In this article, I’ll be taking a deep dive and explaining everything you need to know about the best house sitting websites around.
There are numerous excellent platforms out there that facilitate house sitting. However, each comes with different pros, cons, and price tags. From my years of experience house sitting around the world, I will highlight the benefits of each so you can decide which is right for you.
I’ve chosen my top 5 based on the number of active listings and users, membership price, and overall user experience.
What is House Sitting?
Before we get into the best house sitting websites, let me provide some insight into what house sitting entails. It is an exchange between a homeowner and a responsible house sitter, of accommodation for a pre-agreed length of time in return for the peace of mind that their house and pets will be looked after while they are away from them.
It enables house sitters to have enhanced experiences around the world while saving significant amounts of money on accommodation. The hosts have the security of a verified and reliable sitter taking care of their property and often pets. There is no financial exchange between either party.
Pets are usually included, though listings without pets occasionally appear. However, it is safe to presume that most house sits will involve caring for a pet. The use of a car is occasionally included too, and general home-owner responsibilities are often part of the bargain.
My Experience House Sitting
House sitting has been a real game-changer in my life. Hannah and I joined Trusted Housesitters in 2018 and it has allowed us to travel the world extensively. We left our home in the UK in early 2022 and haven’t looked back since. Currently, we have 33 reviews across the best house sitting websites, and another 5 house sits booked this year. These will include lengthy stays in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.
We enjoy the enhanced experience of living somewhere and getting to know an area. Sure, the financial benefits are obvious but the doors that house sitting has opened for us and the opportunities that continue to arise are far more significant. We’re so passionate about house sitting we even built a website dedicated to it!
For more info about our previous adventures check out my article – A Review of 5 Amazing House Sitting Experiences. Now, let’s discover everything you need to know about the top 5 house sitting websites.
1 – Trusted Housesitters
Standing head-and-shoulders above the competition is Trusted Housesitters, the biggest and best of all the house sitting websites out there. The vast range of diverse global listings on the site is continually increasing. It regularly lists around 8500 worldwide properties that are accepting applications for house sitting jobs, at any one time.
These can range from overnight stays in a central London apartment to 3-month country retreats in Texas. Or a two-week beach break in Costa Rica to a month-long city stay in Vietnam. The platform is easy to use, includes a handy app, and great member benefits for added security, assurance, and communication.
Trusted Housesitters – Membership Cost
It’s free to get started with Trusted Housesitters and start looking around. All you need is an email address, click here to sign up for free. To confirm an exchange you will need to be a full-paying member, but prices start at just $129/year. This includes an unlimited number of house sit exchanges.
THS has 3 bands of membership but even the top tier option with lots of added benefits is only $259/year. Read Everything You Need to Know About Trusted Housesitters to decide which band best suits your needs.
Use our exclusive referral code BEACHES25 at checkout to save 25% on any membership, click here to get started.
Pros and Cons of Trusted Housesitters
The vast number of listings on Trusted Housesitters stands out as the biggest positive. I also love the app which makes being alerted to new house sits and applying, fast and convenient. Furthermore, being able to save properties and search criteria means I am informed as soon as relevant properties come online.
Added member benefits like cancelation and liability insurance provide peace of mind for house sitters. However, it should be noted that these benefits are only included with the higher-tiered membership options.
Being the biggest around does mean that THS is the most expensive. It’s worth every penny but when compared with the other sites Trusted Housesitters is more expensive than its competitors. The thousands of users also means that sought-after listings can get snapped up quickly.
2 – Mind My House
If you are serious about house sitting long term I’d advise having at least 2 house sitting profiles set up. It’s important to remember that most hosts usually only list their property on one house sitting site. This could mean that the perfect house sit for you could be listed on another platform.
Mind My House is a fantastic secondary option. It’s a site with bags of kudos and excellent personal in-house customer service. Thousands of people regularly use Mind My House and their active user data is displayed on the site’s homepage. It’s a handy tool for prospective users to see just how many listings there currently are.
Searching the listings using your criteria is simple and it’s easy to apply for listings you like the look of.
Mind My House – Membership Costs
As a secondary house sitting resource, Mind My House is very affordable at $29/year. It’s the cheapest house sitting platform on the web! This includes an unlimited number of exchanges during your membership period and access to 24/7 customer service.
The annual fee is the same for hosts to sign up ensuring a regular supply of new listings. A dual membership (host and sitter) is still only $29, and most other sites charge an additional fee to have access to both sides of the house sitting process.
Pros and Cons of Mind My House
The low annual fee and thousands of active users make Mind My House an enticing proposition. The easy-to-use platform is clean, clear, and straightforward. Templates for house sitter agreement forms are provided for added assurance. The customer service and response rate are second to none.
An app would make searching and applying easier, however, email alerts identify new house sits matching your preferences. Having fewer users than sites like THS means there is arguably less competition for any new listings.
It’s unclear whether apparent active listings are reviewing or still accepting applicants. There are also no additional membership benefits for things like cancelation and liability insurance which can provide extra peace of mind for many users.
3 – House Sitters UK/USA/Canada/Australia/New Zealand
Our next option is a little different as it features one company that has 5 house sitting websites focusing on different countries individually. Click the country in the heading above to go to each designated website.
Across the various international websites, thousands of hosts regularly list their homes. You can start searching the listings before signing up – a great way to see if any perfect matches are waiting. Lots of excellent filters ensure users can find listings that match their exact requirements, too.
Building a profile is quick and easy and provides a comprehensive array of features to showcase your house sitting skills and references. There is even the option of an availability calendar so hosts can see if you’re approachable for a house sit. House sitting jobs are advertised for free, always ensuring plenty of new exciting house sitting opportunities.
