Overnight or a visit
Overnight care runs on a different scale from a short visit. An overnight house sit is $76 to $95 a night, while a 30-minute drop-in visit is $22 to $28 and a 30-minute dog walk $22 to $26.
The real cost
What does a pet sitter cost in the US.
Only the sitter's rate. Nothing added.
You are looking for the real cost of a pet sitter. On Petme, you pay exactly what the sitter sets. No platform fee, no booking surcharge, no markup. Plus automatic cashback and up to $22,000 through the Petme Protection Plan for eligible vet costs.
Updated
0% owner fee + cashback
$59better off on Petme
$420
On Petme$407+$13 Cashback
Typical platforms$466+$46 Owner fee ยท 11-15%
Petme adds 0% owner fee and pays cashback (capped at $20 a booking). Typical platforms charge between 11% and 15% owner fees. Sitters set their own rates, so totals vary.
Up to 90%
of every booking kept by the sitter
$22,000
maximum toward eligible vet costs
300K+
members on Petme
4.9 / 5
average sitter rating
Price table
Pet sitter prices in the US by service
What owners pay a sitter in the US, by service, before any booking fee. Each band is where independent businesses and a national marketplace overlap. Overnight house sitting is the one line where the sources disagree.
| Service | Price (USD) | Range seen | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-minute dog walk | $22 to $26 USD | $15 to $32 USD | per walk, one dog |
| 30-minute drop-in visit | $22 to $28 USD | $15 to $38 USD | per visit |
| Cat drop-in visit | $20 to $27 USD | $14 to $34 USD | per visit |
| Overnight house sitting | $76 to $95 USD | $35 to $150 USD | per night, sitter sleeps at your home |
| Boarding at the sitter's home | No number | No number | per night |
| Doggy daycare | No number | No number | per day |
Cat drop-in visit: Thin sample: only 14 businesses publish a cat-specific rate, so treat this band as a guide.
Overnight house sitting: The sources disagree here. Businesses mostly charge $76 to $150 a night, the marketplace lists $35 to $95 before its fee, and the industry survey average of $110.43 is above the overlap. The band is only the stretch where the two sources meet.
Boarding at the sitter's home: We do not have two public, dated sources for this service yet, so we do not give a number.
Doggy daycare: We do not have two public, dated sources for this service yet, so we do not give a number.
On Petme, each sitter sets their own rate. You see it before you book, and Petme adds no service fee on top.
Methodology
Where these prices come from
Based on public rates from 44 independent pet-care businesses and one national pet-sitting marketplace across 17 US metros, fetched October 26, 2026, cross-checked against a 2026 national pet-sitter industry survey.
30-minute dog walk: independent businesses charge $22 to $32 (10th to 90th percentile of 34 rates) and the marketplace lists $15 to $26 (260 listed rates). The overlap is $22 to $26; the range seen is $15 to $32. The industry survey puts the 2026 national average for a 30-minute walk at $28.43.
30-minute drop-in visit: independent businesses charge $22 to $38 (10th to 90th percentile of 37 rates) and the marketplace lists $15 to $28 (260 listed rates). The overlap is $22 to $28; the range seen is $15 to $38. The industry survey puts the 2026 national average for a 30-minute visit at $28.39.
Cat drop-in visit: independent businesses charge $20 to $34 (10th to 90th percentile of 14 rates) and the marketplace lists $14 to $27 (240 listed rates). The overlap is $20 to $27; the range seen is $14 to $34. The industry survey puts the 2026 national average for a 30-minute visit (it has no cat-only figure) at $28.39.
Thin sample: only 14 businesses publish a cat-specific rate, so treat this band as a guide.
Overnight house sitting: independent businesses charge $76 to $150 (10th to 90th percentile of 34 rates) and the marketplace lists $35 to $95 (260 listed rates). The overlap is $76 to $95; the range seen is $35 to $150. The industry survey puts the 2026 national average for an overnight stay at $110.43.
The sources disagree here. Businesses mostly charge $76 to $150 a night, the marketplace lists $35 to $95 before its fee, and the industry survey average of $110.43 is above the overlap. The band is only the stretch where the two sources meet.
Each source gives its own band, the 10th to the 90th percentile of its rates. The price we publish is where the two bands overlap; the range seen is everything between the lowest and the highest of them. The marketplace shows "from" prices without its 11% booking fee, so its rates run below what businesses charge.
Sample: Business and marketplace rates per line: walk 34 and 260, drop-in 37 and 260, cat visit 14 and 240, overnight 34 and 260, fetched October 26, 2026.
These are market prices, not Petme prices.
How to cite: Petme, "What does a pet sitter cost in the US. Only the sitter's rate. Nothing added.", petme.social/us/how-much-does-a-pet-sitter-cost, updated October 26, 2026.
The real cost
What you actually pay on Petme
Most platforms add a service fee of 11% or more on top of the sitter's rate, charged to the owner at checkout. On Petme, that line item does not exist. The price shown is the price you pay.
Platforms with a service fee
Service fee to pet owners
11%+ per booking
Surcharge on the sitter's rate
Yes, at checkout
Automatic cashback
Not offered
Petme Protection Plan included
Optional or paid add-on
Price transparency
Rate + fees added later
PetmeTransparent pricing, no surcharge
Service fee to pet owners
0%
Surcharge on the sitter's rate
Never
Automatic cashback
Yes, every booking
Petme Protection Plan included
$22,000 included
Price transparency
Sitter's rate only
Why the total is lower
Two reasons your total cost is always lower
No fee plus cashback: every booking costs less upfront and earns credit toward the next one.
