August 31, 2026
The Best Portals for Renting an Apartment in Germany
The best known portals for renting an apartment in Germany are ImmobilienScout24, Immowelt, WG-Gesucht and Kleinanzeigen. They all show active listings that you have to search yourself, and none of them collect waitlists for WBS or social housing apartments. If you're searching in Hamburg or Berlin for that kind of home, the big portals work best alongside Waitly, which brings those waitlists together in one place.
Last updated: 31 August 2026.
In short
The major real estate portals show you current listings, but you have to check them yourself every day. For an apartment that requires a Wohnberechtigungsschein (WBS) or sits on an internal waitlist, you need a more specialised option. In Hamburg and Berlin, Waitly lets you join waitlists for WBS and social housing apartments and notifies you automatically when a matching home opens up, instead of you searching manually every day.
Which portals do most apartment hunters in Germany use?
ImmobilienScout24 is the largest real estate portal in Germany and covers rentals, purchases and commercial property. Immowelt is the main alternative with a similar range of listings. WG-Gesucht specialises in shared flats and short-term subletting, while Kleinanzeigen lists private ads, often without an agent's commission.
All four work on the same principle. A landlord or agent publishes a listing, and you apply alongside many other interested renters. You only ever see homes that happen to be marked available at that exact moment.
Why active listings alone often aren't enough
A listing on a major portal can disappear within hours, because hundreds of people apply for it at once. Relying only on listings also means missing homes that are never advertised publicly at all, because they get allocated through an internal waitlist instead.
This is especially true for apartments that require a WBS. Many WBS apartments in Hamburg and Berlin never appear on ImmobilienScout24 or Immowelt, because the landlord or the district housing office fills them directly from a waitlist.
Waitlists for WBS and social housing as an alternative
A Wohnberechtigungsschein entitles you to rent a subsidised apartment at a reduced rent. Whether you qualify depends on your household income, and the application goes through the housing authority responsible for your city.
In Hamburg, you apply for a WBS online through the Behörde für Stadtentwicklung und Wohnen. In Berlin, the application runs through berlin.de or directly through your local district housing office.
Our guide to social housing and WBS apartments in Germany covers eligibility and the application process in more detail, including specific examples from Berlin and Hamburg.
How Waitly complements the big portals in Hamburg and Berlin
On Waitly, you create a free profile, choose the neighbourhoods that work for you, and join waitlists for WBS and social housing apartments. As soon as a matching home opens up, you get notified automatically, instead of checking the big portals by hand every day.
Joining a waitlist improves your chances, but it doesn't guarantee an apartment. Your position on any given list depends on the landlord or housing office running it, not on Waitly.
Waitly currently covers Hamburg and Berlin only. You can browse active waitlists in Hamburg and in Berlin, or search all waitlists directly. If you're searching in another German city, ImmobilienScout24, Immowelt or WG-Gesucht remain your best option for now.
Next step
Start with the major portals for active listings in the area you want. Then add a waitlist on top if you're waiting on a WBS or social housing apartment in Hamburg or Berlin.
Create a free Waitly profile and join the waitlists that match what you're looking for.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a real estate portal and a waitlist?
A real estate portal shows listings for apartments that are actively available to rent right now. A waitlist collects interested renters for a home or a quota before a listing is even published, and notifies you as soon as something opens up.
Is Waitly available outside Hamburg and Berlin?
No, Waitly currently only covers Hamburg and Berlin. For apartment hunting in other German cities, the major real estate portals are still the right choice.
Does it cost anything to sign up with Waitly?
Creating a profile on Waitly is free. An individual landlord can set a fee to join a specific waitlist, which is shown before you sign up. More detail is in the Waitly FAQ.
How do I know if I qualify for a Wohnberechtigungsschein?
It depends on your household income and household size. The exact income limits and the online application are listed by the housing authority in Hamburg or Berlin, linked in the WBS section above.
