How Much Does Rover Pay? Sitters Keep 80% of Every Booking

Are you a dog lover? Do you have to stop every time you see an adorable pup on the street?

Let’s be honest, you can’t help yourself. It’s okay, most dog lovers can’t, and no one can blame you when those cute faces and squeezable paws show up.

However, have you ever thought about turning your obsession into a gig job? I’m not talking about setting up a booth offering dog’s belly rubs. I’m referring to companies like Rover.

Here’s the short answer on pay: you set your own rates, and Rover keeps a 20% service fee on each booking, so you take home 80%. If that works for you, you can sign up to be a Rover sitter here and build your profile at your own pace.

What is Rover?

Rover is an app and website that connects pet owners with local pet sitters and dog walkers. Owners book and pay through Rover, and you get the job requests on your phone.

You don’t have to stick to dog walks, either. The Rover sitter page lists five services you can offer:

• Boarding (a dog or cat stays overnight at your place)
• Dog walking
• Doggy day care
• House sitting and drop-in visits
• Dog training, which is only open to credentialed trainers

Boarding is the one to look at if you want the most money. Rover says sitters who offer it can make up to 2x more than sitters who don’t.

How does Rover work?

Rover is useful for many people with dogs that need help taking care of them. Any dog owner who is planning a vacation or a weekend getaway knows the struggle of wishing they could take their dog with them, but it isn’t always possible. This is where Rover can help.

If you’re a dog lover and can board a dog at your home, or walk someone else’s dog during the day, you are a good candidate to earn money with Rover.

You pick the services, the dates you’re open and the kinds of pets you’ll take (size, age and so on). Owners send requests, and they show up in the app so you can answer fast.

You’ll want to build up your account with positive reviews so dog owners will want to use your services. If you like the gig, you can accept it or you can even meet the client before accepting the request.

How much does Rover pay?

Rover doesn’t pay a set hourly wage. You do.

Every sitter sets a standard rate for each service, and you can add extra rates on top, like a holiday rate, an additional pet rate and a puppy rate for dogs under one year old. You control all of those extra rates when you set up your Rover profile. If an owner picks up their dog more than 2 hours late on the last day of a boarding or house sitting stay, Rover adds 50% of your nightly rate, and 100% if it’s more than 8 hours late.

So what do you actually keep?

Rover applies a 20% service fee per booking, which means you take home 80% of what you charge. So on a $100 booking, you’d keep $80.

Two catches. Rover says some U.S. sitters are in a pilot program with different fees, and fees work differently in California for legal reasons. Check the fee shown on your own account once you’re set up.

Tips are a nice bonus. If an owner tips after you’ve been paid, the money lands in your Rover account within 24 hours.

How much you make in a month comes down to your rates, which services you offer and how many bookings you take. Rover doesn’t publish an average, so be careful with anyone quoting you a monthly number.

When do Rover sitters get paid?

Payments for bookings show up in your Rover account 2 days after you finish a service.

From there, Rover’s payment processor, Stripe, sends the money to your bank by direct deposit. Most banks post it right away, but it can take up to 5 business days to show up in your account. To get paid you’ll need to add your Social Security number and bank account details through Stripe.

Who can work for Rover?

The requirements are pretty simple. To sign up as a Rover sitter, you’ll need to:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Set up your services, rates and availability.
• Build a profile with photos and a few words about your experience.
• Pass Rover’s safety quiz.
• Complete a background check and identity verification.

The background check is run by a third party called First Advantage. It looks at things like your driving record and criminal history, but your credit history and score are not included. Background checks only apply to sitters who live in North America.

Once you submit, Rover’s team reviews your profile by hand, and you’ll get an email when it’s approved. Then owners can find you and start sending requests.

Most people wonder is Rover considered self-employment? Yes. Sitters are independent contractors, so you’re running your own small business and you won’t be a Rover employee. You won’t get any benefits like you would for a full-time job, and you’ll want to set some money aside for taxes. However, this is offset by the ability to work when and where you want.

Is it worth working for Rover?

I have spoken to many people who work for Rover. The bottom line is that it is definitely worth it. I spoke to a Rover dog walker who works in my neighborhood recently and she suggested getting your account positive reviews from the start. You can ask friends or family members to help out, do whatever it takes.

Besides that, you would want to offer both boarding and sitting services, focus on repeat clients, be responsive on the app, take great pictures for your profile, and offer services for pets with special needs.

Is 20% a big cut? It’s real money. But you’re getting found by pet owners without paying for ads, and every service is backed by the Rover Guarantee, which includes up to $25,000 in vet care reimbursement, plus 24/7 support with vet help. For most people starting out, that’s worth it.

Where do I sign up to work for Rover?

Want to work with Rover and get in front of pet owners near you?

Head on over to Rover’s application page and here is how the process works:

• Create a profile showing who you are and your experience caring for pets.
• Choose the types of pets you want to care for and the dates that work best for you.
• Get paid two days after you’ve completed a service.

You can fill out the sections in any order and come back to it later, so it’s no big deal if you can’t finish in one sitting. Start your Rover sitter profile here.

Bottom line

If you are happy with the answer to how much does Rover pay, you can get started here. You set the price, you keep 80% of it, and the money hits your Rover account 2 days after each job. While it may not be the only gig economy app to make money, it is one of the best for pet lovers.

Ready? Sign up to be a Rover sitter and pick the services you want to offer.