The vast majority of parents who use Bubble know that there are significant benefits to keeping sits on the app. However, we know that a small minority have asked sitters to book off the app to avoid paying fees to Bubble. While this may seem tempting, it’s not in a sitter's best interest.

Bubble offers both parents and sitters a layer of protection. Sits booked through Bubble are covered by up to £1 million public liability insurance, in the unlikely event of something going wrong. We also have a dedicated customer success team who check payments to make sure they are correct, mediate between users, and offer support to sitters. If parents and sitters choose to arrange sits off the platform, we cannot offer the same support and protection. Moreover, users who arrange sits outside of the app risk permanent removal from the platform (we are able to detect the exchange of contact details over our messaging systems).

All this considered, it can still be tricky to know what to say if asked to go off the app. We would recommend making it clear to a parent that booking through the app is better for both parents and sitters. It’s not worth jeopardising the opportunity to find other work through Bubble, or risking the protection of our insurance and mediation. If you feel threatened or pressured, you can also reach out to our customer success team who can explain to users the benefits of staying on-app and take appropriate action if necessary.