Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Rate Calculator
Enter the income you want, your yearly costs and how many visits you fit into a day. The calculator returns a price per visit that pays for the travel between clients as well as the time with the animals.
Your numbers
What you want left for yourself after tax and business costs.
Fuel and vehicle costs, insurance, background checks, booking software, supplies, marketing.
Your overall rate, including any social security or national insurance. Ask your accountant if unsure.
Your work
Unpaid unless you price it in, so it is counted here.
Optional. Shows what your current price really pays you.
Result
Charge per visit
$30
$29.51 covers it exactly. Rounded up to a figure you can quote.
- Turnover you need in a year
- $42,500
- Visits sold in a year
- 1440
- Your time is billed at
- $39.35 an hour
- A 60-minute visit at the same hourly rate
- $50
The hourly figure counts all the time a visit takes, including the work nobody sees. It is an estimate to plan with, not tax advice.
Let clients book and pay for visits online
BookingMachine shows your visit prices, takes bookings for the dates clients need and collects a deposit, so holiday weeks are confirmed and paid for in advance.
How the rate is worked out
The calculator adds the take-home pay you want, the tax on it and what the business costs to run for a year. It divides that by the number of visits you can make: visits per day, times the days you work, times the weeks you work.
The price that comes out is the least you can charge for a standard visit and still reach that income. It is rounded up to a figure that is easy to quote.
Travel is part of the job
A thirty-minute visit with a fifteen-minute drive either side takes far more than thirty minutes out of your day. The hourly figure in the result divides the visit price by the visit plus the travel, so you can see what your time is really billed at.
Use that hourly rate to price longer services in proportion. The calculator shows a double-length visit at the same rate. A longer visit should cost less than two short ones, because the travel is only paid for once.
It is also the case for keeping your clients close together. Every minute cut from the drive between visits is a minute you can sell.
Questions
Should I charge extra for holidays?
Most sitters do, because holidays are when demand is highest and when you give up your own time off. A higher rate for public holidays and peak weeks is normal. State it on your price list so nobody is surprised.
Should I charge per pet or per visit?
Charge per visit, with a smaller add-on for each extra pet. The travel is the same however many animals are in the house, but feeding, walking and cleaning up take longer.
How do I price overnight stays?
Start from the hours you are actively working, morning and evening, at your hourly rate, then add a flat amount for being on call through the night. An overnight stay also stops you taking evening visits elsewhere, so it should cover those too.
What costs should I include?
Fuel and wear on your vehicle, insurance, background checks, booking software, leads, bags and other supplies, and marketing. Vehicle costs are usually the largest and the easiest to underestimate.
Should I take a deposit for holiday bookings?
Yes. Holiday dates are the hardest to refill after a late cancellation. A deposit at booking, with a clear notice period, protects the weeks you rely on most.
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Let clients book and pay for visits online
BookingMachine shows your visit prices, takes bookings for the dates clients need and collects a deposit, so holiday weeks are confirmed and paid for in advance.