If you're a parent, you know childcare is a constant need. Whether you're a stay-at-home parent or you work full-time, childcare allows you to do what you have to do while ensuring your child has everything they need to be safe and healthy.
Table of content
- Top 10 Babysitting Apps
- 1. Care.com
- 2. SitterCity
- 3. UrbanSitter
- 4. Sitter.com
- 5. NannyLane
- 6. Zum
- 7. Sitter.me
- 8. AuPair in America
- 9. Sitting Around
- 10. Bubble
- How to Choose the Right Babysitter App
- Costs
- Ease of Use
- Availability of Sitters in Your Area
- Ratings and Recommendations
- Online Background Checks
- Stats on Babysitting
- FAQs About the Best Babysitting Apps
- Are babysitting apps safe to use?
- Are there apps to monitor the number of babysitting hours?
- Do virtual babysitters exist?
- How does virtual babysitting work?
- Which babysitting app is best for last-minute bookings?
- The Bottom Line
Unfortunately, for many parents, childcare can also be a struggle. In some cases, a relative or friend might be able to help, but most parents have to rely on non-family members, such as schools, daycare, or personal babysitters. Thankfully, for the last option, technology is here to help.
As the saying goes, "There's an app for that," and babysitting is no exception. We've compiled a list of the top 10 babysitting apps for parents to use in 2024 and beyond. Some of these apps connect you with childcare specialists, while others are more specific to different types of childcare, such as providing rides to and from school.
Top 10 Babysitting Apps
1. Care.com
One of the biggest challenges with finding adequate childcare is verifying that the person watching your little one can handle the responsibility. Fortunately, Care.com alleviates this problem by providing background checks on everyone listed, and you can view each sitter's profile individually. These profiles include client reviews, personal descriptions, and their experience level.
Another excellent feature of Care.com is that you can find caregivers for different situations. In addition to babysitting, you can get people for elder care, tutoring, pet sitting, and even housekeeping. Care.com could be your one-stop shop for all the assistance you need in your life.
Price: Care.com has a free version, or you can pay $37/month (or $147/year) for the premium version.
- All caregivers must pass a background check
- Care specialists available for multiple types of jobs
- Read real customer reviews
- Paid version is kind of expensive
2. SitterCity
Like Care.com, SitterCity has an extensive network of childcare providers with various backgrounds. Part of what sets Sittercity apart is that you can find individuals with experience helping children with special needs. Because your little one may need extra care and attention, it's imperative to find someone who can handle the extra responsibility.
This site can also connect you with sitters who offer unique activities for your child. This way, you know your kid will have fun and look forward to going to the babysitter.
Price: There's a free version, or you can pay $11.67/month.
- You can interview babysitters before hiring them
- Get access to childcare for special needs children
- More affordable pricing
- You can't view full sitter profiles without the premium version
3. UrbanSitter
If you need a last-minute babysitter, UrbanSitter can help. The average time it takes to book a babysitter is around three minutes, so it can come in handy when you need it. This site also has caregivers introducing themselves via video so you can get a better sense of who they are and their personalities.
As with other sitter sites, you can read real reviews from other parents, as well as book multiple types of care, including pet sitting or elder care.
Price: Free version, or $34.95/month (discount of $99.95 for the year)
- See caregivers via video upfront
- Get access to last-minute babysitters
- Craft your own screening questions
- Relatively expensive for the paid version
- Only available in larger cities
4. Sitter.com
Although many babysitting apps and websites conduct their own background checks, Sitter.com does not. However, it provides parents with some tools to conduct their own research and vet potential caregivers before hiring them. For example, rather than communicating with your own phone number, you can use the site's proprietary TELESAFE system, which keeps your contact information private.
Price: Free version, or $45/month ($187 annually)
- Access to over three million babysitters across the country
- User-friendly search tools to help you find a match
- TELESAFE system protects your privacy
- Sitter
- com does not conduct its own background checks
5. NannyLane
NannyLane is an all-inclusive website that helps you find, hire, and retain a nanny for your child. The system connects you with verified nannies around the country, and it allows you to conduct background checks to ensure their qualifications and experience. The site also has a nanny payroll service, so you can handle each aspect of childcare with a single account.
NannyLane offers a nanny share program, meaning you can put your child with other kids to help them make friends and have more fun during their scheduled time.
Price: Free version, or $55/month
- Access vetted and verified nannies
- Participate in a nanny share program to save money
- Pay your nanny through the site if you want
- One of the more expensive sites out there
6. Zum
Sometimes, the hardest part of childcare is getting your little one to and from school and/or extracurricular activities. If you work during the day, it can be difficult to find time to drive your child to practice or back to your house after school. Zum is designed to handle this problem by connecting you with ride-share services. Best of all, the technology lets you track your child's whereabouts from pick-up to drop-off, giving you peace of mind.
Price: Zum charges the school, so you don't pay anything
- Easy-to-use platform
- Free service for your child
- Keep track of your child's location and communicate with the driver directly
- Only available in a few states
- No babysitting services offered
7. Sitter.me
Finding the right babysitter can be a time-consuming process, but what if the person you chose isn't available when you need them? Sitter.me alleviates this issue by allowing you to curate a roster of potential caregivers. Then, when you need someone, you can send a notification out to everyone on your list and hire whoever responds first. This setup works well for last-minute sitting, and you only work with professional sitters who've submitted background checks.
