews Communities | High activity on Reddit and HackerNews for roommate apps | Engage in relevant subreddits and HackerNews threads | low | at launch |
| Blog and Guides Content and video | Informational queries like 'best roommate finder app' have low competition | Create content around 'how to avoid roommate scams' | low | at launch |
Metrics:
Interview questions:
| Risk | What to do |
|---|---|
| High competition from general rental platforms | Focus on niche features like ID verification and lifestyle compatibility |
| Declining demand | Target seasonal peaks and expand to new markets |
| Scams and fraud | Implement strict ID verification and listing checks |
| User acquisition costs | Leverage organic channels like Reddit and content marketing |
The report was written by a language model from the collected research data and may be inaccurate; each recommendation cites its source, verify it against the raw data. Generated 2026-09-29T09:39:41+00:00.
Data: search demand, search results, the App Store, public-interest and developer community signals. The verdict is computed by rules from these numbers; the explanation and the plan are written by a language model. Both are evidence to check, not a promise.
There is demand, but not everything is in its favour. TGGET scored “roommate finder app” -2 on a scale from -6 to +5. Against it: interest is falling, search results are held by strong sites. The verdict is “Needs validation”.
TGGET measured 1,300 monthly searches for “roommate finder app” in the United States in September 2026. Search interest fell by 54% over a year.
0 of 3 checked search results are weak and 0 are strong. 47 competing apps were found in the App Store; 11 of them have more than 10,000 ratings, and the median app has 464 ratings.
A click in paid search costs about $2.08, and competitors in this niche charge for their products.
None of the phrases TGGET checked has weak search results, so there is no easy way in through search.
TGGET computes the verdict by rules from five measured factors: demand, its change over a year, competition in the app stores, the strength of the search results and the cost of paid traffic. Each factor adds or takes away points and the sum decides, so the same numbers always give the same answer. A language model writes the explanation and the plan; it does not choose the verdict.
Three full researches are free: demand, sub-niches, competitors, App Store and community signals, and a report like this one. Type a phrase or describe the idea in your own words.
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