Weighing the pros and cons of the many child care options out there can be stressful. The two most obvious options are daycares or babysitters. But have you also thought about a nanny share? It’s becoming an increasingly popular alternative to daycare centers or single-family caregivers.
Care.com talked with parents from across the country to help you decide which option is best for your kids. The parents we talked to said things like cost, proximity and caregiver-to-child ratio were top factors in this very important decision.
Nanny share vs. daycare: factors to consider
When deciding between a nanny share vs. daycare, there are a number of things to take into account — namely, cost, location and the type of care your child will receive. Here’s a look at each.
Cost
According to Care.com’s 2024 Cost of Care Survey, the average weekly rate at a daycare center is $321. Parents in a nanny share will pay less than they do for a private nanny — but (potentially) more than they would at a daycare center, depending on the number of kids they have. The average weekly cost of a nanny is $766. For a nanny share, the overall cost is about two-thirds what you’d typically pay to have your own, which is around $511. Keep in mind, the number of kids in the share, the location and the nanny’s experience all affect the cost.
Nanny share vs. daycare cost comparison*
| Nanny share | Daycare | Difference | |
| Per Week | $511 | $321 | $190 |
| Per Month | $2,214.33 | $1,391 | $823.33 |
| Per Year | $26,572 | $16,692 | $9,880 |
These numbers, of course, are all nuanced. Case in point: One mom from Boston told us that she received tuition quotes from a number of different daycare centers in her area; on average, they all charged about $2,112 per month for four days of infant care per week. She found a nanny share for $20 per hour. That means four eight-hour days of nanny share child care per week came out to $2,560 per month — or only $1,280 for her portion of the payment. She saved $832 every month by sharing a nanny.
Another mom from South Boston shared that she decided to send her first son to a daycare center. When her second child was born, however, she weighed the cost of two children at her son’s current daycare. “It was prohibitive,” she said. “We knew a nanny share was a little bit cheaper.”
Proximity
Someone will need to do daily drop-offs and pickups, so finding a daycare center close to your home or work is crucial. Try to find one on your commute, or if you work from home, explore your neighborhood. Consider a daycare center’s hours. Can you drop your children off early enough to get to work on time? Can you pick them up early enough to avoid rush-hour traffic? Will the hours work for everyone’s schedule?
In a nanny share, you’ll create a schedule and agree on the care or host location. A nanny will come to your home or go to your share family’s home.
“When my kids were little, I felt it was easier to have someone come to our house,” added Boston Mom #1.
She said a friend introduced her to a family that lived only a few blocks away, and they created a convenient nanny share.
Caregiver-to-child ratio
We also spoke to one daycare center worker from Massachusetts who noted that each daycare center is licensed to care for a certain number of children of a specific age. Some parents prefer a lower caregiver-to-child ratio than a daycare center can offer.
One mom from the Bay Area said she would count heads and compare it to the number on the licensure on the wall when she toured daycare centers.
“I didn’t want to send my baby, who can’t even sit up, to someplace where he’s with 14 other kids,” she explained.
Children in a nanny share enjoy a stable ratio of one caregiver to just a few children. Some parents arrange for their nanny to spend one-on-one time with each child, as well as in group play.
Think a nanny share is right for you?
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