Best House Sitting Websites: 6 Real Platforms Compared

House sitting websites connect homeowners who need someone to live in and look after their home and pets with sitters who want free accommodation in exchange. It is not the same market as a paid app like Rover, where an owner pays a sitter by the visit or the night. Here, membership is usually the only cost, and no money changes hands between the two people making the arrangement. Our honest bottom line: TrustedHousesitters has the largest listing pool and the deepest vetting tools, but it is not the only real option, and for some sitters and owners a smaller, cheaper platform is a better fit. We checked each platform below against its own official site to confirm it is real, currently operating, and priced the way it claims, rather than relying on secondhand roundups that can go stale.

How the membership model differs from a paid app

On a paid app such as Rover, the owner pays the sitter directly for each stay, and the platform takes a service fee from that transaction. On a house sitting exchange site, the sitter pays a flat yearly membership fee (or nothing at all, on the homeowner side of most platforms) and then arranges free accommodation with the homeowner in exchange for caring for the home and any pets. No booking fee changes hands per sit on most of these sites, which is the core pitch: sitters travel for close to the cost of the membership, and homeowners get their pets and property looked after without paying a nightly rate. The tradeoff is that the arrangement runs on mutual trust and platform vetting tools rather than a payment processor dispute system, so both sides carry more of the vetting responsibility themselves than they would on a pay per visit app.

The two models also attract different kinds of sitters. A paid app tends to draw local, part time sitters who are earning income between other work, and who typically visit on a schedule rather than staying overnight for extended periods. A house sitting exchange tends to draw sitters who travel more, sometimes full time, and who are looking for a place to stay for a week, a month, or longer rather than a quick paid visit. Neither group is inherently more or less reliable, but the incentives are different: a paid sitter is accountable through payment and review systems tied to money, while an exchange sitter is accountable mostly through the platform's verification tools and the homeowner's own screening.

What to check before you join any platform

Before paying any membership fee, confirm three things directly on the platform's own site rather than taking a roundup's word for it: the current price and whether it renews automatically, what identity or background verification the platform actually performs (and on which members, since some only verify sitters and not homeowners), and whether there is any per sit fee on top of the yearly membership. TrustedHousesitters, for example, now charges a small per sit fee on its lower tiers, which was not always the case, so a review written even a year ago could understate the real yearly cost for an active sitter. Membership pricing changes over time on every platform in this category, so treat every figure below as a current ballpark, confirmed on the platform's own site, rather than a locked in price.

If you are trying to decide whether the exchange model or a paid-per-visit service fits your situation better, our house sitting vs pet sitting comparison breaks down the practical differences in commitment, cost, and what each model actually covers. If TrustedHousesitters specifically is the platform you are weighing against a paid option, our Rover vs TrustedHousesitters head to head walks through how the two models compare on a single named pair of services.

TrustedHousesitters

TrustedHousesitters is the largest and best known platform in this space, with the biggest pool of listings on both sides and the most developed verification system of the group, including ID verification for all members and background checks for many sitters through a third party provider. Sitter membership runs in tiers, with the lowest tier priced roughly $130 a year and higher tiers (which add perks like a member guarantee or reduced per sit fees) running up toward the $250 to $260 range. Homeowner and combined memberships are priced separately and also come in tiers. Basic and Standard tiers now carry a small per sit fee on top of the annual membership, which is a real change from the platform's original all inclusive pricing and worth checking before you commit. Best for: sitters and owners who want the largest selection of listings and the most built out trust and safety tooling, and who are comfortable with tiered pricing that can climb toward the $250 mark for the fuller feature set. The scale cuts both ways: a bigger pool means more choice, but also more competition for popular sits in desirable locations, so an active sitter profile with strong references matters more here than on a smaller platform. Read our full TrustedHousesitters review for the complete feature breakdown, and see whether TrustedHousesitters is worth it for a deeper look at the membership math.

