Care.com takes payment upfront and holds it until the job is done
When you book a caregiver through Care.com, you pay the platform directly through their payment system before the service starts. Care.com holds that money in an escrow account — meaning it sits with them, not with the caregiver — until you confirm the work was completed. Once you mark the job as done, Care.com releases the payment to the caregiver, usually within a few business days. If something goes wrong during the service, you can dispute the charge before payment leaves Care.com's hands.
The payment method you use depends on what Care.com accepts in your region. Most commonly, you'll pay by debit card, credit card, or bank transfer. Care.com charges a service fee on top of what you agreed to pay the caregiver — this fee varies but typically ranges from a percentage of the total to a flat amount per booking. That fee goes to Care.com, not to the caregiver.
Key Takeaways
- Care.com holds your payment in escrow until you confirm the caregiver completed the work, protecting both you and the worker.
- You pay Care.com directly through their website or app using a debit card, credit card, or bank account, and Care.com adds a service fee to the caregiver's rate.
- After you mark a job complete, the caregiver receives payment within a few business days, minus Care.com's fee.
- If a caregiver cancels or doesn't show up, Care.com refunds you to your original payment method within 5 to 10 business days.
- Disputes over payment quality or service issues must be reported through Care.com's resolution process before the job is marked complete.
How to pay when you book a caregiver
When you've selected a caregiver and agreed on a rate, Care.com will prompt you to enter payment information before the booking is confirmed. You'll see the caregiver's rate, Care.com's service fee, and the total amount you'll be charged. At this point, you can review the full cost before committing.
Care.com accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards, as well as debit cards tied to those networks. In some regions, you can also pay by bank transfer (ACH), though this option is less common. Enter your payment details, confirm the booking, and Care.com immediately charges your card or account. The money does not go to the caregiver yet — it stays with Care.com until the service is complete.
If you need to cancel before the service starts, Care.com's cancellation policy determines whether you get a refund. Most cancellations made 24 hours or more before the scheduled time result in a full refund to your original payment method. Cancellations within 24 hours may result in a fee or no refund, depending on Care.com's current policy and your membership level.
When the caregiver gets paid and how much
The caregiver does not receive payment immediately after the service ends. Instead, you have a window to confirm that the work was completed as agreed. During this time, the money stays in Care.com's escrow account. Once you mark the job as complete in the Care.com app or website, the payment is released to the caregiver.
Care.com typically releases caregiver payments within 2 to 5 business days after you confirm completion. The caregiver receives the amount you agreed to pay them, minus Care.com's service fee. For example, if you agreed to pay a caregiver $20 per hour for 4 hours ($80 total) and Care.com's fee is 15%, the caregiver receives $68 and Care.com keeps $12.
Caregivers can withdraw their earnings to a linked bank account. The time it takes for the money to appear in their account depends on their bank, but most transfers complete within 1 to 3 business days after Care.com sends the payment.
What happens if the caregiver cancels or doesn't show
If a caregiver cancels the booking before the service is scheduled to start, Care.com refunds the full amount to your original payment method. This refund typically appears within 5 to 10 business days, depending on your bank's processing time. You won't be charged Care.com's service fee if the caregiver is the one who cancels.
If a caregiver doesn't show up at the scheduled time and doesn't cancel, you should contact Care.com through their support system to report the no-show. Care.com may refund your payment and take action against the caregiver's account. Document the no-show with screenshots or notes about the time and date, as Care.com may ask for this information when you dispute the charge.
If you've already marked the job as complete and then discover the caregiver didn't actually show up, you'll need to file a dispute through Care.com's resolution center. This process is slower than a simple refund and may require back-and-forth communication with Care.com's support team.
Disputing a charge or service issue
If something went wrong during the service — the caregiver arrived late, left early, or the work quality was poor — you can dispute the charge before marking the job as complete. Open the booking in your Care.com account and select the option to report an issue. Describe what happened and what you'd like Care.com to do (refund, partial refund, or other resolution).
Care.com will contact the caregiver to hear their side of the story. If you and the caregiver can't agree, Care.com's support team will review the details and make a decision. This process can take several days to a week. During this time, your payment remains in escrow and is not released to the caregiver.
If Care.com sides with you, they'll refund the disputed amount to your original payment method. If they side with the caregiver, the full payment will be released. You also have the option to dispute the charge with your credit card or bank if you're not satisfied with Care.com's decision, though this should be a last resort since it can damage your Care.com account standing.
Care.com service fees and what they cover
Care.com's service fee is separate from what you pay the caregiver and covers the platform's costs: background checks, customer support, payment processing, and the matching system. The fee structure varies by region and membership type. Some Care.com memberships include reduced or waived fees for a set number of bookings per month.
The service fee is deducted from the caregiver's payment, not added on top of what you pay. This means if you agree to pay a caregiver $100 and Care.com's fee is $15, you pay $100 total and the caregiver receives $85. You won't see a separate line item for the fee on your receipt — it's already factored into the total.
Care.com does not charge you a fee if a caregiver cancels or if you cancel more than 24 hours in advance. You also won't be charged if a dispute results in a refund in your favor.
Refunds and how long they take
Refunds from Care.com go back to your original payment method. If you paid by credit card, the refund appears as a credit on your next statement. If you paid by debit card or bank transfer, the money returns to that account. Most refunds take 5 to 10 business days to show up, though some banks process them faster.
The timeline depends on your bank, not Care.com. Care.com typically initiates the refund within 1 to 2 business days of approving it, but your bank controls how quickly the money appears in your account. If a refund doesn't show up within 10 business days, contact your bank to check the status, then reach out to Care.com if your bank says they haven't received it.
If you dispute a charge with your credit card company or bank instead of going through Care.com, the process takes longer and may result in Care.com closing your account. Always try to resolve issues with Care.com first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay a caregiver in cash instead of through Care.com?
Care.com's terms require payment through their platform for all bookings made on the site. Paying cash off-platform voids your protection if something goes wrong and may violate Care.com's user agreement. If you want to pay cash, you'd need to arrange that outside Care.com entirely, which means losing access to their dispute resolution and refund protections.
What if my credit card is declined when I try to book?
A declined card usually means insufficient funds, an expired card, or a fraud block from your bank. Update your payment method in your Care.com account settings and try again. If the card is expired, add a new one. If your bank is blocking the charge, contact them to confirm the transaction is legitimate, then retry the booking.
Do I get a receipt for my payment?
Yes. Care.com sends a receipt to your email after you complete a booking. The receipt shows the caregiver's name, the service date and time, the rate, Care.com's fee, and the total amount charged. You can also view all past payments and receipts in your Care.com account under the Payments or Transactions section.
What if the caregiver asks me to pay them directly instead of through Care.com?
Don't do it. Paying outside Care.com removes all protections — you have no dispute resolution, no refund may provide, and no record of the transaction. If something goes wrong, you have no recourse. Always use Care.com's payment system for bookings made through the platform.
How long can I wait before marking a job complete?
Care.com doesn't set a hard deadline, but the longer you wait, the longer the caregiver's payment is delayed. Most caregivers expect to be marked complete within a few hours of the service ending. If you wait more than a day or two without marking the job complete or reporting an issue, Care.com may auto-complete the booking and release the payment.