The Best Babysitting Websites and Apps That Make Finding Care Easy

Freedom and flexibility are just two of the reasons parents choose Sittercity. They also flock to this site because of how easy it is to use and its long history in the tech-enabled child care community. Once you sign up and create a profile, you can start posting jobs.

Sitters will reply — sometimes within a few hours — and then you can narrow the search. When you find a match, you can review their details, including location, experience, skills, and feedback. If it seems like a good fit, send a message through the site to secure a job.

Caregivers are available for full- and part-time jobs, as well as live-in care, daytime care, overnight care, and last-minute care. There’s also an option for special needs care. This includes sitters who have experience with ADHD, autism, diabetes, epilepsy, and more.

Click on an applicant’s profile to see when they’re available and what they charge. All sitters and nannies go through an extensive background check before appearing on the site.

Price: Basic membership is free, but to access advanced features, you’ll need to sign up for a premium account. There are three options: 1 month for $35, 3 months for $49, and 12 months for $98.

From part-time help and full-time nannies to last-minute sitters and backup child care, UrbanSitter has you covered. Through their website or app, you can find, interview, book, and pay for a sitter all in one place. In many cases, babysitters reply within 3 minutes of a job being posted.

All sitters get a background check and are reviewed by the UrbanSitter team. And the best part? You can find sitters through your personal network and connections.

All you need to do is enter information into your profile about groups you’re affiliated with, such as schools, day cares, parenting groups, churches, sports organizations, and more. You can then search top picks on their unique Sitter Lists that show the most popular, highly reviewed sitters as rated by each group.

Price: UrbanSitter offers a no-commitment 30-day pass for $34.95 or two subscription options: monthly for $19.95 or $124.95 for a 1-year membership.

Undoubtedly, the best-known website and app for connecting parents with caregivers is Care.com. Their easy-to-use digital platform is a straightforward way to find and pay for a babysitter, nanny, or tutor. It’s also a top pick when it comes to online reviews and ratings of caregivers.

The app is designed for quick searches and messaging between potential sitters and parents. You’ll create a detailed job description with information about your children, hours needed, and other special circumstances that will be listed on the site, and applicants will respond.

You can view profiles and contact caregivers who meet your needs. Caregivers complete a CareCheck background check, including a criminal records search, during the screening process.

That said, they do recommend running your own check to make the best hiring decisions. In addition to child care, the site also connects parents with tutors, elder care, pet care, housekeepers, and home care.

Price: It’s free to set up a profile on Care.com. To upgrade for premium services, select 1 month for $39.99, 3 months for $79.99, or 12 months for $159.99.

Are you looking for an au pair to care for your children? Au Pair in America is the world’s most experienced live-in cultural child care program offering placement with au pairs from several countries. Once matched, your au pair will live with you for the agreed amount of time.

Families who choose this option are looking for both child care and a cultural experience and education for their children. This is an expensive commitment, but one many families consider when needing extra support.

The au pairs come from 60 countries on 6 continents. This program guarantees 45 hours per week of child care.

Price: After a $450 match fee, you’ll pay about $10,000 annually, plus a $200 weekly stipend.

Need a sitter now? Helpr lets you request a childcare provider with as little as 3 hours notice.

After you create a free family profile, you can send your booking request to their network of helpers. If this is for an emergency job, you can view a sitter’s profile and decide if you want to hire them.

Otherwise, use the app to browse for potential caregivers and make contact ahead of time. If the interview goes well, you can add them to your account and request them the next time you need care.

All Helpr professionals have at least 2 years of childcare experience. They’re also required to pass a screening process that includes in-person and phone interviews, professional reference checks, background check, comprehensive social media review, and up-to-date CPR certification.

Babysitters are currently available to book in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ojai, San Francisco, New York, Atlanta, Seattle, and Chicago.

Price: The app is free to download and use. There are no subscriptions or fees required to use Helpr. You only pay for the child care hours you book. Rates vary by location but range from $23 to $26 per hour.

If you need more than the occasional sitter, then this service is for you. Designed specifically for hiring a nanny, the site offers families a variety of options to search by including full-time, part-time, live-in care, as well as nannies who specialize in areas like infant care.

You’ll create a profile describing your family and needs. Then, review resumes of nannies who match your profile. They also offer tools for screening and interviewing nannies.

Before committing to a paid membership, you can use the free nanny search tool to view available nannies in your area.

Price: eNannySource offers a 1-month membership for $49.85, 3-month access for $119.85, or 6-month plan for $150.

If a thoroughly vetted sitter is a top priority, then SeekingSitters is for you. Unlike other sites that offer a background check, SeekingSitters puts all potential babysitters through a customized, in-depth background screening performed by a licensed investigator.

These in-depth Sitter Screenings dig deeper than typical background screenings, and they’re included in the one-time fee you pay for the general service.

Another great feature of this site is they do all the leg work for you. In addition to the background check, they personally interview the sitter and check up to three references. If you like the sitter they match you with, you can request them again.

You pay the sitter using their online payment processing vendor. Child care providers are located nationwide and available for full-time, part-time, and care as needed.

Price: There is a one-time sign-up fee of $59.99. Babysitter fees are extra.

It’s reassuring to hire a sitter with experience caring for a family you know, and that’s precisely what Bambino offers.

The site asks parents and sitters to login with Facebook to confirm their identity. Since Bambino is based on social connections, parents can connect with friends inside the app for referrals. That said, you can still use Bambino without Facebook. All you need is a cell phone number to login.

Once you create a profile, you can start connecting with other parents and build a team of favorite sitters. You can search for sitters based on location or based on who you know. Within the app, you can read reviews, browse for sitters, or look at detailed bios.

When you’re ready to hire a sitter, enter your details through the app, choose a sitter, and book it. Babysitters list their hourly rate, and when the job is done, you’ll pay through the app. All caregivers go through a thorough vetting process that includes a background check.

Price: The Bambino app is free to download and set up. When it comes time to pay the sitter, you’ll also pay a small booking fee. For Junior sitters (ages 13 to 15), there’s a $1.95 booking fee. For Standard (ages 16 to 18), Advanced, and Elite sitters (19 and older), the fee is $2.95.