Au Pair Program Cost Calculator

Plan Your Au Pair Budget with Confidence

Bringing an au pair into your home is an exciting and cost-effective childcare solution for busy families. But understanding the full financial commitment upfront is essential for smart planning. Our Au Pair Program Cost Calculator helps you estimate every expense—from agency placement fees and visa costs to weekly stipends and insurance—so you can budget accurately and make the best decision for your family.

Why choose an au pair program?

Au pairs offer flexible, in-home childcare at a fraction of the cost of traditional daycare or nannies. Beyond affordability, hosting an au pair brings cultural exchange, language learning opportunities for your children, and built-in support for your family's unique schedule. Whether you're a dual-income household, a work-from-home parent, or someone who travels frequently for work, an au pair can adapt to your needs in ways other childcare options simply can't.

Understanding the true cost of hosting an au pair

While au pair programs are budget-friendly compared to full-time nannies or multiple daycare spots, there are several cost components to consider:

• Agency placement fees covering screening, matching, orientation, and ongoing support
• Visa and immigration costs including J-1 visa sponsorship and related processing fees
• Required insurance coverage to meet program regulations and protect your au pair
• Weekly stipends as mandated by the U.S. State Department (currently around $195.75/week)
• Education contribution toward the au pair's educational courses during their stay
• Room and board including meals, utilities, and private bedroom accommodations
• Additional expenses like local transportation, mobile phone plans, and welcome supplies

Our calculator breaks down each of these categories so you can see a clear, itemized budget and avoid surprise costs down the road.

How Paperform makes financial planning simple

This au pair cost calculator is built with Paperform's powerful calculation engine, which updates your total budget in real-time as you input your family's specific needs. You can adjust program length, add optional expenses, and even compare different agency options—all within one seamless, mobile-friendly form.

Why families love using Paperform for planning:

• No spreadsheet headaches: Our doc-style editor and conditional logic handle complex calculations automatically, so you get instant totals without needing Excel wizardry.
• Branded, beautiful calculators: Customize fonts, colors, and backgrounds to match your family blog, agency site, or internal planning documents.
• Share and collaborate easily: Send the calculator link to your partner, export results as a PDF, or embed it directly on your website if you're an agency helping families budget.
• AI-powered insights: If you're an agency collecting calculator submissions from multiple families, use Paperform's AI Insights to identify common cost concerns and tailor your program offerings.

Perfect for au pair agencies and host families alike

Whether you're a host family trying to plan your first au pair experience or an au pair agency looking to provide transparent cost breakdowns to prospective clients, this calculator delivers clarity and builds trust.

For host families, it removes the guesswork from budgeting and helps you set realistic expectations before committing to a program. You'll walk away knowing exactly what you'll spend over the 12-month placement, which makes financial planning—and the decision itself—so much easier.

For au pair agencies, embedding this calculator on your website or sending it as part of your inquiry process demonstrates transparency and professionalism. Families appreciate upfront honesty, and you'll find that educated prospects convert into committed clients more readily.

Automate your au pair onboarding with Stepper

Once a family decides to move forward, Paperform integrates seamlessly with Stepper—your AI-native workflow automation tool—to handle everything that comes next. Automatically trigger:

• Welcome emails with program timelines and next steps
• Contract generation and e-signature requests via Papersign
• CRM updates in HubSpot, Pipedrive, or your agency management system
• Calendar invites for orientation sessions and home visits
• Payment collection and recurring stipend reminders

This means less manual coordination, fewer emails lost in threads, and a smoother experience for everyone involved.

Trusted by agencies and families worldwide

Paperform is used by over 500,000 teams globally, and it's SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliant, so your family's financial information stays secure. Whether you're managing one au pair placement or hundreds, Paperform scales with you—offering dedicated support, custom domains, team collaboration features, and robust reporting.

Get started in minutes

Simply fill out the calculator with your family's details, review your personalized cost breakdown, and download or share your results. No sign-up required to use the calculator, and if you want to customize it further or integrate it into your own systems, you can start with a free Paperform account and scale up as your needs grow.

Let Paperform help you plan smarter, budget better, and welcome your au pair with confidence.