OnlyExpats vs IamExpat Housing vs Properstar: Dutch Rental Platforms Compared

Introduction: OnlyExpats, IamExpat Housing, Properstar Compared

Searching for apartments for rent in the Netherlands can feel like navigating a maze of portals and agency pages. This guide compares three English-friendly rental platforms—OnlyExpats, IamExpat Housing, and Properstar—so you can find housing in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and Eindhoven more efficiently. We'll evaluate positioning, inventory coverage, pricing and paywalls, tools and filters, data quality, and which site is best for expats, students, families, and short- or long-term renters.

This is a practical comparison for people who want to know the best rental websites Netherlands options for discovery and leads—whether you're looking for Amsterdam apartments, Utrecht student rentals, or family homes in Rotterdam.

Coverage & Listings: OnlyExpats vs IamExpat vs Properstar

Nationwide reach and city focus

• OnlyExpats: Aggregated, English-first platform with nationwide listings for rooms, apartments, and houses. It targets expats and aims to simplify discovery across the Netherlands. The platform covers the whole country, although the listing density per city isn’t published.
• IamExpat Housing: Aggregated and explicitly focused on major metros—Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Eindhoven—making it a strong choice for renters targeting city markets. It also lists short-term and long-term options.
• Properstar: Global marketplace with a dedicated Netherlands section. Coverage includes the main cities and provinces; Properstar reports over a thousand active listings in its NL inventory (input data shows ~1,336 listings).

Property types and typical inventory

All three platforms aggregate listings from agencies and partners and cover similar property types: studios, apartments, houses, and rooms (OnlyExpats includes rooms explicitly; IamExpat includes short-term; Properstar emphasizes studios and apartments). If you want broad city coverage—searching for Amsterdam apartments or Rotterdam rentals—IamExpat and Properstar are more obviously city-focused, while OnlyExpats emphasizes the expat audience across the entire country.

Why it matters: For densely competitive markets like Amsterdam apartments, platforms with strong city landing pages and frequent updates typically surface fresh leads faster.

Pricing & Paywalls: Free vs Premium

• OnlyExpats: Free browsing and registration; users can sign up for real-time email alerts at no cost. Login required for certain functions.
• IamExpat Housing: Free to browse and to set alerts. The platform redirects to partner sites for the actual application; partners may have separate paywalls or messaging limitations.
• Properstar: Free for renters to browse and contact advertising agents. No site-level paywall for searching, viewing photos, or inquiring.

All three platforms operate under free-for-renter models; monetization typically comes from listing partners or agency subscriptions on the supplier side. From a renter perspective, there’s no native subscription barrier to find housing in Amsterdam or view Rotterdam rentals on these sites.

Features & Tools: Filters, Alerts, Maps, and More

Search filters and UI

• OnlyExpats: English UI tailored to expats; provides standard filters for property type and location. It emphasizes timely alerts and an expat-friendly layout.
• IamExpat Housing: Strong English-first pages, city landing pages (e.g., Amsterdam apartments) and email alerts. It complements search with editorial content and move-in guides aimed at internationals.
• Properstar: Offers filters—furnished, price, size—and agent contact flows. As a global player, it supports both Dutch and English interfaces.

Alerts and updates

OnlyExpats and IamExpat both offer email alerts for new listings; OnlyExpats highlights real-time alerts while IamExpat provides typical email notifications. Properstar’s saved-search alerts vary and may be region-dependent.

Map tools, commute and advanced exploration

None of the three platforms—based on the supplied facts—lists advanced map isochrones or built-in commute distance calculators as core features. If you prioritize map isochrones, distance-to-POI searches, or commute-time planning in your search for Amsterdam apartments or Utrecht student rentals, consider pairing these platforms with a map-centric service or a specialized local aggregator.

Why it matters: Filters and map tools dramatically reduce time-to-visit and help renters shortlist places near work, transit, or universities.

