Getting Started on Herewith: A Complete Guide to In-Home Care

Getting started with in-home care can feel like a lot. New terms, new decisions, and the pressure to get it right for someone you love.

This guide explains how Herewith works and what to expect as you begin. You’ll learn how to set up your account, book help, and manage care in a way that fits your life.

Take it one piece at a time. By the end, you’ll know how to get support in place for your loved one on a schedule that works for you.

What Herewith Is and How It Works

Herewith is a platform that connects people who need in-home care with local verified and background-checked Helpers.

Instead of assigning a caregiver to you, Herewith puts you in control. You create a Help Request that explains your needs, review Helpers who apply, and choose who feels right for your loved one.

Herewith is designed to fit real life. There are no contracts, no subscriptions, and no required minimum hours. You only book and pay for the help you use.

Your Herewith account keeps care organized. You can message and interview Helpers, track visits, and review payments through the website or mobile app.

What Helpers Can Help With

Helpers provide non-medical support that helps your loved one stay safe and comfortable at home. The type of help you book depends on daily needs, routines, and how much support feels right at this stage.

Common Ways Helpers Support Your Loved One

Many families use Herewith for everyday help at home.

Helpers can provide:

• Companionship and social time at home
• Help with errands, appointments, and outings
• Light housework, laundry, and meal preparation
• Caregiving visits and regular check-ins
• Respite support so you can step away and rest

You can chat directly with your Helper to adjust what type of support is needed, depending on what your loved one needs day to day.

What Helpers Do Not Provide

Helpers offer non-medical care. They do not provide skilled medical services or clinical treatment.

That means Helpers cannot perform tasks like administering injections, managing complex medical equipment, or providing nursing care. If your loved one needs medical support, home health or skilled nursing services may be a better fit.

That said, Helpers often work alongside medical care, especially for post-op support. Many families book help with daily routines, meals, companionship, and safety at home, while medical providers handle clinical needs.

Being clear about what you’re looking for helps set the right expectations and leads to better matches.

Creating Your Herewith Account

Getting started on Herewith only takes a few minutes. You can sign up on the website or download the mobile app, and there are no subscription fees or long-term commitments.

Here’s how to get set up:

1. Create your account: Sign up with your email address and basic contact information. You can do this on your computer or through the Herewith mobile app.

2. Choose how you want to use Herewith: Once you’re logged in, you can browse Helpers, post a Help Request, or take some time to explore. There’s no pressure to book right away.

3. Set up notifications and preferences: You can choose how you want to receive updates about messages, bookings, and visits, either by text, email, or app notifications.

After initial setup, your account becomes the place you manage care. You can post Help Requests, message Helpers, review bookings, and keep track of payments in one spot.

You can get started without having every detail worked out. Many people create an account first, then come back to book help when the timing feels right.

What a Help Request Is (& What to Include)

A Help Request is how care starts on Herewith. It’s a short description of the help your loved one needs, shared privately on the Herewith platform so you can match with Helpers in your area who are looking for work.

Instead of calling agencies or guessing who might be available, you explain your needs once.

Helpers review your request and apply if it’s a good fit, which saves time and keeps the focus on people who understand what you’re looking for.

What a Help Request Includes

A strong Help Request gives Helpers enough detail to know what the day will look like. It doesn’t need to be long, just clear.

Most requests include:

• The type of help you need, such as companionship, errands, or caregiving visits
• When you want help and how often
• Where care will take place
• Your hourly budget
• Any routines, preferences, or details that would be helpful to know

Clear requests lead to better matches. When Helpers understand expectations up front, conversations are easier and there’s less back-and-forth before booking.

A Help Request isn’t a commitment. It’s a starting point that helps you connect with the right support and take the next step.

Booking Help on Your Schedule

Care needs change over time, and Herewith lets you adjust how and when you book help.

Book Help for a Single Visit

With no hourly minimums, you can book one-off visits when you want to book a new Helper for a trial visit to get to know each other or if you need help for a specific situation. This might be a single afternoon of companionship, a ride to an appointment, or extra support while you’re away.

You choose the date, time, and hourly rate, then describe what help is needed. After the visit, you review the hours and payment is processed.

Book Help on a Regular Schedule

If you’re looking for a bit of help on a regular basis, you can book a Helper for part-time support. This could be a few mornings a week, regular check-ins, or help with routines that are becoming harder to manage alone.

You set the schedule and budget in your Help Request, and Helpers who are interested apply.

Once you book someone, you can chat directly with your Helper to finalize all the care details, and then review their hours on a weekly basis. You’ll be able to coordinate schedules directly with your Helper if you need to change things up.

