Babysitting rate calculator
Put in when the sitting started and ended, the hourly rate you agreed, and how much more an hour you add for each extra child. The calculator shows the time, the hourly rate with the extra children, and the total to pay or ask for, to the cent.
What to pay for one sitting
“Extra children” means children beyond the first, if your rate goes up for each one. An end time earlier than the start counts as the next morning.
add a rate
| Time | |
| Rate with extra children |
Sitting or nannying regularly? Log hours and hand the family a signed timesheet.
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It counts the exact minutes, not whole hours. A sitting from 5:10 to 9:00 is 3 hours 50 minutes, and at $16.50 an hour that comes to $63.25. If you and the family round to the half hour instead, round the times the same way before you type them.
The rate is yours to set. This page doesn’t suggest what a babysitter should charge; the example uses $15 an hour only to show the math. Late nights work too: an end time earlier than the start counts as the next morning, so 8:00 PM to 7:00 AM is 11 hours.
Worked example: 18:00 to 23:30, one extra child
| Time | 18:00 to 23:30 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 5:30 (5.50) |
| Rate | $15.00 + $2.00 for 1 extra child = $17.00 an hour |
| Total | $93.50 |
Working out what to pay
Find the length of the sitting, add up the hourly rate, then multiply. In the worked example the sitting runs from 6:00 PM to 11:30 PM, 5 hours 30 minutes. The rate is $15 an hour plus $2 for one extra child, so $17 an hour. 5.5 × $17 = $93.50.
For an overnight sitting at one flat rate, it’s the same sum over more hours: 8:00 PM to 7:00 AM at $15 an hour is 11 × $15 = $165. Some families agree a different rate for hours when the children are asleep; if you do, work out the two parts separately and add them.
Questions
How much should I charge for 3 hours of babysitting?
Three times your hourly rate, plus any extra you add per child. At $18 an hour that’s $54; with $2 more an hour for a second child, it’s 3 × $20 = $60.
How do I count a sitting that goes past midnight?
Type the times as they were, for example 20:00 to 01:30. An end time earlier than the start counts as the next day, so that’s 5 hours 30 minutes.
What does “extra children” mean?
Children beyond the first, if your rate goes up for each one. With 3 children and $2 more per extra child, choose 2 extra children, and the rate rises by $4 an hour.
Should partial hours be paid?
That’s up to you and the family. This calculator pays to the exact minute. If you agree to round to the quarter or half hour, round the times first.
Can I keep track of hours for a family I sit for every week?
Yes. Use the hours calculator on this site’s home page for a week’s sittings and print it as a timesheet with signature lines for you and the family.