What is a babysitter?

A babysitter takes care of your child (or children) while you're away - at work, on a date, at the gym, or for any other reason. Babysitters can be male or female, old or young, but some states have statutes regulating the age that minors can be left in charge (usually anywhere from age 12-16).

How are babysitters different from mother's helpers, nannies or au pairs?

A mother's helper is usually there to help with the kids while at least one parent is still present: maybe taking care of lunch and activities while Mom works from home, or doing the laundry while Dad gets the kids to bed. Nannies work on a more fixed schedule, either part-time or full-time, and there are usually employment/tax considerations to keep in mind. Au pairs come from other countries and live with the family, watching the kids and tending to other household responsibilities in exchange for room/board and sometimes a monetary stipend. Compared with those three situations, babysitting is much less formal and more of an as-needed childcare arrangement.

How can I determine if a babysitter is trustworthy?

Word of mouth is the most common way to vet a new babysitter. It's great to have someone that's already taken good care of your friends' children with no problems! The downside is that these sitters will be in high demand, and you might not be able to get them on your desired schedule. You can also ask for references or run a background check, if you're considering a babysitter that isn't known to you personally.

How can I find a babysitter near me?

When you're new to an area or don't have any available sitter referrals from friends, you could put the word out in local groups on social media. Unfortunately, that could attract less-than-reputable individuals! Instead, consider using a babysitter referral service: these platforms allow prospective sitters to create a profile, complete with client reviews and information about their background and any certifications they have (like infant/child CPR). Some referral services make it possible to get a background check, though the sitter may have to opt in before you can access the results.

Is it expensive to use a babysitter referral service?

You can expect to pay a membership fee in the neighborhood of $20/month to access most babysitter referral services. That gives you unlimited access to the database and to making connections with the sitters you find. Some platforms give you limited free access to get started, or a trial period to see if there are enough potential babysitters in your area to make it worth the membership fees.

What's a typical hourly rate for a babysitter?

That varies widely by geographic location, the number of children you have (and their ages), the expertise level of the sitter, and what you expect your sitter to provide. You can ask other parents in your area what the going rate is: underpay your sitter and they're not likely to come back! In the past, the reported average hourly rate for babysitters in the US ranged from $15-$20, but in less urban areas it tended to be closer to $10/hour.

Can I ask my babysitter to do light housework or other tasks?

Yes. You can make whatever arrangements you like with your babysitter. It's not uncommon to ask a sitter to fix a light meal, take care of the dishes after the kids are in bed, or tidy up the playroom while the children are watching a movie. Just remember that their primary focus should be on keeping your little ones safe, not housekeeping.

Care Review for September 2026 | Best Babysitter Agencies

Item: Care Review
Rating: 3.5
Author: Top Consumer Reviews

Tuesday, September 15th We evaluate products and services based on unbiased research. Top Consumer Reviews may earn money when you click on a link. Learn more about our process.

2026 Babysitter Agency Reviews

Where is the best place to find babysitters? Looking for a way to balance work, social life, and family responsibilities? Or maybe you just need to pick back up on having regular date nights. Whether it's for a quick errand, an evening out, or an unexpected schedule change, it's a huge weight off your shoulders to find someone to watch the kiddos.

3.5

GOOD

Good

Care

Expected hourly rate between $10- $25 per hour
Monthly membership fee (required to contact nannies) between $12.95 and $38.95 per month
100+ local babysitters in our research
Vets with ID verification and a background check
On-site monitored communication
"A-" rating and accreditation from the BBB

GOOD

3.5

On the Care website

Care is a site that offers a full range of babysitting and nannying services, making it a one-stop shop for all care types. You can even find help with housekeeping and pet care with this service that goes above and beyond the options at other "just babysitting" sites. You can join Care for free or with a membership (which offers increased security features and browsing). Overall, it's similar to other databases in our review, but it offers a more detailed questionnaire to find the perfect babysitter than some competitors.

Extra background check details for members

Care vets its babysitters with full background checks before being allowed to join the platform. Plus, as sitters remain on the platform, Care offers continuous background checks, so the platform can keep up with any new criminal activity (and take action to remove a babysitter accordingly). Parents who pay for memberships at Care will see more complete background check results than those who use the platform for free.

100+ babysitters to sift through in our area

Care is formatted like a job board rather than a database for you to browse. So, you'll make a job listing for the type of babysitter you want after answering questions like where you're located, how soon you need child care, whether you want a one-time sitter or more permanent help, and more. You'll also be asked to fill out basic details about your children's ages, so babysitters can see if they're qualified for your age group. During our initial research, we saw more than 100 babysitters in our area, and within a few days, we had 7 applications for our "test" parents' job board posting.

Stay on Care for all communication

For added security, you will complete all of the job postings and messaging between you and the potential applicants on Care's website. This way, the communication is monitored for additional safety and security. Care also offers a 24/7 safety hotline for emergencies. We appreciate that Care offers detailed profiles that display key skills like CPR certifications or first aid training, so you can pick out a babysitter who can serve your family best.

