Finding an au pair in South Africa: agency, platform, or Facebook group?
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Full disclosure: this page is published by AuPairly, an online platform. We have tried to represent all three options fairly. Where we have a commercial interest, we say so.
In short:
There are three main ways to find an au pair in South Africa — through a placement agency, through an online platform, or through a Facebook group. They differ dramatically in cost, vetting rigour, and what happens when things go wrong. This page gives you the real numbers for each route, without a sales agenda.
The three routes at a glance
| Attribute | Placement agency | Online platform (e.g. AuPairly) | Facebook group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost to family | R12,000–R15,180+ (see below) | R199–R299 | R0 |
| Ongoing cost to family | None (after placement fee) | R0 (contact au pairs as many times as needed during subscription) | R0 |
| Au pair pays | Sometimes a registration fee | R0–R99 (optional verification add-ons, once-off) | R0 |
| Vetting of au pairs | Varies by agency | Document upload + optional ID/criminal check | None |
| Replacement guarantee | Usually yes (30–90 days) | No (you choose; you replace) | No |
| Who controls the match? | Agency selects candidates | You search and contact directly | You search yourself |
| Contract template provided? | Usually | Usually | Never |
| Speed to first interview | 3–10 days | Same day | Same day |
| Legal compliance guidance | Usually | Usually | Never |
Agency: what it costs and what you get
Placement agencies charge a one-time fee when they place an au pair with your family. The fee is calculated as a percentage of the au pair's annual salary. This is important: you pay the placement fee on top of the salary you'll pay the au pair.
Real 2026 agency fees, publicly listed:
| Agency | Fee structure | Cost for R10,000/month au pair |
|---|---|---|
| Au Pair Extraordinaire | 11% of gross annual salary + 15% VAT | R15,180 |
| ABC Au Pairs | 10% of annual salary | R12,000 |
Sources: Au Pair Extraordinaire rates page; ABC Au Pairs fee structure. Verified June 2026.
For a family paying their au pair R10,000/month, that is R120,000 in annual salary — plus R12,000–R15,180 to the agency before the au pair earns a cent.
What do you get for that fee?
- A shortlist of pre-screened candidates (the agency selects who you see)
- A replacement guarantee (usually 30–90 days, conditions vary by agency)
- Contract templates and onboarding support
- Ongoing relationship with the agency if issues arise
What you don't get:
- Unlimited choice — you see who the agency puts forward, not the full candidate pool
- Transparency on the vetting process — agencies say "background checked" but rarely specify which database, what's included, or how recent the check is
- Any involvement in negotiating terms — the agency typically presents a candidate at a fixed rate
AuPairly note:
Agencies are useful if you want someone else to manage the process. The fee buys convenience and a replacement guarantee. It does not buy better candidates — it buys a curated shortlist from an agency whose business model depends on placing au pairs quickly.
Online platform: what it costs and what you get
Online platforms let families search, browse, and contact au pairs directly without an intermediary. The platform verifies documents and facilitates the introduction; you manage the selection, interview, and hire yourself.
AuPairly pricing (June 2026):
| Plan | Cost | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Browse & search | Free | View au pair profiles; see experience, location, qualifications |
| 7-day unlimited contact | R199 | Unlimited direct messages to any au pair for 7 days |
| 30-day unlimited contact | R299 | Unlimited direct messages to any au pair for 30 days |
Au pairs pay nothing to register or list their profile. If they want to add verified documents (ID, criminal record check), each specialist verification costs up to R99 — once-off, and the cost is borne by the au pair, not the family.
Total cost to hire a R10,000/month au pair via AuPairly: R299.
What you get:
- Full, unsupervised search of the au pair pool — every profile is reviewed by our team before it goes live
- Direct contact with candidates — no intermediary filters who you see
- Document upload visibility (qualifications, references, first-aid certificates)
- Optional specialist verifications (criminal record, ID) visible on profile
- Contract template and legal compliance guidance
What you don't get:
- A managed shortlist — you do the searching
- A replacement guarantee — if the match doesn't work out, you pay for another subscription period (R199–R299) to find a replacement
- Agency-managed relationship if issues arise
AuPairly note:
The absence of a replacement guarantee is the honest trade-off for a R299 fee vs. a R12,000+ agency fee. If you hire carefully, it doesn't matter. If you want the safety net, an agency is the better choice.
