How to find affordable, trustworthy senior care options for your family

Options for hiring in-home care can be overwhelming, and costs seem to add up no matter which way you turn. Should you go with an agency or an online platform? Should you place your own ad on a job board?

What’s right for your friend or neighbor might not work for you and your loved ones, so it’s essential to understand all the options before choosing which senior care service is best for you.

On Herewith we make it simple. Set your own budget and only pay for the in-home care services you receive, with no hidden fees, no subscriptions, and no strict hourly minimums for hiring. We believe that everyone’s situation is different and everyone deserves to get the support they need.

Cost is a deciding factor in choosing senior care services

For most people, choosing between different senior care options is based on cost. In this article, we’ll explore typical in-home care provider selections based on pricing models, and show how Herewith compares.

How much does in-home senior care cost?

The cost of in-home senior care varies widely based on your location, the type of support you need, and the type of senior care provider you’re working with. Care agencies might have much higher fees but give you important protections. On the other hand, hiring under the table costs less per hour but comes with much higher risk.

Typically the cost of in-home care is calculated per hour, but it’s important to take into account other costs too. Depending on the type of senior care provider, the hourly cost can get bloated by high service fees or premium monthly subscriptions, while lower cost care can expose you to the risk of high payouts if something goes wrong.

Let’s take a closer look at the most popular types of in-home care providers, their fee structures, and what they offer.

Explore home care provider selection based on services and pricing model

Let’s dig into the details a little more and break down where your money goes when you hire in-home senior care through these different types of providers.

What’s included: In-home senior care services on Herewith (online platform)

• Set your own budget and schedule
• Choose your own Helper
• No commitments or minimums—Book one-time tasks or hire ongoing help
• Pay as you go for customizable in-home senior care services
• Seamless, in-app payment by credit card
• Payment includes Helper’s wages + a 20% service fee, no subscription needed
• Background checks, workers’ compensation, and professional liability insurance included
• Payroll tax support available
• Live customer support

What’s included: senior care services on other online platforms

• Hire a caregiver that fits your budget
• Pay your caregiver’s hourly wages, plus a monthly platform subscription fee, plus add-ons for “premium” services
• Background checks included
• Some tax support available

What’s included: senior care services with traditional senior care agencies

• Your pay rate is set by the agency
• Strict hourly minimums per week
• Agency chooses the caregiver for you
• No one-time bookings
• Agency keeps up to 50% of the hourly rate paid, the remainder goes to the caregiver
• Background checks, workers’ compensation and professional liability insurance included
• Tax support included

What’s included: senior care services from caregivers on job boards

• You do your own research, vetting, and interviewing with no outside quality control
• Pay caregiver directly, payment method up to you
• No insurance, protections, or background checks
• Tax responsibilities are up to you

Understanding the cost of in-home senior care services on Herewith

On Herewith you get complete control over your budget and a more flexible style of paying for in-home care with options for one-time tasks and ongoing help. No matter which you choose, you get to set your own budget and schedule. The budget you set includes our 20% Herewith fee, so you don’t have to worry about extra costs tacked on at the end.

How Herewith keeps senior care affordable and flexible

Book one-time tasks for one-time payments:Choose from four popular types of senior care tasks, then let us know when and where help will take place, and how much you’ll pay for the task. For example, you could request help with errands for three hours on Saturday for $55. After your Helper is done with their task you’ll confirm their hours and send a one-time payment.

Everything is handled seamlessly within the app, from booking, to live shift updates, and payment.

Hire ongoing care for weekly payments:If you’d like help with senior care services on a regular basis, hire a Helper for ongoing in-home help—part time, full time, long term, or temporary, it’s up to you. You also get to set your hourly budget and choose what kind of help you need. 

Weekly payroll is simple and easy to manage with the Herewith app, giving you full transparency to oversee your Helper’s hours and ensure you’re paying the right amount every week.

How to estimate your cost for in-home care on Herewith

Your budget is a personal choice, and at Herewith we’ve designed our booking system to make sure you can estimate your costs accurately and get the most care for your budget.

You simply set your budget and decide how many hours of help you’d like to book—there are no surprise fees or hidden subscription costs.

You’ll decide how much you want to pay when you create your Help Requests. We take that amount as your total, which includes the Herewith fee. Then, when Helpers apply, they’ll see a calculated rate, ensuring that your budget stays on track.

Our top priority is transparency, so in addition to keeping you on budget, we give you the tools you need to track your Helper’s hours while they’re on shift. Plus, you can request corrections to their hours if there are any mistakes.

Tips for setting your senior care budget on Herewith:

• Browse Helper profiles to see typical hourly rates in your area
• If you’re new to in-home care, start by booking one-time tasks while you get to know what your needs are on a weekly basis
• Plan to pay a bit more for a Helper with many years of in-home caregiving experience or if you have more complex care needs that would benefit from special skills, credentials, or expertise

Still have questions? Learn more in our FAQ on paying for senior care on Herewith.