Free for both sides
Homeowners pay nothing to list. Sitters pay nothing to apply. Optional ID verification ($29 once) and optional convenience features for those who want them.
HouseCarers alternative
Free and modern, without the annual fee
HouseCarers has been a low-cost option for years, but the platform hasn't materially evolved and the annual sitter fee adds friction. HouseSit is free, current, and built for how people actually use software in 2026.
Browse real homes across Europe — free, no subscription
HouseCarers belongs to a class of housesitting platforms that've been running on the same codebase for over a decade. The interface, the listing flow, the messaging — all functional, all dated. The annual sitter membership fee (~$50/yr) is small, but it's another barrier for people testing the model for the first time.
HouseSit is what HouseCarers would look like if it were rewritten today: free, mobile-first, map-based discovery, AI-assisted onboarding, real-time messaging, ID verification through Stripe. We kept what HouseCarers got right (low/no fees, simple value exchange) and modernised everything else.
Side by side
| HouseSit | HouseCarers | |
|---|---|---|
| Sitter cost | Free | $50/yr membership |
| Homeowner cost | Free | Free (optional $25 upgrade) |
| Discovery UX | Map + filters + cards | List view |
| Mobile experience | Mobile-first responsive | Desktop-first |
| Messaging | Real-time in-app | Email-driven |
| Profile import | Paste URL, AI fills profile | Manual entry |
| ID verification | $29 one-time Stripe Identity | Not built-in |
Comparison reflects publicly available information at the time of writing. HouseCarers is a registered trademark of its owner. We're not affiliated.
Why members like us
Mobile-first
Built so a sitter on a phone in a café can browse, apply, and message in seconds. The dashboard, profile, listings, and discovery all work cleanly on small screens.
Visual discovery
Map-based discovery with privacy-first 1km circles. See what's where. Filter by dates, pets, and home type. Click and read.
Bring your HouseCarers profile
Copy-paste your HouseCarers profile or listing into our AI importer. We extract structured data — bio, experience, languages, pet types — and pre-fill your HouseSit profile. Review, edit, save.
Switching takes 2 minutes
- 01
Sign up free
Email or Google. No credit card. No annual fee.
- 02
Bring your existing profile
Paste your HouseCarers profile URL or text into the AI importer. Profile fills in 2 minutes.
- 03
List or apply
If you're a homeowner, add your home (free) and create your first listing. If you're a sitter, browse and apply.
- 04
Don't renew HouseCarers
When your annual HouseCarers fee comes up, you can decide whether to keep both or move fully to HouseSit.
Common questions
Why should I trust a newer platform?
We're house-sitters ourselves — nine years across Europe, mostly on MindMyHouse. We've built ID verification through Stripe (banks-grade), public reviews, owner-initiated messaging, and address protection until acceptance. Read our safety tips page for the full trust model.
Are there listings in my area?
We're actively building density in EU + UK corridors. Portugal, Spain, France, the UK, Italy, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands. The platform is open globally but inventory varies by destination today.
What about scam risk?
We use Stripe Identity for verification — same provider as banks and major fintechs. Owner-initiated messaging prevents sitter spam. Address reveals only after acceptance. Reports go to our admin queue. Patterns of bad behaviour result in account action.
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