Which US House Sitting Site is Best? My 2026 Comparison & Review

Last Audited: March, 2026 Breadcrumbs: Home > House Sitting Guide > House Sitting USA

📊 QUICK FACTS: House Sitting USA

Best Platform (Free Exchange): Trusted House Sitters: 5,400 US listings (February 2026)

Best US-Specific Platform: HouseSittersAmerica: 120 listings, $30–50 USD/year

Paid Jobs Platform: HouseSitter.com: 10,000+ paid house sitting jobs (different category entirely)

Total Free-Exchange Listings: ~370 across all non-THS platforms combined

THS vs. Everything Else: 5,400 vs. 370 (a 14:1 advantage)

Our Experience: We have not yet house sat in the US. Europe is keeping us busy for several more years. These numbers are from our own platform research on February 16, 2026.

Visa: ESTA (90 days). WARNING: US Customs and Border Protection increasingly views house sitting as "unauthorized work" because you receive free lodging in exchange for labour. Never assume a border agent will treat it as tourism. Read our legal guide before flying.

Last Audited: March, 2026.

Should You Use any other Platform Besides Trusted House Sitters In North America?

Trusted House Sitters dominates the US market so completely that the platform comparison is almost beside the point. With 5,400 US listings against 130 on the nearest free-exchange competitor, THS is not the best option for the US. It is effectively the only one with real volume. The secondary platforms fill specific gaps (budget entry, luxury niche, paid work), but for free-exchange house sitting in America, the decision starts and usually ends with THS.

This article is part of our complete international house sitting platforms guide.

A Note on Our US Experience

We have not yet house sat in the United States. We are based in Europe, currently working through a route that will take several more years before we cross the Atlantic. The US is on the list: the national parks, New York, Chicago, Canada, Niagara Falls, and the kind of luxury sits that a market of 5,400 listings will eventually contain. But we will not pretend to firsthand experience we do not have.

What we can give you is real listing data counted on February 16, 2026, honest platform assessments based on years of house sitting experience in Europe and Australia, and a clear view of how the US market compares to the ones we know well. The numbers in this article are our own. We checked every platform ourselves.

Platform Comparison: February 2026 Data

Counts are for US listings (free-exchange sits) unless noted. HouseSitter.com is a paid jobs platform and is listed separately.

The Platform Breakdown

1. Trusted House Sitters: 5,400 US Listings

2026 Pricing: $129 (Basic) / $169 (Standard) / $259 (Premium) USD per year. Use our 25% discount code.

The gap between THS and the rest of the US market is larger here than almost anywhere else we have researched. In France, THS has 80 listings against Nomador's 627. In Australia, THS has 435 against Aussie House Sitters' 1,200. In the US, THS has 5,400 against everyone else's 370 combined. The ratio is different in kind, not just degree.

For the US market specifically, THS is the platform where the market exists. The verification system (mandatory ID checks for all members, optional criminal background checks for US-based users), the blind two-way review system, and the app are all secondary to the core fact: 5,400 listings covers every state, every type of property, and every duration.

If you are planning to house sit in the US at any point, THS membership is the starting point. Everything else in this list fills specific gaps around it.

Read our full THS review and use our 25% discount code to reduce the membership cost.

2. HouseSittersAmerica: 120 US Listings

2026 Pricing: $30–50 USD/year

Part of the same network as Aussie House Sitters and House Sitters UK. US-only focus means every listing is in America, no filtering required. At $49 per year it is one of the most affordable entry points into the US market, and the dedicated community of American homeowners gives it a different character from the global platforms.

120 listings is a small number in absolute terms, but the price point makes it a reasonable add-on to a THS membership if you want maximum US coverage. Optional ID and police verification is available for sitters who want to strengthen their profiles.

Best for: US-focused sitters on a budget, or as a secondary platform alongside THS.

3. Nomador: 110 US Listings

2026 Pricing: €89/year (Standard) / €34 for 3 months

Nomador is primarily a France and European platform. It has 627 France listings and strong continental coverage. Its 110 US listings are a by-product of its international growth rather than a US-specific strategy.

For sitters combining Europe and the US in a single trip, Nomador plus THS gives complete coverage of both markets. For US-only travel, 110 listings is thin compared to THS's 5,400, and THS alone makes more sense.

Best for: Sitters who are already using Nomador for Europe and want US coverage included. Not the first choice for US-primary travel.

4. MindMyHouse: 80 US Listings

2026 Pricing: $29 USD/year

At $29 per year, MindMyHouse has one of the lowest barriers to entry in the market. 81 US listings is a small number, but the cost is low enough that adding it as a secondary platform to THS is a minimal investment for a meaningful increase in total opportunities you can monitor.

Best for: Budget-conscious sitters who want secondary coverage on top of THS.

