In this guide
Short answer: Use both. Pararius started as a rental specialist and now lists homes to rent and to buy; Funda also covers both markets and has an English interface. Both are free for renters. Set up searches on both, and check every listing’s agent before you pay anything.
This guide covers what each platform offers, where each one falls short, and how to use both of them effectively.
What Are These Platforms?
Funda is a Dutch property website for homes to buy and to rent. It was set up by the Dutch estate agents’ association NVM; today Funda B.V. has three shareholders: NVM Holding B.V., General Atlantic FDB B.V. and Stichting Administratiekantoor funda (Funda investor relations). Funda has an English interface.
Pararius was founded in 2006 by a few young rental specialists. It started with rentals and has grown into a platform for both homes to rent and homes to buy (Pararius, “Over Pararius”). Searching is free for renters; since July 2023 Pararius also offers a paid service, Pararius+.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Funda | Pararius |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Buying + renting | Renting + buying (started as rental specialist) |
| English interface | Yes | Yes (pararius.com/english) |
| Free to use (renters) | Yes | Yes (paid Pararius+ optional since July 2023) |
| Founded | Set up by NVM | 2006 |
Funda: What You Need to Know
The Good
Funda covers both homes to rent and homes to buy, and its interface is available in English. You can filter by rent, number of rooms, property type and more; our housing budget checker can help you work out what is realistic before you start viewing.
The Challenges
Listing descriptions are written by the estate agent, so some are only in Dutch. A short message in both English and Dutch can help when you contact an agent.
Who Funda Is Best For
- Anyone who wants to buy property in the Netherlands
- Renters who want to see as many listings as possible in a specific area
Pararius: What You Need to Know
The Good
Pararius is free for renters to search and lists homes to rent and to buy. It began as a rental specialist.
The Challenges
As on any platform, fraudulent listings can appear. A known pattern is a listing priced below the market rate, with a landlord who is “abroad” and wants you to transfer a deposit before any viewing. See the scam checks below.
Who Pararius Is Best For
- Renters searching in any Dutch city
- People looking for furnished rentals (use the filters)
English Language Support
Funda: the interface can be switched to English. Individual listing descriptions are written by the estate agent, and some agents write only in Dutch.
Pararius: check the language options on the site. Listing texts are written by the agent or landlord.
Costs for Renters
Both platforms are free for renters to search and enquire.
An agent who works for the landlord may not charge you, the tenant, a finder’s fee (bemiddelingskosten) for an ordinary rental (Rijksoverheid). If you have paid one, you can claim it back; Juridisch Loket can help. The costs a renter normally pays are:
- The first month’s rent
- A deposit: for contracts from 1 July 2023 at most two months’ bare rent
- Service costs, if applicable (listed in the advertisement)
If you are unsure about what you are being asked to pay, our guide to finding housing in the Netherlands as an expat has a breakdown of standard rental costs.
Scam Awareness
Scams exist on every housing platform. Here is what to watch for:
Red flags:
- Price noticeably below the market rate for the area and size
- Landlord or agent claims to be “abroad” or “travelling” and cannot meet for a viewing
- Request to transfer a deposit before signing any contract or viewing the property
- Photos that appear to be from a different, grander property
- Pressure to decide or pay quickly
- Contact only via WhatsApp or personal email with no agency details
Good signs:
- Agent is a member of NVM or Vastgoed Nederland (formed on 1 January 2025 from VBO and Vastgoedpro)
- Property can be viewed in person before any payment
- Agent has a verifiable office address and phone number
Never transfer any money until you have viewed the property in person, confirmed the landlord or agent can legitimately rent it out, and signed a proper contract. This applies to both platforms.
Practical Tips for Using Both Platforms
On Funda
Choose “rent” (huur) in the search. Funda also lists homes for sale.
Use the energy label filter. A poor energy label (E, F, G) usually means higher gas and electricity bills — relevant when you look at our cost of living breakdown.
Write your enquiry in both English and Dutch. Tools like DeepL can help.
Look at the posting date. Listings can go quickly; prioritise new ones.
On Pararius
Set up alerts for your search criteria.
Be responsive. If you receive a viewing offer, respond quickly.
Check the agent’s other listings. If a listing is from a private individual with no other listings and no verifiable contact details, apply extra scrutiny.
Read the service costs carefully. Some listings show a low base rent but high service costs (servicekosten). Always look at the total monthly cost.
Pros and Cons
Funda
Pros:
- Homes to buy and to rent
- English interface
Cons:
- Some listing descriptions only in Dutch
Pararius
Pros:
- Homes to rent and to buy, free for renters
- Started as a rental specialist
Cons:
- As on any platform, check agents and listings for scams
Verdict: Which Should You Use?
Use both.
If you are searching for a rental, set up alerts on both platforms and check new listings daily. If you are in a smaller city, check which platform has more listings there.
