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Babysitter vs nanny: which does your Perth family actually need?
Nanny or babysitter? Perth families ask us this every week. Both look after your kids, but the cost, the commitment and the day to day duties are very different. Here is how to choose for a Western Australian household.
The short answer
A nanny is ongoing, scheduled childcare, usually the same person for set days each week, often with household duties attached. A babysitter is on demand care for a few hours at a time, booked around date nights, appointments, school holidays or a late shift. If you need predictable weekday cover, look at a nanny. If your needs move week to week, a babysitter is cheaper and far more flexible.
What a nanny in Perth typically costs
Nanny rates in Perth generally sit between $30 and $45 an hour, and most families commit to a minimum block of hours per week, plus superannuation and leave entitlements if you employ them directly. Budgeting three weekday afternoons can easily land north of $500 a week before any admin.
What a babysitter in Perth typically costs
Village sitters set their own rates, commonly $30 to $40 an hour with a two hour minimum, and you pay only for the hours you book. There is no retainer, no weekly commitment and no payroll to run. The booking fee is 9.9 per cent, charged on top of the sitter's rate, and your sitter keeps their full advertised rate.
Duties: where the two roles differ
Nannies often take on child related housework, meal prep, laundry, school runs and activity planning as part of the role. Babysitters focus on supervision, meals, bath and bedtime for the booking window, and tidy up after the kids. If you want ongoing household support baked in, that is nanny territory.
Flexibility and last minute cover
This is where babysitting wins. A nanny's hours are locked to a roster, so a Saturday wedding or a 6am flight still needs someone else. Village families can search sitters by suburb, age group and specialty, then request a booking for a single evening, an overnight, or school holiday days as they come up.
Screening and safety in WA
Whichever you choose, insist on a current Working with Children Check, first aid certification and references. On Village, look for the Village Verified badge – it means we've verified the sitter's identity and required documents before they were approved to join Village.
How WA families often combine both
Plenty of Perth households run a nanny for weekday mornings and use Village sitters for evenings, weekends and holiday gaps. The nanny covers routine, the sitter covers everything else, and you are not paying for hours you do not use.
Still deciding?
Try a babysitter first. It is the lowest commitment way to see how outside care fits your family, and if you end up needing the same person every week, many Village sitters are happy to take on a regular weekly booking.
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