Updated November 2026 US, UK, Canada and Australia Free calculator
Babysitting is the first paid job many people ever do, and most start by taking whatever the parents offer. That works at fourteen. It stops working when you are the sitter three families call first, you hold a first aid certificate, and you are still on the rate you agreed two years ago. A fair price depends on who is sitting, how many children there are, how young they are and how late it runs.
An experienced adult sitter looking after one child bills $18–$30 an hour in the US, £10–£16 in the UK, C$16–C$24 in Canada and A$25–A$40 in Australia. A four-hour evening comes to $70–$120, £40–£65, C$65–C$95 and A$100–A$160. Teenage sitters charge less, and this guide shows how much less, so that sitters of any age and the parents hiring them can settle on a number both think is fair.
Set the job details to get a price to quote, then check what that price leaves you per hour once driving, supplies and tax are counted.
hours
From the time you are asked to arrive until the parents get home. A typical evening is 3 to 5 hours.From the time you are asked to arrive until the parents get home. A typical evening is 3 to 5 hours.From the time you are asked to arrive until the parents get home. A typical evening is 3 to 5 hours.From the time you are asked to arrive until the parents get home. A typical evening is 3 to 5 hours.
We only publish going rates for the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Enter the price you plan to charge and the calculator shows what it pays you per hour, and the lowest price you should accept.
Charge about
$90
per booking, for 4 hours
Budget$70Typical$90Premium$120
$
per booking, in your own currency
What you really keep
$16an hour in your pocket at the typical price
Adjust the numbers above to match your job.
The price is built as a base fee plus a rate for the size of the job, then adjusted for the options you pick. Time is an estimate for one person working alone; change it if you know your own pace.
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Price list
Babysitting prices by job size
Job
United States (USD)
United Kingdom (GBP)
Canada (CAD)
Australia (AUD)
Short sit
$35–$602 hours, an errand or after school
£20–£302 hours, an errand or after school
$30–$502 hours, an errand or after school
$50–$802 hours, an errand or after school
Date night
$70–$1204 hours
£40–£654 hours
$65–$954 hours
$100–$1604 hours
Long evening
$110–$1806 hours, a wedding or event
£60–£956 hours, a wedding or event
$95–$1456 hours, a wedding or event
$150–$2406 hours, a wedding or event
Full day
$160–$2709 hours
£90–£1459 hours
$145–$2209 hours
$230–$3609 hours
Hourly rate
$18–$30what working pros bill
£10–£16what working pros bill
$16–$24what working pros bill
$25–$40what working pros bill
Minimum charge
$30smallest job worth the trip
£18smallest job worth the trip
$28smallest job worth the trip
$50smallest job worth the trip
Prices are per booking in local currency, from a fair budget price to an established operator in a higher-cost area.
United States: Rates swing widely by city. Booking data from one large sitter platform puts the 2026 national average at $26.24 an hour for one child, from $18.21 in San Antonio to $29.63 in San Francisco, and small towns sit below that. Most states set no minimum age for babysitting, and casual babysitting is not covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, so the rate is whatever you agree.
United Kingdom: The average rate on one large sitter platform is £11.38 an hour, from about £10.10 in Bradford to £12.79 in London. The law does not say an age at which a child can be left on their own, but it is an offence to leave a child alone if that puts them at risk, and parents should apply the same judgment to a young sitter. The National Minimum Wage from April 2026 is a useful yardstick: £8.00 under 18, £10.85 for ages 18 to 20 and £12.71 for 21 and over.
Canada: Platform averages sit at about C$18 to C$19 an hour, from roughly C$17 in Edmonton to C$20.50 in Vancouver and Toronto. Most provinces set no legal age for babysitting. Child welfare researchers list only Manitoba and New Brunswick (12) and Ontario (16) as setting an age for leaving children unsupervised. Provincial minimum wages are a useful floor for adult sitters: C$17.95 in Ontario from October 2026, C$18.25 in British Columbia and C$15 in Alberta.
Australia: Sitters typically charge A$25 to A$40 an hour: about A$28 to A$40 in Sydney, A$24 to A$33 in Adelaide and A$23 to A$32 in regional areas. There is no legal minimum age to babysit, but anyone under 18 is legally a child, so parents can remain responsible for what happens. The industry-standard minimum booking is two hours, and people doing child-related work need a Working with Children Check.
Method
Ways to price babysitting
01Hourly rate
The standard everywhere. Agree the rate before the booking, charge from the time you were asked to arrive until the parents walk back in, and round up to the next quarter or half hour. This is how the calculator on this page works.