If you are starting to think about buying — which makes sense once you have been in the Netherlands for a while and have an income history — both platforms list homes for sale. Our guide to expat mortgage options in the Netherlands covers what to expect from the process.
Whichever platform you use, know your budget before you start viewing.
Once you have signed: the two things worth sorting in your first week are your energy contract and contents insurance; check whether your tenancy agreement asks you to arrange contents insurance.
How to compare Dutch energy providers →
Contents and liability insurance explained →
Other Rental Platforms Worth Knowing
HousingAnywhere
HousingAnywhere focuses on mid- to long-term rentals. You pay the first month’s rent and, depending on the region, a Tenant Protection fee through the platform, and the rest of the rental costs directly to the landlord (housinganywhere.com, checked 29 September 2026).
Dean (new-listing alerts)
To see new rentals sooner, you can set up alerts on the main platforms or use Dean, a paid alert service that says it checks more than 1,000 rental sources and compares new listings with your search profile. Dean says you can try it free for 3 days and cancel month-to-month. It is an alert service, not a rental platform: you still respond to the landlord or agent on the platform where the home is listed.
Kamernet
Kamernet specialises in rooms and shared housing. If you are looking for a room rather than a self-contained apartment, search rooms on Kamernet as well as on Funda and Pararius.
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups for housing in Dutch cities also carry listings, often from private landlords. They are not curated like a professional platform. Apply the same scam checks, plus extra caution: verify the landlord’s identity, never pay anything without a signed contract and a viewed property, and check that the person can legally let the property (ask for proof of ownership or a management mandate).
Housing Corporations
The woningcorporaties (housing associations) mainly rent out social housing, which works with waiting lists. Some also rent out mid-market and free-sector homes. Ymere (Amsterdam), for example, offers free-sector homes via Funda and mid-market homes via DAK, the regional platform; for mid-market homes there is no waiting list like for social housing (ymere.nl).
What Landlords Look for in Tenant Applications
Income Requirements
Landlords often ask for a gross income of a multiple of the rent. Ymere, for example, asks for a gross annual income of at least 48 times the net monthly rent for its free-sector homes (ymere.nl). For a flat renting at EUR 1,500 a month, that is a gross annual income of EUR 72,000 (48 × 1,500).
For expats with international income, useful documents are:
- Employment contract: some agents ask for a certified translation of legal documents
- Recent payslips (3 months): loonstroken if Dutch; the equivalent from a foreign employer
- Employer letter confirming salary and employment duration: useful for kennismigrant permit holders, whose permits are tied to employment
If your income is variable (freelance, commission-based, bonuses), agents may ask for bank statements or tax returns to establish average income.
Deposits
For contracts signed from 1 July 2023 the deposit may be at most two months’ bare rent (Rijksoverheid); some landlords ask for one month. Deposits are legal and separate from agency fees: a rule against finder’s fees does not mean “no deposit”.
References and Background Checks
For private rentals, landlords often ask for references from a previous landlord. If your previous landlord is abroad, these can help:
- A reference letter from your employer
- A letter from a Dutch employer on headed paper confirming your employment start date and salary
- A Dutch landlord reference, if you have rented in the Netherlands before
Some agents run a credit or background check on prospective tenants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Funda vs Pararius — which is better for expats?
Use both. Both platforms are free for renters and list homes to rent and to buy, and both have an English interface. Which one has the home you want depends on the city and the agent, so set up searches on both.
Is Funda available in English?
Yes, Funda has an English interface for searching homes to rent and to buy. Listing descriptions are written by the estate agent, so some are only in Dutch.
Does Pararius charge renters a fee?
Searching Pararius is free for renters. Since July 2023 Pararius also offers a paid service, Pararius+. Separately, Dutch law does not allow an agent who works for the landlord to charge you, the tenant, a finder's fee (bemiddelingskosten); if you have paid one, you can claim it back (Rijksoverheid, Juridisch Loket).
Can I find both rentals and properties to buy on Funda?
Yes, Funda covers both the rental (huur) and purchase (koop) markets. If you are considering buying rather than renting, see our guide to expat mortgage options in the Netherlands.
Which platform is better for finding a room or shared housing?
For rooms and house-shares, look at Kamernet as well. HousingAnywhere describes itself as a platform for mid- to long-term rentals, with rooms, studios and apartments (housinganywhere.com, checked 29 September 2026).
Is Pararius legit and safe to use?
Yes. Pararius was founded in 2006 and is free for renters to search. What deserves caution is the individual agent or landlord behind a listing: an agent who works for the landlord may not charge you a finder's fee (bemiddelingskosten), so anyone demanding a payment simply to view a property is a red flag. Never transfer a deposit before you have viewed the property and signed a contract.
Can you buy a house on Pararius?
Yes. Pararius started as a rental specialist and now lists homes to rent and to buy. Funda also covers both markets, so check both if you are considering buying.