Book Full-Day or Full-Time Support

Full-time care offers consistent, day-to-day support. This is the best fit when your loved one needs help throughout most of the day, when family caregivers need ongoing backup, or even overnight care.

Full-time schedules can still change. You can adjust hours, tasks, or days as needs evolve, all through your account.

No matter how you start, you’re not locked in. Many people start with a single visit to get a feel for the support and adjust from there.

Finding and Choosing the Right Helper

Choosing the right Helper means thinking beyond experience alone. Skills matter, but comfort, communication, and availability matter just as much.

Browsing Helper Profiles

Once your Help Request is posted, Helpers in your area can apply and you’ll receive updates about local Helpers that could be a great fit for you if you want to reach out directly.

Helper profiles include star reviews, skill badges, experience, availability, distance, photos, and a short introduction written by the Helper. As you review profiles, it helps to look for:

• Experience with similar care needs
• Availability that matches your schedule
• A profile description that feels thoughtful and specific

These details give you an early sense of who might be a good match before you start a conversation.

Interviewing Helpers Through Chat

Chat is how you connect before booking. You’ll use it to ask questions, confirm availability, and talk through the details of your Help Request. You can also schedule a video interview easily through chat, so you can meet the Helper before deciding if they’re right for you.

You can message Helpers who apply to your request, or reach out first if you find someone you like while browsing. Conversations stay inside your Herewith account, so your phone number and email aren’t shared.

You can use chat to ask about:

• Past experience with similar tasks or routines
• Comfort with specific needs or preferences
• Scheduling details and ongoing availability

Chatting also gives you a sense of how a Helper communicates. That insight can be just as important as experience when you’re deciding who feels right for your loved one.

Background Checks and Safety Basics

All Helpers on Herewith complete an ID verification plus eligibility background checks and are insured to work on the platform. These checks help screen for basic safety requirements, but they’re only one part of choosing care.

You’re encouraged to ask your own questions and trust your judgment. Taking time to talk through expectations and confirm comfort with the work helps everyone start on the same page.

Finding the right Helper can take a little time. That’s normal, and it’s part of building care that feels supportive and dependable.

How to Book Your First Helper

Booking your first Helper follows a clear, step-by-step flow. Once you’ve done it once, the process feels familiar and easy to repeat.

Step-By-Step Booking Process

After you post a Help Request, Helpers who are interested can apply. You’ll review their profiles, message them through chat, schedule an interview, and decide who feels like the best fit.

The booking process usually looks like this:

1. Review applications or browse Helper profiles
2. Use chat to confirm availability and details
3. Schedule a video interview right on the app
4. Send a booking request to the Helper you choose
5. Wait for the Helper to confirm the booking

Once the Helper confirms, the visit is officially scheduled and you’ll receive updates through your account.

Tip: Turn on your Herewith mobile app notifications to speed up the booking process and receive real time updates about bookings and payments.

How Pricing and Budgeting Work on Herewith

Cost is often one of the first questions you have when looking for in-home help. On Herewith, you decide what you’re comfortable spending, then book care within that range.

How Hourly Pricing Works

When you create a Help Request, you choose an hourly amount you want to pay. That number reflects the full cost of care for that hour.

Here’s how it works:

• You set the total hourly amount
• The Helper’s hourly pay is calculated from that amount
• The Herewith service fee is included in the number you choose
• You see the full hourly cost before you post a request, so there are no surprises later

This setup keeps pricing straightforward, so you know exactly what you’re agreeing to before booking care.

The Herewith Service Fee

Herewith charges a 20% service fee. This fee covers ID verification, eligibility background checks, professional liability insurance coverage, secure payments, and access to customer support.

The fee works the same way no matter how often you book help, and it’s already included in the hourly amount you set.

Tips for Setting Your Budget

Choosing an hourly rate depends on your situation. A good place to start is thinking about the type of help you need and how often care will take place.

When setting your budget, consider:

• The level of support your loved one needs
• Typical pay rates in your area
• Any travel time or transportation involved
• How often you plan to book help

You can always adjust your budget later—or even negotiate with your Helper once you decide who to book.

Pricing should feel workable over time and fit alongside your other responsibilities.

Paying for Care and Tracking Hours

Paying for care on Herewith is closely tied to time tracking, so you can see when care happens and review hours before you’re charged.

Paying your Helper on Herewith

When you hire a Helper, hours are grouped into a weekly summary. Helpers log their shifts in their app for easy, automated time-tracking, and you review their timecards at the end of each week, rather than visit by visit.

