If you are comparing Hello Marshy vs Rover in Canada, it is important to understand how the two platforms differ. Both help pet parents find pet sitters for boarding, daycare, walks, and drop in visits, but their pricing, sitter model, and overall booking experience are not the same. This guide compares Hello Marshy and Rover side by side, including sitter earnings, pet parent fees, booking protection, and what each platform offers in Canada.
A quick side by side overview
Before diving into the full comparison, here is a quick snapshot of how Hello Marshy and Rover compare on the features, costs, and pet care experience pet parents pay the most attention to. Both platforms help pet parents find sitters, but the way care is offered, priced, and managed can feel very different.
| What pet parents care about | Hello Marshy | Rover |
|---|---|---|
| How the model works | Flexible plans for sitters | Per booking fee model |
| Platform approach | Built on the belief that when sitters are supported, pets get better care too | Built around collecting fees from bookings |
| Sitter commission | Membership plans let sitters keep 100% of their booking earnings. On the Free plan, a 12% service fee applies per booking. | Takes a service fee from each booking, commonly cited around 20 percent |
| Pet parent service fees | Only standard Stripe payment processing fees | Adds a separate 11 percent service fee on top of the sitter's rate |
| Pet types supported | Pet care for dogs, cats, small pets, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Dogs and cats, with dogs as the primary focus |
| Background checked sitters | Free ID verification required for every sitter. Paid plan sitters also get a free Certn criminal record check. | Yes, verification is required for paid sitters |
| Booking protection | Marshy Cares is available as an optional booking protection add on at checkout | Included, with the cost built into Rover's high service fees |
| Communication | Flexible communication, including off platform, since sitter memberships do not rely on per booking fees | Rover prefers on platform communication to help prevent off platform bookings and lost service fees |
| Country focus | Built for Canada with future global expansion plans | Operates in several countries, including Canada, the US, and parts of Europe |
How the pricing model affects pet parents
A pet care platform’s business model shapes the experience it creates for everyone. Hello Marshy is built to give sitters more choice in how they earn, with membership plans that let them keep 100% of their booking earnings and a Free plan with a 12% service fee per booking.
For pet parents, we keep pricing simple and transparent. Hello Marshy does not add extra platform service fees for pet parents. You only pay the sitter’s rate plus standard Stripe payment processing fees at checkout.
That matters because our model is not built around adding costs to pet parents or taking a large cut from sitters on every booking. Instead, it is built around a simple belief: when sitters feel supported, respected, and in control of how they grow, they are in a better position to provide reliable, genuine care. For pet parents, that means a more trust-based experience with sitters who feel valued in the work they do.
If you are a sitter
One of the biggest differences between Rover and Hello Marshy is how each platform approaches sitter earnings. On Rover, sitters pay a 20% service fee on every booking. That means a portion of what you earn is taken each time you work. The more you book, the more you give up.
Hello Marshy is built differently. We give sitters more choice in how they earn and grow. Sitters can choose a membership plan to keep 100% of their booking earnings, or choose the Free plan with a 12% service fee per booking.
That difference is about more than pricing. It reflects a different mindset. Hello Marshy is built around supporting sitters, respecting their work, and giving them more control over what works best for their business. Some sitters book regularly and want to keep 100% through membership. Others may prefer to start with the Free plan and pay only when they get booked.
Either way, the goal is the same: helping sitters keep more of what they earn. The belief is simple: when sitters feel valued and supported, they are in a better position to focus on the pets in their care.
Hello Marshy is also designed to be more community driven. It is not just about processing bookings. It is about building a platform that listens to sitters, values feedback, and improves with the people using it. For sitters who want more choice, more respect, and a model built around how they actually work, Hello Marshy offers a more flexible alternative.
Hello Marshy vs Rover: safety and booking protection
Both Hello Marshy and Rover use sitter screening to help build trust. Rover requires sitters to complete a background check before they can offer services, and every eligible booking made through Rover includes the Rover Guarantee. Rover says this protection is included for bookings made on the platform, while Rover's fee model includes a 20% sitter fee and, in Canada, an 11% pet owner service fee capped at $65.
Hello Marshy takes a more flexible approach. Every sitter completes free identity verification before they can be booked, and paid plan sitters additionally complete a free Certn criminal record check included with their plan. Added booking protection is optional rather than built into every booking. That means pet parents can choose Marshy Cares at checkout if they want extra peace of mind, or skip it if they already have their own insurance or simply do not want to pay for added protection on every booking.
That difference matters. On Rover, protection is tied to the platform's fee structure and is included whether or not a pet parent expects to use it. Hello Marshy gives pet parents more choice. Instead of making everyone pay for the same added layer on every booking, it lets people decide whether they want that extra protection based on their own needs, comfort level, and existing coverage.
