Guides
Paying a babysitter, start to finish
Every figure on these pages names its source and date. Every calculation uses the same rules as the SitterRate app.
Guides
- Do I need to pay taxes for my babysitter?The 2026 $3,000 threshold, exemptions and paperwork.
- Babysitter vs. nannySimilar hourly pay; different hours, overtime and taxes.
- Cancellations, minimums and gas moneySample terms, the math, and the 2026 mileage rate.
- Full-day and summer babysittingPer day, per week, after school, and when overtime starts.
- Paying grandparents or familyWhat's fair, and the tax rules for relatives.
- New Year's Eve babysitting ratesHoliday premiums, past-midnight math and rides home.
Rates
- Babysitting rates 2026Three national sources side by side, and what a night costs.
- Rates for two, three or more kidsMeasured increases vs. rules of thumb, and infants.
- Teen babysitter ratesWhat to pay a 12- to 17-year-old, and the rules for teens.
- Babysitting rates by stateChildcare wages and minimum wages for every state.
- How much to charge (for sitters)Setting a rate and the terms to agree on.
Calculators
- Babysitter pay calculatorStart and end time, rate, extra kids, tip. Works past midnight.
- Overnight babysitting calculatorEvening, sleep and morning hours, flat or hourly overnight.
- Nanny pay calculatorWeekly, monthly and annual gross pay with overtime.
- How much to tip a babysitterWhen a tip is expected, and a tip calculator.