5. HouseCarers: 55 US Listings

2026 Pricing: $50 USD/year

One of the original house sitting platforms, established since 2000. The longevity means a core group of homeowners who have used it for years and return to it specifically. 38 US listings is low, but repeat-relationship sits (where owners prefer sitters they or their network have used before) appear more frequently here than on newer platforms.

Best for: Sitters interested in building long-term repeat relationships with specific homeowners.

6. HouseSitMatch: Skip for the US

HouseSitMatch's approximately 25 listings at the time of our research were concentrated in Europe. It is a UK-based platform expanding internationally, and the US is not yet a meaningful market for it. The included free police and ID checks are a genuine feature, but they are not a reason to pay membership fees for a platform with near-zero US listings.

Best for: UK and European sits, where it has more meaningful coverage.

7. LuxuryHouseSitting: 13 Listings

2026 Pricing: $45 USD/year

A niche platform focused exclusively on high-end properties. 10 US listings is a small absolute number, but the $45 per year cost makes it a medium-risk add-on for anyone targeting the luxury tier. In a country the size of the US, luxury properties on a specialist platform attract less competition than equivalent listings buried inside THS's 5,400.

For a full approach to landing high-end sits, which goes well beyond platform choice. Read our guide to luxury house sits.

Best for: Sitters specifically targeting luxury properties as an add-on to THS.

⚠️ Reality Check: The Paid vs. Free Split in the US Market

The most interesting thing we found when researching this article was HouseSitter.com.

It is not a house sitting exchange platform. It is a paid jobs board where homeowners advertise house sitting positions and sitters apply for paid work. The listing count is over 10,000, more than the entire free-exchange US market combined, including THS's 5,400.

We have not used it. Our entire experience of house sitting is built on the free exchange model, and that is what the rest of this site covers. But the numbers suggest that the paid model is larger in the US than the free exchange model, which is the opposite of how it works in Europe and Australia. If you are interested in paid house sitting as a career path rather than a travel strategy, HouseSitter.com represents a different and larger market than anything else in this list.

This is worth its own comprehensive guide, and we intend to build one. For now, the honest position is: if you want free accommodation in exchange for pet care, THS and the platforms above are the market. If you want to be paid for house sitting work, HouseSitter.com is in a different category and deserves separate research.

Read more about average pay for house sitters if the paid model interests you.

Regional Overview: Where the US Sits Are

With 5,400 THS listings spread across a country of 330 million people, the distribution matters. Our research observation from the listing data:

California, New York, Colorado, and Texas have the highest concentration of THS sits. These are also the most competitive markets. Major cities and desirable lifestyle states attract more applicants per listing.

National park regions (Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon) have sits that are highly sought-after precisely because the surrounding landscape makes them feel like holidays in themselves. Sits near Zion, Yellowstone, and the Blue Ridge Mountains are the golden tickets of the US market. They go to sitters with 20 or more reviews and, frequently, a 4WD vehicle. If you are travelling in a van like our T4, this is the place to lead with your self-sufficiency: off-grid capability, mechanical experience, and comfort with remote locations are exactly what these homeowners want to hear.

Less competitive regions (the Midwest, rural South, and smaller states) have fewer sits but also fewer applicants. The strategy that works in France (build reviews in lower-competition regions before applying to the most desirable ones) applies equally here.

The South and rural areas often involve more animals than urban sits: larger properties, horses, farm animals, dogs, and longer durations. If you have farm experience, it is worth highlighting in US applications specifically.

If/Then Framework

If you are house sitting in the US for the first time: THS with our 25% discount is the only platform with sufficient US volume to give you real choice. Start here.

If you are US-only on a budget: HouseSittersAmerica at $49 per year is the best-value entry point for US-specific travel. Add THS once you have confirmed you will use it enough to justify the cost.

If you are combining the US with Europe: THS covers both markets well. Add Nomador if France is a significant part of your Europe itinerary. The combination covers virtually everything.

If you want to maximise total US options: THS primary (5,400 listings) plus HouseSittersAmerica secondary (130 listings) plus MindMyHouse (81 listings) gives you near-complete free-exchange market coverage for around $200 USD per year total.

If you are targeting luxury properties: THS for volume, LuxuryHouseSitting for the niche, but still consider Trusted House Sitters because 5400 listings vs 10 on the Luxury House sitting platform. Read our luxury house sits guide for the full strategy.

If you are interested in paid house sitting work: HouseSitter.com is a separate category from the exchange platforms above. More than 10,000 paid listings across America makes it the largest US market of any kind, but it operates on fundamentally different terms.

Practical Considerations for International Sitters

Visa: This is the section where we have to be direct with you, because the standard "house sitting falls under tourism" framing is not accurate for the United States in 2026.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) defines "work" as any service performed in exchange for a benefit. Free lodging is a benefit: compensation in-kind. CBP does not require cash to change hands to classify an activity as unauthorised work. There have been documented cases of sitters being deported or banned from the US for five to ten years after mentioning "house sitting" to a border agent.

