Cancel Sittercity: The Right Way

How to cancel Sittercity and protect your rights as a canadian consumer

Why families choose Sittercity and when cancellation makes sense

Sittercity is an online childcare marketplace that connects Canadian families with vetted babysitters and nannies across your region. The platform operates a two-tier membership model: a free Basic tier that lets you browse limited profiles and post job listings, and a paid Premium membership that unlocks full access to sitter profiles, direct messaging, background check features, and priority support. Many families initially sign up for Premium to speed up their childcare search, but after finding a caregiver, they discover they no longer need the subscription and want to cancel.

The challenge is that Sittercity bills your Premium membership on a recurring monthly or annual cycle, and the charges continue automatically unless you actively disable auto-renewal. This means you may be paying for features you no longer use. If you have decided to cancel Sittercity, you have clear legal rights as a Canadian consumer, and Tocancel can help you understand and enforce them.

When you should cancel your Sittercity membership

Cancel your Premium membership if you have already hired a caregiver and no longer need to search for new candidates. Cancel if the subscription cost no longer justifies the value, or if you prefer to use the Basic free tier for occasional job postings. Cancel if you discover competing platforms offer better features at a lower price, or if you are moving and no longer need childcare in your current region.

In contrast, keep your membership if you rely on regular background checks and direct messaging to manage multiple caregivers, or if you post jobs frequently enough that the monthly fee saves you time compared to managing applications manually.

Understanding sittercity's billing structure

Your subscription charges may come from three separate billing systems depending on where you signed up: directly through the Sittercity website, via the iOS App Store on an Apple device, or through Google Play on an Android device. This fragmentation is a common source of confusion because each platform has its own cancellation method and each charges independently. Therefore, you must identify which system billed you before you can cancel successfully.

Once you identify your billing source, your next step is to locate the correct cancellation method for that specific platform.

Your consumer rights under canadian law

Canada's consumer protection framework gives you strong rights when cancelling subscriptions, and understanding these rights empowers you to act decisively.

What canadian consumer protection law guarantees

Under the federal Competition Act and provincial consumer protection legislation (including Ontario's Consumer Protection Act, British Columbia's Consumer Protection Act, and Quebec's Consumer Protection Act), you have the right to cancel a recurring subscription within a reasonable timeframe, typically 14 to 30 days from purchase. Most provinces also require companies to provide cancellation methods that are as simple and accessible as the sign-up process itself.

Your legal position is this: if Sittercity makes cancellation deliberately difficult, hides the cancellation button, or continues billing you after you have requested cancellation, the company is likely violating your provincial consumer protection law. You do not need the company's permission to cancel; you simply need to follow the proper cancellation procedure and document your actions.

If Sittercity refuses to stop billing you after you have cancelled, or if they fail to process a refund within the statutory timeframe (typically 30 days), you can dispute the charge directly with your bank or credit card issuer, and you can escalate to your provincial consumer protection office.

How to escalate if Sittercity refuses to cancel

If you cancel through the proper channel and Sittercity continues to charge you, take these escalation steps. First, gather all evidence: screenshots of your cancellation request, confirmation emails, transaction statements showing charges after cancellation, and dated records of every contact attempt with Sittercity support. This documentation is your leverage.

Next, contact your bank or credit card issuer and request a chargeback or dispute for unauthorized charges. Explain that you cancelled the subscription but continued to be billed. Your payment processor will investigate and can reverse the charges within 10 to 30 business days.

Finally, file a complaint with your provincial consumer protection office. In Ontario, contact Service Ontario; in British Columbia, contact Consumer Protection BC; in Quebec, contact the National Consumer Complaints Bureau; in Alberta, contact the Fair Trading Act authority. These agencies take recurring billing disputes seriously and can compel Sittercity to refund you or face regulatory penalties. Tocancel recommends documenting this entire escalation process and keeping copies of every email and confirmation number.

Sittercity membership plans and what you are paying for

Before you cancel, review what each tier includes so you can decide whether Premium is truly unnecessary or whether a downgrade to Basic meets your needs.

If you paid annually upfront and then cancelled mid-year, you may be entitled to a pro-rata refund for the unused portion. Many Canadian consumer protection laws require this unless Sittercity's terms explicitly state "no refunds," which is legally questionable in most provinces.

How to cancel Sittercity step by step

Your cancellation method depends on where you signed up and where your payment is being processed.

Cancel a Sittercity web account (direct billing)

If you signed up on the Sittercity website and pay directly with your credit card, follow these steps.

