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The holiday surcharge applies to the 3 days prior to a federal holiday, on the day of the federal holiday, and 3 days after the federal holiday (for a full 7 days). To set your holiday price adjustment, go to Rates & Availability and click the drop down menu to select your preferred percentage increase for the federal holidays listed below.

You are allowed to change your Holiday Price Adjustment % at any time.

Federal Holiday date ranges for which the holiday surcharge applies in 2026:

1. January 1-4: New Year's 2026
2. January 16-22: MLK Day
3. February 13-19: Presidents Day
4. May 22-28: Memorial Day
5. June 16-22: Juneteenth
6. July 1-7: July 4th
7. September 4-10: Labor Day
8. October 9-15: Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day
9. November 8-14: Veterans Day
10. November 23-29: Thanksgiving
11. December 22-28: Christmas
12. December 29-31: New Year's 2027

PLEASE NOTE:

You as the sitter have complete control over this price adjustment - this rate is never set or changed by Meowtel HQ.

Our standard sitter commissions do apply to your holiday surcharge.

For example, let's say a customer books you for December 25-26:

1. Your base rate is $25: $25 x 2 visits = $50
2. Your holiday surcharge is 20%: $50 x 20% = $10

The total price which will be subject to sitter commissions is $60.

Should you have any questions about the holiday surcharge, please email [email protected].

We have a 4-tiered approach to sitter commissions. Sitters who consistently provide excellent service and win over more repeat clients will benefit most.

For sitters in California, please see this article.

Our commission structure is based on your total reservation earnings with each client:

1. Tier 1: 30% commission for any client from whom you have earned $0-$299.
2. Tier 2: 25% commission for any client from whom you have earned between $300-$999.
3. Tier 3: 20% commission for any client from whom you have earned between $1,000-$2,999.
4. Tier 4: 15% commission for any client from whom you have earned over $3,000.

These commission tiers apply to a sitter's base rate and holiday surcharge. For example, if your 20-minute rate is $30 and your holiday surcharge is set at 30%, a 20-minute visit on December 25th with a brand new client will result in you taking home $27.30:

1. Base rate: $30.00
2. Holiday surcharge: 30% x $30 = $9.00
3. Total price: $39.00

Meowtel's commission @ Tier 1: 30%

Your Earnings: $39.00 - ($39.00 x 30%) = $39.00 - $11.70 = $27.30.

Tiers and commissions are calculated using earning data from all past/completed reservations. The moment a sitter accepts a reservation request, including any reservation modification requests, is when the tiers and earnings calculations take place for the new reservation. Any other reservation taking place with the same client before, during, or after this reservation does not impact the original calculation.

Here's an example of what this could look like:

- On Dec 1st, client places Reservation #1 starting on Feb 1st, with planned earnings of $100 in Tier 1

- On Dec 20th, client places Reservation #2, starting on Jan 1st for 10 days, with planned earnings of $300 in Tier 1

- Reservation #2 is ending before Reservation #1 started and the sitter is now in Tier 2

- Reservation #1 will still be in Tier 1, as it was accepted on Dec 1st, when the sitter was in Tier 1

Tips are not counted towards client earning calculations since they are already commission-free. You can always check up on your commission tier progress with each client by taking the following steps:

1. Visit your Clients screen on Meowtel.com or in the mobile app

2. In the upper right corner, sort by Earnings or double click on the Earnings column to re-sort the table

3. Your clients will be sorted from highest to lowest earnings

Disclaimer: Meowtel is not a tax advising entity and therefore cannot provide any counseling or guidance regarding taxes or income reporting related to your sitter business.

Meowtel will send you a summary of your payouts and sitter activity by the end of January. While this isn't an official tax document, it can be a helpful reference when preparing your return. Additionally, sitters who meet the requirements will be issued a 1099-K form from either PayPal or Venmo, depending on the service the sitter uses to receive payouts.

Meowtel cannot issue 1099-K forms directly to sitters. Even if you don't receive a 1099-K, your Meowtel payouts are still taxable. Since tax situations vary, we always recommend consulting a tax professional for personalized guidance.

For the 2025 Tax Year:

-Starting in 2025, the IRS has updated the thresholds for when third-party platforms are required to issue a Form 1099-K. You'll receive one only if you earned over $20,000 and had more than 200 transactions through PayPal or Venmo in the calendar year. If applicable, the form will come directly from the platform you use, not from Meowtel. If you believe you should have received a form but have not, you'll need to reach out to either PayPal or Venmo directly.



Learn more about IRS Form 1099-K.

We want to keep pricing simple and transparent for clients, so we don't recommend haggling or negotiating prices. Instead, your set rates should be all-inclusive for the average customer you serve, factoring in common expenses like transportation, parking, and any specialized care.

Since rates vary by location, cat care needs, and client expectations, here are some real-life examples to help you determine your pricing:

Example 1: Downtown Los Angeles - Special Needs Cats

1. Metered parking: $4.00/hour
2. Gas: $6.00/gallon (15-minute, 2-mile drive)
3. Visits typically 45 minutes, including medication administration (pills, injections, topicals)

Rate: $40 per 45-minute visit + $4 parking + $1.50 gas = $45.50 per visit

Example 2: Brooklyn - Healthy Cats, Public Transit

1. Subway fare: $2.75 one-way
2. Visits typically 20 minutes

Rate: $27 per 20-minute visit + $5.50 subway fare = $32.50 per visit

Example 3: Central Austin - 3+ Cats, Suburban Sitter

1. Metered parking: $2.00/hour
2. Gas: $4.00/gallon (20-minute drive without traffic, up to 50 minutes with traffic)
3. Visits typically 45 minutes

Rate: $35 per 45-minute visit + $2 parking + $1 gas + $10 commute premium = $48 per visit

If you want to service areas with a longer commute, you can add another service zone and set a different rate for certain ZIP codes. This allows you to offer your services without compromising on travel time and expenses.

