Pet Sitter Cost by Type of Service
What you pay depends first on the kind of care you book. A short drop-in visit is the cheapest option, while an overnight sitter who stays in your home costs the most per day. Typical US prices in 2026:
| Service | Typical price | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Drop-in visit (30 min) | $20–$35 per visit | Feeding, fresh water, potty break or litter box, a little play |
| Drop-in visit (60 min) | $30–$50 per visit | The same, plus a longer walk or more company |
| Dog walk (30 min) | $18–$30 per walk | Pickup at your home and a walk |
| Overnight house sitting | $45–$85 per night | Sitter sleeps at your home, evening and morning care |
| Boarding at the sitter’s home | $35–$65 per night | Your dog stays with the sitter, usually with few other pets |
| Full-day care (several visits or 24-hour care) | $75–$200 per day | Multiple visits or someone home most of the day |
Rover’s September 2025 figures put the national average at about $21.80 per drop-in visit, $55.45 per day for house sitting and $49.01 per night for boarding in a sitter’s home. TrustedHousesitters’ January 2025 research found about $35 per 30-minute drop-in and $75 per overnight in the US, and HomeGuide lists $40 to $75 a night for in-home overnight care. Most owners booking a week of overnight care pay around $440 before tips and app fees.
What’s Included in the Price
A standard visit or overnight rate normally covers the basics:
- Feeding and fresh water, following your instructions.
- Potty breaks, a short walk or litter box scooping.
- Play and company for the rest of the visit.
- A photo or text update, which most app-based sitters send after each visit.
- Light household tasks for house sitters, such as bringing in mail, watering a few plants and turning lights on and off.
Common extras are billed on top:
- Additional pets: often $5 to $10 more per pet, per visit or night.
- Medication: about $5 to $15 per visit for pills, more for injections.
- Puppies, seniors or high-needs dogs: Rover notes $5 to $10 extra for puppies or medical needs, and $30 to $100 more for dogs with separation anxiety or reactivity.
- Holiday surcharges: commonly $5 to $25 per visit or night (see below).
- Bathing or grooming before you return, if the sitter offers it.
Pet Sitter Cost by City
Where you live changes the price more than almost anything else. Sitters in expensive metro areas charge noticeably more than those in smaller towns, where overnight care can be well under the national average.
| Cost tier | Example cities | Drop-in visit | Overnight sitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-cost metro | San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York | $25–$40 | $75–$100+ |
| Mid-cost city | Atlanta, Portland, Minneapolis, Scottsdale, Denver | $20–$30 | $60–$75 |
| Lower-cost city | Columbus, Virginia Beach, San Antonio, Charlotte | $17–$25 | $45–$60 |
| Small town or rural area | Varies | $15–$22 | $25–$45 |
Rover’s city data shows the spread clearly. Average drop-in visits run about $29.76 in San Francisco, $26.49 in Los Angeles, $26.15 in Seattle and $25.36 in New York. For house sitting, Rover lists about $87 a night in Oakland, $80 in Seattle, $68 in Atlanta, $56 in Columbus and $53 in Virginia Beach, with rural areas closer to $25 to $30.
Care.com reports hourly pet sitting rates of roughly $16 to $24 nationally, from about $20 an hour in Los Angeles and $19 in Denver to about $13 in San Antonio and Charlotte (May 2026 data). Hourly rates are more common for independent sitters you hire directly than for app bookings.
Cost for a Weekend, a Week and Two Weeks
For trips, compare two drop-in visits a day with an overnight sitter. Two daily visits often work well for cats and some adult dogs; many dogs do better with someone staying overnight.
| Trip length | 2 drop-ins a day ($20–$35 each) | Overnight sitter ($45–$85 a night) |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend (2 days) | $80–$140 | $90–$170 |
| 1 week (7 days) | $280–$490 | $315–$595 |
| 2 weeks (14 days) | $560–$980 | $630–$1,190 |
Some sitters offer a small discount for stays of a week or longer, while others charge the same nightly rate throughout. HomeGuide lists about $250 to $375 for a five-day week with overnight stays.
