Yaya Middle East vs Peekaboo Nannies: which is better for finding a nanny in the UAE?
In short: Yaya or Peekaboo?
- Both are UAE direct-hire platforms with no agency fees and video on caregiver profiles.
- Peekaboo Nannies is a web directory: you pay for access, then contact nannies on WhatsApp. There are no job posts and no in-platform messaging. Choose it for a one-time payment that never renews and its refund policy, assessed case by case.
- Yaya Middle East is a marketplace in the app and on the web: message caregivers yourself or let them apply to your job, and chat in the app before sharing your number, with Yaya AI and activity-based ranking. Its introductory first week (AED 99) costs less than Peekaboo's cheapest plan (AED 245 for 2 weeks); full prices are below.
New app users get 3 free credits. Each message sent, CV viewed or application viewed uses one credit; contacting a Top Yaya Pick needs a subscription.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Yaya Middle East | Peekaboo Nannies |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Two-sided marketplace: caregivers use the app, apply to jobs and chat | Directory: nannies list a profile, families contact them |
| How you search | iOS app, Android app, CareFinder Web | Website only |
| Job posts | Yes, caregivers apply in the app | No |
| Messaging | In-app chat; share your number only if you choose | No on-site messaging; contact moves to WhatsApp |
| Video on profiles | Yes, mandatory for every caregiver | Yes, video CVs |
| Search filters | 23, plus natural-language search | 11, including city, nationality, skills, age, position, visa-ready profiles, visa status, years of experience, experience with kids and help with homework |
| Ways to shortlist | Top Yaya Picks, Best Matches once you post a job, grouped browsing lists (Most Active, New Helpers, References Available, Visa-Ready) and side-by-side comparison | One list with filters |
| Profile depth | Video, plus work history, references, CV and certifications where provided, last-active and reply-speed signals, and an ID-verified mark | Basics, about, skills; video CV after login |
| AI search | Yes, Yaya AI: describe what you need in plain language | Not documented |
| Inactive caregivers | Ranked by app activity; hidden after 10 days without using the app | Manual review; no activity-based removal documented |
| Compare favourites side by side | Yes, CareFinder Web | Not documented |
| Caregivers listed | 2,285 (live count of listed profiles) | 600+ (its own figure) |
| Published screening | Every profile reviewed by hand, every caregiver contacted, ID checked, bio and CV cross-checked; about 30% approved | FAQ: onboarding team interviews nannies, 25% approved |
| Roles | Nannies, nanny/maids, maids, cooks, drivers, babysitters, governesses and au pairs | Nannies and maids (drivers on a separate site) |
| Track record | Launched 2023; 150,000+ downloads; 4.9 stars on Google from 2,000+ reviews | Covered by Khaleej Times in 2021; says 10,000+ families served |
| Free trial | Yes, browse free + 3 free credits in the app | No |
| Cheapest plan | AED 99 for 7 days (intro offer) | AED 245 for 2 weeks |
| About a month | AED 299 for 30 days | AED 325 for 1 month |
| Billing | Subscription, auto-renews until cancelled; cancel anytime | One-time, no auto-renewal |
| Refunds | Web renewals refunded if requested within 24 hours; app store purchases follow Apple and Google rules | If you could not find a suitable nanny; request by email within 1 week of expiry, assessed case by case |
| Visa help | Maids.cc or Housekeeping Co (pricing on our visa page) | Maids.cc |
| Support | Phone, email and WhatsApp, 7 days a week, on every plan including the free trial | Email only on the 2-week plan (per its pricing page) |
| Done-for-you search | Yaya Concierge, from AED 1,000 + VAT | Not documented |
Detailed comparison
Directory vs marketplace
Peekaboo Nannies describes three steps: explore profiles, subscribe to get contact details, then call candidates for interviews. Nannies register a profile "to get contacted by more families". Families do not post jobs, and Peekaboo's terms state that it "does not facilitate communication between Users within the Website"; clicking "Message this nanny" opens WhatsApp.
On Yaya Middle East, caregivers are active users. They join through the app, record a video introduction, apply to jobs families post, and reply in the app. Because they use the app, Yaya can see who is active: quieter profiles rank lower, and caregivers who haven't opened the app for 10 days are deactivated automatically. Peekaboo reviews its listings by hand and doesn't describe an activity-based way of removing nannies who have already found work.
Because Peekaboo moves every conversation to WhatsApp, your number is shared with each candidate you contact. Yaya's in-app chat lets you shortlist and talk to caregivers first, and share your number only with the ones you want to interview.
