How much to charge for pet sitting
Updated 26 September 2026
Pet sitters usually charge per visit for drop-ins and per night for staying over at the client's home. Extra pets and medication add to the price, and a minimum charge makes sure a single short visit is still worth the trip.
Example pet sitting prices
| Job | US | UK | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two 30-minute drop-ins a day for 3 days, 1 cat on medication | $170 | £135 | A$270 | CA$235 |
| Three overnight stays, 1 dog | $225 | £180 | A$360 | CA$315 |
| Seven overnight stays, 2 dogs, with plants, mail and bins | $645 | £515 | A$1,030 | CA$900 |
Priced with the starting rates in our pet sitting template, in each country's currency. They're a starting point, not a survey of local rates, so set your own from what your jobs take and what others charge near you.
How pet sitters set their prices
Per visit
A set price for each drop-in, with a higher price for 60-minute visits than for 30. It suits cats and other pets that are happy on their own between visits. Our template adds 60% for a 60-minute visit.
Per night
A nightly rate for staying at the client's home from the evening until the morning. Say which hours you'll be there and whether a midday visit costs extra. Our template prices a night at three times a 30-minute drop-in.
Whole-trip quotes
One price for the whole booking, like two visits a day for a week, agreed before the client goes away. People planning a holiday want a total, and you can take a deposit to hold the dates.
Sample pet sitting price list
The prices in our template, as a list you can adapt. Percentages change the price of the job; fixed-price extras are added on top.
| Item | US | UK | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of care: 60-minute visits | +60% | +60% | +60% | +60% |
| Type of care: Overnight stays | ×3 | ×3 | ×3 | ×3 |
| Visits or nights, per visit | $25 | £20 | A$40 | CA$35 |
| Pets: 2 pets | +20% | +20% | +20% | +20% |
| Pets: 3 or more | +40% | +40% | +40% | +40% |
| Medication | +$20 | +£16 | +A$30 | +CA$25 |
| Plants, mail and bins | +$15 | +£12 | +A$23 | +CA$20 |
| Public holidays included | +15% | +15% | +15% | +15% |
| Minimum job price | $30 | £25 | A$45 | CA$40 |
Put this price list on your website
Customers answer a few questions about the job, see the price and send you their details. This is our pet sitting quote form with the prices above. Try it as a customer would, then start from these prices and change any of them.
Home Comforts Pet Sitting
Pet sitting price
Tell us what your pets need while you're away.
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- Pricing a night like a long drop-in. An overnight stay takes your evening and your sleep, and you can't book anything else in that time.
- Charging holiday bookings at your normal rate. Christmas and school holidays tend to book out first. Our template adds 15% when public holidays are included.
- Watering plants and bringing in the bins for nothing. They're house jobs, and they add minutes to every visit. Price them as an extra.
- Taking long holiday bookings without a deposit. If the client cancels a week out, you've already turned other work away. Take a deposit and put your cancellation terms in writing.
Not sure what your time is worth? Work out your hourly rate with the pricing calculator, then check your job prices cover it.
Questions
- How much more should I charge for extra pets?
- Less for each extra pet than for the first, because the trip and the visit are the same. Our template adds 20% for two pets and 40% for three or more.
- Should I charge a day rate for dogs?
- Some sitters quote a day rate for dogs that covers two or three visits. It's easy for clients to understand, but say how many visits it includes and how long each one is.
- Should I charge extra for giving medication?
- Yes, for anything beyond a tablet in food. Injections and doses at set times need care and tie you to a schedule. Our template adds medication as one charge per booking, so raise it for long stays with doses every day.
- Should I charge for a meet and greet?
- Many sitters don't charge for a short first meeting, since it often wins the booking. Charge for extra trips, like picking up keys from across town.
- Should I show my pet sitting prices on my website?
- Yes, it saves you pricing every trip by message. With a quote form, clients choose drop-ins or overnight stays and the number of visits and pets, then see a total for their dates.