Care.com Review
Care.com connects families with reliable in-home care starting at just $12.95 per month with an annual membership.
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When an older parent is recovering from surgery or a sudden illness and caregiving becomes challenging, you may find yourself scrambling to find a caregiver. That’s where Care.com can be a useful resource.
Founded in 2006, Care.com is an online marketplace to find trusted caregivers, from babysitters to senior care, in all 50 states. For older adults who prefer to age in place rather than move to assisted living or nursing facilities, hiring a senior caregiver at home can be a good solution. Care.com can match families with caregivers who can help with household tasks, meal preparation, activities of daily living, companionship, and more.
My elderly father recently had major surgery and after a two-week hospital stay we decided he would benefit from an at-home caregiver until he fully recovers. Our family knew of others who had used Care.com to find a caregiver, so we decided to give it a try. I also spoke with a Care.com representative to learn more about making the most of the service and finding the best care. Below, I’ll cover my experience using Care.com to find and hire an at-home caregiver, the pros and cons of the service, its costs, and more.
Pros
- Matches users with quality in-home care
- Flexibility to book caregivers with an agreed upon timetable and rate
- Ease of finding caregivers in your area
- Runs background checks on caregivers
- Has caregivers with a range of skill levels, including RNs, LVNs, and CNAs
Cons
- Requires paying a membership to find caregivers
- Need to pay extra for more enhanced background checks
- Not accredited by the Better Business Bureau
What Is Care.com and How Does It Work?
Care.com offers in-home senior care. Similar to A Place for Mom, they provide services or information about assisted living, memory care, and independent living (although A Place for Mom also provides information on nursing homes). If you are interested in hiring a caregiver for an aging adult, Care.com can help you locate a caregiver in your ZIP code to provide in-home care for your loved one.
Did You Know? Care.com is available in 21 countries, including England, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
To use Care.com, I started by taking a short quiz to get an idea of my loved one’s needs. I entered information about their age and needs, and then I was prompted to create an account to see my results — a list of local caregivers and their experience, hourly rates, and reviews. You will also get local caregiver applicants messaging you to fill your caregiver needs, but you cannot contact or book a caregiver without paying for a subscription. Unlike with Caring.com, fully benefiting from the service requires paying an annual, quarterly, or monthly fee.
Types of Care Offered
In-Home Care
Care.com helps connect users with in-home senior care. The platform functions as an online marketplace and differs from Caring.com, which provides comprehensive directories of senior living communities and in-home care agencies.
Care.com caregivers can provide companionship, help with activities of daily living (ADLs), care for individuals with memory or mobility issues, and more. Profiles include a photo of the caregiver with details about their experience, such as working with seniors with Alzheimer’s and dementia, cancer patients, or seniors with mobility challenges, mental health issues, or vision loss. They showcase languages spoken, vaccinations, and other details they want to mention about themselves. Caregivers list their education and other qualifications, such as being CPR-certified. Some are certified nursing assistants (CNA) or licensed vocational nurses (LVN).
Looking at the different options for caregivers in my area on Care.com
Assisted Living Care
If home care isn’t the right fit for you, you can also find and compare senior living communities in your area using Care.com. The website lists in-depth profiles, photos, and tour scheduling, so you can find the right facility for your loved one.
When searching for assisted living in my area, I could filter my search based on criteria such as location, care type, amenities, and price. I was then given a list of communities in my desired area. Each community’s profile listed the facility’s services, amenities, pricing, and contact information.
Senior Care Advisors
Whether you’re looking for home care or assisted living, you can also receive one-on-one support from Care.com’s senior care advisers. The advisers can provide expert guidance, answer any questions you have, develop a personalized care plan for you with recommended resources and financial options, help mediate difficult family dynamics, and provide suggestions for local care tailored to your needs. All of Care.com’s advisers are master’s-level social workers with extensive experience and knowledge. I really appreciate that expertise, because it can save you time and ensure you find the best possible care for your loved ones. You can connect with a senior care adviser through a phone consultation with email follow-ups.
Care.com’s senior care advisors can help you find the right care for your loved one’s needs. They offer dedicated support, a comprehensive care plan designed for your loved one, and expert guidance.
To learn more about the advisers and their expertise, I spoke with Erin Nicholson, a senior care adviser for Care.com, for tips on choosing the right type of care and overcoming previous assumptions about care seniors may receive.