Search
Peekaboo has 11 filters, including city, nationality, skills, age, position (live-in, live-out, part-time), visa-ready profiles, current visa status, years of experience, experience with kids and help with homework. Yaya Middle East has 23 filters, including online now, visa ready today, availability, open to relocating, languages, references, driving licence, education, cooking and certifications. You can also describe what you need to Yaya AI: in the app it returns matched profiles and answers hiring questions in English or Arabic, and on CareFinder Web it turns your request into filters. Save favourites and compare them side by side on the web. In the app, Spotlight shows profiles as a swipeable feed.
Video
Both show video on caregiver profiles, so you can judge spoken English and manner before calling. On this point the two are level.
Screening
Peekaboo's FAQ says its onboarding team interviews nannies and approves 25%. Every Yaya Middle East profile is reviewed by hand before it goes live. Our team contacts every caregiver and checks her ID document by hand, our AI cross-checks her bio, profile details and CV for discrepancies, and a person reviews her experience for relevance. Every caregiver records a video introduction. About 30% of applicants are approved; most are turned down for not meeting our standards. Neither platform employs caregivers, and both advise families to check references before hiring.
Track record
Peekaboo Nannies started a few years before Yaya. It was set up by parents in the UAE, covered by Khaleej Times in December 2021, and says it has served more than 10,000 families. Yaya Middle East launched in 2023 and has passed 150,000 app downloads.
Pricing
| Access | Yaya Middle East | Peekaboo Nannies |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Browse all profiles; 3 free credits in the app | Browse profiles; contact needs a plan |
| Cheapest plan | AED 99 for 7 days (intro offer) | AED 245 for 2 weeks |
| About 2 weeks | AED 228 (AED 99 introductory week, first-time subscribers, + AED 129) | AED 245 |
| 1 month | AED 299 | AED 325 |
| 2 months | AED 469 | AED 445 |
You can start on Yaya for AED 99 with the introductory week, less than half of Peekaboo's cheapest plan. Peekaboo is more expensive for a two-week or one-month search and AED 24 cheaper for two months. Peekaboo is a single payment; Yaya is a subscription you can cancel at any time.
Which one is for you?
Choose Yaya Middle East if
- You want to search and chat from your phone
- You'd rather not share your number with every candidate
- You want caregivers to apply to your job
- You want Yaya AI, 23 filters or side-by-side comparison
- You need a maid, cook or driver as well
- You want our team to search for you
Choose Peekaboo Nannies if
- You prefer a platform that has been around a little longer
- You want a single payment that never renews
- Its refund policy matters to you
- You are happy to search on the web and use WhatsApp
Frequently asked questions
Does Peekaboo Nannies have an app?
No. Peekaboo Nannies is web-only; we found no app on the App Store or Google Play on 23 September 2026. Yaya Middle East has iOS and Android apps and CareFinder Web.
Can I message nannies inside Peekaboo?
No. Peekaboo's terms say it does not facilitate communication within the website; contact happens on WhatsApp. Yaya Middle East has in-app chat, so you can talk to caregivers before sharing your number.
Can I post a job on Peekaboo?
No. Peekaboo lists nanny profiles for families to contact. On Yaya Middle East, families post jobs and caregivers apply in the app.
Which is cheaper, Yaya or Peekaboo?
Yaya Middle East is cheaper to start: AED 99 for your first 7 days, against AED 245 for Peekaboo's 2-week plan. For one month, Yaya Middle East is AED 299 and Peekaboo Nannies is AED 325. For two months, Peekaboo is AED 445 and Yaya is AED 469.
Can I try Yaya or Peekaboo for free?
Yaya, yes: browsing is free and the app gives new families 3 free credits; each message sent, CV viewed or application viewed uses one, and contacting a Top Yaya Pick needs a subscription. Peekaboo has no free trial; it offers refunds, assessed case by case, if you could not find a suitable nanny.
Do both have video profiles?
Yes. Both show video on caregiver profiles.
Competitor facts come from each platform's own website, terms or app listing on 23 September 2026; the pages we read are listed below. Spot something out of date? Email support@yayamiddleeast.com and we will correct it.
Sources
- peekaboo-nannies.com: home, /prices/, /search-nannies/, /how-it-works/, /nanny-register/, /terms-and-conditions/ (operator: Peekaboo Nannies FZCO), viewed 23 Sept 2026; a sample nanny profile viewed 24 Sept 2026 for the profile-contents row
- Khaleej Times, "Peace of mind", 29 December 2021
- yayamiddleeast.com: /, /pricing, /carefinder (Trust & Safety: "How profiles are verified on Yaya"), viewed 23 Sept 2026
Try Yaya free: 3 free credits in the app
New app users get 3 free credits. Each message sent, CV viewed or application viewed uses one credit; contacting a Top Yaya Pick needs a subscription.