Manage Sittercity

How to cancel sittercity and stop paying for premium membership

What is sittercity and why you might want to cancel

Sittercity is an online marketplace connecting families with babysitters, nannies, and in-home child care providers across the United States. The platform offers a free basic tier for browsing caregiver profiles and multiple paid premium membership levels that unlock direct messaging, advanced search filters, and background check access. If you've signed up for premium membership and no longer need the service, you'll want to cancel before your next automatic renewal charges.

Understanding sittercity's subscription model

Sittercity operates as a two-sided marketplace: families pay subscription fees to access premium features, while caregivers can purchase visibility packages like the Featured Sitter subscription. When you purchase a premium membership, you agree to automatic renewal terms that continue charging your payment method on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis until you actively cancel. The company emphasizes background checks and identity verification as safety features, but these don't affect your cancellation rights.

When to cancel sittercity premium

Cancel Sittercity if you've found alternative child care, no longer need to search for caregivers regularly, or feel the premium features don't justify the monthly cost. You might also cancel if you've downgraded to the free Basic plan and realize you don't need premium access anymore. The sooner you cancel, the sooner you stop the automatic renewal cycle that charges your account every month, quarter, or year depending on your plan.

Sittercity membership types and pricing

Your cancellation deadline and refund eligibility depend directly on which membership plan you purchased, so confirm your exact plan from your receipt or account settings before you proceed.

Premium membership plans and costs

What premium membership includes

Pricing may vary by state sales tax, promotional discounts, or the payment channel you used. Always check your most recent invoice for the exact amount you're being charged each cycle.

Your consumer rights when canceling sittercity

Federal law protects your right to cancel recurring subscriptions and enforces clear disclosure of cancellation terms before you pay.

The restore online shoppers confidence act (ROSCA)

Under the Restore Online Shoppers Confidence Act, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), companies must obtain your express informed consent before charging you for recurring subscriptions. This means Sittercity must clearly disclose the terms of automatic renewal, including the cancellation method, before charging your first payment. If Sittercity fails to provide a clear cancellation mechanism or buries it in hard-to-find terms, you may have grounds to dispute the charge or file a complaint with the FTC.

Your right to cancel without penalty

You have the unconditional right to cancel your Sittercity membership at any time. The company cannot require you to provide a reason, wait through a call center hold, or agree to a penalty. Cancellation is immediate once you submit your request through the proper channel. If Sittercity charges you after you've cancelled, you can dispute the charge with your credit card issuer or bank and request a chargeback as unauthorized billing.

Escalation with consumer authorities

If Sittercity refuses to cancel your account, continues billing after cancellation, or makes it unreasonably difficult to cancel, file a complaint with your state's Attorney General or the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Include screenshots of the cancellation page, copies of bills showing unwanted charges, and details of your attempts to reach the company. Stopee recommends keeping records of every cancellation attempt as evidence if you need to pursue a refund through your bank or credit card company.

How to cancel sittercity online

The fastest and most documented way to cancel is through your Sittercity account settings on the web browser.

Step-by-step cancellation process

1. Log into your Sittercity account on the website (sittercity.com)
   • Go to the web version, not the mobile app, as the app may not display the full account menu
   • Use the same email and password you use to manage your subscription
2. Click on your profile icon or name in the top-right corner
   • Look for a dropdown menu or settings button
   • Select "Account Settings" or "Settings"
3. Navigate to the Membership or Subscription section
   • You may see it labeled as "Membership," "Subscription," or "Billing"
   • Click "Manage subscription" or "Manage membership"
4. Select "Downgrade to Basic" or "Cancel membership"
   • The page will show your current plan, renewal date, and cancellation options
   • Choose the option to stop automatic renewal
   • Do NOT select "pause" unless you plan to reactivate later
5. Confirm your cancellation
   • Sittercity may ask why you're canceling; you can skip this or leave it blank
   • Click "Confirm cancellation" or "Yes, cancel my membership"
   • The page will show a confirmation message
6. Save your confirmation email
   • Check your inbox for a cancellation confirmation from Sittercity
   • Screenshot the confirmation page as backup proof
   • Save the confirmation email in a dedicated folder for your records

Pro tip: Cancel at least 5 days before your renewal date to avoid being charged for the next cycle. If you cancel on the renewal date itself, the charge may already be pending and can take 3-5 business days to reverse.

Alternative: contact sittercity support directly

If you cannot access your account or the web-based cancellation option doesn't work, email Sittercity's support team with your request. Send a message to their support contact (available on sittercity.com/support) stating "I request immediate cancellation of my premium membership, effective immediately. Please confirm in writing when my account has been cancelled and no further charges will be applied." This creates a documented record of your cancellation request that you can reference if unauthorized charges continue.

Refunds and what to expect after cancellation

Understanding Sittercity's refund policy before you cancel prevents confusion if charges appear after you think you've stopped them.

Refund eligibility for premium members

Sittercity typically does not offer refunds for the remainder of the current billing cycle once you've cancelled. If you paid for a 3-month or 12-month plan upfront and cancel midway through, you generally forfeit the unused portion unless you qualify for a chargeback or dispute. However, if you cancel within 24-48 hours of purchase, Sittercity may grant a full refund as a courtesy; contact support immediately if you purchased by mistake.

