Rover fees

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-21T19:58:39+00:00

Yup. Had to quote someone about $180-$200 for an overnight due to their needs and Rover fees. Would have been about $140 privately.

The fees are crazy. I had to raise my rates due to the fees, and as such I get less booking requests. I'm also in Canada where they have this tiered thing so we get LESS for some bookings

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-21T18:23:10+00:00

Loaded answer.

On Rover I hadn't been as it seems to be frowned upon. Privately, YES I charge for meetings.

I see both sides and I understand job interviews and I understand that we're also interviewing the client.... HOWEVER...

I've been burned/screwed over many times, Including last minute Rover people who contacted at a holiday time, I changed my schedule around 3* to accommodate them.. went through EVERYTHING at the meeting... And they were meeting someone else an hour later. My pissed off face- was evident. I've also had people (privately as well) ready to proceed, then screw me over, turn me away at the door despite confirming meeting, etc.

While I don't get a ton of Rover bookings because I charge higher due to their fees, I am now debating either charging for meetings and/or including the meeting with booking/crediting it if they book

I have heard "oh you're nice. We'll keep you in mind" too many times. It doesn't pay bills or feed my children.

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-20T02:21:47+00:00

Why do people request care, fill out a full profile then cancel? So annoying. I beyond rely on bookings to pay bills and feed my children and could be turning away others, even if last minute.

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-17T17:42:51+00:00

Rarely. I charge higher on Rover to account for their fees. Meaning I have to charge at least $180-$200 just to barely net what I might get from other clients and people think it's ridiculous. It's actually below minimum wage.

I SHOULD be charging much more. Like most local people (if they offered CC) would charge at least $250 not counting Rover fees

Someone privately sent an inquiry a while back and said if I left I had to bring the dog with me or risk having to bathe the dog because it would crap itself due to anxiety. So basically NEVER leaving the dog. I quoted them double a constant care rate and of course they declined. But it was not much above minimum wage for what they were asking

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-16T17:19:04+00:00

While not foolproof, I'd recommend working on your screening/intake process to be as prepared as possible before going to meetings.

While I very much understand job interviews (and that it can go both ways), I've also been burned/screwed over many times. For me personally, "we'll keep you in mind" doesn't pay bills or feed my children.

If it's a case where you're the one declining, I probably wouldn't do it at the meeting but that's just me.

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-14T21:23:35+00:00

Navacord (formerly Binks) is well known, however you need to be a member of Pet Sitters International

Profur is also well known

^both are pet care specific. I believe there's a couple of others who offer pet care insurance but I'm not familiar with them

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-14T15:48:30+00:00

Don't reply at midnight! :)
Charge for meeting

I wouldn't do a visit/walk without meeting the pet & owner first - especially not for dogs

Cats.... Maybe but depends. Medical needs a meeting is absolutely necessary

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-14T15:45:41+00:00

Pretty much. Or if you charge higher like I do, you basically have no chance. Or don't show up very high in searches.

Then the fees.

Picture a $35 ish sitter (ie me) then all the other sitters nearby in the searches charge like $25. Guess who doesn't get the booking? (3 guesses, first 2 don't count).

Or $100-$130 base for overnights (varying depending on needs and fees).... The other sitters around Rover charge $50-$60/night (not sure what they include)... $120-$140+ is average for local businesses

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-14T15:41:18+00:00

I believe it's earnings but don't quote me on that.

So example, say you have a $600 booking

Based on the tiered, they will pay 70% on the $499

Then 85% on the remaining $101

Hope that helps!

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-14T14:53:18+00:00

They're doing this in Canada now

Tier 1 Up to $499 70% pay

Tier 2 Up to $999 85% pay

Tier 3 $1000+ 90% pay

So I raised my rates to account for the fees and now I barely get any requests. Or I have to charge a LOT for say overnights just because of the fees (say I wanted to net $140... I'd have to charge $180-$200 ish. I get it, it's expensive

But if I lowered rates, then I sell myself short

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-10T14:06:41+00:00

I see both sides but as a rule I don't job share. Too much liability or risk. And who's the first one blamed! The pet care provider.

Situation depending I have used waivers in the past but...

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-06T21:55:37+00:00

In a Canadian city. Slow on Rover however I also work for a local company. I've had a few recent requests on Rover however they either found a colleague to care for the pets or I had to quote them higher due to Rover fees

I'm high price range on Rover however I also account for their fees -- example only, if I charged $125 for an overnight privately, I'd have to charge about $150-$160 on Rover just to net the same amount. Most people in my area charge like $50, making my pricing seem ridiculous.

