Trivago is a real hotel price comparison site founded in 2005 and listed on Nasdaq, where Expedia Group holds a majority stake. It doesn't take your booking: you click through to another site, and trivago says it can't manage your reservation. The catch is that results can be prioritized, and an Australian court found its pricing claims misleading, so check the final price.
Trivago's adverts are everywhere, so it's natural to wonder whether it's a booking site, a middleman or something else. The short version is that it's a comparison site, and that changes who you contact when something goes wrong. I haven't booked through it, so I've used trivago's own help articles and Wikipedia, and I'll point out where a detail comes from the less official source.
Who owns trivago and where it's based
According to Wikipedia, trivago was founded in 2005 in Dusseldorf, Germany, where it's still headquartered, and has been listed on Nasdaq as TRVG since 2016. It also says Expedia Group owns a majority stake, with the infobox giving 60%. That ownership is worth knowing, because Expedia Group also runs other travel brands you may see side by side in the results.
How trivago works
Trivago's help article on how to use it says you enter a destination, dates and the number of travellers, and it searches hundreds of possible options. Each place shows several deals from different booking sites, so you can compare prices, photos and reviews. When you click a deal, you're taken to that site, where you complete the reservation and pay.
Wikipedia describes trivago as a metasearch engine whose main revenue comes from a cost-per-click model, where advertisers pay when users click their listings. In other words, trivago earns when you click, not necessarily when you book. That's a normal model for comparison sites, but it explains why the order of results needs a critical eye.
Who do you contact about a trivago booking?
This is where people get confused. Trivago's help says it can't manage your reservation, so questions about booking, payment or changes go to the booking site's customer service. Its article on cancelling says to contact the booking site directly, using the contact details in your confirmation email. If a booking was made through trivago DEALS, the article says you can manage it on the DEALS booking page.
- Find the confirmation email from the site you booked with.
- Check your spam folder if you can't see it.
- Contact that booking site, not trivago, to cancel or change.
What price does trivago show?
Trivago's help says displayed prices include all fees but exclude government taxes, such as VAT and city tax, unless otherwise stated. Prices are shown per room and per night, and they come from the accommodations and booking sites, not from trivago itself. The price may also change when you're redirected, so check the details on the checkout page before you reserve.
How trivago ranks the deals
A help article on how it selects top partners says certain partners or offers may be prioritized in search results. It gives three factors: brand reputation, data on which partners travellers click and book with most often, and market research on which brands travellers recognise. It adds that it may highlight offer types such as prices provided directly by hotels. The article doesn't say how rankings are calculated beyond that.
What does that mean for you? The top result won't always be the cheapest, so scroll and compare the total price on two or three sites before you click.
The Australian court case against trivago
According to Wikipedia, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission brought proceedings in 2018, and the Federal Court of Australia found in 2020 that trivago engaged in conduct that was, or was likely to be, misleading or deceptive. In 2022, Wikipedia says, the court fined trivago 44.7 million Australian dollars. I couldn't open the regulator's own release, so treat the details as a summary and read the court's judgment if it matters.
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I don't read that as proof that every search is misleading, and it relates to Australian law and past advertising. It does tell me to compare the headline price with the final one, which is good advice anyway.
Travel safety tips when using trivago
Because trivago hands you on to other sites, the risk sits with the site you choose. Book with names you can verify, keep the confirmation email and don't pay anyone by bank transfer or gift card. If you travel for work, my pieces on hidden risk zones in hotels and the best travel backpack are good companions to a booking.
Trivago at a glance
| What I checked | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Type of site | Metasearch: compare, then book on another site |
| Who handles bookings | The booking site, not trivago |
| Prices shown | Include fees, exclude government taxes unless stated |
| Ranking | Some partners may be prioritized |
| Ownership | Expedia Group majority stake, per Wikipedia |
| Australian case | Fined 44.7 million Australian dollars in 2022, per Wikipedia |
Is trivago worth using?
Trivago is a real, listed company and a useful way to see many prices at once. The catches are that you book elsewhere, that its results can be prioritized and that an Australian court has criticised its past pricing claims. Use it to compare, then check the final price and the cancellation rules on the booking site before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
Is trivago legit?
Yes, it's a real hotel comparison site founded in 2005 and listed on Nasdaq. You book on the partner site you click through to, not with trivago.
Can I cancel a booking through trivago?
Trivago's help says it can't manage your reservation, so contact the booking site directly using your confirmation email. Bookings made through trivago DEALS can be managed on its DEALS booking page.
Does trivago show the final price?
Its help says prices include all fees but exclude government taxes such as VAT and city tax unless stated, and the price may change when you reach the booking site.
Who owns trivago?
Wikipedia says Expedia Group owns a majority stake in trivago, with the infobox giving 60%.
Why did trivago get fined in Australia?
According to Wikipedia, the Federal Court of Australia found trivago engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct and fined it 44.7 million Australian dollars in 2022.