Communication and how bookings feel
Both Hello Marshy and Rover require bookings to be made through the platform. The difference is the experience each model creates after that. Hello Marshy is built to give sitters more choice in how they earn, with membership plans that let sitters keep 100% of their booking earnings and a Free plan with a smaller service fee per booking.
Because Hello Marshy is designed to support both sitters and pet parents, we keep communication flexible after a booking is confirmed. Sitters and pet parents can connect in the way that feels easiest and most natural for them, while still using the platform for confirmed bookings, payments, reviews, and support.
Rover is built differently. Its terms say sitters cannot use Rover to connect with a pet parent and then complete those transactions outside the platform. In practice, that means communication and repeat bookings are expected to stay within Rover’s rules because its model relies on service fees from bookings.
Hello Marshy takes a more open approach. We believe pet care is personal, and trust is built through real communication. Once a booking is confirmed, sitters and pet parents should feel comfortable coordinating care in the way that works best for them.
Which platform is the better fit?
If you are looking for a pet care platform with transparent pricing, flexible sitter plans, and a more thoughtful approach to supporting sitters, Hello Marshy is designed to be a better fit. Built in Canada, Hello Marshy was created with the belief that when sitters feel respected, supported, and fairly treated, they are better able to focus on giving pets the care they deserve. That same mindset is at the heart of the platform’s long-term vision as it grows beyond Canada and expands globally.
Hello Marshy is community-driven and built to listen, improve, and grow with the people who use it. It is not just about processing bookings. It is about creating a platform that values sitter feedback, respects the work sitters do, and gives pet parents a more transparent experience.
Sitters can choose the plan that fits how they work. Membership plans let sitters keep 100% of their booking earnings, while the Free plan has a 12% service fee per booking. Pet parents pay only the sitter’s rate plus the standard Stripe processing fee, with no extra platform service fee added on top.
Hello Marshy may be the better fit if:
- You want sitters to have more choice in how they earn and grow.
- You want membership plans that let sitters keep 100% of their booking earnings.
- You want a Free plan option for sitters, with a lower 12% service fee per booking.
- You want pet parents to pay only the sitter’s rate plus the standard Stripe processing fee.
- You want a platform built in Canada with plans to expand globally while staying true to the same values it was built on.
- You want a community-driven platform that respects sitters and believes better supported sitters provide better care.
- You want optional booking protection at checkout.
- You want more flexibility in how bookings are coordinated after they are confirmed.
Rover may be the better fit if:
- You travel internationally and need a platform with broader availability outside Canada.
- You have used Rover before, have sitters you already trust on the platform, and prefer to stay with what you know.
- You are in a smaller market where Rover currently has more active sitters than any alternative.
How to become a sitter
Hello Marshy is designed for both new pet sitters and experienced sitters coming from platforms like Rover or Wag. New sitters can get started by creating a profile, completing free identity verification, and setting up the pet care services they want to offer. Sitters on a paid Monthly or Yearly plan also complete a free Certn criminal record check, included at no extra cost.
This flexible onboarding process makes it easier for experienced pet sitters to join Hello Marshy without starting from scratch, while still maintaining the trust and safety standards pet parents expect.
Common questions
Is Rover available in Canada?
Yes. Rover is available in Canada and operates in cities across the country. But availability is only one part of the comparison. The bigger question is how the platform’s pricing affects both pet parents and sitters.
Rover’s Canadian help centre says pet owners pay service fees as part of the booking total, and sitters also pay booking-based fees. That means both sides can be affected by platform charges.
Hello Marshy takes a different approach. Pet parents pay the sitter’s rate plus the standard Stripe processing fee, with no extra Hello Marshy platform service fee added on top. Sitters also have more choice in how they earn: they can choose a membership plan to keep 100% of their booking earnings, or choose the Free plan with a 12% service fee per booking.
This means pet parents get clearer checkout pricing, while sitters can choose the plan that works best for how they want to earn and grow.
What does Hello Marshy charge sitters?
Sitters can choose the plan that fits how they work. Sitter plans are billed monthly or yearly and let sitters keep 100% of their booking earnings. The Free plan has no membership cost and includes a 12% service fee per booking.
Hello Marshy is built on the belief that sitters should have more choice, more respect, and more control over how they earn and grow. When sitters feel supported, pets and pet parents get a better care experience too.
Does Hello Marshy support dogs, cats, and other pets?
Yes. Hello Marshy supports a wide range of pets, including dogs, cats, small pets, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. We believe every pet deserves care, not just the ones most platforms focus on. While many pet care platforms are built mainly around dogs and cats, Hello Marshy is designed to support more of the pets people actually share their homes with. Sitter profiles make it easy to see which types of pets each sitter cares for, so pet parents can find someone who is the right fit for their pet's needs and comfort level.
Is Marshy Cares the same as insurance?
No. Marshy Cares is an optional booking protection add on available at checkout. It is offered directly by Hello Marshy as an extra layer of reassurance on qualifying bookings.
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