Part-time sitter (A$800/month)
FloofersA$960/yr
100% free software€0/yr
At the modelled 10% rate, annual commission is A$960. The Pet Sitter charges no commission or subscription; your business costs, taxes and external payment fees are separate.
Business Model Comparison
Commission vs free pet sitting software
Floofers offered one of the lowest commission rates in the industry at 10%. But low fees alone could not solve the marketplace liquidity problem. Here is how the economics compare.
| Metric | The Pet Sitter | Floofers |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue model | Free — no subscription or commission | 10% commission per booking |
| Sitter cost structure | Free — no subscription or commission | Scales with your revenue |
| Client relationship | Sitter-owned | Platform-intermediated |
| Marketplace health | Early — discovery coming soon | Minimal activity, uncertain future |
How Commission Marketplaces Work
Commission marketplaces generate revenue by taking a percentage of each transaction. Even at low commission rates, the model depends on sufficient transaction volume to sustain operations. This creates a fundamental dependency on marketplace liquidity — enough sitters and enough pet owners in each market to generate consistent bookings.
- The platform connects pet owners with sitters and processes payments on behalf of both parties.
- A percentage of each booking is retained by the platform before the sitter receives payment.
- The platform needs a critical mass of both sitters and pet owners in each geographic area to function.
- Without sufficient liquidity, even the most sitter-friendly fee structure cannot generate enough bookings to matter.
Commission models work well for platforms that achieve marketplace liquidity — enough supply and demand in each market to generate consistent transactions. They lower the barrier to entry for sitters. But a commission marketplace with insufficient liquidity provides the worst of both worlds: the platform takes a cut when bookings happen, but cannot generate enough bookings to build a sustainable business for sitters.
Floofers is an Australian pet sitting platform that offered a notably low 10% commission rate, PIAA accreditation, and required police checks for sitters. These were genuinely sitter-friendly policies. However, with approximately 415 listed sitters nationally and fewer than 20 showing recent activity, the marketplace struggled to achieve the liquidity needed to sustain consistent bookings. Having the lowest commission in the market matters less when the market itself is not generating sufficient transaction volume.
The 12-Month Economics
The scenarios below show the platform cost at different booking volumes. The Pet Sitter costs zero at each level; other business costs are outside this comparison.
The Pet Sitter has no subscription cost or booking commission, so there is no paid-plan break-even threshold. Your own business expenses, taxes and any external payment-provider fees still apply.
Regular sitter (A$2,000/month)
FloofersA$2,400/yr
100% free software€0/yr
At the modelled 10% rate, annual commission is A$2,400. The Pet Sitter charges no commission or subscription; your business costs, taxes and external payment fees are separate.
Full-time professional (A$4,000/month)
FloofersA$4,800/yr
100% free software€0/yr
At the modelled 10% rate, annual commission is A$4,800. The Pet Sitter charges no commission or subscription; your business costs, taxes and external payment fees are separate.
Floofers' 10% rate was genuinely lower than most competitors. But the more important question for any sitter is whether a platform can generate enough bookings to make the fee structure relevant. A 10% commission on zero bookings saves you nothing. The economics only matter when transaction volume reaches a sustainable level.
Fee Breakdown Calculator
Estimate your annual platform costs based on your monthly booking revenue.
€
per month€200€8,000
Annual platform cost on Floofers
€1,440
10% commission on your booking revenue
Annual cost on The Pet Sitter
€0+ VAT
Free software, no commission
Estimated annual fee savings with The Pet Sitter
€1,440
Based on fee difference only
Floofers figures are converted from their published price at an approximate rate, for comparison only. The Pet Sitter price shown here is the amount Checkout charges in euros (EUR).
| Annual gross booking revenue | €14,400 |
|---|---|
| Estimated net on Floofers | €12,960 |
| Estimated net on The Pet Sitter | €14,400 |
What pet owners pay on Floofers
Floofers documents no owner-side booking fee: their published model is free for owners to join, with a single 10% total commission on the sitter side. Among commission platforms, credit to them for that.
The Pet Sitter charges neither side of a booking.
Model Comparison
Structural differences between the two business models.
Revenue model
Commission / Platform Model
Percentage of each transaction (10%)
Ownership / Subscription Model
Free — no subscription or commission
Cost scales with
Commission / Platform Model
Your booking revenue
Ownership / Subscription Model
Free — no subscription or commission
Client relationship
Commission / Platform Model
Platform-intermediated
Ownership / Subscription Model
Sitter-owned, direct
Marketplace liquidity
Commission / Platform Model
Limited — minimal activity in most markets
Ownership / Subscription Model
Owner-side discovery coming soon
Repeat client economics
Commission / Platform Model
Same 10% commission on every booking
Ownership / Subscription Model
No incremental cost per booking
Professional standards
Commission / Platform Model
PIAA accredited, police checks required
Ownership / Subscription Model
Vetting process, verification badges
Business portability
Commission / Platform Model
Client data stays on platform
Ownership / Subscription Model
Sitter builds portable reputation
What Each Model Optimises For
What commission models optimise for
Transaction volume
Even at 10%, revenue depends on bookings flowing through the platform. Without sufficient liquidity, the model cannot sustain platform operations or investment in growth.
