6 Best Websites for NYC Sublets in 2026, Compared

For a NYC sublet of 30 days or more, I recommend Ohana. We check each host's government ID, arrange a video call before you pay and hold your deposit until you confirm move-in. Those are the parts of booking a sublet we built the service around.

The six options below include marketplaces, listing boards and social groups. As you compare them, look at who checks the host, who receives your deposit and what happens if you can't get into the apartment.

TL;DR: Ohana is the winner. Of the six sites New Yorkers use to find a sublet, it is the one that holds your money until you have moved in, and where you meet the host on a video call first.

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Searching the best websites for NYC sublets means a lot of tabs and one big worry: sending a deposit to someone you have never met.

Ohana is our pick. You meet your host on a video call, and the host isn't paid until you move in. Two of the other five charge just to get in, at $25 per month and $50 per month.

A note on perspective: I co-founded Ohana. This comparison draws on the sites' published information, renters' accounts on Reddit and my own experience.

Three things to know:

• Ohana holds your deposit until you confirm you have moved in. If the unit is inaccessible, uninhabitable or fraudulent, you get a full refund (Ohana FAQ).
• A live video tour comes before any deposit, says a NYC renter on r/subletting.
• A wave of new listings starts in mid-December for January moves, says a NYC renter on the same r/subletting thread.

How we picked

We compared five parts of the booking process. Ohana includes all five. Where the table says "Unknown" or "Doesn't say," the sources we reviewed did not explain that feature; it does not establish that the service lacks it.

1. Your deposit is held until you move in. Nobody gets paid before you have the keys.
2. Someone checks the host's identity before the listing goes live.
3. You can see the place and the host on a video call before you commit.
4. A written lease or sublease agreement comes with every booking.
5. Stays of 30 days or more are the standard.

We checked each site's pages and help center for these features. Then we read renter threads on r/Scams, r/AskNYC and r/subletting for examples of renters' experiences. One piece of advice came up repeatedly: see the apartment before paying. "Never rent a place in New York sight unseen, period. Just don't do it," writes a New York renter on r/Scams. The r/AskNYC version is to pay nothing until you have watched the person unlock the door. For more on reposted listings, pressure to pay quickly and hosts who won't get on a call, see our guide to how to spot a sublet scam.

I put deposit handling near the top of the comparison because finding a listing is only part of the job. Before you send money, you need to know who will receive it and what happens if the place isn't available when you arrive.

Best websites for NYC sublets

1. Ohana (Best Overall)

You meet the host on a video call before booking, and the host isn't paid until you move in. That was the problem Jacob, Ohana's other founder, and I wanted to solve with Ohana. We were students paying rent on rooms we didn't need while hunting for summer housing. We wanted a way to see the place and confirm who we were dealing with before handing over money. Browse what is open now on NYC Sublets and Short-Term Rentals.

Every NYC stay on Ohana is 30 days or longer and comes with a lease or sublease agreement. Every host passes a government ID check before listing; we explain how in How Ohana provides safe experiences for guests and hosts. Ohana holds the security deposit and releases nothing to the host until you confirm you have moved in. If the unit is inaccessible, uninhabitable or fraudulent, you get a full refund (Ohana FAQ).

The intro call happens on Google Meet with someone from our team on the line. Ask the host to show you the bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. It's also a chance to ask about details the listing may leave out: street noise at night, the heating and who else lives there.

Listings come from communities we run. Most hosts are just trying to earn their rent back while they're away. They aren't looking to make a profit, and they rent to someone they trust. We built these communities so you can look among people you have something in common with. If you're a woman, start with Girls Who Sublet (@girlswhosublet.nyc).

• Girls Who Sublet and @girlswhosublet.nyc
• Artists Who Sublet and @artistswhosublet
• NYU Subletting and @nyusubletting
• Columbia Subletting and @columbiasubletting
• sublets.nyc and @sublets.nyc
• Ohana NYC and @ohana_nyc

Together they reach more than 690,000 members and followers (as of November 2026), and their listings feed into Ohana. We've helped over 10,000 people find sublets in New York.

Who it is for: anyone who wants a furnished NYC sublet of 30 days or more and would rather not send a deposit to a host they have never met.

What to consider: every booking comes with a written lease or sublease agreement and a cancellation schedule. What you agreed to is on paper before move-in day.

2. LeaseBreak

A marketplace for short-term rentals, lease breaks and sublets in New York City. A NYC renter on r/subletting calls it an option for stays of one to six months, mostly full-apartment takeovers rather than rooms. The third-party sources we reviewed did not explain how deposits, host checks or video calls are handled.

What to consider: nobody puts you on a call with the host, and nobody holds your money, so the checking is on you.