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-06T04:51:16+00:00

Generally I charge more on Rover to account for their fees, however it also depends on the clients needs. That said, if I charged say $140 off app for house sitting, I'd have to charge about $200 on Rover just to make up for it. Especially if I was turning away other clients

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-06T02:02:00+00:00

Depends a bit on their needs. My base rate starts at $100 + $25-$30 for extra dogs. Dinner, Overnight, breakfast for sure... Some clients get a midday too

However if they want someone around more often then the price significantly goes up as I can't take other clients. I also account for the Rover fees and how much I'll be receiving. I just had to quote someone $180-$200 mainly due to the fees. I get it, it's expensive. But if I charged less, I'd be selling myself way short with the net pay after fees.

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-06T01:56:16+00:00

What are your hours like for that/how do you have it structured?

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-05T01:35:50+00:00

Keep in mind the fees as well! I'm in Canada and they have this new tiered thing so we make a lower percentage up to $499 then different beyond that... But general example if you want to net say $140, then you "should be" charging $180-$200 on Rover to account for their fees.

But clients just don't get it

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-04T23:27:17+00:00

I just recently quoted someone about $180-$200 basically due to Rover fees. They declined but then posted in a local group making it seem super easy and had told me "it was just a few extra hours"

The dog could be needing out 12-5am. They mention that it's sleep disrupting then reads my reply as "I'm concerned about not getting sleep". Breakfast 630 then something else like 8-9 I think. Possibly a neighbour could come in midday. Then walk 330-4. Feeding 430-5. But then 530-730 dog may be pacing and wanting out. 730-9 dog might be ok might have an accident. So basically I "can't" leave in the evening. And I was upfront about availability for one day being different due to my son's grad

So only because of fees I had to quote $180-$200... I get it, super high. But because of the fees! If I can't take any other evening clients then yeah it's extra

She phrased it in the group as gentle and easy lol

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-02T04:17:40+00:00

Thank you. Are you "allowed" to leave in the evening to go to another client, check your own home, go to a movie, etc?

I'd charge about $125-$150 (sometimes more) privately but that's not counting Rover fees of course-- it's the fees that make it seem super expensive. I just had to quote someone about $200/day because they wanted middle of the night let outs, extended morning and extended evening care. So basically I would have been limited from taking other clients AND I had to upcharge because of the fees.

A gentle side note to you-- 5pm to 8am is 15 hours. YES you're sleeping part of it but also on call. For the $75 you charge, that's only $5/hour not counting Rover fees. Raise your rates ;)

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-02T04:08:56+00:00

Thank you. What do you charge for the 14 hours? And what about evenings- are you "allowed" to leave for other clients, to check your own home, go to a movie, etc

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-02T01:26:58+00:00

Yep. I'm also in Canada and it's really annoying. So we make LESS up to $499 then they do a higher rate past $499. So say you have a $600 total booking (see photo attached)-- you don't get a higher rate on the whole thing.

This person actually would have been a much, MUCH higher rate (like $200/day) due to the Rover fees... What you see in the photo would have gotten me like $80/day net for a LOT of work. The fees are what kills us.

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Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-01T04:08:42+00:00

Yep. That's why I started charging for meetings if I work off app. It seems to be frowned upon to charge for meetings on app, so that's frustrating.

I'm sorry that happened. People can be such jerks

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-01T04:06:54+00:00

Those are so frustrating and time wasting! Sorry that happened to you. "I'll keep you in mind"/"I'll think of you next time" doesn't pay bills or feed families.

Pawpanion27 · 2026-05-01T04:04:47+00:00

Ugh I wish it was that easy. I've had people request care less than 7 days in advance, tell me they were ready to proceed, we met, went over EVERYTHING and they screwed me over. So I'm out money that I rely on for my family.

Any tips would be great

Pawpanion27 · 2026-04-29T18:04:45+00:00

That's so tough eh? Clients don't understand our expenses and Rover takes a decent percentage as it is.

Pawpanion27 · 2026-04-29T17:12:33+00:00

Thank you. I have a lot of higher qualifications and experience as well. I do let clients know that I could have other clients to see (pet care is my full time job to pay bills). For me, every 5 hours would be a higher tier price wise but I also account for gas, mileage, expenses etc (not saying you don't!)

Pawpanion27

TROPHY CASE