The Best Babysitting Websites and Apps to Find Trusted Childcare

Used by more than 25 million users in 20 countries, Care.com is a leader when it comes to helping parents find a babysitter. The babysitting website (and app!) lets parents find, review, book and pay babysitters—whether you’re looking for a nanny, special needs caregiver, date-night or after-school sitter, tutor and more.

Care encourages parents to create a detailed job description, including information about your kids as well as the type of personality you look for in a sitter—and what type of sitter your little ones want (because they should have a say too!). The more detailed you make it, the better chance you have to find a babysitter who works for you. And you can rest easy knowing Care runs its own basic background checks and encourages members to complete additional standard background checks themselves.

Pricing: Free basic membership; then $39.99 per month, $79.99 for 3 months or $159.99 annually

Seeking Sitters is a babysitting website designed to help you find someone last minute, full time, part time or one time—whatever your needs may be. The site sets itself apart with its customized, in-depth background screenings performed on each referred babysitter by a licensed private investigator. The babysitter website is responsible for thoroughly screening and running background checks for each sitter, and it also personally interviews each applicant. If you don’t like a caregiver you were matched with, you can request a different sitter.

As with other competitors, parents pay directly through the site, avoiding the awkward shuffle of scrounging enough cash after a late night.
Pricing:
$6 per month for unlimited requests (plus a $59.99 one-time set-up fee)

If you don’t have the luxury of a big, extended family who lives nearby to watch your kids, this babysitting website is the next best thing. Sitting Around functions as a caregiver co-op where local parents swap childcare services, free of cost; instead of exchanging cash, members simply exchange time spent babysitting.

Babysitting co-ops make sure everyone plays fair by tracking points: You get points when you sit for someone else, and you spend points when others watch your kids. Because you’re part of a group, you never have to worry about reciprocating with people specifically sitting for you; it all evens out. Search co-ops near you, then fill out a co-op request form for approval to join.
Pricing:
$5 per month or $15 annually

This babysitting website lets you search a roster of nannies, and includes vetting tips and tools like the Nanny Success Kit and background checks that allow you to hire a nanny the same way a professional agency would. The site offers part-time, live-in nannies and college-educated nannies, as well as nannies who specialize in infant care and who can double as housekeepers. Once you become a member, create a profile that describes your family, job specifications and the ideal nanny. Then review resumes from professional nannies and au pairs who are interested in full-time, part-time, temporary, permanent, live-in and live-out positions.
Pricing:
$49 per month, $120 for 3 months or $150 for 6 months

If your family needs care on a more regular, extended basis, it may be time to consider an au pair. These providers often live in your home and provide consistent and long-term care for your children. While it’s a more expensive option, it provides you with a ton of flexibility, and can even serve as a cultural experience for your kids. Au Pair in America is a great way to find your family’s next au pair. The site allows you to register and view au pair profiles to find one that’s the best fit for your family.
Pricing:
$450 match fee; contact website for specific pricing, which includes an annual amount and weekly stipend

If you don’t have the luxury of hiring a babysitter you know personally, you can at least find a sitter that a friend in your circle can vouch for. With UrbanSitter, you can see if anyone you know has used a particular sitter, and then read their reviews. In your profile, you can add preschools, elementary schools or daycares your kids attend, as well as parenting groups, churches, temples, sports teams and other groups and organizations you belong to. Each sitter’s profile features parent reviews and badges to let you know which candidates are favorites. You can also view a potential caregiver’s background checks and other certifications they may have, such as CPR training.
Even if you don’t consider yourself tech-savvy, you’ll still find the platform easy to navigate. The three-step process lets you post a job, book interviews, schedule appointments (it’ll even send you reminders and contact information) and pay right from your phone. It’s no wonder this babysitting app is a favorite amongst many parents and is available in more than 60 cities in the US.
Pricing:
$35 for one month with no sign-up commitment, or subscribe for $20 per month or $125 per year

Sittercity is a babysitting app that navigates like a social media site, letting you find out everything you need to know about potential sitters quickly and easily. Each babysitter’s profile includes personal details, location, experience, skills and parent feedback. Before a caregiver can even join the Sittercity community, the company runs a background check using several databases to make sure an applicant has no reported problems; they then review the profiles again for identity verification and review. Parents also have the option to run their own background and identification checks within the babysitter app.
Another reason Sittercity is one of the best babysitting apps out there? Because of the freedom and flexibility it offers. Whether you need an overnight job, an after-school cover or a regular weekend nanny, you can post your job requirements or search for someone who’s available—just click into a profile to see a babysitter’s calendar and hourly rates. You can even find a babysitter with specialized skills, like someone who will also clean the house (hooray!), a sitter with first aid training or someone who can tutor your kids.
Pricing:
Free basic membership; premium membership is $35 per month, $49 for 3 months or $98 for 12 months

Bambino lets parents find a babysitter who lives nearby and has already sat for people they know. They use local and social proximity to connect parents with neighborhood sitters that are vetted, verified and recommended by other parents in the community. Prospective babysitters also go through a 5 point verification process. Instead of creating a posting on Bambino, parents handpick who sees their babysitting requests. When parents search for a babysitter on the app, the caregivers are organized based on who you know, who your friends know and also by distance—so you’re selecting from sitters that have already been tried and trusted by your friends and community. Each sitter lists their hourly rates in their profiles, so you can see an estimated total before booking. An added bonus: For a $5 discount, use code THEBUMP5.

Pricing:
Free to download and create a profile. No monthly fee, but there is a small booking fee added to each payment: $2.95 for junior sitters and $4.95 for standard, advanced and elite-level sitters.

Like other babysitting apps, Sitter Pro lets parents connect with friends and see the babysitters they use. There’s also an option to set your location and see sitters near you. When you find someone you think would be a great fit, you can introduce yourself through the app’s chat option. Once you get talking, you can work together to set up a time to meet in person for a formal interview.
When you find a group of babysitters you love, you can keep them near and dear by adding them to your go-to babysitter list. Once that’s established, it’ll be a breeze to lock in a babysitter when you’re in desperate need—just select the date and time you’ll need a sitter, and an alert will go out to all your trusted caregivers. The message goes out via text, so your sitters don’t even need to have the app; the first one to respond with a “Y” books the gig, and an alert is sent to the other sitters letting them know the job has been filled.
Pricing:
Free basic membership; premium membership for $10 per month or $100 per year

Helpr is a babysitting app designed with working parents in mind, and provides high-quality, affordable backup childcare. Parents can review profiles of vetted sitters and request care in as little as three hours.
Helpr has it all figured out. Its pool of highly screened sitters with extensive experience and strong work ethic are on-call for when you need them most. They typically include graduate students, former nannies and kindergarten teachers. You can browse photos, videos and profiles of potential caregivers through the babysitter app. If you’d like time together beforehand, you can book your Helpr for an interview or trial run while you’re home. And if you end up loving your Helpr, you can save them in your account so they’re requested first the next time you need to hire a sitter in a pinch.
Pricing:
Free to download and use; no monthly fees.