1. Log into your Sittercity account using your email and password.
   • If you have forgotten your password, use the "Forgot password" link on the login page and follow the email reset instructions.
2. Navigate to your account settings or profile menu (usually found in the top-right corner under your name or initials).
   • Look for "Settings," "Account," or "Billing" options.
3. Find the subscription or membership section within account settings.
   • This section will display your current plan, next billing date, and an option to manage or cancel your membership.
4. Click "Cancel subscription" or "Downgrade to Basic."
   • Sittercity may ask you to confirm your cancellation and may offer a retention discount. You are not obligated to accept any offer; you can simply proceed with cancellation.
5. Confirm the cancellation by clicking the final confirmation button.
   • You should receive a cancellation confirmation email within 24 hours. If you do not receive it, take a screenshot of the on-screen confirmation and save it for your records.
6. Verify that your next billing date has been removed and your account status now shows "Basic" or "Cancelled."
   • Log out and log back in after one hour to confirm the change has been applied to your account.

Cancel your Sittercity subscription via the apple app store

If you signed up using the iOS Sittercity app and your subscription is billed through Apple, cancel directly in your iPhone or iPad settings, not through the Sittercity app itself.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
   • Settings is the grey gear icon on your home screen.
2. Tap your name at the top of the Settings menu.
   • This opens your Apple ID account page.
3. Select "Subscriptions."
   • You will see a list of all active subscriptions billed to your Apple ID.
4. Find "Sittercity" in the list and tap it.
   • If Sittercity does not appear, your subscription may have already been cancelled or was billed through a different method.
5. Tap "Cancel Subscription."
   • Apple will ask you to confirm the cancellation and may display a retention offer from Sittercity. You can decline this offer and proceed with cancellation.
6. Confirm your cancellation.
   • Your subscription will end on your next billing date, not immediately. Check your confirmation email and your Subscriptions list one hour later to verify the cancellation was processed.

Cancel your Sittercity subscription via google play

If you signed up using the Sittercity app on an Android device and your subscription is billed through Google Play, follow these steps.

1. Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device.
   • The Play Store icon is the colourful triangle and typically appears on your home screen.
2. Tap the profile icon in the top-right corner.
   • This opens your Google account menu.
3. Select "Payments and subscriptions."
   • You will see options for "Payments," "Subscriptions," and "Rewards."
4. Tap "Subscriptions."
   • Google Play will list all active subscriptions billed to your Google Play account.
5. Find "Sittercity" in the subscription list and tap it.
   • If Sittercity does not appear, your subscription may have already been cancelled.
6. Tap "Cancel subscription."
   • Google Play will confirm your cancellation and explain that your access will end on your next billing date.
7. Verify the cancellation in your email and check your Google Play subscriptions list one hour later to confirm the change has taken effect.
   • Your subscription will remain active until the end of your current billing cycle, after which you will revert to the Basic free tier.

What happens to your account after cancellation

Once you cancel, it is important to understand what you keep and what you lose so you are not surprised later.

Your profile, data, and access after cancellation

After you cancel your Premium membership, your Sittercity account does not disappear. Instead, your profile downgrades to the Basic free tier, which means you lose access to Premium features such as direct messaging, full profile viewing, and background checks. However, your account itself remains active, your profile remains visible to other users, and you retain the ability to post job listings through the Basic tier.

All of your account data-your saved searches, reviews you have written, ratings from caregivers, and your job postings-remain on the platform and are not deleted when you cancel. If you want to remove your personal information entirely from Sittercity, you must request account deletion separately by contacting Sittercity support or using any data deletion request feature in your privacy settings.

Requesting a full account deletion

If you want Sittercity to permanently delete your personal information, send a formal deletion request in writing. Contact Sittercity's support team and explicitly request that your account and all associated personal data be permanently deleted in compliance with Canadian privacy laws such as PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act).

Sittercity must acknowledge your deletion request within 30 days and must delete your data within a reasonable timeframe (typically 60 to 90 days). Tocancel recommends sending this request via email so you have a timestamped record of your deletion request.

Refunds and billing after cancellation

Understanding your refund rights is critical because many consumers incorrectly assume they will not receive money back once they have cancelled.

When you are entitled to a refund

You are entitled to a full or partial refund in several scenarios. If you paid annually and cancel before your renewal date, you should receive a pro-rata refund for the unused portion of your year. For example, if you paid $199.99 for a year and cancelled after four months, you are entitled to a refund for the remaining eight months (approximately $134).

