How to Travel the World for Free with House Sitting

The Short Version

House sitting lets you stay in someone’s home — often in incredible locations — for free, in exchange for taking care of their house and/or pets while they’re away. No rent. No hotels. Just you, someone else’s couch, and maybe a golden retriever named Biscuit.

It sounds too good to be true. It’s not. But it does take effort to get started, and there are things the glossy blog posts don’t tell you.

How It Actually Works

You sign up for a house-sitting platform (see below)
You create a profile — think of it as a dating profile but for homeowners
You browse available sits and apply to ones you like
The homeowner picks you (or doesn’t)
You show up, take care of the place, and live rent-free
You leave a review, they leave a review, everyone’s happy

Sits range from a weekend watching a cat in Brooklyn to three months on a vineyard in Tuscany with two dogs and a horse. The variety is wild.

The Best Platforms (Ranked)

TrustedHousesitters

Cost: ~$129-259/year for sitters Coverage: Global, largest selection Best for: International travel, long-term sitters The vibe: The Airbnb of house sitting. Most listings, most competition. You need a strong profile to stand out.

Aussie House Sitters

Cost: ~$65 AUD/year Best for: Australia and New Zealand specifically The vibe: If you’re heading to Oz, this is where the sits are. Much less competition than TrustedHousesitters for AU listings.

MindMyHouse

Cost: ~$20/year Best for: Budget-conscious sitters, good global spread The vibe: Bare-bones platform but cheap and effective. Quality varies more.

Nomador

Cost: Free basic tier, ~$89/year premium Best for: Europe, especially France The vibe: Strong in European listings. The free tier is limited but lets you test the waters.

HouseCarers

Cost: ~$50/year Best for: Established sitters, rural/unique properties The vibe: Smaller but curated. Less competition per listing.

Pro tip: Start with ONE platform. TrustedHousesitters if you want volume, MindMyHouse if you want cheap. Don’t spread yourself thin across five platforms on day one.

How to Build a Profile That Gets Picked

Your profile is everything. Homeowners get 10-30 applications per sit. Here’s how to not be another faceless applicant:

Photos matter more than you think. Include:

A clear, friendly headshot (smiling, natural light)
You with animals (borrow a friend’s dog if you have to)
You in a home setting (not just travel selfies)

Your bio should answer three questions:

Why do you house sit? (Be genuine, not “I love free stuff”)
What’s your experience with pets/homes?
What kind of person are you? (Responsible but not robotic)

Get references before you need them. Sit for friends, neighbors, or family first. Three solid references make your profile 10x more competitive.

Respond quickly. First to apply often gets priority. Set up alerts for new listings in your target areas.

What Nobody Tells You

You’re on someone else’s schedule. You can’t just leave when you feel like it. If the sit is Feb 1-15, you’re there Feb 1-15. This limits spontaneity.

Pet care is real work. A diabetic cat that needs insulin shots twice a day at specific times is not a vacation. Read the listing carefully. Ask detailed questions about pet routines before accepting.

Some homes are… not great. That “charming cottage” might have spotty WiFi, no heating, and a mouse problem. Video call the homeowner before accepting. Ask to see the space.

You’ll spend on platforms. Most charge annual fees. Budget $100-250/year across 1-2 platforms. Still way cheaper than hotels, but it’s not zero cost.

Cleaning expectations vary wildly. Some owners want the house cleaner than they left it. Some are chill. Clarify expectations upfront or you’ll get a bad review.

Travel between sits has dead days. You might have a sit in Lisbon ending March 10 and one in Barcelona starting March 15. Those 5 days? You’re paying for accommodation. Build buffer days into your budget.

It gets competitive in popular destinations. Paris, London, Barcelona — everyone wants these. You’ll have better luck with:

Sits in off-season
Rural or suburban locations
Longer sits (fewer people can commit to 4+ weeks)
Last-minute sits (homeowners desperate = less competition)

The Numbers: How Much Do You Actually Save?

Let’s say you house sit for 200 nights a year (very doable for committed sitters):

Cost	Traditional	House Sitting
Accommodation (200 nights)	$15,000-40,000	$0
Platform fees	$0	$200-300/year
Travel between sits	$0 (you’re stationary)	$2,000-5,000
Net savings	—	$10,000-35,000/year

Even conservative math says you’re saving $10K+ per year. Some full-time house sitters report living on $15-20K/year total, including flights.

Getting Started: A 30-Day Plan

Week 1: Sign up for TrustedHousesitters. Complete your profile. Ask 2-3 friends/family if you can “practice sit” for them.

Week 2: Browse listings in your area or target region. Apply to 3-5 sits. Personalize every application — never copy-paste.

Week 3: Do a local sit (even just a weekend). Get your first review. Take photos of yourself caring for the pets.

Week 4: Apply to your first destination sit. Cast a wide net on location — be flexible. Your first international sit is the hardest to get; after that, reviews compound.

Best Destinations for House Sitting

Based on listing volume and competition:

UK & Ireland — Huge supply, especially rural. Lots of dog sits.
Australia — Massive house sitting culture. Longer sits common.
France — Surprisingly many sits, especially in the countryside.
Spain & Portugal — Growing fast, especially Algarve and Costa del Sol.
US & Canada — Mostly short sits, great for testing the waters locally.
New Zealand — Fewer sitters competing, stunning locations.

Is This Actually for You?

House sitting is perfect if you:

✅ Are flexible with dates and destinations
✅ Genuinely like animals
✅ Are comfortable alone (most sits are solo)
✅ Can work remotely or don’t need to work
✅ Want slow travel, not rushing between cities

House sitting is NOT for you if you:

❌ Want total spontaneity
❌ Are allergic to cats/dogs
❌ Need to be in a specific city on specific dates
❌ Want a social/party travel experience
❌ Can’t handle responsibility for someone else’s home

Got questions about house sitting? This guide is based on real experiences and community wisdom from r/shoestring, r/digitalnomad, and r/solotravel.