What: A babysitting app using social media to connect sitters and parents (sorts results by sitters they already know, sitters who their friends know and finally by distance)
Expected pay: $12 – $25/hour
Commissions & fees: Parents pay $1.95 to $2.95 per booking; sitters pay nothing
Where: Nationwide
Requirements: 18 or over; 13 with parental permission; smartphone and a Facebook account; credit check and a cursory background check. If you are younger than 18, the site will require that you share emails with your parents
Review:
PROS:
- You ask families you have worked for to sign up and endorse you so that your profile will show up in the app – if you are highly recommended, you have more opportunities
- You set your rate based on your age and experience level (Junior sitters are between the ages of 13 and 15 – “standard” sitters are between the ages of 15 and 18 – advanced sitters are over the age of 18 – and “elite” sitters are both older and background checked)
- Accept or decline any offer without penalty
- User friendly
- No fee for using the app if you are a sitter
- The site has a payment tool that tracks the duration of a babysitting session, and lets parents send money to babysitters
CONS:
- Once you’ve set a rate, you can’t raise your rate
- The app has no method to tip, so unless a parent hands you a few extra bucks in cash, you get paid your rate without any extras
- You can be kicked off the platform if you accept babysitting jobs from families who found you through the app
- The app uses Facebook to connect you, so booking through it can present some security concerns
You can also find babysitting positions through Urban Sitter, Trusted and GoNannies.
What Users Say: (From Google Play Reviews)
I use this app regularly as a sitter. It is super convenient for both parents and sitters and when I have had issues they were taken care of both promptly and professionally.
I’ve had tons of enjoyable sitting jobs with the help of this app! I’ve been able to find regular families as well as one time sits. There’s great communication, immediate response times between parents and sitters, and even a rewards program for active sitters! My only issue with the app is that I am unable to alter my pay rate based on the number of kids/age of kids/holidays etc. If there was an option to have different rates of pay based on these things, it would definitely be a 5 star app.
I’m a junior so I had to have parent consent however whenever I would try to get that it wouldn’t work saying you can’t recommend someone with a sitter account. It’s very frustrating. I’ve been trying to get this app working for hours.
