Save what you'd pay for boarding
Two-week trip with one pet at €25/day kennel cost = €350 saved. With multiple pets or longer trips, savings climb fast. Most homeowners using housesitting save several hundred euros per year.
← housesit.world
Free alternative to pet boarding
Save €500 per trip. Your pets stay home.
If you've been paying €15-50 per day for pet boarding while you travel, there's a better way. A housesitter stays in your home, cares for your pets, and you pay nothing. Most homeowners save €300-700 per trip.
If you have pets and travel a few times a year, you already know the dilemma. Boarding kennels cost €15-30 per day per pet. Pet hotels go higher — €25-50 per day. For a two-week holiday with a dog and a cat, you're looking at €500-1000 just on pet care. And your pets are in an unfamiliar place, often anxious, sometimes getting sick from the stress.
There's an alternative most pet owners haven't heard about: housesitting. A trusted sitter stays in your home for the duration of your trip. They feed your pets, walk them, give medications, and keep your home lived-in. The exchange is free — they get free accommodation in your home, you get free pet care. Both sides win.
It sounds too good to be true. It isn't. Millions of people across Europe and beyond have been doing this for over a decade. The reason it's niche is that the platforms running this market have charged subscriptions and stayed under-marketed. We built housesit.world to make it free and accessible.
Why members like us
Pets stay in their home
Familiar smells. Familiar bed. Their food, their toys, their routine. Most pets are visibly less stressed in a housesitting setup than at any boarding facility — particularly older pets, anxious cats, and dogs with separation issues.
Trust through ID verification
Sitters can pay for "Verified ID" — a Stripe Identity check (government ID + live selfie). The same trust system used by banks. You filter for verified sitters if you want extra reassurance.
Your home stays lived-in
Lights on, plants watered, mail picked up, no obvious "owner away" signal. Many homeowners say the security benefit is as valuable as the pet-care savings.
How housesitting works
- 1
List your home for free
Add your home, your pets, your travel dates, and what kind of sitter you're looking for. Photos help — sitters want to see what they're committing to.
- 2
Receive applications from sitters
Sitters who match your destination and dates apply with a short message. You can browse their profiles, read their reviews from past sits, and message back.
- 3
Have a video call
Before you commit, do a 15-minute video call. Show them the home. Meet them. Ask the questions you need to.
- 4
Accept the right sitter
Once you accept, the address reveals. You exchange logistics — keys, wifi password, emergency contacts, vet details. We have a safety tips page that walks through the handover.
- 5
Travel without paying for boarding
Your sitter moves in. You travel. Your pets stay home, in their familiar space, with someone you've vetted. You exchange daily check-in messages if you want them.
- 6
Both sides leave a review
After the sit ends, both you and the sitter leave star ratings + short reviews. This is how trust compounds — your good reviews attract better sitters next time.
Common questions
Is this really free? What's the catch?
The marketplace is genuinely free for both sides. We don't take a cut of any transaction — there's no transaction. The exchange is your home (for accommodation) for the sitter's pet care (for free). We make money from optional features (€29 ID verification, optional Featured Listing if you want premium placement). You never have to pay for the core service.
How do I know the sitter won't damage my home or steal?
The same way you trust anyone you let into your home: verification + review history + your own judgment after a video call. We use Stripe Identity (banks-grade) for the verification badge. Reviews are public and from completed sits. You always do a video call before committing — that's the single best filter. Read our safety tips page for the full trust model.
What if my pet has medical needs?
Many sitters have specific medical experience — diabetic cat injections, geriatric dog medication, post-surgery care. Mention requirements in your listing and ask in your video call. Sitters self-screen — they only apply to sits they can responsibly handle.
What if something goes wrong during the sit?
Direct communication first — most issues resolve in messages. The Report button on every profile and listing escalates serious issues to our admin team. For emergencies, your sitter has your contact info (and you have theirs). Identifying a local backup person (neighbour, friend) before you travel is recommended for any housesit.
Are sitters real people or anonymous accounts?
Real people, with real photos, real bios, and (often) ID verification. We use owner-initiated messaging — sitters can't spam you with cold outreach. They have to apply to your specific listing first.
If you're a pet owner who travels, this is the most cost-effective and pet-friendly alternative to boarding. The first listing you create is free. Try it for one trip — see if your pets are happier.