You are also entitled to a refund if Sittercity continued to bill you after you cancelled, or if you were charged without your explicit consent to auto-renewal. In these cases, contact your bank or credit card issuer and request a chargeback for unauthorized charges; most Canadian financial institutions can reverse unwanted charges within 30 to 60 days.

How to request a refund from Sittercity

Contact Sittercity support directly through their website contact form or email support address and state that you have cancelled your subscription and are requesting a refund for the unused portion. Provide your account email, the date you cancelled, your annual or monthly billing amount, and the number of months or days remaining in your billing cycle. Request a response within 14 days and ask for a refund confirmation number.

If Sittercity refuses to issue a refund or does not respond within 30 days, file a dispute with your payment processor. Tocancel advises keeping all email correspondence and screenshots of your cancellation confirmation as evidence.

Common mistakes when cancelling Sittercity

Many families cancel incorrectly and then discover they are still being billed months later, which is frustrating and avoidable. Learn from these common errors so you do not fall into the same trap.

Mistake 1: cancelling in the wrong place

The most frequent error is attempting to cancel through the Sittercity app or website when your subscription is actually billed through the Apple App Store or Google Play. Each billing system maintains its own subscription database, so cancelling in one place does not affect the others. Always identify where your charges originate (check your bank statement to see if the charge comes from "Apple Inc.," "Google," or "Sittercity Inc.") before you cancel.

Mistake 2: assuming deletion equals cancellation

Deleting the Sittercity app from your phone does not cancel your subscription; it only removes the app from your device. Your subscription continues to renew in the background, and you continue to be charged. You must actively disable auto-renewal through your account settings or payment processor before deletion has any effect on billing.

Mistake 3: not confirming cancellation in writing

If you cancel through the website or app, take a screenshot of the on-screen confirmation. If the company later claims you never cancelled, this screenshot is your proof. Email Sittercity support asking for a written cancellation confirmation, and keep that email in a folder labeled "Sittercity Cancellation." This creates an official paper trail that protects you if disputes arise.

Mistake 4: ignoring charges after cancellation

If you notice a charge on your statement more than one week after your cancellation confirmation, contact your bank immediately rather than hoping it will sort itself out. In many Canadian provinces, you have the legal right to dispute unauthorized charges within 120 days of the transaction. After that window closes, your rights become more limited. Do not delay; act within days, not weeks.

Comparing Sittercity to alternative childcare platforms

If you are cancelling because you are unhappy with Sittercity, consider these alternatives before you commit to a new platform.

Many of these platforms offer free trials or reduced introductory rates. Before you move to a competitor, confirm their cancellation policy: some platforms are harder to cancel than Sittercity. This means you should read user reviews on Tocancel and other consumer advocacy sites to learn which platforms have the easiest, fastest cancellation processes.

Checklist: before you cancel Sittercity

Use this checklist to ensure you are fully prepared before you initiate cancellation.

• Check your bank statement and identify which service billed your subscription (Sittercity, Apple, or Google Play).
• Log into your Sittercity account and verify your current plan, next billing date, and remaining balance.
• Note the annual fee if you paid upfront, as you may be entitled to a pro-rata refund after cancellation.
• Export or screenshot any important information from your account (saved sitter profiles, reviews, contacts) before cancellation.
• Decide whether you want a full account deletion or simply a downgrade to Basic.
• Locate the correct cancellation method based on your billing source (web, iOS, or Android).
• Take a screenshot of any on-screen cancellation confirmation for your records.
• Send a follow-up email to Sittercity support requesting written cancellation confirmation.
• Check your account one week after cancellation to verify billing has stopped.
• If charges appear after cancellation, contact your bank within 120 days to dispute them.

Key takeaway and your next steps

You have the legal right to cancel Sittercity at any time, and Canadian consumer protection law is on your side. The company must provide a simple cancellation method, must stop billing you when you cancel, and must refund unused portions of annual prepayments. If Sittercity violates these rights, you can escalate to your provincial consumer protection office or your bank.

Your action today: identify where your subscription is billed (web, iOS, or Google Play), then follow the step-by-step cancellation method for that platform. Document your cancellation with a screenshot, send a follow-up email to Sittercity support requesting confirmation, and check your account one week later to confirm billing has stopped.

If you are unsure about your cancellation method or if Sittercity continues to charge you after you cancel, Tocancel has helped thousands of consumers cancel unwanted subscriptions and recover refunds. Visit Tocancel (tocancel.com) to access additional resources, report your experience, and learn how other families in Canada have successfully cancelled Sittercity while protecting their consumer rights.