Trusted Housesitters offers a unique opportunity for travelers and pet lovers to explore the world while enjoying free accommodation. However, with various membership plans available, choosing the right one can be daunting.
We’ll explain the differences between Trusted Housesitters membership plans, providing you with the information you need to make an informed decision.
When you’re ready to try it out, use our Trusted Housesitters discount link to save 25% on your membership.
What is Trusted Housesitters?
Trusted Housesitters, founded in Brighton, UK in 2010, is a popular platform that connects homeowners looking for reliable pet and house care with travelers seeking free accommodation. The service operates on a mutual exchange where house sitters stay in a home for free, taking care of the pets and any other agreed-upon tasks.
It is the largest platform in the world to find a pet sitter, which means it has the most housesitting opportunities and the most sitters looking for opportunities, making it the most popular among house sitting websites. House sitters and home owners also have to complete a background check including verifying their identity which adds an additional layer of confidence.
How much does Trusted Housesitters Cost?
First, determine if you’re joining to be a pet sitter, you’re joining to be a pet parent (pet owner), or if you’d like to join for a combined membership (you’re a pet parent who would like to find a pet sitter while you travel and house sit for someone else).
Trusted Housesitters offers three membership levels for homeowners and housesitters: Basic, Standard, and Premium. Each plan has a unique set of features and benefits, catering to different needs and preferences.
The prices are different for pet parents compared to pet sitters which matches that some of the features and different for each.
NOTE: Pet sitters don’t exchange any money with the pet parent
The homeowner isn’t paying us to care for their pet and property. The house sitter isn’t paying the pet parents for accommodation. The only fees we pay is our membership fee for Trusted housesitters. We take care of our costs to travel to and from the pet sitting location.
Which trusted housesitters membership level should we get? We started with basic and upgraded to premium
Trusted Housesitters SITTER membership tiers:
Trusted housesitter pet sitter memberships
- Trusted Housesitters Basic Sitter Membership
- Sitter Cost: $129 USD per year (or $96.75 with our 25% off Trusted Housesitters coupon code)
- Features:
- Unlimited house sits worldwide
- Access to the Trusted Housesitters platform
- Basic customer support
- Trusted Housesitters Standard Sitter Membership
- Sitter Cost: $169 USD per year (or $126.75 with our 25% off Trusted Housesitters Coupon Code)
- Features:
- Unlimited applications to house sits worldwide
- 24/7 Vet Advice Line
- Alerts for new house sits matching your criteria
- Liability insurance if the pet you’re caring for were to cause harm or damage to property during your pet sit
- Trusted Housesitters Premium Sitter Membership
- Cost: $259 USD per year ($194.25 with our 25% off Trustedhousesitters app discount Code)
- Features:
- Everything in Standard membership
- Accident and third-party liability insurance
- Sit cancellation insurance ($150/night up to $1500 total)
- Airport lounge access
- Dedicated customer support
Why Choose Each Plan?
- Basic Plan: Ideal for new house sitters who want to explore the service without committing to higher costs and extra features. You’ll also get a refund guarantee if you apply for five house sits and don’t get accepted in the first 14 days.
- Standard Plan: Perfect for regular sitters needing additional benefits like liability insurance and instant alerts for new sits.
- Premium Plan: Best for committed house sitters who travel frequently and want premium support and added perks like airport lounge access, and cancellation insurance.
What would we recommend? (After 24 house sits since 2022 with Trusted Housesitters)
We started out with the basic membership. We didn’t know if we’d be able to secure a listing with no reviews initially (thankfully, we were approved on our first application).
We had a high-energy dog once we got to our first house sit. He was great with the kids and loved going for walks, but would sometimes pull towards the road when we were walking on narrow sidewalks in England. They also had an indoor/outdoor cat that could come and go through a cat flap, and we were a bit concerned it could walk into the road at night.
We decided right away to upgrade to the standard membership which included liability. We have our own insurance, but were a bit fuzzy on whether or not it would cover us while at someone else’s house walking someone else’s dog. It would be painful enough if something happened to a pet under our care – worse if there was damage involved and unsettled insurance details.
We also found the perk of being able to save our searches (for instance, a city or area we wanted to visit with “family friendly” listings could help speed up our future searches and give us the best opportunity to be first in line for new listings by getting notified of saved searches).
Eventually, we decided to upgrade to premium to get access to:
- Airport Lounge Passes – 2 per year which complimented our credit card benefits so our whole family could enjoy the lounge
- Cancellation Insurance – if we agree to a sit and show up and the sit got cancelled (homeowner got sick and couldn’t travel, for instance), Trusted Housesitters will reimburse $150/night up to $1500 for accommodation for the duration of the site (something we should have done up front when flying to Europe with kids to stay in someone’s home.)
