- Sitter rate
- $350
- Owner fee
- Free
- Cashback
- +$10.50
You pay$339.50
You pay the sitter rate. No owner fee, and you earn cashback back.
How Petme fees workPetme · Memphis pricing transparency · 2026
The true cost of pet sitting in Memphis in 2026
Average sitter cost: $33–$60 per night. Average platform surcharge: $0 on Petme. Protection Plan maximum for eligible vet costs: $22,000.
Memphis pet sitting prices in 2026 sit well under the big-metro average, helped by light sitter competition and Tennessee's lack of a state income tax, which lets sitters keep rates modest. Summers are hot and humid, so walks shift to dawn and evening from May through September, while winters stay mild enough for year-round walking most weeks. Below is the actual, all-in cost owners pay for each Petme service across the Cooper-Young to East Memphis spread, what typical platforms add on top, and the windows when prices rise.
Find a sitter$33–$60
Boarding per night
$13–$22
Walks per hour
$0
Petme owner service fee
$22,000
maximum toward eligible vet costs
Price ledger
What you actually pay per Petme service in Memphis
Five-night dog boarding example, Midtown area, $46/night sitter rate (the Memphis band midpoint for 2026). Platforms that charge owners a service fee layer it on top; Petme charges owners 0% and adds cashback on completed bookings.
| Line item | Petme | Typical platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Sitter rate (5 × $46) · Same rate either way, the sitter sets the price. | $230 | $230 |
| Pet-owner service fee · What typical platforms add on top of the sitter rate. | $0 | $25–$32 |
| Booking subtotal · You skip the $25–$32 owner fee; cashback comes on top. | $230 | $255–$262 |
| Cashback · Paid on completed bookings. | Petme credit | – |
The Petme Protection Plan can contribute up to $22,000 toward eligible vet costs, subject to its terms. Tennessee levies no state income tax on wages, so Memphis sitters keep more of each booking without raising prices.
Work out your own total
What you would actually pay in Memphis
Enter the nightly or per-visit rate you have been quoted. Every platform column recomputes with its own owner fee, so you can see the real total side by side.
$
Drag the slider or type your sitter rate. Every card updates to show what you would actually pay on each app.
- Sitter rate
- $350
- Owner fee
- +$38.50
- Cashback
- None
You pay$388.50
Adds an 11% booking fee on top of the sitter rate at checkout.
Rover Help Center- Sitter rate
- $350
- Owner fee
- Varies
- Cashback
- None
You pay$350 + ?
Adds variable fees at checkout (service, booking, trust and safety, and more).
Wag service feesOn a $350 booking you keep $49 more with Petme than Rover, cashback included.
Owner-side fees only, verified from official sources as of August 2026. Sitters set their own rates, so your booking total varies. Competitor fees can change, so check the linked source before you book.
Holiday + peak surcharges
Holiday + peak surcharges in Memphis
Memphis sitters mark up around four windows. Mid-week boarding stays steadier year-round thanks to medical-research travel from the St. Jude community, often booked as longer stays.
Thanksgiving (Nov 24–30)
Expect higher rates
Family travel week; boarding fills first.
Christmas → New Year (Dec 20–Jan 2)
Expect higher rates
The December holidays are the tightest stretch of the year for boarding.
Memphis in May (May)
Expect higher rates
Month-long festival season pulls owners downtown and out of town.
Elvis Week (mid-August)
Expect higher rates
Visitor surge layered on peak-summer demand from June to August.
Neighborhood pricing
Neighborhood price variance in Memphis
East-side neighborhoods like East Memphis and Germantown price toward the top of the $33–$60 band, while Midtown and Cooper-Young stay closer to the middle and the outer suburbs to the bottom.
Germantown
$45–$60/night
Top of the Memphis band.
East Memphis
$45–$60/night
Eastern end of the city's main sitter spread.
Harbor Town
$42–$58/night
Riverside pocket near Tom Lee Park walks.
Central Gardens
$40–$55/night
Historic district between Midtown and Downtown.
