The Roommate Compatibility Test

Thirty questions to ask a potential roommate, and a simple way to tell whether your answers can live together.

Roommates rarely fall out over big things. They fall out over dishes left overnight, a boyfriend who never leaves and a thermostat set four degrees too warm. This test puts those everyday questions on the table before you sign. Each of you answers on your own, then you compare: agreement is good, small differences are fine if you talk about them, and a clash on something either of you calls a dealbreaker is a reason to keep looking.

How to take the test

Answer each question separately, in writing, then swap. For every question, mark how much it matters to you: a lot, a little or not at all. A difference on something that matters a lot to one of you counts far more than a difference on something neither cares about. Anything either of you marks as a dealbreaker should match, or be settled before you move in.

Daily routine

1. What time do you usually go to sleep and wake up on weekdays? On weekends?
2. Do you work or study from home? Which hours?
3. When do you usually cook, and how much do you use the kitchen?
4. How long are your morning showers, and when?
5. Are you home most evenings, or out a lot?

Cleaning and chores

6. How clean do you keep shared spaces day to day?
7. Do you wash dishes right away, the same day or when the sink is full?
8. Would you rather split chores on a rota or have each person keep their own mess in check?
9. How often should the bathroom and kitchen get a proper clean?
10. Are you OK sharing cleaning supplies and splitting their cost?

Noise, guests and social life

11. How much noise is OK on weeknights, and when do quiet hours start?
12. How often do you have friends over?
13. How often would a partner stay over, and for how many nights in a row?
14. How do you feel about parties or gatherings at home?
15. Do you want to hang out with your roommate, or mostly keep to yourself?

Money

16. How will you pay your share of rent, and have you always paid on time?
17. Should utilities be split equally or by use?
18. Do you want to share groceries and household items, or keep them separate?
19. What would you do if you couldn't pay rent one month?
20. How do you feel about paying more for the bigger room or a private bathroom?

Pets, smoking and habits

21. Do you have pets, or plan to? Are you allergic to any animals?
22. Do you smoke or vape, and where?
23. How do you feel about alcohol or other substances at home?
24. What temperature do you like the home at, summer and winter?
25. Are you OK with your roommate borrowing your things?

Communication and conflict

26. If something bothers you, do you say so right away or let it go?
27. How would you like to be told that you've done something annoying?
28. What went wrong with a past roommate, and what would you do differently?
29. How much notice would you give before moving out?
30. What are your three dealbreakers?

Reading your results

Count the questions where your answers agree, then look hard at the differences on things either of you marked important. Two night owls who both like a clean kitchen can overlook a lot; an early riser with a light sleep schedule and someone who has friends over at midnight probably can't. A mismatch on a dealbreaker is a no, however well you get along in person.

Let Snestico do the comparing

Snestico's roommate matching asks the same kind of questions once, lets you mark what matters, and compares your answers with everyone looking in your area. Each match shows what you agree on and where you differ, in plain words, and a dealbreaker is flagged instead of averaged away. When fewer than three habits can be compared, it shows no score rather than a guess.

Common questions

What questions should I ask a potential roommate?

Ask about sleep and work schedules, cleaning and chores, guests and partners staying over, noise and quiet hours, how they pay rent and bills, pets and smoking, and how they handle disagreements. The 30 questions on this page cover all of them.

How do I know if a roommate is compatible?

Compare your answers to the same questions and weigh the differences by how much each topic matters to you. Agreement on sleep, cleanliness, guests and money matters most; a clash on either person's dealbreaker is a reason to keep looking.

What are common roommate dealbreakers?

Smoking indoors, pets, frequent overnight guests, very different sleep schedules, a much lower standard of cleanliness and late or unreliable rent payments are the most common.

Is there an app that matches roommates by compatibility?

Yes. Snestico's roommate matching compares everyday habits, weights them by what matters to each person, flags dealbreakers and explains every match in plain words.