In this article, I am going to tell you everything you need to know about Trusted Housesitters. It’s the best platform around for house sitting and is a fantastic resource for traveling the world. It’s our go-to website and one we have been using for over 5 years to facilitate our global exploration.
I’ll be breaking down the costs, and associated benefits, and detailing some handy things to consider when using Trusted Housesitters. To fully utilize the website from an active sitter’s perspective, understanding its features and functions will enable you to hit the ground running and succeed with the listings you apply for.
What is House Sitting?
House sitting is a mutually beneficial exchange between a host and a sitter. Pets are often, but not always, involved. People can find exchanges ranging from a single day to months on end all across the world.
Most house sitting sites do not involve any payment either way. The benefit for the house sitter comes in the form of free accommodation in a wonderful part of the world. For the host, it’s great to know that reliable trusted housesitters are caring for their home and pets.
The Number 1 House Sitting Site in the World
Currently, there are no official comparison sites for house sitting platforms. To be clear, it is my own, experienced view that Trusted Housesitters is the best house sitting website. Read on to find out why.
Active Users
The numbers speak for themselves. At the time of writing this, the number of listings on THS accepting applications is over 8000. That’s 8000 homes around the world right now waiting for people to apply today. These numbers are staggering and although other similar websites exist, they can not compete with this volume of active users.
The expanse of listings is also vast on THS. We have used the platform to house sit in Costa Rica, the USA, Vietnam, Singapore, and Australia to name but a few. Read more about the variety of listings and the best places to consider house sitting in my previous article – The Top Countries Looking for House Sitters Right Now
Customer Service
Having used the site for 5 years and completed over 25 exchanges we have had reason to contact Trusted Housesitters. From a customer service perspective, the response has always been superb.
An excellent help center, FAQs page, and easy-to-find direct contact information support a 24/7 live chat feature. Whatever your concern, issue, or problem, a team member will get back to you as soon as possible. It’s comforting to know that Trusted Housesitters has always got your back.
Benefits
I will break down the different benefits associated with the various membership bands in the next section. But as an overview, Trusted Housesitters has the most all-encompassing benefits and support system of any house sitting website.
I’ve already mentioned customer service, but many other house sitting sites don’t include features like rewarding referrals for sign-ups, offering 24/7 cancellation plans and liability policies, and providing emergency vet lines. THS also has an app which is a very handy feature indeed.
Additionally, the number of search options and house sit criteria make finding the right listings a breeze. Whether you are looking for a one-night, no-pet, easy sit in London or a 2-month pet sit with a car included in Los Angeles, finding the right sit to match your requirements is convenient and straightforward.
Money-Back Guarantee
A reassuring measure that Trusted Housesitters has in place with all paid memberships is a money-back guarantee. So, If 14 days after your 5th official application you still have not been accepted for a sit, you will receive 100% of your money back no questions asked.
Membership Options
Trusted Housesitters has four bands of membership that come with an increasing number of benefits. You should consider these carefully depending on your requirements as a sitter and how much you’d like to pay. Here I will break down the options for you and suggest who they might best suit.
Use code BEACHES25 to save 25% on any paid membership, click here to get started.
Sign Up For Free
If you’re initially just interested in taking a look around, consider signing up for free. This entry-level membership gives you access to the platform to see what all the fuss is about and how the process works.
Although you won’t be able to confirm any exchanges at this level, you will have access to all the active listings. Free members will also receive email updates about fantastic sits that have just become available. You can unsubscribe easily at any time and there’s no pressure or obligation to take your membership to a paid level.
Best Option For
The free membership is ideal for anyone just wanting to take a closer look around. It takes just a few seconds to sign up, and should you ever decide to progress to a paid membership band, your free account can be easily switched.
It’s also a great option for anyone wanting to get a head start and hit the ground running with the platform and a basic profile before starting an annual paid membership.
Basic Sitter
The opening band for a Trusted Housesitters membership is their Basic Sitter package. At just $129/year it is a great option for anyone looking to dip their toe into the house sitting waters.
For this one-time annual fee, members will have full use of the THS search facilities and can apply for as many house sits as they like. Basic Sitters will also be able to accept unlimited sits and be approached by hosts looking for sitters.
Every membership includes full ID checks and verification, ensuring transparency for all users. Basic Sitters will have the facility to create a profile demonstrating all the positive aspects of themselves as sitters. This can include photos, social media links, reviews, and written information.
Best Option For
The Basic Sitter membership is a great option for anyone wanting to try the site without a significant financial outlay. If you’re contemplating starting with a few local house sits, then the opening band is all you will need. Hannah and I started with the Basic Sitter package. We only upgraded when we started to use house sitting to travel internationally.
Standard Sitter
A step up from the Basic Sitter and including all of the benefits previously mentioned is the Standard Sitter option. At $169/year it includes a significant number of additions that justify the increased price.
Most importantly this band is the first level of access to alerts. It used to be that an unlimited number of people could apply for an open application. However, THS has recently cut this to just 5 applications meaning potential sitters need to be quick off-the-mark with their approaches. Having the facility to set alerts is a big bonus worth the extra fee.
