What pet sitting apps charge pet parents, and who pays what
What Rover and Wag charge pet parents and care providers in 2026: the booking fee at checkout, the share taken from the sitter, and how California differs.
You booked a sitter on an app, and the total at checkout came out higher than the rate on their profile. That gap is the booking fee. On some pet sitting apps there's a second fee as well, one you never see, taken from what the care provider earns.
So a booking on an app can carry two fees. Rover, for example, adds an 11% booking fee for pet parents in most of the US and keeps 20% of the provider's earnings. Wag charges pet parents a flat booking fee instead: $2.99 on a walk or a drop-in visit, $14.99 on an overnight stay. This guide goes through who pays what, with each app's own published figures as they stood on 19 October 2026. For what the care itself costs before any fee, see What pet sitting and boarding really cost, and what you are paying for.
Who pays what, app by app
| What the pet parent pays on top of the rate | What the care provider gives up | |
|---|---|---|
| Rover, most of the US | An 11% booking fee | 20% of each booking |
| Rover, California | A 25% marketplace fee and an 11% booking fee | Nothing from the rate they set |
| Wag | $2.99 per walk or drop-in booking, $14.99 per overnight booking, waived for Premium members | Not published |
| PetConnect | No booking fee | A monthly subscription, starting after their first completed booking |
The Rover figures come from Rover's help centre pages on service fees and on fees in California. The Wag figures come from Wag's page on its Premium membership. Both companies change their fees from time to time, so treat this as a snapshot, not a price list.
The fee you see: a booking fee at checkout
The booking fee is the one you can find. It's added to your total before you pay, and it goes to the app, not to the person looking after your pet.
Rover's help centre says pet parents in the US, outside California, pay an 11% booking fee, finalized at checkout based on the dates, the number of pets, the length of the booking and any add-ons or discounts. It's refunded if the care provider cancels, or under the provider's cancellation policy.
Here's what that looks like on a real booking. Pet Sitters International's 2026 survey puts the US average for an overnight stay at $110.43, so a week of overnights comes to about $773. An 11% booking fee adds about $85 to that week.
Wag works differently. Instead of a percentage, its Premium membership page describes a flat booking fee on every booking: $2.99 on walks and drop-ins and $14.99 on overnight stays.
The difference matters more than it looks. A percentage grows with the booking, so it costs you most on a long stay. A flat fee stays the same, so it weighs most on a short one. On a 30-minute walk at the PSI average of $28.43, a $2.99 fee adds about a tenth to the price.
The fee you don't see: what the care provider gives up
This one doesn't show on your receipt, but you're still paying it.
Rover's help centre says it applies a 20% service fee to each booking, so the care provider takes home 80% of what they earn. The same page says the price on a provider's profile already includes that fee. The rate you see is not what they keep.
Take one overnight stay listed at $110.43, the PSI average, as an example. With the 11% booking fee, you pay about $122.58. The care provider keeps 80% of the listed rate, about $88.34. The difference, about $34, goes to Rover. That's arithmetic on Rover's own percentages, not a quote, and real rates vary.
Rover is also testing a different split. In a pilot around Seattle, Chicago and Dallas, sitter fees are tiered by how much a sitter has earned with each client: 30% while that history is $599 or less, 15% from $600 to $1,199, and 10% from $1,200 up. Rover says pet parents' fees stay the same.
We couldn't find Wag's share of a care provider's earnings on any Wag page we could read, so we've left it out rather than guess.
California works differently
On Rover, California turns the provider's fee around. Rover's page on fees in California says pet owners there pay two fees: a 25% marketplace fee on the rate the care provider sets, rounded to the nearest dollar, and the same 11% booking fee.
The care provider keeps the base rate they set. So in California, the app's share isn't taken out of the provider's rate. It's added on top for you. On a $100 rate, the marketplace fee alone is $25.
Rover's page doesn't say whether the 11% is worked out on the provider's rate or on the rate plus the marketplace fee. That changes the total, so we haven't put one here.
Memberships that waive the fee
Wag offers a way around its booking fee. Wag! Premium costs $5.99 a month, $59.99 a year or $299 once, according to that page. Members pay no booking fee and get 5% off walks, drop-ins, sitting and boarding.
Whether it pays off depends on how often you book. The monthly price is about the same as the booking fees on two walks. If you book a few times a month, it may save you money. If you book care twice a year for a holiday, it probably won't. Wag also says additional charges may apply and to check its app for current pricing.
Booking the same sitter directly next time
Once you've found a care provider you like, it's natural to think about booking them directly and skipping the fee. Read the app's terms before you do.
Wag's Terms of Service, updated 22 September 2026, say Wag may charge both the pet owner and the care provider a referral fee if they continue the relationship outside the platform. For the pet owner, the terms set it at $1,000. The terms state the fee; they don't say how often Wag charges it.
Check the summary screen before you pay
Fees differ by state and by country, and they change. The one place that shows every fee for your booking is the summary screen before you pay. Read it there, and work out what the fees add to the care itself.
For what the care itself costs, by visit, overnight and live-in, see our guide "What pet sitting and boarding really cost, and what you are paying for".
How PetConnect prices a booking
PetConnect works differently, and it's worth being plain about how.
As a pet parent, you pay no booking fee. Each care provider sets their own rates, and the price you agree with them is the price of the care. Providers pay PetConnect a monthly subscription instead, which starts only after their first completed booking.
That doesn't make every booking cheaper than anywhere else. A provider's rate is their own, and it reflects their experience and the animals they look after. What it means is that no booking fee is added on top for you. If you'd like to thank someone for good care, you can leave a tip after the service.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Rover's booking fee?
In the US outside California, Rover charges pet parents an 11% booking fee, finalized at checkout, according to its help centre. In California, pet owners pay a 25% marketplace fee on the provider's rate as well as the 11% booking fee.
Does Wag charge a booking fee?
Yes. Wag's Premium membership page describes a flat booking fee of $2.99 on walks and drop-ins and $14.99 on overnight stays. Members of Wag! Premium, from $5.99 a month, don't pay it.
How much does a sitter keep from a Rover booking?
In most of the US, Rover keeps a 20% service fee, so the care provider takes home 80% of what they earn, and the price on their profile already includes that fee. In California, the provider keeps the base rate they set and the pet owner pays a 25% marketplace fee on top.
Are Rover's fees different in California?
Yes. Rover's California page says pet owners pay a 25% marketplace fee on the provider's rate, rounded to the nearest dollar, plus an 11% booking fee. The provider keeps their base rate instead of giving up 20% of it.
Can I book an app sitter directly to avoid the fee?
Check the app's terms first. Wag's Terms of Service, updated 22 September 2026, let Wag charge a pet owner a $1,000 referral fee for using a Wag care provider outside the platform.