House Sitters – Membership Cost
Costing just $49/year, House Sitters is another affordable resource. However, this only allows you access to one of their websites not the entire catalog of international listings. Although they all fall under the same umbrella, you will need to be a member of the UK site to apply for UK house sits and the US site to apply for US sits, etc.
Subsequently, this could mean laying out a few hundred dollars if you intend to house sit around the world. However, if you have plans to travel around one of their designated countries, it’s a bargain.
Membership includes a year of unlimited house sitting opportunities. This is the only platform I have come across that also offers payment for some house sitting listings. This is advertised in the listings at the host’s discretion/preference but should be considered carefully as it could cause visa violation issues if you are not legally allowed to work in the country you intend to house sit in.
Pros and Cons of House Sitters
Listings are advertised for free which is a guaranteed way to ensure a healthy stream of new and exciting opportunities. The affordable yearly membership cost is another attractive feature that can’t be overlooked.
The whole platform is easy to use and creating a profile is a thorough process that doesn’t take long to complete. New users can start browsing without even signing up, which is a great way to get a taste of the site without entering so much as an email address.
You will need to join various versions of the site if you plan to apply for house sits in different countries. Unlike THS, there are no added member benefits for important things like cancelation insurance. It’s also not possible to see if listings are still active before enquiring. It is up to the hosts to take down an ad once the job has been filled which doesn’t always happen promptly.
Nomador
I have long suspected that Nomador is either a subsidiary of Trusted Housesitters or a former partner doing a similar thing. I have no proof of these claims, it’s just a hunch but it subsequently means that Nomador is one of the best house sitting websites active today.
Nomador has a strong European presence with thousands of listings on the continent. The site is also active around the world with hundreds of hosts in places like the US and the Caribbean. They currently have over 12,000 active users.
Almost 10,000 people have given Nomador an excellent review on Trust Pilot meaning they must be doing something very right. It’s a user-friendly website that offers clear and concise information for house sitters and hosts alike. Much like THS, Nomador offers some great member benefits which we shall discuss in the next section.
Nomador – Membership Costs
There are 3 Nomador membership options that come with an increasing number of benefits. The standard membership is an affordable $159/year and includes limited cancelation insurance that will cover some of the costs should a host cancel the house sit.
The premium membership option with heightened cancelation insurance and early access to listings is still only $199/year. Interested in just dipping your toe in the Nomador waters? You can sign up for a 3-month basic membership costing just $99, however, this option includes limited user benefits.
Pros and Cons of Nomador
Having a short-term membership option, albeit without any user benefits is a good way to start your house sitting career without a significant financial outlay. Nomador’s extensive European profile makes it a top consideration if you are planning a European adventure. All membership options also include a host/pet parent membership, a great inclusive bonus!
A degree of cancelation cover with every standard membership is a nice touch that even THS doesn’t include as standard. However, the fine print limits the payout to 200 euros per trip which wouldn’t go far to cover a stay more than a couple of nights. Still, it’s a nice benefit to have.
The limited number of listings outside of Europe will deter some new users from signing up. Though the numbers are fluid and constantly changing, it seems Nomador has firmly stuck its flag in the European market. An app would be a useful tool for users keen to apply for new listings quickly.
5 – Workaway
I’m thinking a bit outside the box for number 5 but Workaway is a great website and a valuable tool for keen travelers. It is predominantly a volunteer exchange site whereby hosts exchange accommodation and usually all meals, for 5 hours of work a day, 5 days a week. Hannah and I have used it all over the world and it’s a fantastic way to meet new people and save a bundle on your travel expenses.
It’s often overlooked but house sitting is one of the top searches on Workaway and it shouldn’t be overlooked as a house sitting resource. It is easy to filter out the locations and exchanges that don’t interest you and find people worldwide looking for house sitters.
Although the numbers can’t compete with the others on this list, I still feel Workaway is worthy of being considered as one of the best house sitting websites. In the last few years, It has come in handy for us whilst traveling, as it is just a great website that doesn’t cost a fortune to join, and is especially handy if you plan to hit the road long term.
Workaway – Membership Costs
Membership is just $49/year and includes as many exchanges as you like. Guaranteed host responses are a welcome recent addition that comes as standard, so you can be assured of swift replies to any applications.
If you’re traveling with a partner or friend then membership is even cheaper at just $29.50 pp. Excellent 24/7 customer service is always on hand for any concerns and there is a nice community feel to the Workaway platform.
Pros and Cons of Workaway
Being a Workaway member means having access to tens of thousands of accommodation options. The site has lots of active users around the world and is a vital resource for long-term travelers who want to enhance and extend their experiences.
The number of stand-alone house sitting opportunities is significantly less than the other top 5 house sitting sites but fantastic listings are there to be found and applied for. Workaway lacks the direct house sitting member benefits that come with applying through a dedicated house sitting platform. Excellent customer service is always on hand, though.
Workaway has a handy app which is a great tool for searching and applying for listings. The low annual fee makes the site accessible to pretty much everyone and the close-knit community is a nice feature for travelers.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it, everything you need to know about the best house sitting websites around. I hope this article has provided you with the information you need to get started as a house sitter.
I enjoy writing about an industry that is exponentially getting bigger every year. Lots of people are tuning into the idea that travel can be so much more than a quick weekend away or a few days sat by a pool. Sure, those trips can be enjoyable but the enhanced experience of house sitting plus the huge financial benefits is hard to ignore!
For further reading be sure to head over to our House Sitting Advice, Tips, and Hacks page for a library of informative house sitting blogs.
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