Gone are the days when parents could only turn to grandparents, a nanny, or the neighborhood teenager when they wanted to go out or simply had to work late. Today, an entire industry has sprung up to help parents find nannies and other childcare professionals online, giving them options and freedom that grandparents never had when we were kids.
Many of these websites and apps are designed to make the search for childcare easier and faster. These companies offer parents a comprehensive package to review customer reviews, recommendations, and personal profiles of childcare professionals. Most companies also conduct background checks on the nannies and babysitters they list, which means it’s not just your responsibility to do your due diligence.
Before you start your online search, talk to friends and family about the best babysitting sites. Look up parents you know at your child’s daycare or in your neighborhood and ask them if they have any recommendations. Ask them if they have used online services and if they have any recommendations. You can also use social media to ask for recommendations.
When you decide to search online, decide what you are looking for in a childcare provider and compare prices to find the company that best suits your needs.
What Are You Looking For?
The first step is to decide what you are looking for. Do you simply need a caregiver who can take care of the children for a few hours after they go to bed while you go out for dinner and drinks with your partner? Do you need someone who can pick up the children from school and stay with them until they are asleep? Would you like a nanny who speaks a foreign language so that you can have a bilingual child? Are you looking for a full-time assistant who also knows how to cook and clean? What if you are looking for a male tutor, is that an option?
The question of what you need is something only you can answer, and it will greatly influence where and how you search. One thing is for sure: this is a very important decision and should not be taken lightly.
When looking for savings:
- Seek advice from friends and family.
- Read user reviews.
- Do you need additional services? (Someone who cooks, cleans, or can teach your child a foreign language?)
- Don’t hesitate to ask about background checks and references.
Important Features
- Wide range of caregivers
- References and background checks are provided.
- Profiles with search options that match what you’re looking for.
- Affordability and ease of use:
- Safety and peace of mind are likely to be top priorities when looking for a nanny.
- Most services either conduct background checks themselves or outsource them to third-party nannies who sign up with their service. Be sure to check out these services to find the nannies you’re interested in and review references and reviews.
Ease of Use
As a busy parent with young children, simplicity is probably your watchword.
Look for an easy-to-navigate website that doesn’t require technical skills or hours of typing.
Perhaps the most important factor in terms of ease of use is the mobile app. Nine of the 10 brands on this list have a mobile app, although one of them, Sitter.me, is only available for iOS devices.
The best babysitting apps are not only practical and easy to use, but they also allow you to schedule babysitting services from the office, the supermarket, or wherever you need a babysitter.
Here’s our analysis of the 10 best babysitting apps and platforms:
1. Care.com
- What we like: You can see each nanny’s full profile online.
Care.com is easy to use. Just enter your location and you’ll see a selection of available nannies. Each nanny on the site is verified and has a personal profile with a photo, a description of their experience and services, pricing, and user reviews. While Care.com is undoubtedly the best site to find nannies, use its platform for more than just babysitting; you can also find tutors, adult and senior care, and cleaning services.
2. Sittercity
- What we like: You can interview potential nannies before hiring them.
Featured in the New York Times and Good Morning America, Sittercity is one of the largest nanny apps, with millions of members and a wide range of childcare services, including special needs services. To find a nanny on the site, you can post an ad about your needs and availability. You can interview candidates and check their background once you’ve narrowed down your search. Like Care.com, SitterCity.com also offers senior and pet care.
3. Urbansitter
- What we like: You can read reviews from other parents in your community.
Urbansitter has over 150,000 sitters on its platform and serves over 60 cities across the country. Each sitter’s profile includes a video that lets you get to know them as they introduce themselves in a short 30-90 second video. You can post screening questions that potential sitters can answer when they apply, as well as read reviews from parents in your community. Urbansitter has an average booking time of 3 minutes, which is a big plus for last-minute childcare needs.
4. Sitter.com
- What we like: It leverages the Telesafe call system for added security.
Sitter.com works like other sites in that it quickly connects you with babysitters in your area. While the platform doesn’t conduct its own background checks, it does provide parents with the tools and resources they need, including options like Social Security number tracking and a national criminal background check. It also offers private or secure ways to communicate with potential babysitters, including private messaging. Through Sitter.com, TELESAFE’s proprietary system allows you to communicate with other users while protecting your identity.
5. Nanny Lane
- What we like: Advanced security checks
Nanny Lane is a well-designed and easy-to-use babysitting service that, while it doesn’t have as wide a network as some other sites, makes up for it with additional security measures and features. You can request a background check on any nanny you’re interested in, which includes Social Security number tracking, a sex offender database, a global watch list, and national and state criminal databases. Another cool feature is the Nanny List nanny app, which lets you share your nanny with other families to save money.
6. Zum
- What we love: 360-degree visibility of your child with comprehensive technology
Zum has won multiple Fast Company awards for its innovation in school transportation. With over 4,000 schools, Zum provides school transportation for parents who are too busy to drive their kids to school, practice, or extracurricular activities. Parents get 360-degree visibility, plus constant communication with their driver, via an app. Zum is growing rapidly in size and popularity, though it currently only operates in the San Francisco area.
7. Sitter.me
- What we like: A reliable option for temporary babysitters
If you’re looking for a temporary or last-minute babysitting option, Sitter.me was created by parents who want to help other parents who need a babysitter quickly and don’t have time to find a long-term option. With Sitter.me, you create a list of babysitters you’ve approved, send a message to everyone on your list, and the booking is accepted first.
8. Au Pair in America
- What we like: Designated by the U.S. Department of State with over 30 years of experience.
Founded in 1986 and the first of its kind to be designated by the US Department of State, Au Pair in America has decades of experience placing full-time au pairs from abroad with families in the US. The company is takes care of the necessary paperwork to find you a full-time au pair for childcare and housework. Au Pair America has high standards for its au pairs, who are required to have 200 hours of experience, no criminal record, and a valid driver’s license with a clean record.
9. Sitting Around
- What we like. reliable, builds on community strengths
Many sites have a community-centered approach to child care. At SittingAround you can participate in a babysitting cooperative. It’s a community system where parents take turns caring for each other’s children, and instead of exchanging cash, they exchange child care for child care. Points are earned when babysitting, which you can then “redeem” when someone is available and you want to go out.
10. Bubble
- What we like. Ideal for last minute emergencies.
Bubble is a free babysitting app that is advertised as great for your short notice, regular, and temporary babysitting needs. It works like ride-sharing apps like Uber; Enter the time and date you need a babysitter, then view the participants and their rates, then choose one. The app allows you to base your decision on recommendations from friends.
Safe, Reliable, and Trustworthy Childcare Made Easy
There are few decisions you as a parent can make that are as important as caring for your children. With today’s online options, finding reliable child care is easier than ever, but there are still some basic guidelines to follow. Know what you’re looking for, look for links and explore, and find a website or app that has the right features for you. The idea of finding an online tutor may take some getting used to, but you’ll find that it makes tutoring easier and maybe even safer than ever.