Sittercity Review

Thursday, December 5th

2024 Babysitter Agency Reviews

Sittercity

• Can hire both babysitters and nannies
• Covers 95% of US neighborhoods
• Babysitters are identity-authenticated and screened on offender databases
• Full background checks available for a fee
• Can browse babysitter profiles with a free account
• Premium plan required to message and book sitters
• Premium prices range from $15 to $39/month, depending on subscription length
• Activity-based babysitters available
• "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB

Sittercity, established in 2001, is a versatile caregiver service offering support for children, seniors, people with special needs, and even furry friends. Sittercity's unwavering commitment to trust and safety sets them apart, offering an array of features such as detailed caregiver profiles, candidate ratings, interview scheduling, secure messaging, background check options, scam prevention measures, and sex offender database screenings. This makes Sittercity an excellent choice for finding reliable and secure babysitters.

Good for finding both babysitters and nannies

Sittercity specializes in helping families connect with babysitters and nannies. According to their distinction, a babysitter is a local caregiver who provides temporary childcare to accommodate a family's schedule, suitable for last-minute appointments, date nights, or occasional special occasions. Conversely, a nanny is typically employed on a long-term basis and may live with the family, working full-time, part-time, or overnight, depending on the family's specific needs.

Create an account to browse

Unlike some babysitting agencies that let you browse just by entering a zip code, Sittercity requires prospective clients to create an account. That may feel like an unnecessary hoop to jump through, but it's part of the company's commitment to trust and safety - for families and babysitters alike.

A job listing is required

Once you've done that, you can tell Sittercity if you need a regular babysitter (for before/after school, driving to activities, etc.), occasional babysitter, one-time sitter (for an event or backup), or a nanny (usually 2-5 full weekdays). You'll also indicate when you're thinking of setting up your first appointment and if that start date is flexible, the ages of the children in the family, and any special requirements or responsibilities. All of this goes into creating a job listing for your babysitting needs (which we're not huge fans of - not everyone wants to post a job right off the bat).

Can browse without a paid plan

The next page shows you Sittercity's pricing for Premium membership: $39 for a month-to-month subscription, $29/month for a three-month plan, and $15/month for a full year. You'll need that to message babysitters, request interviews, or book unique activities already planned and advertised by caregivers (which is a new feature since our previous review). Sittercity doesn't make it obvious, but you can scroll way down the page to where it says "Not ready to find care yet?” and click the "Upgrade Later” button to (finally) get to browsing babysitter profiles in your area.

Some screening is done for you

All babysitters on Sittercity have had their identity authenticated using their legal ID and a live selfie. They're also screened through Family Watchdog to make sure they're not on a sex offender database. Beyond that, clients can pay for additional background checks; if a sitter has already undergone that process recently, you'll see a badge on their profile under the "Trust and Safety” section. From there, it's up to you to screen your babysitters: only hire someone if you feel comfortable with them, and maybe take the extra step to check references, verify certifications, and so forth, because Sittercity doesn't do that part for you.

Lots of info to consider

When you're browsing profiles, it's easy to see how much experience each babysitter has, how many people have left reviews, and even their last login to the site. That's a great way to make sure you're connecting with people who are actually available (since many top-notch babysitters we spotted had reviews, but they weren't super-current: not every client takes the time to leave a rating, after all).

Over 40,000 five-star ratings

One of our biggest reasons for putting Sittercity at the top of our list is its reputation. There's no one babysitting agency that gets flawless grades from everyone - there's always someone who had a bad experience with a particular caregiver (or family), or had something glitchy with membership cancellation, no matter where you look - but this platform is "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB, with just five complaints filed there in the last year. Better than that, when you look at feedback from iOS users of the Sittercity app, it averages an impressive 4.7 stars out of 5 across nearly 50,000 ratings.

Activity-based babysitting is a huge advantage here

We also give Sittercity props for its new activity-based care options. Maybe you've got older kids who think they're too old for a babysitter. Why not sign them up for a Dungeons & Dragons Adventure (one of the options we spotted in our location)? Not only do you get the childcare you need, but your not-so-little one will have a blast at the same time, with his or her very own game master. What's available in your area will vary, from arts and crafts time to full-on Disney outings, but it's a perk we haven't seen with any other babysitting agency.

Still the #1 choice among babysitting agencies

Sittercity gets our strongest recommendation among babysitting platforms today. You'll have no trouble finding a caregiver near you, and you're likely to have a great experience. Plus, with activity-based babysitting options on the menu, your kids may be begging you to go out more often while they have fun too. Be sure to check out Sittercity the next time you need babysitting.