By Filipino Nanny | Updated 21 August 2026
A nanny provides childcare in your home, while a nursery provides childcare in a registered group setting. A nanny can suit families who need care built around their home and working schedule; a nursery can suit families who want a registered setting and may be able to use government-funded childcare hours. The right choice depends on your child, timetable, budget and preferred care setting.
This comparison is written for families in England and focuses on the practical differences that affect a childcare decision. It does not assume that one model is better for every child or every household.
Nanny vs nursery: quick comparison
| Factor | Nanny | Nursery |
|---|---|---|
| Where care happens | Usually in the child’s own home | At registered childcare premises |
| Care model | In-home care built around the family’s children and agreed duties | Group childcare delivered by a registered provider |
| Schedule | Hours and days are agreed in the employment arrangement | Attendance is arranged within the nursery’s sessions and opening pattern |
| Ofsted registration | Nannies do not have to register with Ofsted but can choose voluntary registration | Nurseries and other daycare providers generally operate within Ofsted registration requirements unless an exemption applies |
| Government childcare support | Tax-Free Childcare can be used with an approved registered nanny; Free Childcare for Working Parents does not list nannies as an approved provider type | Registered nurseries can qualify as approved providers for Tax-Free Childcare and Free Childcare for Working Parents |
| Employment administration | If you directly employ the nanny, the household is usually the employer | The nursery employs its own staff; the parent buys childcare from the setting |
What is the biggest difference between a nanny and nursery?
The biggest difference is the care setting and employment relationship. A nanny looks after children in the child’s own home. Ofsted’s current guidance says nannies can look after children from one or two families at a time in one of those families’ homes, and nannies can choose to join the voluntary part of the Childcare Register.
A nursery is a childcare provider operating from a registered setting rather than the child’s home. The nursery controls its own staffing, sessions and operating model, while the family books a place with the setting.
Choose a nanny when the home schedule is the main constraint
A nanny may be a stronger fit when the family needs childcare at home across clearly agreed hours and days. The job can include routines such as school or nursery runs, children’s meals, activities and child-related tasks where these are written into the role.
The family should define the working pattern before recruitment: full-time or part-time, the weekly hours, days required, start date and whether the position is live-in or live-out. If wider household duties are also a substantial part of the job, compare a nanny-housekeeper role rather than quietly expanding a nanny position.
Choose nursery when a registered group setting fits the family
Nursery can suit families who want childcare delivered in a registered group setting with fixed sessions and a setting-based routine. Ofsted’s current registration guidance covers nurseries, playgroups, before- and after-school clubs and other daycare on non-domestic premises.
For eligible working parents in England, the Free Childcare for Working Parents scheme can provide up to 30 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year for children aged 9 months to 4 years, subject to eligibility. GOV.UK lists registered nurseries among the approved provider types for this scheme.
How childcare-cost support differs
Funding rules can materially change the comparison, so check the current scheme before making a cost decision. GOV.UK says Tax-Free Childcare can be used to pay an approved registered childminder, nanny, nursery, playscheme or club. The provider must be registered or otherwise approved for the scheme.
Free Childcare for Working Parents is different. GOV.UK lists registered childminders, playschemes, nurseries, clubs and registered schools as approved provider types for that scheme; nannies are not included in that list. This means a family comparing a nanny with nursery should not compare headline fees without checking which support applies to their actual provider.
How our enquiry process frames the decision
On Filipino Nanny Agency’s live client enquiry form, the family first identifies the type of role needed and then separately records whether the requirement is full-time or part-time, the number of hours per week, the days required, postcode and intended start date. That structure matters because “nanny” describes the role, while hours and days describe the working pattern.
For a family considering nursery, the useful question is therefore not simply “which is cheaper?” It is whether the childcare gap actually needs an in-home employee with a tailored schedule, or whether a registered setting’s available sessions fit the family. Once the role is clear, the schedule can be scoped properly.
The form also cannot tell us whether a nursery place was available, what that nursery charged, or whether the family qualified for funded hours. Those are external facts that vary by household and provider. What the form can show is the shape of the in-home requirement once a family reaches the agency: role, full-time or part-time status, weekly hours, days, postcode and start date. That is why this comparison separates category choice from nanny scoping. The nursery side should be checked against the family’s actual setting and current government support, while the nanny side should be scoped from the household’s own timetable.
What about continuity and one-to-one attention?
A nanny works with the family’s children within the home, so the arrangement can be built around those children’s routines. A nursery delivers care in a group setting with its own staffing model. Those are structural differences; they do not guarantee a particular developmental or emotional outcome.
When evaluating an individual nanny, compare relevant experience, references, communication and role fit. When evaluating a nursery, review the setting’s current registration information, inspection information where available, opening pattern, policies and how the setting handles the child’s age group.
Do parents become an employer if they hire a nanny?
Usually, yes when the family directly hires a nanny who is not genuinely self-employed or supplied as an agency worker. GOV.UK says households employing someone such as a nanny may have responsibilities for the employment contract, payslips, minimum wage, paid holiday, workplace pension duties, employer’s liability insurance and PAYE.
Our UK nanny employment guide explains the main employer responsibilities, and the nanny payroll guide covers PAYE and National Insurance.
Choose a nanny if…
- You need childcare in your own home.
- Your working pattern requires specifically agreed days and hours.
- You want the childcare role built around your family’s children and routines.
- You are prepared to define the job clearly and handle the employer responsibilities that apply.
Choose nursery if…
- You want a registered group childcare setting.
- The nursery’s sessions and opening pattern fit your work and family routine.
- You may be eligible for Free Childcare for Working Parents and want to use an approved provider for that scheme.
- You prefer the setting to employ and manage its childcare staff rather than directly employing a nanny.
What should you compare next?
If you are still comparing childcare models, see nanny vs au pair and nanny vs childminder. If you are leaning toward a nanny, read why families choose Filipino nanny candidates and what to verify individually. If in-home childcare looks like the better category for your family, review our Filipino nanny services in London and then compare live-in vs live-out nanny arrangements. If you are still deciding whether the household needs childcare, housekeeping or both, use our nanny, nanny-housekeeper or housekeeper role guide.