Dedicated member support and a video call/messaging service between hosts and sitters come included with the Standard Sitter package. Additionally, it comes with accident and third-party liability cover for added peace of mind. If something goes wrong on a sit and you’re responsible, you’ll be covered up to $1 million per incident.
Best Option For
If you are serious about house sitting and considering it as a domestic travel option the Standard Sitter package is right for you. Furthermore, the added security of liability cover and the facility to be alerted to house sits matching your dates and criteria is a major step up from Basic Sitter. If you’re eyeing up some popular properties or locations, the alerts will be a big benefit.
Premium Sitter
The highest tier membership with THS is the Premium Sitter option which costs $259/year. Hannah and I are Premium Sitters and have needed and used the added benefits a few times during our travels. Again, including all of the previously mentioned benefits the Premium Sitter comes with a few vital additions that serious international house sitters should consider.
None is more important than the inclusion of a cancelation plan. If you accept a sit and the host cancels, THS will cover $150/night for your accommodation costs up to $1500 per sit. This provides fantastic back-up if using the site abroad and you already have flights booked and plans made. This could save you a fortune and it’s such a relief to know Trusted Housesitters will help with the cost of alternative accommodation.
Additionally, included annually with every Premium Sitter membership are two airport lounge passes, redeemable at over 600 airports globally. From my experience, a lounge pass usually costs $45 – $60, so when factoring this into the membership cost it brings the price down significantly.
Best Option For
This is the option for serious international and long-term house sitters or anyone seeking complete assurance and coverage of every posting. The bonus of the lounge passes means the cost is practically on par with the Standard Sitter if you plan to travel internationally within your membership year.
Combined Sitter/Host Packages
For an additional fee on top of any house sitter membership, Trusted Housesitters offers an add-on for sitters who also want to join the site as a pet parent/host. The three-tier system is still in place with all the associated benefits previously listed for sitters. However, there are a few ascending benefits depending on your membership band as a host – here’s the breakdown;
Basic Host Combined with Basic Sitter
A stand-alone Basic Host membership with THS costs $149/year. Combined with the Basic Sitter option, the total membership cost is just $209/year.
Basic Host/Sitter Combined Includes
- Unlimited pet and home care from verified sitters during your membership year.
Standard Host Combined with Standard Sitter
The Standard Host membership with THS costs $229/year, however, combining this with the Standard Sitter membership brings the overall total to just $309/year.
Standard Host/Sitter Combined Includes
- Unlimited pet and home care from verified sitters during your membership year.
- Boosted listing in searches.
- A home and contents plan that works in conjunction with your active home insurance. This covers you for up to $1 million against property damage, theft, and public liability should a sitter have an accident while staying in your home.
- A money-back promise means if you don’t receive any applications for your listing within 14 days, you’ll get a full refund no questions asked.
- Know when fellow Trusted Housesitters favorite your listing.
Premium Host Combined with Premium Sitter
The all-inclusive Premium Host membership costs $299/year but if you choose to add this to the Premium Sitter membership the total cost for both is just $399/year.
Premium Host/Sitter Combined Includes
- Unlimited pet and home care from verified sitters during your membership year.
- Boosted listing in searches.
- A home and contents plan that works in conjunction with your active home insurance and covers you for up to $1 million against property damage, theft, and public liability if a sitter should have an accident whilst staying in your home.
- A money-back promise means if you don’t receive any applications for your listing within 14 days, you’ll get a full refund no questions asked.
- See who adds your listing to their ‘favorites’.
- In the event of a sitter canceling, $150 per night up to $1500 per trip of alternate pet care is included.
Optimizing Your Trusted Housesitters Membership
Once you have chosen the right membership band for you and signed up, download the app if you haven’t already. Having an app is a fantastic bonus that THS offers compared to most of the other house sitting websites. You’ll get the alerts via a push notification and it makes applying much quicker and searching for listings a lot faster.
Build an honest, thorough, and verified profile. This is what hosts will immediately look at after reading your application. If you have no house sitting references you will still be able to use 3 character references to get started. Ask anyone you consider relevant to write a short review for your profile.
Remember to set those alerts for the locations, dates, and specifics of house sits you want to undertake. If you see ideal sits that don’t have active dates, favorite them and you’ll be alerted whenever they list. It’s also possible that hosts will approach you, so be prepared for direct requests in your THS inbox.
Conclusion
Well there you have it, everything you need to know about Trusted Housesitters. I hope this guide to the best house sitting website on the market has inspired you to take a deeper look and get started.
If you are serious about traveling long-term or just want to save a lot of money on your next vacation then Trusted Housesitters is designed for you.
Enjoy exploring the THS site and feel free to message us if you have any questions about Trusted Housesitters or house sitting in general. We are always happy to help. Don’t forget to use code BEACHES25 at checkout to save 25% on the membership cost, click here.
Robert and Hanna great idea,you both have everything worked out to perfection. Good luck in all your travels [email protected]
Thank you Deirdre! Nice to hear from you, best wishes. Rob and Hannah