"What should I charge?" is the first money question in every pet care business, and the internet answers it with wide, unhelpful ranges. This guide gives you both halves: current market rates to anchor against, and a method to set your rate from your own costs and time — which is the number that actually matters.
Market figures below reflect 2026 US rates from industry sources; prices vary significantly by metro. Always spot-check your local market (browse Rover for your zip code and note what established sitters with 50+ reviews charge).
Current market rates (2026, US)
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Dog walk (30 min) | $22–45 |
| Dog walk (60 min) | $35–65 |
| Drop-in visit (20–30 min) | $15–25 (often $30–55 bundled) |
| Pet sitting visit (feeding + care) | $25–50 |
| Overnight sitting (in client's home) | $50–150/night |
| Boarding (in your home) | $40–80/night |
| Daycare (8 hrs) | $25–45 |
| Holiday surcharge | +25–50% |
| Multi-pet discount | +25–50% per extra pet (don't undercharge) |
Two patterns worth noting: independent walkers typically charge 20–40% more than Rover walkers in the same area (because there's no platform cut), and mobile groomers in many suburban markets are booked 2–3 weeks out — a sign of demand outpacing supply.
The method: price from your numbers, not your neighbor's
Market rates tell you what's possible. Your rate comes from three inputs:
1. Your required monthly revenue
Target take-home income + business expenses = required revenue
Business expenses include insurance ($15–50/mo), software ($19–50/mo), fuel, supplies, and taxes (set aside 25–30% of revenue as a sole proprietor).
2. Your real billable hours
This is where most sitters fool themselves. Your week isn't just visit hours:
- Visit hours — the walks and sits themselves
- Travel time — often 20–40% of a mobile day
- Admin hours — scheduling, confirming, chasing invoices, writing visit notes
If you do 25 visit-hours a week but spend 10 unpaid hours on admin, your true utilization is 71% — and your rate has to cover the other 29%.
3. The division
Required revenue ÷ billable hours per month = your minimum rate
Run your own numbers in our free pet sitting rate calculator — it takes about two minutes and shows what happens if you cut admin time or raise rates.
Worked example
Solo sitter, wants $4,000/month take-home:
- Expenses: $350/month → required revenue ≈ $5,900 (after ~30% tax set-aside)
- Capacity: 25 visit-hours/week + 8 travel/admin-hours → 33 total weekly hours
- Billable hours: 25 × 4.33 ≈ 108/month
- Minimum rate: $5,900 ÷ 108 ≈ $55/hour of visit time
Now compare that to the market table: a $30 walk doesn't get there. This sitter needs either premium services (overnights at $100+/night), higher density (less drive time), or less admin — which is the only lever that doesn't require asking clients for more.
The admin lever
Cutting admin from 10 hours/week to 3 does two things: it adds 7 hours of capacity (or 7 hours of your life back), and it makes every existing hour more profitable. This is what software is actually for — not fancy features, but eliminating the Sunday-night schedule rebuild, the "just following up on the invoice" texts, and the notes you rewrite three times.
That's the honest pitch behind PetAmigo: $19/month flat for scheduling, client management, visit logs, and invoicing — and when you divide $19 by the hours it saves, it's the highest-ROI line in your budget.
Pricing rules that hold up
- Don't undercut to win clients. Bargain hunters tip less, complain more, and churn when someone cheaper appears. Start at the local median.
- Raise rates every 6–12 months. Most independents never raise after their initial setup. Calendar it.
- Charge for holidays. +25–50% on major holidays is standard — working Christmas has a price.
- Multi-pet discounts, yes; multi-pet underpricing, no. The second pet adds less work than the first, but it adds some.
- Test for 30 days. If clients book without flinching, your price is right — or too low.
For the full business setup, see how to start a pet sitting business. To see what the tools cost once you're ready, read pet sitting software prices compared.