“One of the most challenging aspects of this process is addressing assumptions about what different care options provide,” said Nicholson, who has a master’s in social work. “I recommend beginning by discussing your loved one’s expectations for both in-home care and assisted living. They may, for example, believe that one option is significantly more expensive than the other or assume they’ll need to share a room in an assisted living community. Use this conversation to guide your research, focusing on either validating or clarifying their perceptions.”
Care.com Costs
Some competitors, such as Caring.com, are free because they are paid by certain care and housing providers. You can search profiles for free on Care.com, but you will not be able to contact caregivers you are interested in unless you pay for a premium membership. That’s because Care.com is not paid by particular providers. It helps keep the site unbiased, but users must pay a fee instead. Your options are:
- Annually: $12.95 per month
- Quarterly: $24.95 per month
- Monthly: $38.95 per month
I chose the monthly option for $38.95. I used a discount code to get an additional 10 percent off, but discounts aren’t always available. If you want to include a background check for a caregiver, you will need to pay extra. I paid an extra $20 for the Combined Check plan. Care.com does not provide refunds.
Signing up for my Care.com membership
By becoming a premium member, you get the following benefits:
- Earn points toward free care
- Message with caregivers
- Get access to background checks
- Get exclusive offers
- Message any caregiver
- Book a sitter when you need one
Average senior in-home care costs in 2024 range from about $31 to $34 an hour, but costs vary by location. Caregivers on Care.com set their own rates and can charge higher or lower depending on their experience, as well as what the going rate is in their location. In my area, the pay ranged from about $25 to $45 per hour. I knew I didn’t want to pay more than $25 an hour, so I contacted only caregivers in that range. Fortunately, I was able to find one caregiver in my area with about 20 years of experience who charged $25 an hour with very flexible dates and scheduling.
FYI: You can cancel your subscription at any time and will have access to your plan's benefits through the end of the billing term.
Our Experience Using Care.com
Unlike a Place for Mom, Care.com doesn’t have a personal adviser who can guide you and answer your questions. Other than an FAQ page, you’re pretty much on your own. Luckily, the website was very easy to use. I started with a short screening quiz to determine what I needed, such as an in-home caregiver for an aging adult. I was then asked what type of help I needed, such as household tasks, personal needs, companionship, transportation, specialized care, or mobility assistance. I typed in my ZIP code, email address, and first and last name.
I was then asked to explain the type of care I was looking for — recurring, one-time, or live-in — and the days and times I needed care. The website showed the average pay in my area, and then asked what I was willing to pay. After that, I was asked to share details about who needed care — their gender, age, and other details about them. It also asked me to describe what I was looking for in a caregiver. If you forget to mention something, you can always edit your information in the Job Description section of your profile.
Customizing my preferences for a caregiver using Care
All that information was then shared with caregivers in my area. I was asked if I wanted to upgrade to Premium to take advantage of contact information, reviews, and references. If you decide not to, you will get a personalized list of caregivers in your area that you can sort through and either pass or add them to your list. Once you have shortlisted caregivers, you can send them a message. But the catch is that to do so, you have to pay for a subscription.
I chose the monthly membership and paid an additional $20 to include CareCheck. Caregiver profiles will have a blue CareCheck badge next to their name upon successfully completing a CareCheck, which includes:
- Social Security number trace
- National Sex Offender Public Website search (based on federal and state limitations, availability, and applicable reporting limitations)
- Multi-jurisdictional criminal database search
- Federal and county criminal records search
To receive a motor vehicle report, criminal records check, or investigative criminal check, you will have to pay an additional fee on top of the background check fee. I paid for only the background check.
Did You Know? One in five U.S. adults serves as a caregiver to family members or friends with a chronic health condition or disability. But doing it alone can be difficult for family members, particularly when 80 percent of adults ages 50 to 80 prefer to age in place.
I was connected with individual caregivers, along with smaller home health care companies in my area. The entire process, from the quiz to finding a caregiver, was pretty simple. I was given a large selection of caregivers to choose from, and I also had about 20 applicants message me for the job.
Each caregiver lists a bio, their years of experience, their education, and the types of care they have experience with. There are also reviews from clients who have hired them. It was easy to screen each applicant and narrow down the list to the caregiver I wanted. You can message them directly to show your interest and follow up with a phone call for further screening. I am happy with my caregiver so far, but I also know I have many others to choose from if it doesn’t work out.
Care.com reviews
Care.com vs. the Competition
Care.com is not the only online resource for senior care. Depending on your needs, you may want to consider all options available. Below is a quick comparison.