Each week, you’ll:

• Review the summary of shifts
• Request corrections if needed
• Let payment process automatically after review

This setup keeps payments predictable without requiring daily oversight.

Tracking Visits and Staying Informed

Throughout the process, you’ll receive updates that help you stay connected to care, including:

• Notifications when a Helper arrives and finishes a visit
• Care notes about how your loved one was feeling that day
• Access to logged hours for each shift
• Weekly timecards for ongoing care

These updates make it easier to follow care as it happens, even if you’re not there in person.

If questions come up about hours or payments, support is available to help sort things out.

Payroll Taxes and Employer Responsibilities

If you hire a Helper on a regular schedule, you may take on some employer responsibilities.

This usually applies when you book help consistently, not for infrequent or occasional visits.

In general, employment taxes may apply when:

• A Helper works for you on a recurring schedule
• Total pay reaches certain thresholds
• Care takes place in a state or city with specific requirements

The exact rules depend on where care happens, so it’s a good idea to check state and local guidelines or speak with a tax professional if you’re unsure.

Herewith gives you two ways to handle payroll and tax responsibilities:

• Manage it on your own: You handle payments and any required filings directly.
• For an additional fee, choose payroll and tax support at the time of booking: Our partner, HomeWork Solutions offers trusted payroll and tax support for household employers, as well as the option to add on workers’ compensation insurance if that’s something you’d like.

You’ll see both payroll options at the time of booking so you can choose what works best for your situation.

Safety, Privacy, and Support

Trust matters when someone is coming into your loved one’s home. Herewith is built to support safety and privacy while giving you access to help when questions come up.

Safety on the Herewith Platform

Safety starts before a Helper ever accepts work. Herewith includes built-in measures that help screen Helpers and set clear boundaries around care.

Safety features include:

• ID verification checking government-issued IDs
• Eligibility background checks completed before a Helper can work
• Liability insurance coverage for Helpers booked through Herewith
• Secure, in-app messaging so personal contact details aren’t shared
• A reporting process if concerns come up during care

Background checks are one layer of safety, not the whole picture. You still have the ability to ask questions, talk through expectations, and decide who feels right for your situation. Taking time to connect through chat or an interview and clarify details helps everyone start on the same page.

If a concern comes up during care, support is available to help address it. In urgent situations, it’s important to contact local emergency services first.

Privacy Protections

Your personal information is protected throughout the process. Messages stay on the Herewith platform, which means your phone number and email aren’t shared when you communicate with Helpers.

Addresses are only shared with a Helper after a booking is confirmed. Past Helpers can only see their own visit and payment history, not your personal details. These boundaries help keep the process of booking care safe and private.

Getting Help From Customer Support

Questions are part of getting started. Herewith’s support team can help with account setup, bookings, payments, or technical issues.

You can reach support by phone or email during posted support hours:

• Phone: 415-506-9776
• Email: support@herewith.com

Knowing where to turn for help gives you backup and helps care stay on track when something unexpected comes up.

You Can Take This One Step at a Time

Starting in-home care often means making choices as you go.

Herewith is built to support you through those decisions, with flexibility to start small and adjust care as your loved one’s needs change. There’s no pressure to have everything mapped out from the beginning.

From temporary help after a hospital stay to ongoing care to support aging in place, you can find the right Helper to suit your needs.

When you’re ready, you can create a Help Request and see who’s available in your area. If you’re not ready yet, that’s okay too. Understanding how the process works makes it easier to take the next step when the timing feels right.

Families Also Ask

Do I Have to Commit to A Set Schedule?

No. You can book help as needed, starting with a single visit and scheduling more as needed.

Can I Book Help for a Parent If I Don’t Live Nearby?

Yes. You can book and manage care for a loved one even if you’re long-distance. Everything happens through your account, including messaging, scheduling, and payments.

What If a Helper Isn’t the Right Fit?

You’re never required to keep booking someone if care doesn’t feel right. You can choose a different Helper, adjust your Help Request, or pause bookings at any time.

Can I Change My Schedule or Budget Later?

Yes. Care often changes over time. You can update your schedule, hourly rate, or type of help as needs shift.

Do Helpers Provide Transportation?

Helpers can support errands and outings, including driving your loved one, depending on the Helper and the details you include in your Help Request. It’s important to talk through expectations during chat before booking.

What Happens If a Helper Cancels or Doesn’t Show Up?

If a Helper can’t make a visit, you won’t be charged for care that didn’t happen. You can rebook help, choose another Helper, or reach out to support if you need assistance.

Is Herewith Medical Care?

No. Helpers provide non-medical support like companionship, errands, and caregiving visits. Medical or clinical care should be arranged through licensed healthcare providers.