Cashback lowers costs on every booking
No promo codes or loyalty cards needed. Every completed booking on Petme automatically credits cashback to your account, with no minimum spend. Your effective pet sitting costs go down with every booking.
Applied automaticallyWhat you see is always what you pay
Petme does not add service fees, booking fees, or processing fees at checkout. The rate on the sitter's profile is the total. No amount appears at checkout that was not already visible on the listing.
No surprises at checkoutHow it works
Understand the cost in three steps
The price on the sitter profile is what you pay. No hidden line items.
Check sitter rates
Every profile shows the sitter's rate clearly per service: per night, per walk, or per visit. What you see is the final price with no markup.
Book at the listed price
Confirm the booking. The total at checkout matches the sitter's listed rate exactly. No platform surcharge, no additional service fee.
Earn cashback and lower future costs
Once the booking is complete, cashback is credited automatically. On your next booking, your effective cost is lower.
Rates
What changes the price of a pet sitter
Each sitter sets their own rate for each service, so the number on a profile can differ from the typical ranges above. These are the things that usually move it. Petme adds no fee on top of whatever the sitter charges.
Time of day
Early mornings, late evenings and fixed time slots are harder to fit around a sitter's other bookings. Some sitters price them differently, so check the rate and the time in chat before you book.
Holidays and busy weeks
Holiday weekends and school breaks are the busiest weeks for sitters. A sitter may quote a different rate for those dates, and you see it before you confirm.
Extra pets
More than one pet means more feeding, walking and cleanup. Tell the sitter how many pets you have in your first message so the rate you agree covers all of them.
Medication and special care
Giving medication, caring for an older pet or following a strict routine takes more of the sitter's time. Describe it up front and agree the rate before the stay.
Included in the price
$22,000 Petme Protection Plan already included
Unlike typical platforms, where protection like this is an optional paid subscription, Petme includes it in every booking at no extra charge. It covers vet costs for accidents or illness during a stay, up to $22,000.
Learn about the Petme Protection PlanAvailable cities
Transparent pet sitter pricing across US cities
Verified sitters in your city. Real rates, no markup, cashback, and $22,000 Petme Protection Plan.
Common questions
Everything about pet sitter costs in the US
How much does a pet sitter cost in the US?
It depends on the service. Across the US market, a 30-minute dog walk costs $22 to $26, a 30-minute drop-in visit $22 to $28, a cat drop-in visit $20 to $27 and an overnight house sit $76 to $95 a night, where the two sources overlap. Market prices checked October 26, 2026. On Petme you pay the sitter's rate and no service fee is added at checkout.
What does 0% platform fee mean for pet owners?
Typical pet sitting platforms charge a service fee of 11% or more on top of the sitter's rate, billed to the owner at checkout. On Petme, that fee does not exist. The price shown on a sitter's profile is exactly what you pay. Nothing is added when you book.
Do pet sitting rates change by time of day or for special services?
Often, yes. Each Petme sitter sets their own rates, so a sitter may quote differently for early or late slots, holiday dates, extra pets or medication. Overnight care also sits on a different scale from visits: an overnight house sit is $76 to $95 a night and a 30-minute drop-in visit $22 to $28. Agree the rate in chat before you book, and Petme adds no fee on top.
Are there any hidden fees or membership costs on Petme?
No. Petme does not charge membership fees, registration fees, booking fees, or processing fees to pet owners. You only pay when you book, and you only pay the sitter's rate. No surprises at checkout.
Does cashback reduce the effective cost of future bookings?
Yes. Every completed booking on Petme automatically credits cashback to your account. The balance accumulates after each stay, walk, or visit, and can be applied to your next booking. Your effective pet sitting costs go down over time.
Does the Petme Protection Plan cost extra?
Petme owners can get up to $22,000 through the Petme Protection Plan for eligible vet costs, subject to the Petme Protection Plan terms. Learn about the Petme Protection Plan
Is Petme available in my city in the US?
Petme covers 15 US cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Miami, Seattle, Denver, and Boston. Search by city to see verified sitters near you. Find pet sitters in your US city
How much do dog sitters charge per day?
There is no single day rate in our sources, so it depends on how the day is covered. Two 30-minute drop-in visits at $22 to $28 each come to $44 to $56, and three come to $66 to $84. A sitter who stays overnight at your home charges $76 to $95 a night, though the sources disagree on that line. Market prices checked October 26, 2026.
How much is a pet sitter per night?
$76 to $95 a night for overnight house sitting in the US, where the two sources overlap. The sources disagree on this line: rates seen run from $35 to $150, and businesses charge more than the marketplace lists. Market prices checked October 26, 2026.
How much does a pet sitter cost for a week?
Seven nights of overnight house sitting at $76 to $95 a night come to $532 to $665. One 30-minute drop-in visit a day for seven days comes to $154 to $196. Those totals are the published bands multiplied out, not a weekly rate a sitter quoted.
How much does pet sitting cost per visit?
$22 to $28 for a 30-minute drop-in visit in the US. Rates seen run from $15 to $38. A 30-minute dog walk is $22 to $26. Market prices checked October 26, 2026.
How much is a pet sitter for 2 weeks?
Fourteen nights of overnight house sitting at $76 to $95 a night come to $1,064 to $1,330. One drop-in visit a day for 14 days comes to $308 to $392. These are the published bands multiplied out; ask the sitter about a rate for a long stay.
Keep reading
Compare and calculate pet sitting costs
See the exact numbers side by side, then check what you would pay.
Find transparent pet sitter pricing in the US
No surcharge. No fee. Cashback on every completed booking and up to $22,000 through the Petme Protection Plan for eligible vet costs.