Data Quality & Verification: Accuracy, Freshness, and Trust

• OnlyExpats: Aggregated listings aimed at expats; the platform does not report verified listings in the supplied data. Aggregation models are useful for discovery but may surface stale or duplicated ads from partner sources.
• IamExpat Housing: Aggregated with partner handoffs. Data quality depends on the original listing source; IamExpat supplements search with editorial guidance, which helps interpret rent practices but does not centralize verification.
• Properstar: Marketplace model with public user reviews (score ~3.5 and ~86 reviews in data) and listings provided by third-party agents. Properstar does not indicate verified listings in the supplied data.

Practical guidance: When a platform aggregates, expect mixed data quality and verify availability directly with the advertiser before travel or contract signing. Look for explicit “verified” tags, photo recency, and agency contact details before scheduling a viewing.

Platform Positioning & Use Cases

• OnlyExpats: Positioned squarely for internationals. Use it if you want an English-first search across rooms, houses and apartments nationwide with real-time alerts aimed at expats.
• IamExpat Housing: Best used as a discovery and education hub—search plus in-depth expat guides. It’s ideal for renters who appreciate editorial content that explains contracts, deposits and utility setup alongside listings for Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague.
• Properstar: Appeals to those who prefer a global marketplace and direct agent contact. Use Properstar to expand reach across international inventory and to quickly contact listing agents.

Why it matters: Your use case—rapid city search vs guided relocation—should guide which platform you favor first when hunting for expat housing Netherlands.

Who Should Use Each Platform (Expats, Students, Families)

• Expats: OnlyExpats and IamExpat are explicitly tailored to expats with English UIs and content. OnlyExpats targets lead immediacy with real-time alerts; IamExpat supplements the search with practical relocation articles.
• Students: IamExpat includes short-term and student-friendly guidance that can be useful for university move-ins. Properstar and OnlyExpats may list rooms and studios suitable for students, but student-focused filters are more limited.
• Families & Professionals: Properstar and IamExpat list long-term rentals and houses; families who need verified, larger homes should prioritize listings with full agency contact details and recent photos.

Pros & Cons — Quick Comparison

• OnlyExpats

  • Pros: English-first, free, real-time alerts, expat-focused UX. Good for expats who need fast leads across the country.
  • Cons: Aggregated feed with no indicated verification; some listings may be stale or duplicated. Login required for some features.

• IamExpat Housing

  • Pros: Strong expat editorial content, city landing pages for Amsterdam/Rotterdam/Utrecht, free alerts, no login required to browse.
  • Cons: Redirects to partner sites for applications; data quality relies on partners’ processes and paywalls may appear after click-through.

• Properstar

  • Pros: International marketplace, direct agent contact, NL inventory around a thousand+ listings, bilingual UI (nl/en).
  • Cons: Mixed user reviews and variable agent response times; fewer site-native alerts reported.

Decision Guide: Choosing Between OnlyExpats, IamExpat and Properstar

• Choose OnlyExpats if:

  • You are an expat who needs an English-first interface and timely email alerts for new listings across the Netherlands.
  • You want a simple, free aggregator to surface rooms, apartments and houses quickly.

• Choose IamExpat Housing if:

  • You value editorial guidance on renting in the Netherlands alongside listings—helpful for first-time expats and students.
  • You are targeting major cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht or Eindhoven and want city-specific landing pages.

• Choose Properstar if:

  • You prefer a global marketplace where you can contact agents directly and compare listings across countries.
  • You want a bilingual UI and an inventory that includes a large number of studio and apartment listings.

Practical tip: Use more than one platform in parallel. For example, shortlist listings on IamExpat for context, watch alerts from OnlyExpats for speed, and contact agents on Properstar to confirm availability.

Final Thoughts on OnlyExpats, IamExpat Housing, Properstar

OnlyExpats, IamExpat Housing and Properstar are valuable pieces of a Dutch renting workflow. None replaces the need to verify availability directly with landlords or agencies, but together they provide discovery, guidance, and direct-agent contact. For expat housing Netherlands, start with IamExpat if you need guidance, use OnlyExpats if you want quick alerts, and include Properstar for extra agent reach and international listings.

Finding housing in Amsterdam or Rotterdam often requires speed, persistence and a multi-site approach. Use filters, set up alerts, and verify listings before visiting. If you keep those steps part of your process, you’ll improve the odds of securing the right apartment or studio in a competitive market.