Care.com review

Care.com is the default place to start a babysitter or nanny search in the US because the free guest account lets you post a job and browse background-checked caregivers before you pay anything. Profiles on its babysitter pages show an hourly rate, years of experience and how many local families have hired the sitter, which makes it quick to shortlist. Messaging needs Premium, which costs $39.99 for one month, $25.99 a month billed quarterly or $13.99 a month billed annually, as listed on its plans page in November 2026. Premium members also get free alerts of new reportable criminal activity for a caregiver they hire. Add-ons include a $4.00 monthly featured job post, a $29.99 Social Media Check and a $19.99 Hiring Helper. The main caution is Care.com's own disclaimer: it does not employ caregivers and does not verify what members write in their profiles, so interviews and reference calls remain your job.

Who it is for

Families hiring a regular nanny or babysitter who want the widest choice of profiles

Price

Free to browse and post a job; Premium from $13.99 a month billed annually, $25.99 a month billed quarterly or $39.99 billed monthly.

Premium annual $13.99 / month (billed annually)
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• Free guest account to browse background-checked caregivers and post a job
• Premium plan needed to message candidates
• Sitter profiles show hourly rates, years of experience and families hired nearby
• Free alerts of new reportable criminal activity for caregivers you hire
• Add-ons: featured job post at $4.00 a month, Social Media Check at $29.99 and Hiring Helper at $19.99

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Annual Premium at $13.99 a month is far below the $39.99 monthly price
• Strength: One membership also covers senior, pet and home care searches
• Strength: HomePay, a Care.com company, handles nanny payroll and taxes
• Weakness: You cannot message any caregiver without paying for Premium
• Weakness: Care.com states it does not verify the information in member profiles
• Weakness: Extra background checks and social media checks cost more

Key facts

• Free plan: Browse and post a job only
• Premium: $39.99 monthly, $25.99/mo quarterly, $13.99/mo annual
• Screening: Background-checked badge on caregiver profiles
• Care types: Child, senior, pet and home care
• Payroll: HomePay nanny tax service

Where it ranks

Care.com is No. 1 in our Best Babysitter Apps verdict.