02Hourly rate plus per-child and late-night extras
One base rate for one child, with a set amount added for each extra child and a higher rate after midnight. It is easy for parents to understand and saves you renegotiating every time a cousin comes to stay.
03Flat rate for the evening
Some families prefer one figure for a date night. Work it out from your hourly rate and the hours they expect, and agree an hourly charge for any time past the planned finish. Without that, a flat rate turns a late return into free work.
04Overnight or full-day rate
For overnight stays, sitters usually charge the hourly rate while the children are awake and a flat fee for the sleeping hours. Canadian sitters commonly quote C$80 to C$120 for an overnight, and Australian sitters A$250 to A$450 for a full 10 to 12 hour overnight booking.
Price factors
What changes the price
01The sitter's age and experience
This is the biggest single factor. A 13 or 14 year old with a babysitting course and little experience charges a bit over half the adult rate. An older teen or student with a few regular families charges about three quarters. An adult with years of experience, references and first aid training charges the full rate, and childcare qualifications or newborn experience add a quarter on top.
02Number of children
Each extra child adds work, but not a full extra fee. Booking data from a large US platform shows parents paying about 14% more for two children than for one, and about 23% more for three. A simple rule is to add a set amount per extra child per hour and state it up front.
03Ages of the children
A sleeping eight year old and a teething baby are different jobs. Babies need feeding, changing, settling and constant attention, and parents want a sitter who has done it before. Charge about 15% more when the youngest child is under two, and only take babies if you have real experience with them.
04How late it runs
A booking that ends at 10 pm is easy to fill. One that ends at 1 am costs you sleep and a safe way home. Sitters commonly charge 10% to 20% more for late finishes and last-minute bookings, and well above the normal rate for public holidays and New Year's Eve.
05Extra duties
Watching children is the job. Cooking dinner, driving to activities, homework help, laundry and walking the dog are extras, and each one should raise the price. Ask what is expected when you take the booking, not when you arrive.
06Where you live
Rates follow local wages. The most expensive cities pay up to 60% more than the cheapest ones in the same country, and small towns sit lower again. Ask two or three other local sitters or parents what they charge or pay, and check the local minimum wage as a floor for adult sitters.
07Regular or one-off
A family that books every week is worth more than a one-off at a slightly higher rate. Keep your rate steady for regulars and raise it once a year, by a small step, with a month's notice. Charge new and occasional families your current full rate.
Worked examples
Real quotes, step by step
United States
Fifteen year old, two children, Saturday afternoon
A 15 year old with a babysitting course looks after a neighbor's children, aged six and nine, for three hours on a Saturday afternoon while the parents are at an event nearby.
A younger teen with two children earns a bit over half the adult rate, plus the extra for the second child. That is a fair first rate, and it should go up after six months to a year with the same family.
Base price, 3 hours
$69
Younger teen, about 13 to 15
× 0.55
2 children
× 1.13
Quote, rounded
$45
Going range
$35–$55
Time, with 15 min driving
3.25 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $0
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $11
You keep
$10 an hour
United Kingdom
Student sitter, Friday night until midnight
A 19 year old university student sits for a three year old from 7 pm to midnight. The child is in bed by 8 pm.
The rate does not drop when the child is asleep. The sitter is still responsible, still awake and still giving up a Friday night.
Base price, 5 hours
£63
Older teen or student, about 16 to 19
× 0.75
Quote, rounded
£45
Going range
£40–£60
Time, with 15 min driving
5.25 hours
Supplies and fuel
− £0
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− £11
You keep
£6 an hour
Australia
Three children including a baby on New Year's Eve
An experienced adult sitter looks after a ten month old, a four year old and a seven year old from 6 pm to midnight on New Year's Eve.
Every factor stacks here: three children, a baby and the busiest night of the year. Sitters who quote their normal rate for New Year's Eve are booked by October and regret it by December.
Base price, 6 hours
$186
3 children
× 1.23
Baby under 2
× 1.15
Public holiday or New Year's Eve
× 1.4
Quote, rounded
$370
Going range
$300–$480
Time, with 15 min driving
6.25 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $0
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $93
You keep
$44 an hour
Canada
After-school sit with dinner
An adult sitter collects two children from the bus stop, helps with homework, cooks dinner and stays until a parent gets home three hours later.
Short weekday bookings with real duties should not be cheaper per hour than an easy evening. Regular after-school work is steady income, so price it to be worth keeping.
