Part-time sitter (A$800/month)
RoverA$1,920/yr
100% free software€0/yr
At the modelled 20% rate, annual commission is A$1,920. The Pet Sitter charges no commission or subscription; your business costs, taxes and external payment fees are separate.
Business Model Comparison
Commission Marketplace vs Ownership Model for Professional Pet Sitters
Rover takes 20% of every booking. The Pet Sitter is free for sitters and owners, with no subscription, booking commission or client limit.
| Metric | The Pet Sitter | Rover |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue model | Free — no subscription or commission | 20% commission per booking |
| Sitter cost structure | Free — no subscription or commission | Scales with your revenue |
| Client relationship | Sitter-owned | Platform-intermediated |
| Stage | Available worldwide — bring your own clients | Global, established |
How Commission Marketplaces Work
Commission marketplaces generate revenue by taking a percentage of each transaction processed through the platform. This model emerged because it aligns platform growth with transaction volume — the more bookings that flow through the system, the more revenue the platform earns.
- The platform connects pet owners with sitters and processes payments on behalf of both parties.
- A percentage of each booking (typically 15–25%) is retained by the platform before the sitter receives payment.
- Many platforms also charge pet owners a separate service or booking fee at checkout.
- The platform controls the payment flow, communication channels, and often the client relationship.
Commission models work well for platforms that need to scale quickly without requiring upfront revenue from their supply side. They lower the barrier to entry for new sitters — you pay nothing until you earn — which helps build marketplace liquidity. For casual sitters or those just starting out, this can be a reasonable trade-off.
Rover operates a 20% sitter commission model, with pet owners also paying a variable service fee at checkout. Rover is the largest pet care marketplace globally, backed by Blackstone, and has grown through acquisitions including DogVacay, DogBuddy, and Mad Paws. Its scale provides significant demand-side liquidity in many markets.
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)
RoverA$4,800/yr
100% free software€0/yr
At the modelled 20% 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.
Full-time professional (A$4,000/month)
RoverA$9,600/yr
100% free software€0/yr
At the modelled 20% rate, annual commission is A$9,600. The Pet Sitter charges no commission or subscription; your business costs, taxes and external payment fees are separate.
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.
Fee Breakdown Calculator
Estimate your annual platform costs based on your monthly booking revenue.
€
per month€200€12,000
Annual platform cost on Rover
€6,000
20% 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
€6,000
Based on fee difference only
Rover 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 | €30,000 |
|---|---|
| Estimated net on Rover | €24,000 |
| Estimated net on The Pet Sitter | €30,000 |
What pet owners pay on Rover
Rover charges pet owners an 11% booking fee at checkout, and its US fee page states no cap on that fee. California bookings carry an additional 25% owner marketplace fee.
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
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
Pricing control
Commission / Platform Model
Platform may influence or cap pricing
Ownership / Subscription Model
Sitter sets all pricing
Repeat client economics
Commission / Platform Model
Same commission on every booking
Ownership / Subscription Model
No incremental cost per booking
Profile SEO
Commission / Platform Model
Limited — profiles often not individually indexable
Ownership / Subscription Model
Search-engine indexing after profile approval and opt-in
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
Revenue scales with the number and value of bookings processed, so the platform is incentivised to maximise transaction throughput.
New client acquisition
New clients generate new first-time transactions. The platform benefits from constantly adding new demand, even if retention is lower.
Payment intermediation
The platform needs to remain in the payment flow to capture its fee. This can limit direct relationships between sitters and clients.
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?
Neither model is universally better. The right choice depends on where you are in your pet sitting career and what you are optimising for.
A commission marketplace may suit you if
You are testing the market
Commission marketplaces let you start with zero upfront cost. If you are unsure whether pet sitting is for you, paying only when you earn can reduce risk.
You need immediate demand
Established platforms like Rover have large client bases. If you need bookings quickly and have no existing network, their liquidity advantage is real.
You sit casually or seasonally
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 have or want repeat clients
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 want to own your 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.
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 thousands of pet owners today, a large established marketplace will likely serve you better in the short term. We are not pretending otherwise.
What we are building is infrastructure for professional sitters who want to own their business economics. A place where your costs are predictable, your client relationships are yours, and your growth is not taxed at 20% on every booking. If that aligns with where you are heading, we would like to build this with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rover better for getting clients quickly?
Today, yes. Rover has significantly more demand-side liquidity in most markets. If immediate bookings are your primary concern, Rover's established marketplace provides an advantage. The trade-off is ongoing commission on all bookings, including repeat clients.
Does The Pet Sitter have a booking fee or subscription?
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.
Can I use both platforms at the same time?
Yes. Many professional sitters use multiple platforms during their growth phase. You might use Rover for initial client discovery while building your profile and direct client base on The Pet Sitter. There are no exclusivity requirements.
What happens to my repeat clients on Rover?
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.
We believe professional pet care should be infrastructure-enabled, not commission-gated.
Your tools. Your clients. Your business.