What does a babysitter actually get paid in NZ?

At a glance: On The Village Co, babysitters set their own hourly rate, typically $20 to $30 per hour. There's no placement fee or commission — the 20% service fee families pay is on top of your rate, not deducted from it. This article breaks down how rates work, what affects what you can charge, and how and when you get paid.

If you've started looking into babysitting as flexible work, "how much can I actually earn" is probably the question you most want a straight answer to. So here it is, as plainly as we can put it.

The headline number: $20 to $30 per hour

On The Village Co, sitters set their own hourly rate, and most sitters set a rate somewhere in the $20 to $30 per hour range. That's not a rate we impose — it's what sitters across the platform tend to choose, based on experience, qualifications, and what's typical in their area.

The important bit: this is the rate you actually receive. There's no commission taken out, no platform cut from your earnings. If you set your rate at $25/hour and work a 4-hour booking, you receive $100.

So where does the 20% service fee fit in?

This is the part that sometimes causes confusion, so let's be really clear about it.

Families pay your hourly rate plus a 20% service fee, charged on top. Using the same example: a family booking you for 4 hours at $25/hour pays $100 (your rate) + $20 (the 20% service fee) = $120 total.

You receive your full $100. The $20 service fee goes to The Village Co, and covers things like the matching technology, the vetting process every sitter goes through, $2 million liability insurance on every booking, and ongoing support for both families and sitters.

The short version: the service fee is a cost to the family, not a deduction from you.

What affects what you can charge?

A few factors genuinely influence what rate makes sense for you to set:

• Experience. More experience — particularly with specific age groups, like infants or kids with additional needs — can support a higher rate.
• Qualifications. A current First Aid certificate is the most commonly cited qualification that families look for, and sitters with one often set rates toward the higher end of the range.
• Location. Typical rates can vary slightly by region — what's typical in central Auckland might differ slightly from a smaller centre, simply based on local cost of living and what families in that area are used to paying.
• The nature of the booking. Some sitters set a different rate for, say, overnight bookings or bookings involving multiple children — this is entirely up to you, and something you can discuss as part of confirming a booking.

There's no "correct" rate — but if you're new and unsure where to start, looking at what's typical in the $20 to $30 range and positioning yourself based on your specific experience and qualifications is a reasonable starting point. You can always adjust your rate later as you build experience and reviews.

How and when do I get paid?

Payment is processed automatically through Stripe after each booking — you don't need to invoice anyone or chase payment manually. Funds are typically available within a few business days of the booking being completed.

This is one of the genuinely underrated parts of babysitting through a platform versus privately arranged bookings: there's no awkwardness around asking to be paid, no "I'll get you back next time," and no manual bank transfers to track.

Tax and GST — what do I need to know?

As a sitter, the income you earn is generally treated as self-employed income for tax purposes, which means it's worth understanding your obligations around income tax and, depending on your total earnings across all sources, potentially GST registration.

We've written a dedicated, plain-English guide to tax and GST for NZ sitters — we'd genuinely recommend reading it, because getting your head around this early (rather than at tax time) makes things much simpler. One important note: we're not accountants, and for anything specific to your individual situation, speaking with one is genuinely worth it — but the guide covers the basics everyone should know.

Is this worth it compared to other flexible work?

That's going to depend on your situation, but a few things are worth weighing up: babysitting doesn't require a commute to a workplace (you go to the family's home, but there's no separate "shift location" to travel to and from on top of that), the hours are often evening or weekend-based which can complement study or daytime work well, and — for a lot of people — it's simply enjoyable work if you like kids, compared to some other flexible options.

If you're weighing it up against other part-time or flexible work, our advice is to think about it less as "which pays more per hour" and more as "which fits the shape of my week, and which would I actually enjoy doing." Both matter for sustainability.

See how to apply

FAQ

Does The Village Co take a cut of my babysitting pay?
No. The rate you set is the rate you receive in full. The 20% service fee is charged to the family on top of your rate — it's not deducted from your earnings.

How do I decide what hourly rate to set as a babysitter?
Most sitters set a rate between $20 and $30 per hour, based on factors like experience, qualifications (a current First Aid certificate is particularly valued), and what's typical in your area. There's no fixed rule — you can also adjust your rate over time.

How quickly do I get paid after a booking?
Payment is processed automatically via Stripe and is typically available within a few business days of the booking being completed — there's no need to invoice or chase payment manually.