Best House Sitting Jobs – Make Money While Seeing the World
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House sitting is a great way to see the world and make a little money on the side. If you’re interested in house sitting and unsure where to start, here are eight of the best sites to find house-sitting gigs.
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In this article
Overview of the best house sitting jobs
Platform | Best For |
Trusted Housesitters | Long-term house sit, international house sitting |
House Sitters America | Domestic travelers, local sitters |
MindMyHouse | International house sitting |
Nomador | Nomads, international house sitting |
Rover | Flexible schedules, local sitters, full-time pet sitters |
HouseSitter | Local house sitting, short-term stays |
HouseSit Match | International house sitting |
HouseCarers | People on a fixed income, retirees, people who do not want to pet sit |
The best house sitting jobs
Trusted Housesitters
Founded in 2010, TrustedHousesitters.com offers pet and housesitting services across the globe. According to the company website, Trusted Housesitters has connected thousands of pet owners and sitters worldwide for over 10 years.
Here’s how it works: Pet owners and Sitters pay an annual fee (Standard Package, $199; Premium Package, $259; or Basic Package, $129) to lock in their owner/sitter listing. In return, owners are provided with unlimited pet and home care while sitters can stay in various homes across the globe — it’s a win-win for everyone, including the pets!
All you have to do to become a sitter with Trusted Housesitters is select a plan, fill out some basic information, add photos, and undergo sitter verification (which may include a background check). That’s it! From there, you can apply for sits (you can filter listings by home type, vehicle access, amenities, and more), await confirmation from the owner, and travel. Note: While your stay is completely free, getting there isn’t. Be sure to account for travel expenses before applying to sit!
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House Sitters America
House Sitters America prides itself on being the “original pet sitting site.” According to the company site, House Sitters America has been in the house sitting business for over a decade.
Owners are free to post a job ad and contact sitters. Sitters, however, are required to pay an annual membership fee of $49. No commissions are taken out, and sitters can choose to sit for free (in exchange for rent-free accommodation) or charge for their services.
Becoming a sitter on House Sitters America is simple. Just register on the website, create a house sitter profile, and browse available job listings. Sitters with photos, referrals, and positive reviews are more likely to be chosen. House Sitters America also allows sitters and owners to browse for free.
According to the website, not all owners post job ads. Many owners contact sitters directly via their online profile, so this may be something to keep in mind when registering.
MindMyHouse
MindMyHouse launched in 2005 from a “tiny flat” in London, UK. At the time, MindMyHouse was among the top four house-sitting platforms with a global user base. (Well, there were only four available back then.)
In the beginning, MindMyHouse offered free services for sitters and owners. Still, once the database reached 30,000 aspiring house sitters the founders decided to implement a $29 annual membership fee for pet sitters — this fee covers the sitter’s online profile. (A $29 fee is nothing when getting free accommodation!) Even so, the site is still a very “mom-and-pop-shop” type of business.
To register as a sitter with MindMyHouse, you only need an email address, password, and $29. Once logged in, you can create a listing and search house sitting assignments. MindMyHouse also offers resources and advice for first-time sitters, including a house-sitting agreement.
Most of the job listings on MindMyHouse are located outside of the U.S., and some of the listings include farm animals such as donkeys, horses, goats, and chickens — be sure to read the fine print!
Nomador
Founded in 2013, Nomandor is a “trust-based community platform” connecting potential house sitters with homeowners. Sitting is provided in exchange for a rent-free stay in the homeowner's house. Nomandor is a Sydney-based company owned by the founders of the European house-sitting market leader, ILIDOR.
Nomador offers two options for house sitters and owners: Discovery ($99 per year or $39 for three months), Standard ($159 per year) and Premium ($199 per year). Nomador is unique because it offers house sitting opportunities and “stopovers;” a stopover is like a layover. Booking a stopover works similarly to booking a private room on Airbnb — a quick stay for one or two nights.
Becoming a pet sitter with Nomador is easy. Just fill out the form, search for house sits, and collect reviews as you travel the world. The Discovery version offers sitters unlimited housesitting worldwide.
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Rover
Rover is a full-service pet care site for dog and cat owners. Rover offers boarding, house sitting, drop-in visits, doggy daycare, and dog walking. Rover is available in the United States, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Germany, Italy, and Sweden.
With Rover, sitters (or caregivers, in this case) can set their own schedule and prices, offer whatever services they’d like, and set a size and age preference for the pets they care for via the Rover app. Plus, according to the Rover website, sitters who offer boarding (at the sitters' home) can make twice as much as sitters who don’t.
