Rover vs. Trusted Housesitters

If you are starting to think about housesitting as a new opportunity, you will probably run into two big companies that can help you begin. Rover and Trusted Housesitters. Before signing up, paying a fee, or opting into a never-ending stream of marketing emails, I'm here to give you the facts!

Ask yourself some simple questions

It is important to fully understand what you really want out of a house sitting experience. Here are some common starting points:

• Am I looking to earn some extra money on the side?

• Am I looking to travel a lot or stay close to home?

• Do I want to be around a lot of pets or on a farm?

• Am I traveling with my family or with a pet of my own?

• How flexible is my schedule?

• Am I open to keeping the well-being of a pet as my top priority?

• Am I able to work remotely or take time off if needed?

PLEASE NOTE: Not all housesitting opportunities are created equal! Understanding your boundaries and being honest with yourself about what you need is crucial to finding the best opportunities for you.

The Pros and Cons

Let's break it down.

Rover:

Rover is user-friendly for the host or pet owner. They can filter pet sitters by job type, location, and price point. They can see your ratings and those who are top-rated are shown first. Easy. In the United States, I have found that more people know about Rover, whether they have used it themselves or are just aware of the brand.

For the house sitter, things work a little differently. I can not see what housesits are available, only the hosts have the ability to be in contact with you. I have to constantly keep my calendar updated. And I have to select a location that I am focused on which will then offer up a ten-mile radius. For me, as a full-time traveler, being limited to one region is not ideal. For others who are trying to make some money while doing a staycation - it would be great!

I find that getting started on Rover is far more challenging because of my availability as a digital nomad. If you are staying put in a localized zone, Rover would be a good choice to get started. Plus, the opportunity to set your own rates and make some money is usually what sitters are hoping for out of offering up their services.

Trusted Housesitters:

I use TH to travel, so one of the biggest perks about the site setup is that I can search for housesits and reach out on my own. I know my schedule, I know what dates I am looking for and what cities/clients interest me. I can reach out and put my name in the hat personally instead of waiting around for someone to contact me. HUGE perk and very different from Rover.

That being said, I am not making money using TH. The purpose of the site is a one-to-one trade-off: I take care of your house and pets, you let me live there for free. Membership for this site as a housesitter is around $120 a year. The way I see it, the average cost of a hotel room for one night these days is about $120 a night, so I am saving on accommodation any time I travel.

TH is also great because it has international opportunities. If you are hoping to use housesitting as a means of travel, in Europe especially, you can find a lot of great sits. That being said, it is gaining popularity in the United States and elsewhere!

Is this the only way?

Of course not. Some of the best housesitting situations come from word of mouth and friends of friends. If I find myself coming back to a certain city time and time again, its usually because I have built up a network there of paid gigs from people I have met along the way.

Facebook also has a ton of groups for international and local housesitting. As always on a social media site, proceed with caution and make sure you video call or meet people before fully signing on.

The nice part about using TH or Rover is that you have some record of the contract. Having some sort of written correspondence is nice for your peace of mind.

Either way...

Whichever site or avenue you choose, it is important to remember that the top priority is the pets, plants, and home of the host. If you don't have the time or energy to commit to taking care of these things, or if you are more focused on the travel aspect and having the freedom to come and go as you please, then housesitting isn't for you.

Ultimately, you don't have to just choose one route! I use both sites, spread the word with family and friends, and even bring it up in conversations on flights with strangers (and yes, that has actually led to some jobs)! The more you put yourself and your services out there, the better chance you will find more housesits that are right for you.

Ready to get started? I've got you covered with even more info to help you out. Check out my FREE Housesitter Starter Guide to get a full breakdown of how to begin your journey.