- Premium badge on our profile – shows home owners that you’re a serious housesitter, which, in hind sight, probably would have been beneficial before we had any reviews, and not likely as important now – the pet owners can see when you apply if you have a premium badge if that’s a consideration.
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Trusted Housesitters PET PARENT membership tiers:
Trusted Housesitters pet owner members levels explained
- Trusted Housesitters Basic Pet Parent Membership
- Cost: $149 USD per year (or $111.79 with our 25% off Trusted Housesitters coupon code)
- Features:
- Unlimited home and pet care
- Access to the Trusted Housesitters platform
- Basic customer support
- Trusted Housesitters Standard Pet Parent Membership
- Sitter Cost: $229 USD per year (or $171.75 with our 25% off Trusted Housesitters Coupon Code)
- Features:
- Unlimited applications to house sits worldwide
- Free 24/7 vet support via video calls
- Home and Contents Plan
- Boosted results in search listings
- See which petsitters have saved your listing before so you can invite them directly next time you have a listing
- Trusted Housesitters Premium Pet Parent Membership
- Cost: $299 USD per year ($224.25 with our 25% off Trustedhousesitters app discount Code)
- Features:
- Everything in Standard membership
- Sit cancellation insurance ($150/night up to $1500 total to care for your pet in the event of a sitter cancellation)
- 2 Airport lounge passes per year
- Dedicated customer support
- Premium badge on your listing
Which Trusted Housesitter Plan Is Best For Home Owners?
- Basic Plan: Ideal for pet parents who are new to Trusted Housesitters and want to explore the service without committing to higher costs and extra features.
- Standard Plan: Perfect for regular travelers who would like the security of a home and contents plan and would like quick results from their listings being boosted and listed higher than basic plan members. You’ll also be able to see who has saved your listings before so you can contact them directly when you have a last-minute listing.
- Premium Plan: Best for pet parents who travel frequently and want premium support and added perks like airport lounge access, and cancellation insurance.
Once you’ve signed up for Trusted Housesitters, check out our recommendations on how to find the best pet sitters for your pet.
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Trusted Housesitters combined membership tiers:
If you are both a homeowner and would like to pet sit while you travel, then the combined membership from Trusted Housesitters is what you’re looking for:
Compare combined memberships from Trusted Housesitters
Key Benefits of Using Trusted Housesitters
- Global Opportunities: With house sits available in the USA, UK, Australia, Europe, and more, sitters have a wide range of locations to choose from. We’ve house sat adorable pets in England, Scotland, Switzerland, France, Germany, Canada, and US. We’ve even used pet sitting as an opportunity to enjoy RV life while traveling.
- Vetted Members: Background and ID checks for both homeowners and sitters provide an added layer of security.
- Review System: Reviews from previous sits help ensure transparency and build trust within the community.
- User-Friendly Platform: The Trusted Housesitters website and app make finding and applying for house sits a seamless experience. It’s the largest platform, so it stands to reason that it will have the most pet sitting opportunities.
- Community Support: Access to a responsive community forum and in-person meet-ups enhances your house-sitting experience.
If you’re considering multiple housesitting platforms, here’s our complete review of Trusted Housesitters (what we love and a few things we’d like to see change).
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Essential Tips for Successful House Sitting
- Clear Communication: Ensure all responsibilities and expectations are discussed and agreed upon before accepting a house sit.
- Pre-Sit Video Call: Arrange a call with the homeowner to address any questions and establish a rapport.
- Profile Optimization: Includes external references and detailed experience to increase your chances of securing house sits.
- Timely Applications: Apply for house sits as soon as listings go live, especially with the new limit of five applications per sit. You can sort listings by “newest” which is what we would recommend when you’re looking for your first house sit.
House Sitting Etiquette
- Maintain Cleanliness: Ensure the home is tidy and well-maintained throughout your stay.
- Regular Updates: Keep the homeowner informed of their pets’ well-being with regular updates and photos.
- Respect Boundaries: Follow the homeowner’s guidelines and respect the property as your own.
Verdict: Is Trusted Housesitters Worth It?
Yes, Trusted Housesitters is worth the investment, especially for animal lovers who enjoy traveling. With diverse membership plans, it caters to various levels of engagement, making it a versatile choice for anyone seeking house sitting opportunities worldwide.
If you’re ready to discover new places and enjoy the comfort of home during your travels, Trusted Housesitters is the platform for you. Choose the plan that best fits your needs and start your house sitting adventure today.
Use this coupon link to save 25% on your Trusted Housesitters petsitting or home owner membership.
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