Nomador

Nomador is a France founded house sitting platform with a strong presence in Europe and a growing international listing base. It uses a similar tiered annual membership structure for sitters, with plans that scale up in price as they add features like priority visibility or additional support tools, and it also offers a shorter term discovery membership for sitters who want to try the platform before committing to a full year. Homeowner membership is free, matching the pattern across almost every platform in this category. The honest tradeoff is that Nomador's listing pool, while real and active, is noticeably smaller than TrustedHousesitters outside of Europe, so North American sitters may see fewer opportunities close to home. Best for: sitters and owners focused on European sits, or anyone who wants a shorter, lower commitment membership option to test the model first. Because Nomador's identity leans European, the site and much of its member base skew toward that region, so a US based sitter should expect European sits to fill up the majority of what shows up in search results.

HouseSitMatch

HouseSitMatch is a UK based platform that leans into a smaller, more hands on approach rather than competing purely on listing volume. Sitter membership starts under 100 British pounds a year on its entry tier, with higher tiers adding extras such as a 24 hour vet advice line or a profile boost aimed at improving visibility to homeowners. Because the platform is smaller than TrustedHousesitters or Nomador, sitters should expect a narrower pool of listings, especially outside the UK and Europe, in exchange for what the platform positions as more personal support and a quality over quantity approach to vetting. Best for: sitters who want a smaller, curated community and are comfortable with a UK centric listing pool. The extras on the higher tiers, like the vet advice line, are genuinely useful if you plan to sit with pets that have ongoing health needs, but they are not a substitute for the sitter reading the homeowner's own instructions and having a local vet's contact information for the actual stay.

MindMyHouse

MindMyHouse is one of the lowest cost options in this category, with a flat annual sitter membership of around 29 US dollars and no per sit booking fee. A homeowner membership at the same flat price grants lifetime access rather than a renewing yearly term, which is a distinct model from every other platform on this list. Memberships also do not auto renew, so there is no risk of being charged again without a reminder first. The honest tradeoff for the low price is a smaller, more no frills listing pool and fewer of the extra verification and support features that TrustedHousesitters and HouseSitMatch build into their higher tiers. Best for: budget conscious sitters, and homeowners who want a one time fee rather than an annual renewal to think about. Because the price is so low and the platform is smaller, sitters who rely on it as their only source of sits may find they need to be more proactive about applying quickly and building a strong profile, since there is less volume to fall back on than on a bigger site.

Housecarers.com

Housecarers.com is one of the oldest platforms in the house sitting space, having launched in 2000, which gives it a long track record and an established international listing base spanning many countries. Sitter membership runs roughly 50 US dollars a year for full access, while homeowner membership is free with an optional premium upgrade around 25 US dollars for added visibility. The interface and overall design read as noticeably dated next to newer platforms, and the site does not have the same polish or mobile app experience as TrustedHousesitters or Nomador, even though the underlying listing pool and matching function work as advertised. Best for: sitters and owners who value a long operating history and international reach over a modern app experience. A quarter century of continuous operation is a meaningful signal in a category where new platforms come and go, and the site's age has not stopped it from adding features like verification badges over the years, even if the overall look has not kept pace with newer competitors.

House Sitters America

House Sitters America is a US focused platform that has operated for more than a decade, connecting sitters and homeowners specifically within the United States rather than trying to compete on global reach. Sitter membership costs about 49 US dollars for a 12 month term, and homeowner membership is free. The platform includes in site messaging, ID verification, and a two way review system, but as a US only, smaller scale operation its total number of active listings at any given time is meaningfully lower than the international platforms above. Best for: sitters and owners who only care about domestic US sits and would rather support a smaller, country specific platform than pay for international coverage they will not use. A domestic only sitter who has no interest in traveling abroad is also not paying for features built around international matching, which some sitters see as a fair tradeoff for the lower membership price and the narrower listing pool.