New client acquisition
Commission platforms need a constant stream of new demand. In markets with limited liquidity, this becomes a chicken-and-egg problem — sitters leave because there are no clients, and clients leave because there are no active sitters.
Geographic density
A commission marketplace needs critical mass in each market it serves. Spreading thin across many markets without density in any of them can leave all markets underserved.
What the free tools help you do
Organise your work
Keep bookings, client details, care updates and invoices together. The tools are free, and you decide whether they fit your day-to-day work.
Direct client relationships
Set your own rates and share your booking link with the clients you bring. You manage the relationship directly; a profile does not guarantee new bookings.
Room for your client list
Add clients without a paid tier or client-count cap. Import client records by CSV; historical bookings, invoices and payment credentials do not transfer.
You set your care prices and receive payments directly. The Pet Sitter deducts no commission and charges no software subscription; your business expenses, taxes and external provider fees are separate.
Who Should Use Which Model?
This is an honest assessment. The right choice depends on your market, your career stage, and whether the platforms you are considering can actually deliver bookings in your area.
A commission marketplace may suit you if
You are in a market with strong platform liquidity
Commission marketplaces work best when they have critical mass. In Australia, Rover (via Mad Paws) has the strongest liquidity. If you need bookings now in a major city, an established platform may deliver more volume.
You want zero upfront cost
Commission models let you start for free. If you are testing pet sitting or operating casually, paying only when you earn reduces risk.
You sit infrequently
An established marketplace may help you reach owners when you do not yet have your own clients. Weigh that access and its terms against its fees; The Pet Sitter is free at every booking volume.
The Pet Sitter may suit you if
You are building a professional business
The Pet Sitter has no subscription cost or booking commission, so there is no paid-plan break-even threshold. Your own business expenses, taxes and any external payment-provider fees still apply.
You want tools for the clients you bring
New and repeat bookings carry no The Pet Sitter fee. Your revenue does not change the software price: it stays free. This comparison covers platform fees, not your total business profit.
You value cost predictability
Set your own rates and share your booking link with the clients you bring. You manage the relationship directly; a profile does not guarantee new bookings.
You are thinking long-term
The Pet Sitter has no subscription cost or booking commission, so there is no paid-plan break-even threshold. Your own business expenses, taxes and any external payment-provider fees still apply.
An Honest Note on Where We Are
Your profile, booking link, date-range bookings, messaging, report cards, unlimited client records and CSV client import are free. Share your profile and booking link with your own clients from day one. Owner-side search, team and facility workflows are on the roadmap.
If you need access to a large client base today, an established marketplace will likely serve you better in the short term. What we are building is infrastructure for professional sitters who want predictable costs, direct client relationships, and business tools that help you grow independently. If that aligns with where you are heading, we would like to build this with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Floofers?
Floofers is an Australian pet sitting platform that offered a 10% commission rate, PIAA accreditation, and required police checks. While these policies were sitter-friendly, the marketplace struggled to achieve the liquidity needed for consistent bookings. As of early 2026, the platform shows minimal activity in most markets, with fewer than 20 of its approximately 415 listed sitters showing recent activity.
Is Floofers still active?
The Floofers website remains online, but marketplace activity appears minimal. Of approximately 415 listed sitters nationally, fewer than 20 show recent activity, and several of its five listed markets show zero active sitters. The platform has not shown signs of significant investment or growth.
How is The Pet Sitter different from Floofers?
The Pet Sitter has no subscription cost or booking commission, so there is no paid-plan break-even threshold. Your own business expenses, taxes and any external payment-provider fees still apply.
Was Floofers' 10% commission a good deal?
Relative to Rover (20%) or Pawshake (19%), yes — 10% was notably competitive. But commission rate is only one factor. Marketplace liquidity matters more than commission rate for most sitters. A 10% commission on consistent bookings is better than 0% commission on a platform that cannot generate bookings. The real question is whether a platform can deliver enough demand in your market to justify being on it at all.
Can I use both The Pet Sitter and other platforms?
Yes. Many professional sitters list on multiple platforms to maximise visibility. There are no exclusivity requirements. We encourage sitters to diversify their client acquisition channels — including other platforms, social media, local networks, and word of mouth.
Good intentions deserve a sustainable model. We are building one.
Your tools. Your clients. Your business.