Build a pet sitting business you own.
Every Melbourne pet sitter can create a profile, receive enquiries and keep 100% of their earnings. Professional adds the software to run and grow the business behind the bookings.
- Free forever plan
- 0% commission
- Built for Melbourne
Fair by design
Free forever plan
Create your profile, appear in search and take bookings at no cost. No card required and no trial clock — the Free plan is permanent.
0% commission
You keep 100% of every booking. Paid plans are a flat software subscription — we never take a cut of your earnings.
Built for Melbourne
We are starting with one city and doing it properly — local suburb pages, local search and support that knows Melbourne.
Your clients. Your prices. Your business.
The Pet Sitter is built on a simple principle: the business you build here belongs to you.
Your clients
Your clients' contact details and the relationships you build with them are yours.
Your prices
You set every rate for every service you offer. No platform pricing rules, no fees added on top.
Your reputation
Every review comes from a real booking, so the reputation you earn reflects the work you actually do.
Your business
Tools that work for you, not a platform that taxes you. Everything is built to help you run a better business.
We grow by helping your business grow.
The Free plan gives you a genuine way to get started. Professional is for sitters who want advanced systems, automation and insight. Your subscription stays flat as your business grows.
Commission platforms
Costs scale with your success
- A percentage of every booking goes to the platform
- The more you earn, the more you pay
- A busier month means a bigger platform bill
The Pet Sitter
Flat subscription, keep 100%
- One flat subscription, whatever you earn
- You keep 100% of every booking
- Your costs stay the same as your bookings grow
One platform to start, run and grow your pet care business.
Think Shopify, but for pet sitters — your profile, bookings, clients and tools in one place, free to begin and built to scale with you.
Available today
Public profile
A polished profile page showcasing your services, rates, photos, and reviews.
Melbourne search visibility
Appear in local search results when Melbourne pet owners look for a sitter.
Bookings
Receive, accept, and manage booking requests from first enquiry to completion.
Messaging
Chat with pet owners directly to arrange meet-and-greets and confirm the details.
Availability calendar
Show owners exactly when you're free and keep your schedule up to date.
Jobs board
Browse pet care jobs posted by local owners and put yourself forward.
On our roadmap
GPS walk updates
Coming soonLive-tracked walk routes owners can follow while you're out with their dog.
Daily report cards
Coming soonPhoto updates, mood, and activity notes sent to owners after every stay or visit.
Client CRM
Coming soonBooking history, pet details, and private notes for every client in one place.
Business analytics
Coming soonEarnings trends, occupancy, and repeat-client insights to guide your growth.
Roadmap features aren't live yet — we ship them as the Melbourne community grows, and founding sitters get them first.
Two simple plans. Zero commission.
Start free and keep 100% of every booking. Upgrade to Pro when you're ready to grow.
Free
Start your pet sitting business
Your public profile, Melbourne search visibility, bookings, and messaging — free for as long as you like. No card required.
Pro
Coming soonRun and grow your business
Pro isn't live yet. See the pricing page to register your interest and lock in the founding rate when it launches.
0% commission on every plan — what you earn is yours.
Keep the commission. Grow your business.
On a 20% commission platform, one booking in five pays the platform. See what stays with you on The Pet Sitter.
Lost to Rover / Mad Paws (20%)
−A$4,160
20% commission per booking
You pay The Pet Sitter
A$0
Generous free plan — 0% commission, forever
Extra you keep every year
+A$4,160
Yours to reinvest in growing your business
That's A$4,160 a year back into your business — more marketing, better gear, or simply yours to keep.
What commission platforms take
| Platform | Every week | Every month | Every year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rover / Mad Paws(20% commission) | -A$80 | -A$347 | -A$4,160 |
| Pawshake(19.5% commission) | -A$78 | -A$338 | -A$4,056 |
| Floofers(10% commission) | -A$40 | -A$173 | -A$2,080 |
| The Pet Sitter(0% commission) | A$0 | A$0 | A$0 |
Rover and Mad Paws also charge pet owners a booking fee on top of these deductions, and Pawshake adds a service fee in some regions — owners pay more while sitters still receive less. The Pet Sitter charges neither side of a booking.
A note from the founder
I was the CTO of Pawshake, one of Europe's largest pet sitting marketplaces, where I built the marketplace and the trust-and-safety systems behind it. I went on to found ModerateKit, a trust and safety platform acquired by Gainsight.
Now I'm building The Pet Sitter: a platform whose success is aligned with sitter success. Sitters pay a flat subscription, keep 100% of what they earn, and get real business tools instead of a commission bill that grows as they do.
Graeme Rycyk
Founder & CEO
Need a pet sitter in Melbourne?
Search vetted local sitters for boarding, house sitting, drop-in visits, day care and dog walking. Free for owners — you pay your sitter directly.
Popular pet care services
Find pet sitters in Melbourne
Every sitter is vetted before they appear
We would rather grow slowly than compromise on safety. Here is what stands between a new signup and your pet.
Police check & ID
Sitters verify their identity and can upload police checks — shown as badges on their profile.
Reviewed by a human
Every profile, photo and bio is manually reviewed before it can appear in search results.
14 verification badges
From first-aid certification to insurance — see exactly what each sitter has verified, at a glance.
From the Blog
Expert tips on pet care, building a pet sitting business, and industry insights.
Why Join The Pet Sitter Instead of Building Your Own Pet Sitting Website?
Thinking about building your own pet sitting website? Here is an honest cost comparison: what a DIY website stack really costs per year, why a new site starts with zero visitors, and when building your own actually makes sense.
By The Pet Sitter Team
How Much Does a Pet Sitter Cost in 2026? Price Guide
Pet sitter prices vary by service, pet, and location. We break down pet sitting rates for 2026, from drop-in visits to overnight stays, and how to save.
By The Pet Sitter Team
How Much Does House Sitting Cost in 2026? Rates Guide
House sitting rates depend on the pets, the length of stay, and where you live. We break down how much to pay a house sitter per day and per night for 2026.
By The Pet Sitter Team
Frequently Asked Questions
Nothing. The Pet Sitter is completely free for pet owners. You only pay the sitter's rate directly — no booking fees, no service charges.
The Free plan costs nothing, and paid plans are a flat annual software subscription — never a commission. Whether you earn $500 or $5,000 a month, you keep it all.
Every sitter profile is manually reviewed by our team before it goes live. We check for completeness, quality, and authenticity. Background checks are available as an additional trust signal.
Pet boarding (overnight stays at the sitter's home), house sitting (sitter stays at your home), drop-in visits, dog walking, and doggy daycare.
We're currently launching in Melbourne, Australia, with plans to expand to other cities soon. Join the waitlist for your city.
Build a pet sitting business you own.
Keep 100% of every booking, set your own rates, and grow with tools built for independent sitters.
Free forever. No card required. 0% commission.