Not sure how much to pay your babysitter or how much to charge as one? We’ve created a Babysitter Rate Calculator to help you figure out a reasonable hourly wage based on several factors:

• Where you live
  
• The number of children
  
• Whether the babysitter uses their own car
  
• Whether they do light housework
  
• Whether they help with homework or prepare meals
  
• If it’s a last-minute emergency booking
  

Enter your city and other details in the calculator, and you’ll get a personalised average hourly rate.

You can trust the results of our calculator because they’re based on actual asking rates babysitters have listed on Sitly in your city. In Canada, we have over 94.000 registered and active babysitters. Starting with the local average, you can add responsibilities and the number of children to get a tailored rate.

Of course, the rate you see in the calculator is just a guideline. For example, if a babysitter uses their own car, looks after three kids, helps with homework, and cooks dinner, the calculated rate might be a bit high. In reality, babysitters and families usually agree on a fair rate together, based on their specific needs. Still, it will give parents and babysitters insights into the going rates.

Let’s walk through how Sitly’s calculator works and how it can help you find the right babysitter rate. And if you want to dive deeper into legal pay standards in Canada, check out our article on how much a babysitter costs.

City-to-City Differences

Do you live in Toronto or Winnipeg? That makes a difference in babysitting costs. In big cities, average base rates tend to be higher than in smaller cities. In smaller communities, rates are generally lower than in major urban centres. That’s why the first step in using the rate simulator is to enter your city.

When you enter your city, the calculator will show you a base rate. This is the average hourly rate requested by babysitters registered on Sitly in your city. Of course, this is just an average, and even within the same city, babysitting rates can vary quite a bit.

For example, a young babysitter who’s just starting might charge a lower rate, while a more experienced nanny or someone with specific training may start at a higher rate. And a native English-speaking babysitter might charge more as well, even with similar experience and qualifications. As you’ll see on our website, many babysitters on Sitly indicate that their rate is negotiable, because the actual rate often depends on many different factors, and is usually discussed and agreed upon directly with the family.

How Much to Pay Based on the Number of Children

Looking after one child is usually easier than babysitting three. That’s why the calculator allows you to select how many children the babysitter will be caring for. Especially when the kids are different ages, they’ll have different needs and routines. Parents of multiple children and babysitters taking care of more kids know: looking after two children is a whole lot more work! With the Sitly simulator, you can see how the average hourly rate increases as you add more children.

What If the Babysitter Does Light Housework?

Tidying up the kids’ room (ideally with their help!), putting toys away, throwing a load of laundry in the wash, or hanging up the baby’s clothes are small, everyday tasks that are part of taking care of children. They’re generally considered normal babysitting duties, since they relate directly to the children’s care.

But vacuuming the whole house, washing windows, or dusting? These are not part of a babysitter’s usual responsibilities. A babysitter isn’t a cleaner, and house cleaning isn’t part of the job unless agreed upon separately. That said, parents and babysitters can absolutely agree on a few light housekeeping tasks, like dusting, loading or unloading the dishwasher, running the washing machine, or even a quick vacuum, as long as these tasks are done when the babysitter isn’t actively watching the kids. In those cases, they’re considered extra duties and should be compensated accordingly.

The Sitly calculator lets you add light housework as an option, so you can see how it affects the hourly babysitting rate.

Help with Homework or Grocery Runs

A babysitter can do so much more than just watch the kids and play with them. For example, they might help with homework or prepare dinner for the children, tasks that require focus, responsibility, and time. In these cases, the hourly rate should reflect the extra effort involved. That’s why we’ve included these types of additional duties in our calculato. Just choose the relevant tasks in the calculator and see how the average rate adjusts accordingly.

When the Babysitter Uses Their Own Car

A babysitter who drives the kids to and from school, activities, or appointments using their own vehicle can be a huge help for parents juggling busy schedules. But it also comes with extra responsibilities: fuel costs, travel time, and in bigger cities, traffic and parking hassles. Because of that, babysitters who use their own cars often charge a slightly higher hourly rate.

You’ll find an option for “Driving children” in the calculator so you can easily see how this affects the rate estimate.

Last-Minute Babysitting

Your child wakes up with a mild fever, and you absolutely have to go to work. Or maybe the grandparents suddenly can’t make it to school pickup. What now? Call a babysitter, of course! But last-minute requests usually come with higher expectations and less notice, which is why they deserve a slightly higher hourly rate than usual. Our calculator takes this into account: just select the “Last-minute fee” option to get a realistic estimate for these emergencies.

There are many other factors to consider when calculating a babysitter’s rate—like how many hours per day they work, whether they work evenings, and whether they have specific experience or training. Our Babysitter Rate Calculator is a valuable starting point to help you estimate the hourly cost of a babysitter in your area, based on your unique needs. From there, you can have an open and honest conversation about the rate and agree on a fair amount that works for both the family and the babysitter.