Facebook groups: what it costs and what you get
Several South African Facebook groups facilitate au pair and nanny connections — families post what they're looking for, au pairs post their profiles, and connections are made in the comments or DMs. It is free and fast.
Cost: R0
What you get:
- Speed — posts can generate responses within hours
- A large and active pool of candidates, particularly for major cities
- Community knowledge — other parents in the group often know candidates personally
What you don't get:
- Any vetting whatsoever — references, qualifications, ID, and criminal checks are entirely your responsibility to request and verify
- A contract — you are fully responsible for legal compliance
- Any accountability if something goes wrong
- Candidate profiles that can be compared side by side
AuPairly note:
Facebook groups are not inherently unsafe. Some excellent au pairs find families this way, and many long-term placements have started in a Facebook comment thread. The risk is that verification is entirely on you — and most families do not know how to run a criminal record check, what to look for in references, or what a first-aid certificate should look like. Facebook is a sourcing tool, not a vetting service.
What does "vetting" actually mean?
Every agency claims to vet candidates. Platforms offer varying levels of document verification. Facebook groups do nothing. But what does proper vetting actually check?
| Check | What it reveals | Who can run it |
|---|---|---|
| ID verification | Confirms the person is who they say they are | SAPS, Home Affairs, accredited verification services |
| Criminal record check | Any prior convictions on the SAPS Criminal Record Centre database | SAPS (with fingerprints); accredited private services |
| Reference checks | What previous employers say about the candidate | You, or a third party — requires phone calls, not just a number on a CV |
| Qualification verification | Whether a certificate or degree was actually awarded | The issuing institution; SAQA for tertiary qualifications |
| Driver's licence check | Valid, unendorsed licence | NATIS / eNaTIS portal |
AuPairly note:
Before trusting any claim of "background checked," ask: which specific checks were run, how recently, by which service, and can you see the results? A criminal record check run two years ago on someone who has since acquired a conviction is not current vetting.
Which route is right for you?
There is no universally correct answer. The right route depends on how much time you have, how much risk you are comfortable managing yourself, and how important the replacement guarantee is to your situation.
Consider an agency if:
- You have no time to search and interview candidates yourself
- The placement fee is manageable relative to your au pair's salary
- You want a replacement guarantee
Consider an online platform if:
- You want to control who you see and contact
- You are comfortable running the interview and selection process yourself
- You want the lowest total cost
Consider Facebook groups if:
- You are in a rush and need leads quickly
- You have trusted people in your network who can vouch for candidates
- You understand and accept that vetting is your sole responsibility
Frequently asked questions
Are agency au pairs better quality than platform au pairs?
Not inherently. Agencies curate a shortlist, which filters the pool but does not guarantee quality. The same au pair who is on an agency's books may also have a profile on AuPairly. What agencies add is a selection and management layer — not exclusive access to better candidates.
Can I use a Facebook group to find candidates and then run my own background checks?
Yes. Many families source candidates on Facebook and then verify independently before hiring. You can request a criminal record check via SAPS (R165, requires fingerprints at a police station) or use a private verification service. This is the DIY version of what agencies and platforms do.
Do I still owe the agency a fee if I find an au pair through them but don't hire anyone from their list?
Typically no — agency fees are only triggered by a successful placement. Read the agency agreement carefully for the definition of "placement" and any exclusivity clauses.
What happens if the au pair I hire through a platform doesn't work out?
You are not entitled to a replacement. You would need to restart the search — on AuPairly, that means buying a new subscription period (R199 for 7 days or R299 for 30 days). The total cost of two placement attempts via platform is still typically less than a single agency placement fee.
Is it legal for an agency to charge the au pair a registration fee?
Charging job-seekers for placement is restricted under the Labour Relations Act. Fees for optional verification services (which the candidate chooses to purchase) are treated differently to placement fees. If an agency is charging au pairs significant upfront fees to be "registered," this is worth scrutinising.
Sources
- Au Pair Extraordinaire — rate structure
- ABC Au Pairs — fee information
- AuPairly pricing — aupairly.net
- SAPS Criminal Record Check process
- National Minimum Wage 2026 — SA News
Page maintained by AuPairly — South Africa's au pair marketplace
AuPairly is an online platform and has a commercial interest in this comparison. All agency fee figures are drawn from publicly listed sources and verified at publication date.