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Pet Sitter Cost Calculator

Free pet sitter cost calculator: multiply visits per day by rate by days away, then add overnight stays, holiday surcharges and travel fees to see the true total, per-day and per-visit cost of pet care.

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Enter the sitting details and press Calculate sitting cost.

Deep dive guides

A LITTLE CONTEXT · 4 MIN READPricing Pet Care: Visit Rates, Overnights and Surcharges
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How pet sitter cost calculator works

The core of most sitting quotes is per-visit pricing: the sitter charges a fixed rate for each drop-in visit, and the bill is visits per day × rate per visit × number of days away. Two 25-dollar visits a day for a week is 350 dollars before extras. The calculator shows that base explicitly so you can sanity-check any quote against it.

Extras stack on top in the order sitters usually apply them: overnight stays (nights × overnight rate) are added to the service subtotal, a holiday surcharge percentage applies to that subtotal — many sitters charge 10–25% extra over holidays — and a one-off travel fee is added last. Every line is itemized, so you can see exactly what a 647-dollar bill is made of.

The result also divides the total into per-day and per-visit figures, which is the honest way to compare offers: a cheaper per-visit rate with a big travel fee can cost more overall than a pricier sitter down the street. Compare the per-day figure against boarding kennel quotes to decide which arrangement fits your trip and your pet.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a pet sitter cost?
In the US, drop-in visits typically run 15–35 dollars each depending on city and visit length, with overnight stays often 50–150 dollars per night. Two visits a day for a week therefore lands around 200–500 dollars before extras — enter your local rates for an exact total.
Is the holiday surcharge applied to everything?
In this calculator the surcharge applies to the service subtotal (visits plus overnights), which matches how most sitters describe it — a percentage bump on their service rate. The travel fee is flat and added after, since it is a fixed cost that does not scale with the bill.
How do I compare a sitter with a boarding kennel?
Quote both for the same trip: the sitter total here (including travel and surcharges) versus the kennel's per-night rate × nights. Sitters usually cost more per day for multiple pets or many visits but keep the pet at home; boarding is often cheaper for single-pet, multi-day trips.
Should I tip the pet sitter?
Tipping is appreciated but not standardized in pet care. Many clients tip 10–20% for holiday work or excellent service, or book an extra visit. If you plan to tip, add it mentally on top of this total rather than expecting the sitter to absorb it.
Do multi-pet households change the math?
Usually yes — many sitters charge a reduced additional-pet fee per visit rather than doubling the rate. Model it here by adjusting the per-visit rate upward (e.g. 25 dollars for one pet, 32 for two) and the totals update across all days and visits.

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