Looking for a cleaner, babysitter, or nanny? Here are the best places to find household help, along with our recommendations for every situation.
28.07.2026
Whether from the EU or a third country, here's what your household helper needs to provide and what you must verify as an employer.
A household helper who works only for you and follows your instructions is usually an employee, not self-employed. Here's when self-employment is allowed.
A domestic helper costs €16–€19 per hour plus 14.6% social security contributions. Thanks to § 35a you get 20% back — here's an overview of all costs.
With § 35a EStG you deduct 20 % of the cost of your household help directly from your tax, up to 510 € (mini-job) or 4,000 € per year.
Up to 603 €/month it's a mini-job, above that a midi-job (up to 2,000 €). The mini-job runs via the Haushaltsscheck; the midi-job is subject to social security.
Relatives outside your household can be employed as domestic help and deducted under § 35a. Not possible for family members living in the same household.
A full written contract is not mandatory, but you must hand over the key terms in writing, even for a mini-job. Here is what belongs in it.
An agency is convenient but more expensive and less personal. Employing someone yourself is cheaper and more personal, and quitt takes the admin off your plate.
24-hour care via the posting model costs €2,200–€3,500 per month. It's legal, but a single caregiver may not work around the clock.
Household-related services like cleaning or garden care by a company are 20 % deductible, up to 4,000 € a year, by invoice and bank transfer.
The Haushaltsscheck is the simplified way to register a mini-job in a private household. You pay around 14.6 % in contributions, collected twice a year.
Yes, statutory accident insurance is mandatory from the first euro, even for a mini-job. It then runs automatically through the Minijob-Zentrale.
A cleaner earns an average of €16.86/hr. With approximately 14.6% in contributions, you pay roughly €19.32/hr as an employer and receive 20% back through tax.
Nannies and babysitters earn €18.25/hr on average; €20.91/hr as a mini-job. 80% of childcare costs are tax-deductible, up to €4,800 per child.
quitt surveyed 1,351 people and analyzed 1,935 employment contracts to shed light on the hidden world of domestic work.
