Is Sittercity Legitimate?

Just like any website, you might have some second thoughts about using Sittercity. I don’t blame you since I do get a lot of questions about it as well. One of the most common questions I get is this; is Sittercity legitimate?

It’s not surprising to know that there are still some moms out there who aren’t comfortable with online childcare services.

It doesn’t matter if they’re techy or not. They’re just too cautious. Well, they should be.

Again, I don’t blame them. This article is for moms out there asking the question, is Sittercity legitimate?

Is Sittercity Legitimate?

Yes, Sittercity is legitimate. I wouldn’t have been able to use it for years if it weren’t. As a matter of fact, Sittercity wouldn’t have been around for decades if it weren’t legitimate.

More than two decades ago, Sittercity started it all. At a time when parents were having a hard time finding babysitters, a young college student came up with a solution.

That college student was Genevieve Thiers and her solution was to connect parents to babysitters online. With the help of her friends, she set up Sittercity.com.

More than two decades have passed and Sittercity still tops the list of online childcare service providers. A lot of similar websites have come and gone but Sittercity is still here.

On August 6, 2020, Bright Horizons finally acquired Sittercity. Although they have been partnering since 2013, the acquisition allows more expansion for Sittercity. How’s that for being legitimate?

The services of Sittercity can now be accessed in 35 cities of the United States. Examples of these top cities are Atlanta, Boston, Chicago Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, San Francisco, Tampa, and Washington; to name a few. Hence, it’s safe to say that its online and offline presence has grown as well.

You not only get to find babysitters on Sittercity. Over the years, it has evolved, offering more than just babysitters. As a matter of fact, you can also find nannies and other specialty care, such as senior and pet care, on Sittercity.

Considering the history and expansion of Sittercity, there’s no doubt that it’s legitimate.

Keeping It Safe

Safety is one of the reasons why I have been with Sittercity for so long. Now, don’t get me wrong. Sittercity does not guarantee safety. It does not make any empty promises of keeping you safe on site.

What it does is that it provides tools to make your searching safe. It’s up to you to use them. These safety tools are embedded in your Sittercity dashboard. Related Read: Use A Sittercity Discount Code To Save

Here are some of the safety tools of Sittecity:

• Verified profiles of babysitters.
• A job posting board where you can write all the details of your job post.
• A Run tab for running background and motor vehicle checks.
• Direct messaging service to avoid any kind of external communication between parents and babysitters.
• Access to feedback from other parents.
• Search filters to help you look for babysitters within your area.
• Access to the references of the babysitters.

All these safety tools are rolled into what Sittercity calls the 4-Step Screening Process. You won’t get confused with the various safety tools Sittercity has to offer since you can just follow the 4-step screening process.

The 4-Step Screening Process is very easy to follow. You just have to post a job. That’s the first step. Wait until a babysitter responds to your job post. When you do get a response, proceed to the next step which is to run some background checks.

Running a background check on Sittercity is easy. All you have to do is to go to the babysitter’s profile and scroll down to the Trust & safety portion. If you see some badges in this area, it could be that the babysitter already has a background check. Take a good look at the badges displayed. You’ll know from there.

If the babysitter is not displaying a background check badge or the badge is greyed out, you can just click on the Run tab.

There are three kinds of background checks on Sittercity:

• Basic Background Check
• Enhanced Background Check
• Motor Vehicle Records Check

All these background checks are processed by Sterling Talent Solutions. In case you don’t know, Sterling Talent Solutions is the leading company in background checking and identity verification.

After you have run a background check on the babysitter, proceed to step three, which is to conduct face-to-face interviews. You won’t feel scared doing a face-to-face meeting with the babysitter after running a background check on her.

Once you’re done with step 3, you can proceed to step four, which is to check the references of the babysitter.

That is how the 4-step process keeps it safe for parents searching for babysitters. Sittercity also keeps it safe for babysitters by providing a messaging service.

The messaging service of Sittercity is located on the babysitter’s profile. In case you want to contact her directly, you can just use this service.

For safety reasons, Sittercity does not encourage parents and sitters to communicate outside the platform. Hence, the instant messaging service is the only way to communicate directly with the babysitter.

As much as that particular feature protects the babysitters, I also find it very convenient. The messaging service comes in handy each time I need a last-minute babysitter.

A good look at the safety tools and processes of Sittercity can pretty much answer the question, is Sittercity legitimate?

Trusted By Millions

Sittercity is trusted by millions. According to Forbes.com, Sittercity has connected 7 million babysitters, nannies, and parents. Yes, I’m one of those parents who have been using the service to connect to babysitters.

Sittercity has also been featured in mainstream media such as Good Morning America, Today, and The New York Times.

Try It Yourself

If you’re still having doubts about Sittercity, I suggest you try it yourself. That’s what I tell most of my friends who ask me the question, is Sittercity legitimate?

I see no reason why you shouldn’t try Sittercity. You can always test drive for free, with the use of the coupon you see on this page. Related Read: Learn More About Sittercity Membership Rates

You’ll know how Sittercity works if you test drive it. The basic features are pretty useful for someone who hasn’t tried the service yet.

You’ll be able to see the profiles of the babysitters and post a job. The search filters are also very easy to use. You can try them out as well when you test drive Sittercity.

If you want to go beyond the basic features, sign up as a paid member. There are three kinds of membership plans on Sittercity.

These are the following:

• One-month plan
• Three-month plan
• Twelve-month plan

The one-month plan is ideal if you just want to try out the premium features such as running background checks and using the instant messaging service. This plan goes for $35. If you don’t mind paying that amount for a month, then good for you.

However, if you don’t intend to use the service after one month, make sure to cancel your account. The thing about this plan is that it’s on automatic renewal. So, that’s something you have to keep in mind if you decide to go for this particular plan.

The three-month plan goes for $70. It’s a pretty good deal considering you get to use the service for three months at $23.33 a month. However, the best deal is the twelve-month plan that goes for $140. You get to use the service for just $11.67 a month.

If these numbers are still too much for your budget, you can always use the promo code on this page. You can get more than 50% off if you use the promo code.

Related Read: Sittercity Promo Code Offer

I see no reason why you shouldn’t try Sittercity especially if you’re seeking the answer to the question, is Sittercity legitimate?