Warning: Do not assume cancellation is complete if you downgrade to Free Basic membership. Downgrading does not automatically cancel your Premium subscription if auto-renewal is still active. You must explicitly select "cancel membership" or "stop auto-renewal" to prevent future charges. Stopee has documented cases where families thought they downgraded but were still charged premium fees months later.

What happens to your account after cancellation

Once you cancel, your premium features (unlimited messaging, advanced search, etc.) disappear immediately. Your account reverts to the Free Basic tier, and you can still browse caregiver profiles but cannot send direct messages. Your caregiver reviews, ratings, and profile remain visible to you for your records. Any background checks you purchased remain accessible if they were already completed.

Checking for unauthorized charges

After you cancel, monitor your credit card or bank statement for the next 30 days to confirm no further charges appear. If Sittercity charges you after your cancellation date, immediately contact your bank or credit card company and file a dispute as unauthorized billing. Provide the confirmation email from Sittercity showing your cancellation date and the fraudulent charge as evidence. Most credit card companies will issue a provisional credit within 10 business days.

Common mistakes when canceling sittercity

Cancellation delays and continued billing often happen because people unknowingly fall into avoidable traps.

Mistake 1: canceling through the mobile app only

The Sittercity mobile app may not display the full account settings menu needed to cancel. If you cancel using only the app, the request might not process fully. Always cancel through the web browser at sittercity.com to ensure the system processes your request correctly. After canceling on the web, you can uninstall the app without worry.

Mistake 2: confusing downgrade with cancellation

Downgrading from Premium to Basic membership is not the same as cancellation. Downgrading lowers your features but may not stop automatic renewal if the system is misconfigured. You must explicitly cancel or uncheck the "auto-renewal" box to stop charges. Read the confirmation screen carefully: it should say "cancelled" or "no future charges will apply," not "downgraded."

Mistake 3: canceling too close to the renewal date

If your renewal is tomorrow and you cancel today, the charge may already be processing through the payment system. Sittercity processes renewals on your renewal date, and it can take 3-5 business days to reverse an accidental charge. Cancel at least 5-7 days before your renewal date to provide a safety margin. Check your account to see exactly when your next renewal is scheduled.

Mistake 4: not saving your confirmation

If you cancel but don't screenshot the confirmation page or save the confirmation email, you have no proof if Sittercity later disputes your cancellation or charges you again. Screenshot the confirmation page, save the confirmation email, and store both in a folder on your computer or cloud storage. Stopee recommends keeping records for at least 6 months after cancellation.

Mistake 5: assuming silence means cancellation

Sittercity should send a confirmation email immediately after you cancel. If you don't receive one within 2 hours, your cancellation may not have gone through. Log back into your account and check the membership status. If the cancellation page still shows your active subscription, try canceling again or contact support with your screenshot showing the first cancellation attempt.

After cancellation: next steps and checklist

After you hit cancel, take these final steps to protect yourself from surprise charges and ensure the cancellation sticks.

Your post-cancellation checklist

What to do if you're charged after cancellation

If Sittercity charges you after your confirmed cancellation date, contact your credit card issuer or bank immediately. Explain that you cancelled the subscription but were charged unauthorized fees. Provide your cancellation confirmation email and the charge receipt as proof. Your bank will likely issue a provisional credit within 10 business days and initiate a dispute investigation. Do not ignore the charge or assume it will reverse on its own.

Pro tip: Stopee recommends setting a calendar reminder for your renewal date (or 5 days before it) so you remember to cancel before the charge hits. This simple habit prevents the need for chargebacks and disputes entirely.

When to keep or compare sittercity to alternatives

Before you cancel, consider whether keeping premium membership or switching to a competitor makes sense for your situation.

Reasons to keep sittercity premium

Keep your premium membership if you actively search for new caregivers every month, use the unlimited messaging frequently, or rely on Sittercity's background check integrations. If you've built a trusted relationship with a caregiver through Sittercity and need to contact them regularly, the premium features justify the cost. You can also pause your membership temporarily if Sittercity offers that option (separate from cancellation) and reactivate it later without losing your profile or reviews.

Reasons to cancel sittercity

Official cancellation address and formal notice

If you need to send a formal written notice to cancel (for legal documentation or if online cancellation fails), use this official address:

Sittercity, Inc.
20 West Kinzie Street, Suite 1500
Chicago, Illinois 60654
United States

Send your cancellation letter by registered mail (with tracking and signature confirmation) and include your full name, account email, the date you request cancellation to be effective, and a request for written confirmation. Keep a copy of the letter and the shipping receipt as proof you sent notice. This method creates an undeniable legal record if you later need to dispute charges or escalate to the Federal Trade Commission.

Final steps: take control of your subscription today

Canceling Sittercity takes fewer than 5 minutes if you follow the web-based process and confirm your cancellation immediately. Stopping automatic renewal before your next charge protects your budget and eliminates the hassle of disputing unauthorized fees later. Stopee has helped thousands of consumers cancel unwanted subscriptions, recover refunded charges, and take back control of their recurring billing. You deserve transparency and easy cancellation-and federal law requires it.

Log into your Sittercity account now on the web, navigate to your account settings, and select the cancellation option. Save your confirmation email, mark your calendar to verify the cancellation in 24 hours, and monitor your statement for the next 30 days. If you run into trouble, contact Sittercity support with this guide as your reference, or escalate to your state's Attorney General if the company refuses to cancel. Stopee stands with you in holding companies accountable for honest billing practices and clear cancellation rights.