To become a walker or a sitter, simply click “Become a sitter,” select the services you’re willing to provide, set your rates, availability, and pet preferences, create your profile, complete the Rover safety quiz (required), and undergo a background check. Once all of these steps are complete, select “submit.” The average profile approval takes 10–20 business days.
Unlike the other house-sitting platforms on this list, Rover charges its sitters a service fee. Service fees depend on when the account was approved:
- Before March 1, 2016: 15%
- On/After March 1, 2016: 20%
- Sitters with RoverGO: 25%
HouseSitter.com
HouseSitter.com is a part of the CareGuide Family (based in Toronto, Canada), including CanadianNanny.ca, Sitter.com, HouseKeeper.com, PetSitter.com, ElderCare.com, and ChildCareAdvantage.com, among other domains. HouseSitter offers owners flexible scheduling and short-term and long-term booking options for sitters.
According to the HouseSitter website, the ideal sitter should love pets, have an outstanding profile (with references, a catchy headline, and a personal photo), be responsive, ask questions when needed, provide pet updates, and tidy up before leaving an owner’s home.
To start with HouseSitter.com, click “Are you a house sitter looking for clients” and follow the on-screen prompts. Note: HouseSitter.com does not disclose any information about membership fees or pricing until you register for an account. In addition, some reviewers on Indeed and Reddit note that HouseSitter.com demands payment before you can see an owner’s reply — so maybe do some extra research before using this site.
HouseSit Match
HouseSit Match matches homeowners with pet sitters. The site offers two service levels: Standard and Premium. The Standard membership includes a 150-word profile, two profile images, verified reviews, free ID verification, an online background check, live chat, and marketplace offers for £69 per year. Whereas the Premium membership includes an 800-word profile, seven profile images, a video link, “getting started” support, verified reviews, free ID verification, an online background check, live chat, marketplace offers, free how-to guides, tailored house-sit alerts, and hands-on customer support for £89 per year.
HouseSit Match offers services in Australia, Beijing, France, Ireland, London, and Spain, among other international locations. However, HouseSit Match does not organize visas or travel arrangements — you’ll need to do this beforehand.
HouseCarers.com
HouseCarers has been helping pet lovers find house-sitting gigs since 2000. These gigs are not paid, however. HouseCarers is for people who want to housesit in exchange for new scenery and free accommodation. In addition to pet sitting, HouseCarers also offers pet-free housesits.
HouseCarers charges sitters an annual membership fee of $50 per year. This fee covers your sitter profile and ID check. Once you’re cleared to sit, the site will match you with potential owners. If you don’t want to pay the fee, HouseCarers does offer a limited free guest membership.
Pet lovers aren’t the only people HouseCarers caters to. Retirees (and other people on a fixed income) are also encouraged to sign up as housesitters.
Summary of best house sitting jobs
Platform | Price | Domestic, international, or both |
Trusted Housesitters | Standard membership: $199/year; premium membership: $259/year; basic membership: $129/year | Both |
House Sitters America | $49/year | Domestic |
MindMyHouse | $29/year | Both |
Nomador | $99/year | Both |
Rover | Varies | Both |
HouseSitter | N/A | Both |
HouseSit Match | Standard membership: £69; premium membership: £89 | International |
HouseCarers | $50/year | Both |
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FAQs
Is house sitting a good idea?
House sitting is one-way homeowners can ensure that their homes are safe while they’re traveling. Hiring a sitter deters burglars and vandals, as well. Plus, a house sitter can make sure that the plants are watered and the pets are happy.
Do you get paid for house sitting?
Some sitters provide house-sitting services in exchange for free accommodation. Whether a person gets paid to housesit or not really depends on what the owner and the sitter agreed to. A site like Rover, however, does pay sitters to take care of pets.
What is the best housesitting company to work for?
Although the answer to this question really depends on what you’re looking for (free accommodation, payment, etc.), many people say Trusted Housesitters is one of the best house-sitting websites out there.
Why you should use a house-sitting platform
Using a house-sitting platform is the easiest way to find house-sitting jobs. For most, all you have to do is fill out an application, create an online profile, and undergo a background check. Sign-up is simple and quick and if you find the right site or owner, it could turn into a full-time gig.
The bottom line
House sitting is one way to see the world on a budget. If you’re not an animal person, house sitting may not be the best side hustle; though, some house sitting gigs are pet-free. Just be sure to read reviews beforehand and be wary of sites that withhold information or hide it behind a paywall.
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Writer
Tabitha Britt is a New York-based freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared on INSIDER, the Huffington Post, and Taste of Home. When she's not glued to her computer screen, she can be found walking her beloved pooch, Biscuit.
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