UK pet sitting costs

Pet sitting cost calculator

See what a pet sitter actually costs in the UK. Type your sitter rate and compare what you pay on Petme, Rover, and Pawshake for the same booking, with a link to each platform's official fee page so you can check every number yourself. On Petme you pay the sitter rate with no owner service fee, plus cashback on every booking.

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Drag the slider or type your sitter rate. Every card updates to show what you would actually pay on each app.

Petme0% fees, best value
Sitter rate
£150
Owner fee
Free
Cashback
+£7.50
You pay£142.50

You pay the sitter rate. No owner fee, and you earn cashback back on every booking.

How Petme fees work
Rover15% fee on top
Sitter rate
£150
Owner fee
+£22.50
Cashback
None
You pay£172.50

Adds a 15% booking fee on top of the sitter rate at checkout, capped at £49 per booking.

Rover UK Help Centre
PawshakeVaries
Sitter rate
£150
Owner fee
Varies
Cashback
None
You pay£150 + ?

Adds a Member Service Fee to the owner on top of every booking, shown only at checkout. The amount is not published, so a single total cannot be shown honestly.

Pawshake terms and conditions
On a £150 booking you keep £30 more with Petme than Rover, cashback included.

Owner-side fees only, verified from official sources as of June 2026. Sitters set their own rates, so your booking total varies. Competitor fees can change, so check the linked source before you book.

Sources and notes

Every owner fee in the calculator comes from an official source. Open any link to read it, and check the latest pricing before you book because platforms change fees.

Petme

You pay the sitter rate. No owner fee, and you earn cashback back on every booking.

How Petme fees work (June 2026)

Rover

Adds a 15% booking fee on top of the sitter rate at checkout, capped at £49 per booking.

Rover UK Help Centre (June 2026)
  • Rover caps the owner service fee at £49 per booking, so on larger bookings the effective rate falls below 15%.

Pawshake

Adds a Member Service Fee to the owner on top of every booking, shown only at checkout. The amount is not published, so a single total cannot be shown honestly.

Pawshake terms and conditions (June 2026)
  • Pawshake's official terms state it charges owners a Member Service Fee on top of every booking, presented during the booking process. Pawshake does not publish the amount (it appears at checkout), so the owner total cannot be shown honestly. A separate contribution is also deducted from the sitter, and Pawshake offers no owner cashback.

Owner-side fees only, verified from official sources as of June 2026. Sitters set their own rates, so your booking total varies. Competitor fees can change, so check the linked source before you book.

What changes the price of a pet sitter in the UK

The sitter sets their rate, so two bookings are rarely identical. These are the things that move the price before any platform fee is added.

Service type

Overnight boarding and house sitting cost more than a 30-minute walk or a quick drop-in visit. Pick the service that matches what your pet actually needs.

Your city

Rates run higher in big cities like London, Manchester, and Edinburgh than in smaller towns, because the cost of living and demand are higher.

Number of pets

Most sitters add a fee for a second or third pet, since more animals mean more time, food, and attention.

Length of the stay

A week of boarding costs more than a single night, though some sitters offer a lower nightly rate for longer stays.

Holidays and peak dates

Christmas, Easter, and the summer holidays book out fast, and many sitters raise rates for those dates. That is the sitter's pricing, not a platform fee.

Extra requests

Medication, puppies, senior pets, or extra daily visits can raise the rate. Agree on the details up front so the total holds no surprises.

How the calculator works

The sitter sets the rate. The app decides how much sits on top of it. This tool keeps the booking price the same across all three apps so the only thing that changes is the fee, which is the honest way to compare.

Petme

You pay the sitter rate with a 0% owner fee, then earn cashback back on every completed booking, capped at £20. Every booking includes the Petme Protection Plan with vet protection up to £20,000 on eligible confirmed bookings.

Rover

Rover adds a 15% owner booking fee on top of the sitter rate, finalised at checkout and capped at £49 per booking. Rover also charges sitters a separate service fee.

Pawshake

Pawshake adds a Member Service Fee to the owner on top of every booking, presented during the booking process. The amount is not published, so it only shows at checkout and the calculator marks Pawshake as varies. A separate contribution comes off the sitter, and there is no owner cashback.

Questions about pet sitting costs

How much does a pet sitter cost in the UK?
A pet sitter sets their own rate, so the booking price changes with the service, your city, and the dates. What changes your final bill is the platform fee on top of that rate. On Petme you pay the sitter rate with a 0% owner fee. On Rover the owner pays a 15% booking fee at checkout. Use the calculator above to see your total on each app.
Does Rover charge pet owners a fee in the UK?
Yes. Rover UK official help states the owner service fee is 15% of the booking total, added at checkout on top of the sitter rate and capped at £49 per booking. Rover also charges sitters a separate service fee.
Does Pawshake charge pet owners a fee?
Yes. Pawshake official terms state it charges owners a Member Service Fee on top of every booking, presented during the booking process. Pawshake does not publish the amount, so it only appears at checkout, which is why this calculator marks Pawshake as varies. A separate contribution is also taken from the sitter, and there is no owner cashback.
Which pet sitting app has no owner service fee in the UK?
Petme charges owners 0% at checkout, adds cashback on every completed booking, capped at £20, and includes the Petme Protection Plan with vet protection up to £20,000 on eligible confirmed bookings. Pawshake, by contrast, adds a Member Service Fee at checkout whose amount it does not publish, and Rover adds a 15% booking fee capped at £49.
How is the savings figure calculated?
The calculator takes the booking price you enter and applies each platform fee that is publicly documented. Petme is the sitter rate minus cashback, capped at £20 per booking. Rover is the sitter rate plus a 15% booking fee, capped at £49 per booking. Pawshake adds an undisclosed Member Service Fee at checkout, so it is marked as varies. The savings line compares your Petme total against your Rover total for the same booking. Every figure links to its official source.
How much does dog boarding cost per night in the UK?
Overnight dog boarding rates are set by each sitter and change with your city, your dog, and the dates. The bigger swing in your final bill is the platform fee. On Petme you pay the sitter rate with no owner fee. On Rover the same rate carries a 15% booking fee, capped at £49. Enter a nightly rate times your nights in the calculator to compare.
Is Petme cheaper than Rover for the same sitter?
On the owner side, yes for the same booking. Petme charges owners 0% and adds cashback, while Rover adds a 15% booking fee capped at £49. The sitter rate is what differs between people, so the calculator holds the rate steady and shows only the fee difference.
How much does a dog walker cost in the UK?
Dog walking is usually priced per walk, set by the walker and the length of the walk. As with boarding, the platform fee is what changes your total. Petme adds no owner fee on walks, so the rate you agree on is the rate you pay. Use the calculator with a per-walk price to see the difference.
Do pet sitters cost more during holidays?
Many sitters raise their rates for peak dates like Christmas, Easter, and the summer holidays, because demand is higher. That is the sitter's own pricing, not a platform fee. Whatever rate you agree on, Petme adds 0% on top, so a holiday booking carries no extra owner fee.
What is included in the price on Petme?
The price you see is the sitter's rate. There is no owner service fee at checkout, you earn cashback after the booking completes, and every confirmed booking includes the Petme Protection Plan with vet protection up to £20,000.