Doula fees vary a lot by location, experience, and what's included. This guide pulls together current figures for birth and postpartum doulas in the US and Canada, explains what drives the differences, and walks doulas through setting their own rates.
The short answer
- Birth doula, US: a median of about $1,100 per package, with most between $450 and $1,800, and big-city doulas often charging more.
- Hourly doula work, US (mostly postpartum): a median of about $45 an hour, with most between $35 and $55.
- Birth doula, Canada: most listed packages in the cities we looked at fall between about $1,150 and $2,200 CAD.
- Postpartum doula, Canada: most listed rates fall between about $30 and $65 CAD an hour, often $40 to $50.
- Medicaid: 26 US states and DC pay doulas through Medicaid, typically $459 to $1,500 for labor and delivery support.
Sources and details are below. Treat every figure as a range, not a rule: what's right for one doula or family depends on where they are and what's included.
Birth doula fees in the US
A birth doula usually charges one package price that covers prenatal visits, an on-call period, continuous support during labor and birth, and one or more postpartum visits.
Across 11,574 package prices from more than 4,000 US doulas listed on Bornbir, the national median package is $1,100, with most between $450 and $1,800 (October 2026). Prices are higher in large, expensive cities. Bornbir's median packages for a few cities:
| City | Median package |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles and San Diego | $1,800 |
| Seattle | $1,500 |
| New York and Philadelphia | $1,300 |
| Chicago | $1,098 |
Postpartum doula rates in the US
Postpartum doulas usually charge by the hour, often with a minimum shift, or sell packages of hours. For doulas who charge by the hour, most of whom offer postpartum support, Bornbir's data puts the median at about $45, with most between $35 and $55. Overnight support is usually priced separately, often as a flat rate per night, so check local listings for overnight rates.
Doula fees in Canada
There's less published data for Canada, so we looked at doulas' own listed fees on DoulaMatch in three cities in October 2026. It's a snapshot of a few dozen listings, not a survey, but it gives a realistic picture:
| City | Most birth packages (CAD) | Most postpartum rates (CAD/hour) |
|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | $1,150 – $2,200 | $40 – $65 |
| Calgary | $1,200 – $1,750 | $35 – $50 |
| Toronto | $1,000 – $2,800 | $30 – $50 |
Doula care generally isn't covered by provincial health plans. Some workplace extended health benefit plans and health spending accounts reimburse doula services, so families should check their own plan.
What Medicaid pays doulas
As of March 2026, 26 states and DC reimburse doulas through Medicaid, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy. Payment for labor and delivery support ranges from about $459 to $1,500 depending on the state, and many states pay separately for prenatal and postpartum visits. For example:
- Oregon pays a global $1,505 that covers two prenatal visits, two postpartum visits, and delivery support.
- Connecticut pays $100 per prenatal or postpartum visit, for up to four visits, plus $800 for labor and delivery support.
Rates and rules change, and billing Medicaid usually means enrolling as a provider and meeting state training requirements. Check your state's Medicaid program for current details.
What affects a doula's price
- Location. Fees follow the local cost of living. Big-city doulas usually charge more than rural ones.
- Experience and training. Newer doulas often charge less while they build experience; experienced or certified doulas often charge more.
- What's included. The number of prenatal and postpartum visits, the length of the on-call period, and extras like childbirth education or placenta encapsulation all change the price.
- Travel and backup. Some doulas charge for travel beyond a set distance or include a backup doula in the fee.
- Payment options. Many doulas offer payment plans, sliding-scale fees, or Medicaid billing, which make the same service more affordable for families.
For doulas: how to set your rates
Start from your time and costs, then check your local market.
1. Count your real hours per client
A birth package is more hours than it looks. For example, a package with two prenatal visits, one postpartum visit, and an average labor might include:
- prenatal visits: 2 × 2 hours = 4 hours
- labor and birth support: about 10 hours (often more)
- postpartum visit: 2 hours
- travel, messages, and admin: about 4 hours
That's about 20 hours, plus weeks of being on call. At a $1,500 fee, it's roughly $75 an hour before any costs. At $900, it's about $45.
These figures are an example, not a standard. Use your own visit lengths and your clients' typical labors.
2. Subtract your costs
Training and certification, insurance, backup doula fees, software, phone, mileage, childcare while you're on call, and payment processing fees all come out of your fee. List them for a year and divide by the number of clients you can take.
3. Decide how many clients you can take
Most birth doulas limit how many clients are due in the same month, because being on call for several births at once isn't sustainable. Your capacity and your fee together set your income.
4. Check your local market
Look at listings for doulas near you on DoulaMatch or your local doula association. Pricing far below your market can make families assume less experience, and pricing far above it needs an obvious reason, like specialized training.
5. Make it easier to say yes
A fair price is easier to accept with:
- a payment plan: a deposit at signing and the balance in installments before the on-call period (see how to set up doula payment plans);
- clear packages, for example birth only, birth plus postpartum, and postpartum hours;
- a sliding scale or a few reduced-fee spots, if that fits your values;
- Medicaid participation, if your state reimburses doulas and you can enroll.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a doula cost on average?
In the US, a birth doula package has a median of about $1,100, with most between $450 and $1,800. In the Canadian cities we looked at, most birth packages were between about $1,150 and $2,200 CAD.
Do doulas charge by the hour?
Birth doulas usually charge a package price. Postpartum doulas usually charge by the hour, often with a minimum shift, or sell packages of hours, with overnight shifts priced separately.
Does insurance cover doulas?
Sometimes. In the US, 26 states and DC cover doula care through Medicaid, and some private insurers reimburse doula services. In Canada, provincial health plans generally don't cover doulas, but some extended health benefit plans do. Check your own plan.
How much do new doulas charge?
New doulas often charge toward the lower end of their local range while they build experience, then raise their rates as they gain births, training, and testimonials.
Get paid on time with Cradled
Once you've set your prices, Cradled helps you collect them:
- Packages and invoices that match how you price, in CAD or USD.
- Payment plans: a deposit when the contract is signed, then installments charged to a saved card weekly, every two weeks, or monthly.
- 0% platform fee. Payments go to your own Stripe account at Stripe's standard rate.
- E-signed contracts, so your fees and terms are agreed in writing. Start from our free doula contract template.
Cradled is free for 1 active client at a time, with every feature included.