I used Warmshowers quite a lot on my tours in 2018, 2019, 2022, and , especially, 2023.  I use the message feature unless the host's bio says to use an email or phone number. I send a message saying "Coming your way" with an expected date then, if I get a positive response, I send another message confirming my arrival details. This sounds like what you were trying to do with the app feature. I agree that the app features are more trouble than they are worth.

I have only turned down one "yes" from a host. His yard was a virtual junk yard and he and his neighbors had loud, aggressive dogs. The positive reviews of this host seemed completely at odds with reality.

Often the experience is meh.  No better than a cheapo motel. Instead of paying for a room with cash, you sing (tell touring stories) for your supper. At least you get an idea of what it's like to live in the towns you are passing through.

A few times, however, my experience was fantastic. In Newcastle, Maine, The hosts and I got along so well they hosted me twice. In Ennis, Montana, the hosts had five guests. They had a happy hour of sorts then an amazing dinner. Breakfast was off the charts good.  In Morehead City, Minnesota, I stayed with a super nice family that could not have treated me better.

I treat Warmshowers a bit like camping. It's an option that's nice to have. As for its management, I'm indifferent. 

It's interesting that there is enough growth in WarmShowers to provide a revenue stream of that size. Cycle touring is not slowing down.

When looking at potential hosts I admit to a certain degree of selectivity.  I'll preferentially reach out to those who explicitly offer indoor accommodations rather than yard space for a tent, and give even more preference to those who mention meals, laundry, etc. as amenities they offer.

On the two occasions so far where I've actually been a guest I've made a point of taking my host out for dinner by way of a tangible expression of thanks.

A term that Cory Doctorow came up with seems apt here - enshittification. A pretty good definition from Wikipedia: 

“Enshittification is the pattern of decreasing quality observed in online services and products such as Amazon, Facebook, Google Search, Twitter, Bandcamp, Reddit, Uber, and Unity. The term was used by writer Cory Doctorow in November 2022, and the American Dialect Society selected it as its 2023 Word of the Year. Doctorow has also used the term platform decay to describe the same concept.”

It's possible that the revenue growth reflects, at least in part, increased enrollment in the site by existing tourists, as well as increased revenues from the subscription fees for the mobile app, rather than overall growth of the touring population.  

Put another way, the revenues could be coming from new site users who are longtime tourists or hosts, as easily as from growth in the overall number of cycle tourists who also happen to be registering to use (and therefore paying for access to) the site.

I have no doubt that there's a component of each of these factors in the overall result but I have no idea of how to measure the relative contribution of each to the total.

I have put myself on long-term 'Unavailable' at Warm Showers since the debut of the "New & Improved" website. There were a couple of errors in the transition of my listing - including a pic of a balcony somewhere in Asia with a Chromebook and a beer with Asian characters. They had also removed all of my reviews when I was a guest. (I host 10 times more than stay.) The person responded that "Everything was perfect." When I told him that I had never toured in Asia not do I drink he got miffy. I also said I felt it helped for potential hosts to see reviews when I was a guest for when I chose to tour. He gave some song & dance about the new limits. And how wonderful the new Edsel was. 

I'm still hosting for those who need a place in Buffalo - but it's just word of mouth. Or word of internet. First Couchsurfing tanked - and now it appears the same has happened to Warm Showers. Gotta admit, I do not cotton to an exec getting $100K plus when I'm the one hosting, feeding, and washing sheets. And getting attitude as an inducement.

When we cycled the Northern Tier, we stayed with 52 WS hosts over 131 days. We've hosted since 2007 and not being on a direct route, we get about 15 requests per year. Except recently, and when checking our profile if anyone checking by Distance we are listed as being 7 miles out of town....we are NOT, we are less than a mile from the Capital building, 10 minute walk to downtown.

I've tried contacting WS through their FB page as the webpage has no method of contacting...the administrator has  been totally unresponsive.

This makes me sad, as it's been a great idea and great network. 

Their recent change in management (NOT "leadership") is troubling to say the least, and the changes to the web platform are equally so, to me at least.

Troubling, I'll say and the rest. I've never used WS but as other contributors state, it's a good idea with obvious benefits for all involved.

What possessed the WS board to hire a woman who describes herself as a "social impact entrepreneur", is beyond me. What posessed the WS board, in 2022 to hire a woman who promotes herself as, not only a witch, but also, evidently, a Professor of Witchcraft is beyond beyond. She cast a spell?

Some good might come out of it though. If I took the course in Casting Spells, maybe I could do the world a favour by turning Donald Trump into a hamster [ in a cage of course].

On the other hand, if she lives in Florida, maybe Florida lawmakers could help us out, by reviving an old law and have her burnt at the stake, surrounded by a pile of gasoline-soaked history books. Two birds etc.