Holiday Rates: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year
Holidays are the busiest and most expensive time to book a pet sitter. Many sitters set a separate holiday rate on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day, New Year’s Eve and Day, and sometimes the July 4th and Memorial Day weekends.
- Typical surcharge: Petful reports $5 to $20 or more per visit, HomeGuide about $5 per visit, and Rover $10 to $25 per night for house sitting.
- In practice: a $55 overnight might be $65 to $80 on Christmas Eve, and a $25 drop-in $30 to $45.
- Minimum stays: some sitters only accept holiday bookings that cover the full holiday weekend.
- Book early: popular sitters often fill Thanksgiving and late December weeks or months ahead.
The holiday option in the estimator adds about 30 percent, which reflects a typical surcharge on regular rates.
Cat Sitter vs Dog Sitter Cost
Cat sitting usually costs a bit less than dog sitting. Cats rarely need walks, so a single 20- to 30-minute visit a day is often enough for a healthy adult cat, and many sitters price cat visits slightly lower. HomeGuide notes cats are typically cheaper per day than dogs.
- Cats: commonly one or two drop-ins a day for feeding, litter and company, about $18 to $30 per visit.
- Dogs: usually three to four potty breaks a day, so most owners book an overnight sitter or several visits.
- Mixed households: expect an additional-pet fee rather than two full rates.
Care.com’s hourly city figures for cat sitting and dog sitting are close, roughly $13 to $20 an hour in each case, so the savings come mostly from needing fewer visits. For a full yearly budget, see our cost of owning a cat guide.
What Affects the Cost
Number of pets
Most sitters add $5 to $10 for each extra pet rather than charging a full second rate, so two or three pets cost less per animal than one.
Visit length and frequency
A 60-minute visit costs more than a 30-minute one, and three visits a day add up quickly. Overnight sitting can be better value than four separate drop-ins.
Special care
Puppies, senior pets, pets on medication and dogs with separation anxiety or reactivity take more time and skill, and sitters price that in.
Location
Big-city sitters charge more because living costs are higher. Travel distance can matter too; some independent sitters add a fee if you live outside their usual area.
Experience and credentials
Professional sitters who carry insurance and bonding, have pet first-aid training or run a registered business often charge more than a student or casual sitter.
Last-minute requests
Booking the day before, especially in busy seasons, can cost more or limit you to whoever is available.
Rover, Care.com and Other Apps: Fees to Know
The rate a sitter shows is not always the total you pay. Check the checkout screen for platform fees before you confirm.
- Rover: Rover’s US help page says owners pay an 11% booking fee finalized at checkout, and sitters pay a 20% service fee out of their earnings. In California, Rover lists a 25% marketplace fee plus an 11% booking fee paid by owners, with providers keeping their full base rate.
- Care.com: works as a directory. Families typically pay for a membership to message and hire caregivers, then agree on a rate directly with the sitter.
- TrustedHousesitters: a membership-based swap. Owners and sitters pay an annual membership, and sitters stay for free instead of being paid.
- Independent sitters: no platform fee, but check their insurance, references and cancellation policy yourself.
Platform fees and policies change, so confirm current pricing on each company’s own site.
How Much to Pay a Friend, Neighbor or Teen
There is no official rate for informal sitting, but a few simple guidelines keep things fair and friendly:
- Start from local professional rates. Look up what drop-ins or overnights cost near you, then agree on an amount together. Many people pay a friend or neighbor somewhat less than a professional, since there are no app fees or insurance costs.
- Pay per visit or per night, the same way a pro would, so expectations are clear.
- Cover their costs, such as gas or parking, and leave food and supplies ready.
- Offer a swap with a friend who also has pets: you watch theirs, they watch yours.
- A gift card or a nice meal works for a one-off favor, but pay properly for longer trips.
For a teenager, agree on the rate with a parent and keep the job simple. Leave written instructions, your vet’s number and the nearest emergency hospital’s address. If a pet shows urgent signs, such as trouble breathing, collapse, repeated vomiting or a suspected toxin, the sitter should contact your vet or an emergency hospital right away. Our emergency vet cost guide explains what an ER visit typically costs.
