Things to Do · Honest review
Verdict: legit & safe to useIs GetYourGuide Legit?
Short version: yes. GetYourGuide is a major, well-funded tours-and-tickets platform trusted by millions. This GetYourGuide review covers how it works, what’s genuinely good, and the one thing to check before you book.
The short answer
Yes, GetYourGuide is legit. (You will also see the name written as Get Your Guide, or as getyourguide.com — it is the same company.) It’s an established tours-and-activities marketplace founded in 2009 and headquartered in Berlin, used by millions of travellers worldwide. You get verified reviews, secure payment, free cancellation on many tours, instant mobile tickets and 24/7 support — plus its own curated “Originals” experiences. The one caveat: like all such sites, GetYourGuide is a marketplace that resells local operators’ tours, so read recent reviews of the specific experience before booking.
Why it’s trustworthy
The trust signals
Established 2009
A major, well-funded company based in Berlin — not a fly-by-night site.
Verified reviews
Reviews come from travellers who actually booked the tour.
Secure payment
Encrypted checkout — you pay GetYourGuide, not an unknown operator in cash.
Free cancellation
Many tours offer free cancellation, often up to 24 hours before — check the policy.
Top-rated app
Instant mobile tickets and one of the best-rated apps in travel.
24/7 support
Round-the-clock help if something changes or goes wrong on the day.
The honest take
GetYourGuide pros & cons
What’s good
- Large, curated selection of tours and skip-the-line tickets
- Excellent, highly rated app with instant mobile tickets
- Free cancellation on many experiences
- Its own “Originals” tours for extra quality control
- Secure payment and 24/7 customer support
What to watch
- It’s a reseller — most tour quality depends on the local operator
- A booking fee can make some tours pricier than booking direct
- Slightly smaller catalogue than Viator in some far-flung places
- Cancellation windows vary by tour, so read the policy
Bottom line: GetYourGuide is a safe, legitimate way to book tours — read recent reviews of the specific experience, and it’s worth comparing the same tour on Viator before you book.
The numbers
GetYourGuide reviews: what the ratings actually say
Search for GetYourGuide reviews and you get two completely different pictures. Both are real. Here is why they disagree.
out of 5, from 56,060 reviews. 68% give it 5 stars; 19% give it 1 star.
out of 5, from 444 reviews. Just 9% say they would recommend it.
Trustpilot holds 126 times more reviews than the complaint site — and that gap explains almost everything.
Neither platform is lying. The difference is who bothers to leave a review. Trustpilot collects feedback from everyone who books, including the large majority whose tour ran exactly as described. Complaint-focused sites are found by people actively searching for somewhere to complain, so nearly everyone who lands there already has a grievance.
The honest read: 3.9 out of 5 across 56,000 reviews, with roughly one in five people unhappy, is normal for any marketplace operating at this scale. It is not a red flag. It is also not a glowing endorsement. It means most bookings go fine and a meaningful minority do not.
The other side
What people actually complain about
These five themes come up again and again in negative reviews. Knowing them in advance is what stops you becoming one of them.
- The tour did not match its descriptionThe most common complaint by some distance. Pickup areas, group sizes and what is actually included are set by the local operator, and the listing does not always reflect reality. Read the most recent reviews of that specific tour, not of the platform.
- A vague or outdated meeting pointMeeting instructions arrive with your confirmation and are occasionally unclear or no longer accurate. Check them the day before rather than on the morning of the tour, while there is still time to ask.
- Last-minute operator cancellationsWhen an operator cancels, GetYourGuide refunds you. The complaint is rarely about the money — it is that the notice is short and no replacement is offered, which stings if the tour was the thing you built your day around.
- Refunds outside the free-cancellation windowThis is where most disputes happen. Cancellations inside the stated window are refunded reliably. If the tour ran and you were simply unhappy with it, GetYourGuide will usually side with the operator, and a goodwill refund is not guaranteed.
- Support begins with a chatbotReaching a human takes persistence. When something goes wrong on the day itself, this is the single most-cited frustration in negative reviews.
None of this makes GetYourGuide illegitimate. You would find a near-identical list for Viator, Klook or any marketplace reselling thousands of independent operators. What it does tell you is where the guarantee stops: the platform stands behind the transaction, not the experience.
Common concerns
The questions people actually ask
Is GetYourGuide a scam?
No. It’s a legitimate, well-known and well-funded company used by millions of travellers each year. The rare bad experiences usually come down to a specific local operator, not GetYourGuide itself — which is why the review system matters.
Will I actually get my tickets?
Yes — you receive a confirmation and mobile voucher straight after booking, ready to scan on the day. If an operator ever cancels, GetYourGuide’s policy is to refund you.
What if I need to cancel?
Many tours offer free cancellation, often up to 24 hours before the start time, with the refund returned to your original payment method. Always check the individual tour’s policy first.
Book your tour with confidence
GetYourGuide (also written Get Your Guide) is legit and safe— read the recent reviews, pick a well-rated tour, and you’re set. Prefer to compare first? Check the same experience on Viator.
FAQ
Is GetYourGuide legit? FAQs
Is GetYourGuide legit?
Yes. GetYourGuide is a legitimate, well-established tours-and-activities marketplace founded in 2009 and based in Berlin. It’s used by millions of travellers and offers verified reviews, secure payment, free cancellation on many tours, instant mobile tickets and 24/7 support. As it resells local operators’ tours, quality varies — so read recent reviews of the specific experience.
Is Get Your Guide legit for tickets?
Yes. Alongside guided tours, GetYourGuide sells timed-entry and skip-the-line tickets for major attractions. You book through its secure checkout and get a mobile voucher straight away, which you scan at the entrance on the day. Two things are worth checking on the listing before you pay: whether it is a plain entry ticket or includes skip-the-line access, and the cancellation window, which is set per listing rather than being the same everywhere.
Is GetYourGuide safe to book with?
Yes. You pay through GetYourGuide’s secure, encrypted checkout rather than handing cash to an unknown operator, you get an instant confirmation and mobile voucher, and many tours include free cancellation. If an operator cancels, GetYourGuide’s policy is to refund you, and 24/7 support is on hand if anything goes wrong.
Is GetYourGuide a scam?
No. GetYourGuide is a genuine, well-funded company used by millions of travellers worldwide — not a scam. The occasional poor review usually relates to a specific local operator rather than GetYourGuide itself.
Does GetYourGuide give refunds?
Many experiences on GetYourGuide offer free cancellation, often up to 24 hours before the start time, with refunds processed to your original payment method. Cancellation terms vary by tour, so check the specific policy at checkout. If the operator cancels, GetYourGuide’s policy is to refund you.
Who owns GetYourGuide and where is it based?
GetYourGuide is an independent company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Unlike Viator, which is part of Tripadvisor, GetYourGuide operates as its own business and is one of the largest dedicated experiences platforms.
Why is GetYourGuide cheaper than booking direct?
Often it is not. GetYourGuide negotiates bulk rates with operators and can undercut the walk-up price, particularly for skip-the-line tickets at busy attractions. But it also adds a booking fee to some experiences, so the identical tour can work out more expensive than going to the operator directly. The reliable move is to check the operator’s own site for the same tour before you book — if the prices match, book through GetYourGuide for the free cancellation and the mobile ticket.
Is GetYourGuide or Viator better?
Both are excellent and often list the same tours. GetYourGuide is known for its app and strong European coverage, while Viator has the biggest selection and Tripadvisor reviews. The smart move is to compare the same experience on both — see our GetYourGuide vs Viator guide.
Keep reading
More on booking tours
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