| Free Tours | Paid Tours | |
| Tour Guides' Income | Rely on tips | Have wages |
| Local Economy | Not as good for the local economy | Better for the local economy |
| Budget | Good for budgeting | Good for budgeting |
| Flexibility | More flexible | Not as flexible |
| Limitations | Only see certain aspects of the city | More in depth tours |
| Itinerary | Unsure what to expect | Planned itinerary |
| Tour Guide | Often locals | Licensed tour guides |
| Public Perception | Bad perception - higher expectations | Good perceptions - higher expectations |
Visiting the Isle of Skye? Why not try a guided tour to see this stunning area of Scotland...
In terms of money...
How do the guides make their income?
One of the main differences between paid and free tours is the income that the tour guide receives. It’s important for me to mention that free tours are rarely actually free and you will be expected to pay a tip at the end of the tour. This takes the pressure off the company from having to pay their employees a wage, as tour guides rely on these tips as their form of income. The good thing is that you can pay what you think the tour is worth; if the tour guide did an excellent job then you can tip higher. It is also important to note that the tour guides then have to pay the tour company a fixed rate per person so if you don’t tip, the guide will be missing out on more income.
Of course on paid tours the guides have a fixed wage that the company pays them as the tour is prepaid.
Which is better for the economy?
So which is the better for the local economy? Tour guides that do ‘free tours’ have to pay taxes on their earnings, but does the tourist company? Seeing as there is no contract involved, it is very difficult to tax companies on earnings that are solely tips, therefore more often than not the company does not have to pay taxes; which can hurt the local economy.
Whereas paid tours are better for the economy as their employees are contracted and they are required to pay taxes so it is far more ethical.
What if you're on a budget?
In regards to which is better if you are on a budget, they are both great options! The free tour is good as you can decide on a baseline tip and then adjust it according to how good the tour was. For paid tours you can pre plan your budget in advance as you have already paid for your tour meaning it is much easier to track your spending for the trip before you go.
Interested in learning about English history? Why not have a guided tour in Kent...
In terms of activities...
Which is more flexible?
Free tours are often more flexible as there is no obligation for you to go if you decide you aren’t feeling up to it the morning of the tour, you can go again at another time! Not to mention you won’t be losing any money by doing the tour another day. What’s more, while I highly encourage you not to do so as it is extremely impolite, you can leave the tour at any point (just make sure you tip the tour guide if you do leave early). Paid tours are much less flexible as there is often a strict itinerary that must be adhered to and you need to be at meeting points at a certain time.
What are the limitations?
In non-paid tours they only tend to take you to see outdoor attractions that you don’t need to pay to get into so it is a bit limited in regards to what parts of the city you see. In paid tours you are much more likely to see attractions that you have to pay for as it would’ve been included in the ticket price meaning you get to experience much more of the culture and history of the city you are visiting.
Which has a better itinerary?
What’s more, with free tours you don’t really know what to expect, it can be very dependent on the tour guide and where their interests lie, which may not align with your own. Paid tours have a planned itinerary which you know about before even booking the activity and it often has transport included which can help relieve a lot of stress as you don’t have to figure out how you will get to the location.
Visiting London? Well you have a variety of amazing guided tours to choose from...
In terms of public opinion...
Which has the better tour guides?
With free tours, the guides have often grown up and love the city that they are showing you around; they can tell you a lot about the local knowledge, history and culture. The guides are often motivated to give a great experience to their customers as they are aware that if the people enjoy the tour, they will tip much better. Furthermore, it is much more likely to be an individual experience coming from the perspective of the tour guide rather than them just spitting out general knowledge that you could’ve learned from a quick google. They can give you personalised recommendations for bars and restaurants that the locals go to that are more affordable.
The guides on paid tours are paid to deliver a certain experience so will have in-depth knowledge about the history of the town as companies hire licensed tour guides that often studied tourism. However, it is much less likely to be a personal experience and will be the same regardless of which tour guide you get. Moreover, they are more likely to give you recommendations of places that they have affiliations with, which tend to be more expensive.
Which has a better reputation?
With free tours, unfortunately the public perception of them is not great. People have much lower expectations of them and furthermore, people may not like the fact that they have to pay a tip at the end and may consider it false advertising. People have much higher expectations of paid tours and expect tour guides to be far more knowledgeable.
Fancy a tour of lovely historic city? Have a go at a guided tour in Norfolk...
Or perhaps try a non traditional guided tour in the West Midlands...
So those are the main differences between paid and free guided tours. You may have read this article and still be wondering which is better? My response is that it depends on what experience you are wanting. Do you want an authentic experience of the city from a locals perspective? Then the free tour may be for you. Or would you prefer an all inclusive tour in which you know what to expect? Then a paid tour is the way to go.