Base price, 3 hours
$57
2 children
× 1.13
Cook a meal for the children and clean up
+ $8
Quote, rounded
$70
Going range
$60–$90
Time, with 15 min driving
3.25 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $0
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $18
You keep
$16 an hour
Your costs
What it costs you to do the work
Babysitting costs almost nothing to start. The things worth paying for are the ones that let you charge more: training, a first aid certificate and whatever checks parents in your country expect.
Item
USA (USD)
UK (GBP)
Canada (CAD)
Australia (AUD)
Babysitting or child care courseAimed at young teens, and the best way for a new sitter to justify a first rate.
$40–$130
£30–£100
$45–$120
$50–$150
Pediatric first aid and CPR certificateSitters with a current certificate commonly charge a few dollars or pounds more per hour.
$40–$120
£40–£120
$60–$150
$60–$160
Background check or working-with-children clearanceFor adult sitters. Requirements and fees differ by state and province.
$20–$60
£20–£60
$25–$80
$0–$130
Bag of books, games and craft supplies
$15–$50
£10–£40
$20–$60
$20–$70
Avoid these
Pricing mistakes that cost beginners money
Not agreeing the rate before the night
"Whatever you think is fair" leads to an awkward moment at the door at midnight. State your hourly rate, the charge for extra children and what happens if the parents are late when you accept the booking.
Charging the same for three children as for one
More children means more work and more responsibility. Add a set amount per extra child per hour. Parents expect it, and those with several children usually bring it up themselves.
Stopping the clock at the planned finish
If the parents said 11 pm and come home at 12.30 am, you are paid until 12.30 am. Round up to the next quarter or half hour, and say so in advance.
Never raising your rate
A sitter who started at fourteen is a different sitter at seventeen. Raise your rate by a small step each year, or when you gain a certificate, and tell regular families a month ahead. Most will agree at once.
Taking on more than your experience covers
Newborns, several very young children at once, or children with medical needs are not jobs for a first-time sitter at any price. Saying no, or asking to shadow a parent first, is what a responsible sitter does.
No plan for getting home
For late finishes, agree in advance that a parent will drive you home or pay for a taxi. For teen sitters this should be a condition of the booking, not a favor.
Questions
Common questions about babysitting prices
How much should I charge for babysitting?
An experienced adult sitter with one child charges $18–$30 an hour in the US, £10–£16 in the UK, C$16–C$24 in Canada and A$25–A$40 in Australia. That makes a four-hour evening $70–$120, £40–£65, C$65–C$95 and A$100–A$160. Add for extra children, babies, late nights and holidays.
How much should a 13, 14 or 15 year old charge for babysitting?
A bit over half the local adult rate. In the US that is typically $10 to $15 an hour for sitters aged about 12 to 14 and $15 to $20 for ages 15 to 18. In Canada, about C$15 an hour is a common rate for a 16 year old doing light duties. Start near the bottom of the range and raise it as you gain regular families and a certificate.
How much should a 16 or 17 year old charge for babysitting?
About three quarters of the adult rate, moving toward the full rate with experience. In the UK the minimum wage for under-18s, £8.00 an hour from April 2026, is a sensible floor, and experienced older teens in cities charge more. Use the sitter option in the calculator to see the range for your country.
How much extra should I charge for more than one child?
About 10% to 15% more for a second child and about 10% more again for a third. Many sitters simply add a fixed amount per extra child per hour: $1 to $3 in the US, C$2 to C$5 in Canada and A$3 to A$5 in Australia.
How old do you have to be to babysit?
In most places no law sets an age. Most US states have no minimum. UK law sets no age for leaving a child on their own, but makes it an offence if doing so puts them at risk. Most Canadian provinces set no age, and Australia has no legal minimum, although parents can remain legally responsible when the sitter is under 18. In practice it is the parents' judgment, and many expect a course and some experience with younger siblings first.
Does minimum wage apply to babysitting?
For casual babysitting it often does not. In the US, casual babysitting is not covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. In Australia, award pay rates apply to sitters who are employees but not to independent contractors, who set their own rates. Even where it does not apply, the local minimum wage is a good floor for an adult sitter.
Should I charge less when the children are asleep?
No. You are still responsible for them and cannot leave or sleep properly yourself. The usual exception is a true overnight stay, where sitters charge the hourly rate for waking hours and a flat fee for the night.
Should I charge more for late nights and holidays?
Yes. Canadian and Australian sitters commonly add 10% to 25% for late finishes, weekends and last-minute bookings, and more on public holidays. New Year's Eve is the one night when experienced sitters charge well above their normal rate and still fill their diary.
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Where these numbers come from
The rates on this page were set in November 2026 from the published price guides below, then checked so that the calculator, the price list and the examples all agree. How we work out prices.