How Much Does House Sitting Cost in 2026? Rates Guide
House sitting is one of the most convenient ways to look after a home and pets while you're away. Instead of moving your animals into a facility, a sitter stays in your house, keeps your pets in their familiar routine, and gives your empty home a lived-in feel. The question owners always ask first is simple: how much should you pay a house sitter?
This guide covers average house sitting rates for 2026 across Australia, the UK, the US, and Europe. We explain what house sitting usually includes, compare paid sitting with house-sitting exchanges, and show how booking-platform fees affect the final figure.
TL;DR
Paid house sitting typically costs $50–$100 per day/night (AUD), £30–£60 (GBP), $40–$90 (USD), or €35–€70 (EUR). Rates climb with more pets, larger homes, and peak holiday periods, and usually drop for stays of a week or longer. Some owners use house-sitting exchanges where no money changes hands at all.
What Does House Sitting Include?
House sitting sits somewhere between pet sitting and home security. A typical arrangement covers:
- Pet care: Feeding, fresh water, walks, litter trays, medication, and companionship, all in your pets' own home.
- Overnight presence: The sitter sleeps at your house, so your pets are never left alone overnight and your home looks occupied.
- Light home duties: Collecting post, watering plants, putting out and bringing in the bins, and opening and closing curtains.
- Peace of mind: A responsible adult on site who can spot a leak, a power cut, or a problem before it becomes a disaster.
Because the sitter is looking after both your pets and your property, house sitting is usually priced per full day or per night rather than per short visit.
Average House Sitting Rates by Country
The ranges below reflect typical paid house sitting for a home with one or two pets in 2026. City, home size, and the number of animals all shift the figure.
Australia
| Stay Type | Average Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Per day / night | $50 – $100 |
| Per week (7 nights) | $320 – $650 |
| With multiple pets | +$10 – $25 per day |
Sydney and Melbourne sit at the upper end. Regional areas and shorter notice periods can be more affordable.
United Kingdom
| Stay Type | Average Cost (GBP) |
|---|---|
| Per day / night | £30 – £60 |
| Per week (7 nights) | £190 – £380 |
| With multiple pets | +£5 – £15 per day |
London and the South East are the most expensive. Northern England, Scotland, and Wales generally cost less.
United States
| Stay Type | Average Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Per day / night | $40 – $90 |
| Per week (7 nights) | $260 – $580 |
| With multiple pets | +$10 – $20 per day |
Coastal metros such as New York, San Francisco, and Seattle push toward the top of the range, while the Midwest and South are typically lower.
Europe (EUR markets)
| Stay Type | Average Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Per day / night | €35 – €70 |
| Per week (7 nights) | €220 – €450 |
| With multiple pets | +€8 – €18 per day |
Amsterdam, Paris, and Berlin are the priciest markets. Southern Europe and smaller cities tend to be more affordable.
Paid House Sitting vs House-Sitting Exchanges
Not all house sitting involves money. There are two broad models, and they suit very different situations.
Paid house sitting is a professional service. You pay a local sitter a daily rate to stay in your home and care for your pets. You choose someone nearby, you can meet them beforehand, and you're paying for reliability, availability on your exact dates, and accountability. This is the right choice for most pet owners who want dependable care on demand.
House-sitting exchanges work on a barter basis. Platforms in this space match travellers who want free accommodation with homeowners who want free pet care. No money changes hands, aside from a membership fee to the platform. It can be great value if your dates are flexible and you're comfortable handing your home to a travelling stranger, but availability is unpredictable and you have far less control over who turns up.
For owners who want a known, vetted, local person on specific dates, paid house sitting is usually worth the cost. Exchanges appeal most to flexible travellers with easygoing pets.
What Affects House Sitting Rates
- Number and type of pets: One cat is a light load. Three dogs, a reptile, and a fish tank is not. Most sitters add a per-pet surcharge beyond the first one or two animals.
- Length of stay: Longer bookings usually come with a lower nightly rate. A two-week sit often works out cheaper per night than a two-night one.
- Home size and duties: A large house with a garden, a pool, or extensive plant care asks more of the sitter and can raise the rate.
- Special needs: Puppies, elderly pets, or animals on medication that needs precise timing may attract a surcharge.