How to choose between them

If listing volume and vetting depth matter most, TrustedHousesitters is the realistic starting point, and it is worth reading the full membership math in our is TrustedHousesitters worth it guide before you pick a tier. If budget is the deciding factor, MindMyHouse and House Sitters America both undercut TrustedHousesitters's lowest tier by a wide margin, at the cost of a smaller pool of active listings. If you mainly want European or UK sits, Nomador and HouseSitMatch are the more regionally focused choices. Housecarers.com sits in the middle: a low sitter fee and a long operating history, but a dated interface. Across every platform, the underlying safety responsibility does not disappear just because a site offers ID verification or a background check. TrustedHousesitters runs the most developed vetting process of the group, including free criminal background checks for US based sitters through a third party provider, but even the platforms with the least built out verification tools still expect both sides to do their own due diligence: a video call before committing, a real reference check, and a written confirmation of what is expected during the stay. General home safety guidance from consumer advocacy groups like AARP echoes the same basic principle that applies here: verify who is entering your home before you hand over a key, regardless of what badge a platform displays on a profile.

None of these platforms function like a paid pet care marketplace, and none of them should be confused with one. If what you actually need is a sitter who is paid per visit rather than housed for free, our guide to house sitting vs pet sitting lays out when the paid model, not the exchange model, is the better fit.

Platform | Membership cost | Coverage | Best for
TrustedHousesitters | About $130 to $260/year (sitter tiers), per sit fee on lower tiers | Global, largest listing pool | Largest selection plus deepest vetting tools
Nomador | About $99 to $199/year (sitter tiers), short term option available | Strongest in Europe, growing globally | European sits, lower commitment trial option
HouseSitMatch | Under 100 British pounds/year on entry tier | UK focused, some international | Smaller, curated UK centric community
MindMyHouse | About $29/year flat (sitter), lifetime for owner | International, smaller pool | Lowest cost, no frills option
Housecarers.com | About $50/year (sitter), free plus $25 premium for owner | International, long track record since 2000 | Long operating history, international reach
House Sitters America | About $49 for 12 months (sitter), free for owner | United States only | Domestic US sits only

Frequently asked questions

Are house sitting websites free to join?

It depends on the side of the exchange. Homeowners can list a sit for free on nearly every platform in this category, including TrustedHousesitters, Nomador, HouseSitMatch, MindMyHouse, Housecarers.com, and House Sitters America. Sitters typically pay a flat annual membership fee to browse and apply for listings, which ranges from about $29 a year on the cheapest platform up to roughly $260 a year on TrustedHousesitters's top tier.

Is TrustedHousesitters the only real house sitting website?

No. TrustedHousesitters has the largest listing pool and the most developed vetting tools, but Nomador, HouseSitMatch, MindMyHouse, Housecarers.com, and House Sitters America are all real, currently operating platforms with active homeowner and sitter listings. Each one trades some combination of listing volume, region, price, and support features differently.

How is a house sitting website different from an app like Rover?

On a house sitting exchange platform, the sitter stays in the home for free in exchange for caring for it and any pets, and the only cost is usually the sitter's annual membership fee. On a paid app like Rover, the owner pays the sitter directly for each visit, walk, or overnight stay, and no free accommodation changes hands. They serve different needs: house sitting suits owners who are traveling and want their home occupied, while a paid app suits owners who need scheduled visits or boarding without offering a place to stay.

Do these platforms run background checks on sitters?

Some do, to varying degrees. TrustedHousesitters requires ID verification for all members and offers free criminal background checks for US based sitters through a third party provider. Smaller platforms may offer lighter verification, such as ID checks or a review system, without a formal background check. Regardless of what a platform offers, both sitters and homeowners should still do their own due diligence, including a video call and a reference check, before confirming a sit.

Which house sitting website is cheapest for a sitter?

MindMyHouse is the least expensive of the platforms compared here, at a flat fee of about $29 a year with no per sit booking fee. House Sitters America is close behind at about $49 for a 12 month membership. Both trade a lower price for a smaller pool of active listings compared to TrustedHousesitters or Nomador.