This makes the US visa situation a genuine legal gray area, not a settled question. THS and other platforms argue that house sitting is a leisure activity. CBP has taken the opposite position in enough cases to warrant taking the risk seriously.

What many experienced sitters choose to do: describe their trip to border agents as "visiting friends" or "general tourism" rather than explaining the house sitting arrangement in detail. We are not legal advisors and cannot tell you what to say at a US border crossing. What we can tell you is that saying "I am house sitting" has, in documented cases, had serious consequences.

Read our house sitting legal issues guide before booking US travel. Verify current requirements with the US embassy for your specific nationality. For most nationalities, standard entry is via ESTA with a 90-day maximum. Stays longer than 90 days require a separate visa category regardless of the house sitting question.

Transport: A car is essential for most US sits outside New York and a handful of other major cities. The distances involved make public transport impractical for the majority of locations. Many US homeowners will note car access as a requirement in their listing. If you are driving your own vehicle as we do with our VW T4 in Europe, the van life and house sitting combination that works for us in Europe should transfer directly to US road travel.

Background checks: THS offers optional criminal background checks for US-based members, which many American homeowners expect. If you are an international sitter applying for US sits, address this directly in your application. Explain your verification history and offer references. The absence of a US-specific background check is worth acknowledging rather than ignoring.

Time zones: The US spans six time zones. If you work remotely during a sit, confirm the homeowner's Wi-Fi speed during the video call using a service like Ookla. Rural US properties can have inconsistent broadband in ways that European and Australian rural properties generally do not.

Bottom Line

For free-exchange house sitting in the United States, THS and the decision is made. 5,400 listings against 370 on all other platforms combined is not a comparison. It is a verdict. Use our 25% discount code, browse before paying, and build your profile before you start applying.

The secondary platforms fill real gaps at low cost. HouseSittersAmerica for US-specific community, MindMyHouse for cheap secondary coverage, LuxuryHouseSitting for the niche. None of them replace THS for the US market; they supplement it.

The US is on our list. The national parks, New York, Chicago, Canada. A continent of sits we have not reached yet. When we do, we will write the version of this article that comes from having actually been there. Until then, the numbers are real and the framework holds.

Konrad & Caro 🐾🚐

DM us @housesittersguide and we answer everyone.

FAQ

• What is the best house sitting website for the United States? 

  rusted House Sitters: approximately 5,400 active US listings as of February 2026, by far the largest free-exchange platform in the country. The nearest competitor has 130 listings. For US-only travel on a budget, HouseSittersAmerica at $49 per year is the best value entry point. Use THS and HouseSittersAmerica together for maximum coverage.

• How many house sitting opportunities are there in the US?

  Approximately 5,830 free-exchange sits across all platforms as of February 2026 (5,400 on THS, ~430 across all others). Additionally, HouseSitter.com lists more than 10,000 paid house sitting positions, a different model from the unpaid exchange. The paid market in the US appears to be larger than the free-exchange market, which is the reverse of what we see in Europe and Australia.

• Do I need to be American to house sit in the United States?

  No, but you need to understand a risk that most house sitting websites do not explain clearly. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) defines "work" as any service performed in exchange for a benefit, and considers free lodging to be compensation in-kind. There are documented cases of sitters being deported or banned from the US for five to ten years after telling a border agent they were "house sitting." This makes the US a legal gray area, not a settled tourism question. Many experienced sitters describe their trip as "visiting friends" or "general tourism" at the border rather than explaining the house sitting arrangement. We are not legal advisors. Read our house sitting legal issues guide and verify requirements with your national US embassy before travelling. Standard tourist entry is via ESTA for eligible nationalities, with a 90-day maximum stay.

• Is house sitting in the US paid or unpaid?

  Both models exist and are both large. The free-exchange model (accommodation in return for pet care) operates through THS, HouseSittersAmerica, MindMyHouse, and similar platforms. The paid model operates primarily through HouseSitter.com, which lists more than 10,000 paid positions. If you are looking for paid work rather than free accommodation, these are different platforms with different expectations on both sides.

• How competitive is US house sitting?

  THS's 5,400 listings spread across 50 states means competition varies significantly by location. Major cities (New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco) and national park regions are the most competitive. The Midwest, rural South, and less-travelled states have fewer sits but also fewer applicants. The same principle that applies in Europe applies here: build reviews in lower-competition areas before targeting the most desirable locations.

• Should I join multiple platforms for the US? 

  THS is the starting point. For maximum coverage at low additional cost, add HouseSittersAmerica ($49) and MindMyHouse ($29) as secondaries. The combined spend is around $200 per year for access to nearly the entire free-exchange US market. For paid work, HouseSitter.com is a separate category worth separate research.

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