- Peak periods: Christmas, Easter, and summer holidays are the busiest and priciest times. Book early to lock in a sitter and avoid premium rates.
- Experience and references: An experienced sitter with strong reviews, pet first-aid training, or a police check will generally charge more, and is often worth it.
How Platform Fees Affect the Price
The booking platform you use can add a hidden layer to your bill. Most large marketplaces take a commission from the sitter, and each publishes the rate: 20% on Rover and Mad Paws (one company since the acquisition), 19% on Pawshake, 10% on Floofers. To protect their earnings, sitters lift their rates to cover that cut, so owners quietly end up paying more.
Several platforms then charge the owner as well. Rover adds an 11% booking fee at checkout. Mad Paws confirms an owner booking fee that scales with the length of the booking but does not publish the rate, and Pawshake charges owners a "Member Service Fee" in some regions without publishing the amount. Floofers documents no owner-side fee.
These are the current published figures for the Australian market.
| Platform | Sitter pays | Owner pays on top | Sitter keeps per €1,000 booked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rover / Mad Paws | 20% | Yes — Rover 11% at checkout; Mad Paws fee not published | €800 |
| Pawshake | 19% | Yes in some regions — amount not published | €810 |
| Floofers | 10% | None documented | €900 |
| The Pet Sitter | 0% — always | Nothing | €1,000 on Free (€983 on Pro) |
On a one-week house sit, a 20% commission can add $50–$130 to the total, money that goes to the platform rather than the person sleeping in your home and caring for your pets, and any owner booking fee sits on top of that.
The Pet Sitter uses a subscription model instead. Sitters pay a flat annual fee — €0 on the Free plan, or €199 a year plus VAT at the founding rate for the first 100 Pro sitters — and keep 100% of what they earn, so there's no commission and nothing charged to owners, ever. With no cut to absorb, sitters can quote fair rates, and the price you see is the price they actually receive. For the full breakdown of what each platform charges each side, read Who really pays: how pet platforms charge both sides. Read what house sitting covers, then compare it against the rate a sitter publishes on their own profile page. Public sitter search is coming soon.
How to Get Good Value from House Sitting
- Book longer stays with one sitter. A single sitter across your whole trip is usually cheaper per night and gives your pets consistency.
- Be upfront about the workload. A clear list of pets, duties, and expectations means an accurate quote with no awkward add-ons later.
- Meet before you commit. A quick meet-and-greet lets you confirm the sitter is a good fit and lets your pets meet them on home ground.
- Book early for holidays. Peak-season sitters fill up months ahead, and last-minute bookings cost more.
- Skip the commission. A zero-commission platform means you aren't paying an invisible 20% surcharge baked into every quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I pay a house sitter per day?
Budget $50–$100 (AUD), £30–£60 (GBP), $40–$90 (USD), or €35–€70 (EUR) per day for a home with one or two pets. More animals, a larger property, or peak-season dates push the figure higher, while week-long stays usually earn a discount.
Is house sitting cheaper than boarding?
Often, yes, especially if you have multiple pets. Boarding is usually charged per animal, so three pets means three fees, while a house sitter typically charges one daily rate for the whole household plus a small per-pet add-on. Your pets also stay in their own home, which is far less stressful.
Do house sitters get free accommodation instead of pay?
That's the exchange model, where a travelling sitter gets free lodging and you get free pet care. Paid house sitting is different: you hire a local sitter on your exact dates and pay a daily rate for guaranteed, accountable care.
Should I leave money for supplies?
Yes. Leave enough for pet food, litter, and any incidentals, plus a little extra for emergencies. This is separate from the sitter's fee and simply covers your own household costs while you're away.
Finding the Right House Sitter
House sitting keeps your pets calm in their own home and your property secure, all for a single daily rate that often beats boarding several animals separately. Focus on finding someone reliable, communicative, and genuinely good with animals rather than simply the cheapest quote.
For trusted, fairly priced house sitting with no commission and no booking fees, The Pet Sitter lets you book a verified sitter directly, with nothing added on top. Learn more on our how it works page — if a sitter has shared their booking link with you, you can book them today, and public sitter search is coming soon. For more, read The Complete Guide to House Sitting and How Much Does a Pet Sitter Cost in 2026?.