Midtown
$38–$52/night
Sitters within reach of Overton Park.
Cooper-Young
$38–$52/night
Anchor of the Cooper-Young to East Memphis corridor.
Bartlett
$33–$48/night
Suburban rates at the affordable end of the band.
Tipping norms
Tipping norms in Memphis
Tipping is voluntary on Petme. Memphis owners typically add $20–$50 on long boarding stays (5+ nights) and around holiday windows, and 10–15% of the stay value for repeat sitters. Petme has an in-app tip flow that lands in the sitter's payout with no processing fee deducted.
Why it costs less on Petme
What you keep when you book in Memphis
0% booking fee for pet owners
The rate your Memphis sitter sets is the rate you pay. No service fee at checkout, no booking surcharge, no markup on add-ons like an extra walk or a second pet. The price you see is the price.
A real community, not a dispatch line
Petme is social first. You browse Memphis sitter profiles, photos, and reviews, then message your sitter directly and get updates during the stay. Trust comes from people you can see, not an anonymous queue.
Cashback on completed bookings
Petme pays cashback on completed Memphis bookings, as credit toward your next sitter. Paired with the 0% booking fee, that is money that stays with you.
Protection Plan maximum: $22,000
The Petme Protection Plan can contribute up to $22,000 toward eligible vet costs, subject to its terms.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does pet sitting really cost in Memphis in 2026?
A typical 5-night dog boarding stay in Memphis costs $230 on Petme before cashback, vs $255–$262 on platforms that charge owners a service fee. Boarding runs $33–$60 per night, walks $13–$22 per hour, drop-in visits $14–$22, and daycare $24–$42 per day. $1 cost more, so book early.
Why is pet sitting cheaper in Memphis than in coastal cities?
Memphis has light sitter competition and no state income tax on wages, so sitters keep more of each booking without pushing rates up. Boarding sits at $33–$60 per night, well under what owners pay in Miami or Seattle, with suburbs like Bartlett at the low end and East Memphis and Germantown at the top.
What is the cheapest way to leave a dog in Memphis while traveling?
Drop-in visits at $14–$22 each, twice daily, work out to $28–$44 per day vs $33–$60 per night for in-home boarding in Memphis. They suit cats and adult dogs that handle alone-time well, but in the hot, humid May-to-September stretch a boarding sitter who walks at dawn and evening is the safer choice.
Do Memphis pet sitting prices go up in summer?
Yes. Memphis demand peaks from June to August, with extra pressure during Elvis Week in mid-August and Memphis in May, when sitters often charge above the usual $33–$60 nightly band. Booking before the window opens locks in the lower rate; the December holidays carry the steepest markups.
How much should I tip a pet sitter in Memphis?
Typical Memphis practice is $20–$50 on a long boarding stay and 10–15% of the booking value for repeat sitters. Tips are voluntary and go directly to the sitter through Petme's in-app tip flow, with no processing fee deducted, on top of the $33–$60 per night boarding rate.
Do Memphis pet sitters need a licence, and is my booking protected?
Tennessee requires no state pet-sitter licence; Memphis enforces a leash-and-cleanup ordinance and runs permitted dog parks. Memphis owners can get up to $22,000 through the Protection Plan for eligible vet costs, subject to the Protection Plan terms.
Pet care services in Memphis
Pet Boarding
Overnight stays at a sitter's home with personalized care and attention in Memphis
Dog Walking
Scheduled walks to keep your dog active, happy, and well-exercised in Memphis
House Sitting
In-home care where a sitter stays at your place with your pet in Memphis
Drop-in Visits
Quick check-ins for feeding, playtime, and potty breaks in Memphis
Doggy Daycare
Daytime supervision and socialization while you're at work in Memphis
Related Petme pages
Related pages for Memphis
Find a vetted sitter in Memphis
0% booking fee for pet owners. Cashback on completed bookings. Up to $22,000 through the Protection Plan for eligible vet costs. Find your sitter in the app and message them before you book.
Find a sitter