How Much to Tip a Pet Sitter
Tipping is optional but appreciated, especially for long stays, holidays or extra work.
- Standard tip: 15 to 20 percent of the total, according to HomeGuide and Petful; Rover suggests 10 to 20 percent for exceptional care.
- Overnight stays: HomeGuide suggests roughly $15 per night as an alternative.
- Holidays: a larger tip is a kind gesture when someone gives up their own holiday plans.
- Regular walkers or sitters: Petful suggests a year-end bonus of about one week of service.
Pet Sitter vs Boarding: Which Costs Less?
A drop-in sitter is often the cheapest option for cats and independent adult dogs. For dogs who need company overnight, a standard kennel is usually a little cheaper than an overnight sitter, while boarding at a sitter’s home sits in between. Our dog boarding cost guide compares kennel, luxury suite and vet boarding prices.
| Option | Typical cost per night or day | Pros |
|---|---|---|
| Two drop-ins a day | $40–$70 | Pet stays home; good for cats |
| Standard kennel | $35–$55 | Staff on site, lowest price for dogs |
| Boarding at a sitter’s home | $35–$65 | Home setting, fewer dogs |
| Overnight sitter in your home | $45–$85 | Familiar home, covers several pets, house looked after |
Questions to Ask Before You Hire
- What exactly is included in each visit or night, and how long do you stay?
- What do you charge for extra pets, medication and holidays?
- Are you insured or bonded, and do you have pet first-aid training?
- How many other clients will you see on the same days?
- What is your cancellation policy and deposit for holiday dates?
- Will you send updates, and what will you do if my pet seems unwell?
A short meet-and-greet before the first booking helps your pet get used to the sitter and gives you a chance to walk through the routine.
How to Save Money on a Pet Sitter
- Book early, especially for Thanksgiving and late December, to avoid surcharges and last-minute rates.
- Match the service to your pet. Two visits a day may be enough for a cat, while overnight care may save the cost of three or four dog visits.
- Ask about multi-pet and long-stay pricing instead of assuming full rates apply.
- Compare the checkout total, including app booking fees, with an independent sitter’s rate.
- Use the same sitter regularly; some offer loyalty or package rates.
- Swap care with a friend or neighbor who also has pets.
- Prepare everything in advance: pre-portioned food, labeled medication and written instructions shorten visits and reduce mistakes.
- Wi-Fi pet camera with two-way audioCheck price on Amazon
- Outdoor key lock box for sitter accessCheck price on Amazon
Pet sitting and boarding are part of the yearly budget in our cost of owning a dog guide. You can also read how we estimate costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to dog sit for a week?
A week of overnight dog sitting usually costs $315 to $595, and about $440 is typical before tips and app fees. Two drop-in visits a day for a week runs roughly $280 to $490. Big-city sitters and holiday weeks cost more.
How much should I pay a pet sitter per day?
For overnight care, $45 to $85 a day is typical, with Rover’s national average around $55 for house sitting. If you book drop-ins instead, multiply the per-visit rate ($20 to $35) by the number of visits you need each day.
Do pet sitters charge more on holidays?
Many do. Surcharges of $5 to $25 per visit or night are common around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year, and some sitters require minimum stays. Booking early helps you lock in a sitter and avoid last-minute rates.
What fees does Rover charge pet owners?
Rover’s US help center says owners pay an 11% booking fee at checkout, while sitters pay a 20% service fee from their earnings. California has a different structure. Check the total on the checkout screen before you confirm.
How much should I pay a friend to watch my dog?
There is no set rate. A common approach is to look up local professional rates and agree on a somewhat lower amount, paid per visit or per night, plus any travel costs. For a single short favor, a gift card or returning the favor can work.
Should I tip my pet sitter?
Tipping is optional. HomeGuide and Petful suggest 15 to 20 percent of the bill for good service, and a larger tip is a kind gesture for holiday bookings.
Not veterinary advice. Prices are estimates for budgeting, not quotes. Ask your veterinarian for a written, itemized estimate. If your pet is injured, in pain or acting unwell, contact your vet or an emergency animal hospital right away.