Care.com vs. Caring.com
Although they sound similar, they are not. Caring.com provides information and referrals for senior living options, such as assisted living, memory care, independent living, and nursing homes. The site has helped more than 100,000 seniors find a community. They also provide resources for in-home care, but these are in-home care agencies rather than independent individual in-home care providers like Care.com offers. Unlike Care.com, Caring.com is free to use.
Care.com vs. A Place for Mom
A Place for Mom offers senior living placement services, such as assisted living, memory care, and nursing homes. They offer free consultation with senior advisers and a large database of reviews and resources. The service is free to families. Unlike Care.com, they do not have a searchable database of individual caregivers who you can contact directly. Their staff, however, can refer you to agencies that provide in-home senior care services.
Care.com vs. CareLinx.com
CareLinx.com is the most similar to Care.com. It’s a platform that allows you to search, interview, and hire caregivers for your loved ones. Unlike Care.com, CareLinx.com focuses specifically on senior care. CareLinx.com charges a service fee on each caregiver invoice, while Care.com requires paying for premium access. CareLinx.com also offers both nonmedical and clinical support, while Care.com offers only nonmedical support.
Is In-Home Care From Care.com Right for Me?
Wondering if home care is the right fit for you or a loved one? We’ll take a look at the value of in-home care below to help you decide if it’s the best choice for you.
- Aging in place: Home care allows your loved one to live out their golden years at home in a familiar environment. About 90 percent of seniors want to age in place, so that’s a major benefit of home care.
- Flexible, personalized care: In-home care can be tailored to your loved one’s needs, whether they need help with certain daily tasks or just companionship. The care can also be adjusted to your schedule and needs as they change.
- Cost structure: Home care providers typically charge by the hour, which can add up and will vary based on the level of care required. Families can negotiate their rates directly with private care providers found on Care.com, which is typically cheaper than a home care agency. Care.com also offers a useful cost of care calculator to help you estimate costs.
Our Methodology: How We Tested and Reviewed Care.com
Our researchers spent hours of hands-on testing to inform our review. We evaluated the cost of using the service, value, ease of use, effectiveness, reputation, and customer reviews, among other factors. We also compared the online service to competitors to determine its overall rating and inform our review. Here’s a look at how our team evaluated Care.com and some of the factors we used.
- Cost: We evaluated the payment process for customers using the website to find a caregiver. We looked at the pricing structure, membership fees, discounts, and whether there were any hidden or cancellation fees.
- User experience and interface: We examined whether the website is easy to navigate, whether it is easy to filter based on needs, how detailed caregiver profiles are, ease of contact, and more.
- Safety features: We looked at whether Care.com offers background checks on caregivers, how reliable they are, and what other safety features are offered. We examined the use of badges to verify credible caregivers and what scam and fraud features are in place to protect against fake profiles.
- Customer reviews: We not only evaluated customer reviews on Care.com, such as those posted on caregiver profiles by clients, but also customer review websites such as Trustpilot, Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, Reddit, and others. We also considered the experience of some SeniorLiving.org team members who have personally used the service.
Our Final Thoughts on Care.com
In my experience, Care.com is a useful resource and a quick and convenient way to find a caregiver in your area. Even though Care.com charges for subscriptions, the cost is affordable and the ease of finding a caregiver based on your loved one’s needs and budget makes it worthwhile. I liked being able to screen applicants, discuss what’s needed, and set an agreed upon schedule and pay rate. Care.com is best for people who need an in-home caregiver, have a budget, and want the ability to screen several applicants at once to find the right fit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Care.com
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What type of memberships does Care.com offer?
You can select either a paid premium membership or a free basic membership. A basic membership lets you search for caregivers, share your needs by posting a job, and get applications. But you can’t review applications or send messages to caregivers unless you upgrade to a paid premium membership. A premium membership allows you to access applications and contact caregivers.
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How do I post a job seeking a caregiver?
During the registration process, you will be asked questions about what you’re looking for. You can fill out a description, including caregiver responsibilities and expectations. You can edit your job ad at any time in your profile.
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How do I search for caregivers?
You can search and get in touch with local caregivers directly. You can enter your ZIP code in the search bar and choose the type of caregiver you are looking for to get a list of caregivers in your area. You cannot, however, contact them without paying a fee.
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How do I contact caregivers I’m interested in?
To contact your top candidates, you can go to their profile page and look for the Contact button at the bottom of their profile picture. Once you click that button, a message box will appear and you can send a private message to the caregiver through the website. Just hit “send” when you’ve written your message. This option is available only with a paid subscription.