Price: Free version, or $9.99 per month (discount of $100 for the year)
- Build a roster of available babysitters
- Only work with professional caregivers
- Affordable price
- May not have many options outside of big cities
8. AuPair in America
If you're unfamiliar with the term, an "au pair" refers to someone who lives in your household for free in exchange for providing childcare and helping with household chores. As you can imagine, au pairs are much more involved than traditional nannies, but they can offer a much broader variety of services. Also, typically, au pairs are foreign nationals, although they often speak English.
AuPair in America helps connect you with potential au pair candidates, and each person is heavily vetted. The site even works with the US State Department to verify all personal details.
Price: Pay au pair fees (if applicable)
- Have someone help with childcare and other household chores
- Create strong bonds between your child and the au pair
- Broaden your cultural experiences
- Not everyone is set up to accept an au pair, and there's a lot of paperwork involved
9. Sitting Around
Rather than hiring professional caregivers, Sitting Around empowers parents to work together to handle childcare needs. This app connects you with other parents in your community, helping you to build a co-op group where each member shares different duties. For example, one parent may watch your child today in exchange for having you watch their child tomorrow.
Price: 60-day free trial, or $5 per month (discount of $115 for the year)
- Build a community network of parents
- Save money on childcare costs
- Meet other parents and children in your neighborhood
- No background checks provided
- No guarantee of other willing parents nearby
10. Bubble
Bubble bills itself as the "Uber of babysitting." This app works great for last-minute childcare, although you can also use it for ongoing babysitting if necessary. All you have to do is post your job and see who is nearby to watch your child. You can refine your search based on reviews, and you can include different specifications or requirements. All Bubble candidates have been verified and checked, so you can feel safe when using the app.
Price: $5 booking fee
- An affordable way to book a babysitter
- Background checks and vetting are done beforehand
- Excellent for last-minute needs
- Can be tricky to get regular care, as you never know who's available
How to Choose the Right Babysitter App
Costs
As you can see, some babysitting apps are relatively expensive. Keep in mind that these prices are on top of whatever you may pay your babysitter or nanny. So, you need to determine whether the ongoing expense is worthwhile or if it's better to use a more affordable app instead.
Ease of Use
While all of these programs have an app, some of them are easier to use on your phone than others. For example, Bubble was built as an app, so it's easy to navigate between pages and find what you need. However, other options, like AuPair in America, can be a bit harder to master.
Availability of Sitters in Your Area
If you live in or around a big city, you shouldn't have any problem finding qualified babysitters nearby. However, if you're in a more rural or suburban area, you might struggle to get a match. Some sites provide access to thousands of sitters, while others have a limited talent pool. Fortunately, most of these apps have a free version, so you can see which one has the most people in your area before making a final decision.
Ratings and Recommendations
Not only is it important to see the ratings of a potential babysitter, but you should also pay attention to what people are saying about the app itself. Look for reviews that mention problems like glitching, improper payment processing, or unverified accounts. If an app doesn't work the way it's supposed to, you might wind up in a bad situation.
Online Background Checks
As we've seen, most babysitting apps provide their own verification systems to ensure the health and safety of your child. However, even if an app promises added security, you should still conduct a background check, particularly if you're going to use a babysitter or nanny full-time.
Fortunately, just as you can find a babysitter via an app, you can use apps for background checks, too. This way, you have more control over who you hire, and you get complete peace of mind.
Stats on Babysitting
Average Price of a Babysitter Per Hour
One of the main challenges of finding a babysitter is that it can be very expensive. Most sitters charge upwards of $20 or more per hour, so you could be looking at a daily rate of $100 to $140 per day. If you work full-time, these costs can be prohibitive, especially if your cost of living is also high. Here's a breakdown of rates in different cities:
| US Average | 22.68 |
| San Francisco | 25.24 |
| Seattle | 24.60 |
| Atlanta | 21.14 |
| Chicago | 19.91 |
| Denver | 19.81 |
Gender Breakdown of Babysitters
The overwhelming majority of babysitters (94 percent) are women, with only six percent of men in the industry. Most people trust women to take care of their children and are wary of male caregivers.
Racial Makeup of Babysitters
| White | 58% |
| Hispanic | 24% |
| Black | 14% |
| Asian | 4% |
FAQs About the Best Babysitting Apps
Are babysitting apps safe to use?
Yes, babysitting apps are safe to use. However, those that employ background checks and other verification services are safer than those that don't.
Are there apps to monitor the number of babysitting hours?
Yes, you can use a simple time-tracking app or one designed specifically for full-time nannies. These apps ensure you're paying an accurate amount for the work performed.
Do virtual babysitters exist?
Yes, you can find virtual babysitters who can engage with your child via an online video session.
How does virtual babysitting work?
Virtual babysitting works by having your child stay on a video call with a qualified sitter. While this option doesn't work for full-time care, it can help alleviate your workload as a parent. For example, a virtual babysitter can help your child with their homework or play with them online.
Which babysitting app is best for last-minute bookings?
Bubble and Sitter.me are the best apps for last-minute bookings, as they allow you to search for multiple babysitters at once based on your needs.
The Bottom Line
Childcare doesn't have to be a struggle anymore. With the top babysitting apps at your fingertips, it's never been easier to connect with a qualified, professional babysitter, nanny, or au pair. Be sure to compare the top apps and find the one that best suits your needs.
The responses below are not provided, commissioned, reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any financial entity or advertiser. It is not the advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