3. Listings Project

A weekly list of listings, including NYC sublets, published on Wednesdays. A free membership gets you the list. A Supporting membership is $6.99 per month, about $21 over a three-month search. Posting a listing costs a fee.

What to consider: the list comes out on Wednesdays, and nobody holds your deposit until the door opens.

4. Facebook groups

Facebook groups carry NYC sublet posts, and a few charge to join. A May 2026 post on r/NYCapartments lists New York Sublet as free, NYC Sublets & Apartments at $25 per month and Sweats & The City at $50 per month.

Joining both paid groups for three months would cost $225 just for access to their posts. A renter on that thread who tried a paid group says "you're basically paying for something you can get for free in the groups above" (r/NYCapartments). A NYC renter on r/subletting adds that outdated and reposted listings mix in with real ones. Before paying anyone you find through a group, check whether the administrators verify hosts or offer any help with payments.

What to consider: nobody checks the host, and the host is the one holding your deposit.

5. Craigslist (Also consider)

A classifieds board that carries NYC sublet posts, and anyone can post. A 2015 StreetEasy guide to last-minute sublets says to start about a month before the move, since New York lead times usually run about two weeks. It also says to see the apartment before any deal, with someone along. The Craigslist pages reviewed did not describe a sublet-specific process for deposits, host checks or fees.

What to consider: you are the only person checking who the poster is.

6. StreetEasy

A NYC rental search, used mainly for 12-month leases. A NYC renter on r/subletting described it this way: "StreetEasy won't help you here, they basically ignore sublets altogether." The StreetEasy pages reviewed did not explain how deposits, host checks or fees work specifically for sublets.

What to consider: it is built for 12-month leases, and sublets are an afterthought there.

The bottom line

Ohana is the pick because it is the only one of the six that meets all five criteria. Your deposit is held until you confirm move-in. The host's ID is checked before the listing goes live. You meet the host on a video call. Every booking comes with a written agreement, and every stay is 30 days or more. If the question is where to find a sublet in NYC without wiring money to a stranger, that is the answer.

Best Overall: Ohana

Also great: LeaseBreak, Listings Project.

Also consider: Facebook groups, Craigslist, StreetEasy.

New York is expensive, but it's way more expensive not to live in New York. Living here is hard, and it's often the best decision people ever make. Just use the site that keeps your deposit until you have seen the door open.

Questions people ask

How do I avoid sublet scams in NYC?

See the place live, on a video call or in person, before you send money. Never pay by wire, Zelle or gift card. The line one renter heard before losing their money, in an r/NYCapartments thread, was "Send the deposit and I'll mail you the keys because I'm out of state." Renters in that thread add two things. If you already paid by wire, bank transfer or Zelle, call your bank immediately and report the payment as fraudulent. And Zelle refunds are very hard to get, because the app says to send only to friends and family. One more from the same thread: be extra careful on any site that doesn't require a real estate license to post. Our full checklist is in How to spot a sublet scam. On Ohana, the deposit sits with us, not the host, until you confirm you have moved in.

Are Facebook groups a good way to find a NYC sublet?

They can be useful for finding listings, but check the host and payment arrangements separately. Facebook groups for NYC sublets carry real posts mixed with reposted and outdated ones, says a NYC renter on r/subletting. Before paying anyone you find through a group, check whether the administrators verify hosts or offer any help with payments. Girls Who Sublet NYC (@girlswhosublet.nyc) is a free group that Ohana runs, and its listings feed Ohana. Two of the main groups charge $25 per month and $50 per month. One renter who tried a paid group said it was not worth it (r/NYCapartments). Whichever group you use, arrange a live tour before sending a deposit.

When should I start looking for a sublet in NYC?

About a month before your move for most dates, and earlier for summer. New York lead times usually run about two weeks, so a month out leaves room to see a few places, per the 2015 StreetEasy guide. For a January move, one renter on r/subletting says a wave of new listings starts in mid-December, as people leave or go abroad after the holidays. For summer, a renter on r/NYCapartments says you can't really even start looking until April or May, because that is when hosts know their plans. On Ohana, summer hosts tend to post earlier than that. For help planning your search, see How to find a place to sublease.

Is subletting legal in NYC?

Yes, with your landlord's written consent. In a building with four or more apartments, Real Property Law 226-b lets a tenant sublet with the landlord's written consent. The landlord can't unreasonably refuse. The tenant asks in writing. If the landlord doesn't answer a complete request within 30 days, the law treats that as a yes. Rent-stabilized apartments, co-ops and condos add their own steps. We walk through all of it in Subletting laws and regulations in New York. The host-side version is in How to sublet in NYC: 5 steps.