Skip to content
REC'D BYREC'D BY
Get REC'D BY
A guide for families

How much to pay a babysitter

3 min read · Updated September 26, 2026

The short answer

The quickest way to find a fair rate is to ask the parents around you what they pay — then adjust for your kids, your hours, and what you're asking the sitter to do.

  • How many kids
  • Ages and needs
  • Experience and training
  • When you need them
  • Everything else
  • Getting there

Rates vary a lot from one town to the next — the table below shows how much — so treat any number as a starting point. Here's what actually moves the rate.

  1. 1A rate for each kind of care Babysitting, pets, overnights — each its own.
  2. 2Extra kids, spelled out So the math is easy.
  3. 3Holidays, late nights, travel Listed before you ask.
  4. 4What your job would cost An estimate before you book — the sitter confirms it.

What goes into the rate

How many kids
Most sitters charge a bit more for each additional child. Twins at bedtime are a different job than one kid who's already asleep.
Ages and needs
Infants, toddlers, and kids with extra care needs take more hands-on attention, and experienced sitters price that in.
Experience and training
Years of experience, CPR and first aid, or early-childhood training usually come with a higher rate.
When you need them
Late nights, overnights, holidays, and last-minute asks often cost more. So can going past the time you agreed on.
Everything else
Walking the dog, cooking dinner, driving to practice, or tidying up are extra work — worth talking about up front.
Getting there
Some sitters add a travel fee when a job is far away, or when they're driving the kids.

What families pay in cities across the U.S.

Typical hourly ranges — the low end is closer to one child, the high end to two. A starting point, not a rule: your rate depends on everything above.

Typical hourly range
National average$21–$30
San Francisco, CA$29–$34
Seattle, WA$25–$31
Los Angeles, CA$26–$30
New York City, NY$22–$29
Boston, MA$25–$28
Denver, CO$22–$27
Portland, OR$21–$28
Washington, DC$21–$27
Nashville, TN$23–$25
Austin, TX$23–$28
Chicago, IL$20–$26
Minneapolis, MN$21–$24
Miami, FL$20–$27
Atlanta, GA$19–$24
Phoenix, AZ$19–$24
Dallas–Fort Worth, TX$19–$23

Ranges combine three national babysitting-rate reports published in 2025 and 2026 — average rates paid on bookings and the rates sitters post — rounded to the dollar. Updated every January.

How REC'D BY helps

The rate, clear to both of you before anyone says yes

No awkward money conversation at the door. Here's how it works when you book through REC'D BY.

  1. 1

    See the rates up front

    Sitters list their rates on their profile: an hourly rate for each kind of care, what they add for each extra kid or pet, and — if they set them — overnights, holidays, running past the scheduled end, and a travel fee past a certain distance. You see all of it before you ask, and your request shows an estimated total.

  2. 2

    The sitter confirms it

    When your sitter accepts, they confirm the rate — or adjust it for that booking, with a note to say why. They can also charge or waive their travel fee and some extras. You'll see whether the rate was confirmed or changed, so nothing comes as a surprise.

  3. 3

    Pay in the app, or your usual way

    If your sitter takes cards, pay them right in the app and add a tip if you like. The card processing fee shows as its own line, your sitter gets the full amount, and REC'D BY charges no booking fees. Prefer Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, Apple Cash, or cash? Pay the way you always do and mark it paid, so you both have the record.

Settling on a rate together

  1. 1

    Ask your village

    Parents you know are the best source for what sitters near you charge. On REC'D BY, the sitters your friends recommend show their rates on their profiles.

  2. 2

    Ask the sitter

    Most sitters have a rate in mind. Ask it plainly, and ask what changes it — more kids, overnights, holidays.

  3. 3

    Agree on the details before the first booking

    Settle how you'll handle running late, cancellations, and how they'd like to be paid, so nobody has to bring it up awkwardly later.

  4. 4

    Revisit it

    A sitter who's been with your family for a year, or whose job has grown, deserves a conversation about their rate.

Questions

Should I pay for the hours I booked, or the hours they worked?+

Agree on it ahead of time. Many families pay for the time they booked even if they come home early, and for the extra time if they're late.

Can I see a sitter's rate before I book?+

Yes. Sitters list their rates on their profile, and you can see the full profiles of the sitters your friends recommend for free. Sending a booking request is part of the membership.

Should I tip a babysitter?+

It's not expected every time, but a little extra for a late night, a holiday, or a tough evening is always appreciated. When you pay through REC'D BY, you can add a tip as you pay.

See the sitters your friends already trust

See the sitters your friends recommend — free to join.

Get REC'D BY

Keep reading

Questions to ask a babysitter →

The questions worth asking a new babysitter — and the friend who recommended them — about experience, emergencies, routines, and rates.

Reimbursing your babysitter →

What families usually pay a sitter back for — outings, snacks, supplies, and mileage — and a simple, fair way to handle receipts and payment.

Find a babysitter you trust →

Start with people you know. Learn a practical way to find a babysitter through recommendations, conversations, references, and a trusted care network.

Are you a sitter?

See how REC'D BY works for sitters — free, and useful for all of your sitting work.

REC'D BY for sitters →

See all guides →