Pricing between $10 and $25 per hour

Care does require that you make an account before you can see pricing or preview babysitters. During our research, we saw babysitters priced from $10 to $25 an hour in our area. The price was set by the babysitters themselves. Helpfully, you can see if you're overpaying since Care offers an "average price for your area" statement. For our location, the average price was between $13 and $20 an hour. On top of that, Care offers a premium membership. This costs $38.95 per month on a monthly recurring membership, $24.95 per month for a quarterly membership, and $12.95 per month for an annual membership. This membership is, unfortunately, required to actually book babysitters on the platform. On a free account you can browse, but you will need to pay in order to actually contact babysitters. You can post a job for free, but you have to wait for candidates to reach out to you.

Higher ratings in recent weeks

Care currently holds an "A-" rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. However, it has some lower scores on Trustpilot than some of its competitors. While it currently shows a bit under 3 stars on average, most of the recent reviews are 5 stars, showing that Care might be improving over time. Customers who liked their experience with the babysitters said it was easy to find short-term care on Care. On the other hand, some customers had problems with Care taking down their listings, so they never received applications. It could be a little hit or miss with this babysitter site.

Solid choice, but slightly more pricy

Care is a little more costly than some of its competitors if you want to consider a membership. While you can use the site for free, it limits some of what you can see security-wise, which isn't a problem at Care's competitors. While the job posting method has a professional feel, it isn't ideal if you need someone on short notice (which is often the case with babysitters). For these reasons, Care comes in around the middle tier overall.

On the Care website

Continued from above...

Where is the Best Place to Find Babysitters?

Looking for a way to balance work, social life, and family responsibilities? Or maybe you just need to pick back up on having regular date nights. Whether it's for a quick errand, an evening out, or an unexpected schedule change, it's a huge weight off your shoulders to find someone to watch the kiddos.

Having a trusted babysitter can make life much smoother with reliable, short-term care that can be scheduled quickly (even at the last minute). Babysitters have become an essential part of family life for millions of households, helping parents take a breath and regain balance, and enjoy some well-deserved time child-free.

Modern babysitter websites have made it faster and easier than ever to find qualified caregivers. Instead of relying on personal recommendations or posting flyers in the neighborhood, parents can now search from home and review hundreds of profiles in minutes. These platforms let you filter by experience, hourly rate, location, and even availability, so you can find someone who fits your family's schedule and comfort level.

Many babysitter sites also include reviews from parents for particular babysitters. This way, you can choose those who are rated as high as your standards by other parents in your area. This is a total change from how people used to find babysitters (by mostly hoping someone was living nearby who could watch the kids).

If you're like us, then safety is one of your top concerns, and online babysitter platforms have made big improvements in how they handle security and vetting. The best websites require background checks and identity verification before babysitters are listed. Some even offer secure payment options and built-in messaging systems to protect your privacy and keep all communication in one place. This level of transparency offers you much more peace of mind than the traditional word-of-mouth approach. By using a trusted site with a solid vetting process, you can see everything you need to know before you interview your next babysitter.

Hiring a babysitter isn't just about getting childcare - it's about giving yourself the chance to recharge and enjoy your personal life. If you're ready to jump in, but don't know where to start, don't sweat. We've got your back. Here are some factors that can help you narrow the field:

Security. How trustworthy are the babysitters on your chosen site? How does the platform vet potential options? Are there on-website chat features, apps, or video screenings that keep your communications with your new babysitter secure? Make sure you feel like you know your babysitter before you interview in person.
Qualifications. Does the platform ask babysitters to have any kind of qualifications (or provide details about those that do)? Look for sites that have icons that show background checks, CPR certification, and more. These will give you everything you need to know about your next babysitter at a glance.
Cost. If you're going out on the town and need someone to watch the kids, you don't want to overpay for a babysitter. Keep your budget in mind, as some price ranges can get pretty crazy. Make sure you compare prices for your chosen babysitter to what other parents in your area are paying.
Feedback. Finally, what are other parents saying about your preferred babysitter site? Look for platforms that have plenty of feedback from parents for individual babysitters. It can also be helpful to double-check your preferred babysitter service on third-party review sites like Trustpilot, Sitejabber, or the Better Business Bureau.

Whether you're planning a long-overdue date night, celebrating an anniversary, or catching up with friends, a babysitter can make it possible to take that time without worry. Having a responsible sitter watching your children means you can relax and focus on your evening, knowing everything at home is in good hands. That's why Top Consumer Reviews has researched and ranked the top babysitter sites out there today. That way, you can enjoy a night off from parenting and know your kids are safe, happy, and cared for, just like if you were there with them!

Care Review: Babysitter Agencies

2026 Babysitter Agency Reviews

Care

Where is the Best Place to Find Babysitters?

Babysitter Agency FAQ