We also recommend reviewing "Can I charge extra for each cat?" for guidance on visitation lengths and our all-inclusive pricing model.

On Meowtel, sitters set their rates based on visit duration, not the number of pets in the home. Many sitters find the following visit durations work well based on the number of cats in a household:

1. 1-2 cats: 20min, 45min, 60min, or Overnight
2. 3 cats: 20min (twice per day), 45min, 60min, or Overnight
3. 4-5 cats: 45min, 60min, or Overnight
4. 6 or more cats: 60min or Overnight

For reservations with three or more cats, many sitters find that at least 40 minutes per day is appropriate, either as two 20-minute visits or a single 45-minute visit (required at checkout).

Every client's situation is different. If medications are required, many sitters find that a minimum 45-minute visit is appropriate. If there are other pets in the home (such as fish, turtles, or rabbits), many sitters find it helpful to advise the client to book a 45-minute visit is a good idea - but keep in mind that The Meowtel Promise only covers cats.

If you need any guidance or have questions about discussing visit durations with clients, please call or text 1-844-MEOWTEL.

If a sitter attempts to charge extra per pet, please let us know - this should never be the case on Meowtel.

Please visit your Sitter Dashboard > Payout & Earnings. From there, you can edit your payout method and account information, and choose whether or not to enroll in Autopay.

Meowtel will automatically initiate a payout on your behalf if your sitter earnings balance exceeds $5,000, in accordance with our Terms of Service. For this reason, it's important to keep your payout information up to date to avoid delays or misdirected payouts.

The discount will apply to the entire reservation.

For more details on creating coupon and discount codes for clients, click here.

Absolutely! Every client can tip you right through the Meowtel App by visiting their completed reservations screen and clicking the Tip Sitter button which appears after the reservation ends. Sitters on Meowtel receive 100% of the tips clients send through the platform.

Clients can also get very creative with the types of tips or gifts of appreciation they give sitters. Sitters on Meowtel have been known to be tipped in:

1. Cat accessories
2. Soap
3. Socks
4. Gift Cards
5. Wine
6. Cash
7. Flowers
8. Earrings

...the list goes on! You may always accept one of these non-traditional tips or even a cash tip, but all reservation payments from clients must go through Meowtel.

When a client tips you, you'll always receive an email notification and you may visit your Payouts & Earnings screen to view the details of each tip.

Accepting payments outside of Meowtel (e.g., cash, check, Venmo) for cat sitting services goes against our Terms of Service. Reservations made outside of the platform are not covered by the Meowtel Promise.

One of the most common ways this happens is when a client wants to add extra visits to an existing reservation. In these cases, they will need to either modify the existing reservation or book a new one. You can find more details on modifying a reservation here.

Tips given outside the Meowtel platform are allowed. Only tips sent through Meowtel's payment system will be reported in your annual earnings summary. More information on tipping can be found here.

If we identify that a sitter and client have arranged payment outside of Meowtel, their accounts may be suspended or removed from the platform. You will always receive an email notification regarding any changes to your account status.

If a client requests to pay outside of Meowtel, please let us know by emailing [email protected] or calling/texting 1-844-MEOWTEL.

Due to California's unique legal landscape, Meowtel does not take a sitter commission in California.

When setting your rates, you'll notice a base rate and a display rate. The base rate is what you earn for each visit and the display rate is what is charged to the customer (and displayed on your listing), which includes our 30% service fee, any applicable holiday surcharge you may choose to set, and the Trust & Safety Fee.

Sitters can change their rates and what they earn per visit at any time and to any amount.

To understand how sitter coupon codes impact sitter earnings in California, please visit our custom coupon code setup guide.

Learn more about Customer Fees in California.

All reservation payments are processed through the Meowtel platform and deposited into your sitter earnings balance. Sitter earnings are calculated based on Meowtel's Commission Rates. 

Standard Payout Schedule

1. Reservations shorter than 7 days: Earnings will be deposited into your sitter earnings balance 48 hours after the reservation ends.
2. Reservations longer than 7 days: Earnings are pro-rated. You'll receive earnings 2 days after each 7-day period, with the final portion deposited 48 hours after the reservation ends.
3. Reservation modifications: If a reservation is modified, the earnings schedule will be recalculated. You can view the exact payout schedule in the reservation details.

Cancellation Payouts

1. Cancellations within 48 hours of the start date: Earnings will be deposited into your sitter earnings balance immediately after the client cancels.
2. Cancellations within 24 hours of the start date: Earnings will be deposited 2 days after the reservation was scheduled to begin.

Tips

Tips are deposited into your earnings balance immediately after they are sent.

Payout Options

Payouts are processed via PayPal or Venmo. Earnings will appear in your balance by 11:00 AM PST on their scheduled deposit date.

1. Autopay: Automatically transfers your full balance every other Friday once your Available to Payout balance exceeds $100.
2. Manual Payouts: Request a payout at any time. Only one manual payout can be active at a time, and transaction limits may apply ($1,000 per day or $3,000 per 7-day period).

Note: To streamline payments and help keep your funds stay safe, secure, and flowing your way without delay, Meowtel will automatically initiate a payout if your sitter earnings account balance exceeds $5,000.

Nope! Sitters don't pay any fees directly to Meowtel. Instead, a Trust & Safety Fee is included for every reservation, which is paid by clients on Meowtel as part of their booked reservation. This fee helps keep Meowtel running smoothly - covering essential services like trust, marketing, and community support, helping to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for both sitters and cat parents.