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 out recommendations from friends and family.
- Read user reviews.
- Do you need anything extra? (Someone to cook, clean, or teach your child a foreign language?)
- Don’t hesitate to ask about background checks and references.
Important Features
- A wide range of caregivers
- References and background checks provided
- Pages with search options tailored to your needs
- Availability and ease of use
- Safety and peace of mind will likely be top priorities when looking for a nanny.
- Most services 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 their references and reviews.
Ease of Use
As a busy parent with young children, simplicity is probably your watchword.
You’re looking for an easy-to-manage website that doesn’t require technical knowledge or hours of typing.
Perhaps the most important factor in 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 let you schedule babysitting appointments from the office, the supermarket, or wherever you need them.
Here’s our analysis of the 10 best babysitting apps and platforms.
1. Care.com
- What we like: You can see each babysitter’s full profile online.
Care.com is easy to use. Just enter your location and you’ll see a selection of available babysitters. Each nanny on the site is verified and has a personal page with a photo, a description of their experience and services, pricing, and user reviews. While Care.com is undoubtedly the best site for finding babysitters, it uses its platform for more than just childcare; 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 babysitting apps, with millions of members and a wide range of childcare services, including services for special needs. You can post an ad on the site to find a caregiver based on your needs and available hours. 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 caregivers on its platform and serves over 60 cities across the country. Each caregiver’s profile includes a video that lets you get to know them as they introduce themselves in a short 30-90 second clip. You can set up screening questions that potential caregivers can answer during the application process, as well as read reviews from parents in your community. Urbansitter has an average booking time of 3 minutes, which is a great advantage for last-minute care 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 caregivers in your area. While the platform doesn’t conduct its own background checks, it does provide parents with tools and resources to do so, such as Social Security number tracking and national criminal background checks. It also offers confidential or secure ways to communicate with potential babysitters, including private text messages. Through Sitter.com, TELESAFE’s proprietary system allows you to communicate with other users while keeping your identity protected.
5. Nanny Lane
- What we like: Pre-screened checks
Nanny Lane is a well-designed and easy-to-use babysitting service. While it doesn’t have as wide a network as some other sites, it makes up for it with extra security measures and features. You can request a background check on any nanny you’re interested in, which will include a Social Security number check, sex offender database, global watch list, and national and state criminal databases. Another great feature is the Nanny List nanny sharing program, which allows you to share your nanny with other families to save money.
6. Zum
- What we like: 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 to school districts for parents who are too busy to drive their kids to school, practice, or after-school activities. Parents get full visibility through the app, along with constant communication with the driver. Zum is growing rapidly in size and popularity, though it currently only serves 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 option, Sitter.me was created by parents who want to help other parents who need to hire 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 U.S. Departmentof State, Au Pair in America has decades of experience placing full-time foreign nannies with families in the United States. The company handles all the paperwork necessary to find a full-time nanny for childcare and household chores. Au Pair America has high standards for its Au Pairs, who must have 200 hours of experience, no criminal record, and a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.
9. Sitting Around
- What we like: Reliability built on community strengths.
Many sites take a community-centered approach to childcare. With SittingAround, you can join a childcare co-op. It’s a community system where parents take turns looking after their children, and instead of exchanging money, they trade childcare for childcare. You earn points for childcare that you can redeem when someone is free and you want to take a break.
10. Bubble
- What we like: Perfect for last-minute emergencies.
Bubble is a free childcare app that’s perfect for your short-term, regular, and recurring childcare needs. It works like ride-hailing apps like Uber. Enter the date and time you need a babysitter, view available providers and their rates, and choose one. The app lets you base your decision on recommendations from friends.
Safe, Reliable, and Trustworthy Childcare Made Easy
As a parent, few decisions are as important as the care of your children. With today’s online options, finding reliable childcare is easier than ever, but there are a few key guidelines to follow. Clarify what you are looking for, search for links and research, and find a website or app with the right features for you. The idea of finding an online tutor may take some time, but you will find that it makes tutoring easier and possibly even safer than ever.
