House Maid vs All-Rounder Maid: What Is the Difference?

Comparison by task

Task	House maid	All-rounder
Sweeping, mopping, dusting	Yes	Yes
Utensils and kitchen cleaning	Yes	Yes
Laundry and ironing	Yes, as agreed	Yes, as agreed
Cooking	Not usually	Basic home cooking
Help with children or elders	Not usually	Some support, as agreed
Hours	Daytime 6, 8, 9 or 10 hours, or live-in

When a house maid is enough

• Your main need is a clean, organised home.
• Someone else cooks, or you have a separate cook.
• Children or elders do not need daytime support.

See the house maid service.

When an all-rounder makes sense

• You want cleaning and simple meals from one person.
• You need light help with a child or elder alongside housework.
• You prefer one helper in the house rather than several.

See the all-rounder domestic helper service.

The hours test

An all-rounder is still one person. Add up the time each task really takes. If cleaning a large home and cooking three meals for six people do not fit within 10 hours, you may need a full-time maid plus a cook, or housekeeping staff for larger homes. Overloading one helper is a common reason placements end early.

Specialised care needs a specialist

An all-rounder can help with a child or elder, but a newborn, a young child's full routine or an elder with mobility needs is better served by a baby caretaker, nanny or elder care attendant.

Costs

Both follow Maidvy's plans: Daytime Plan ₹15,000 + 18% GST = ₹17,700 or 24×7 Live-In Plan ₹25,000 + 18% GST = ₹29,500. The helper's salary is separate; wider duties usually mean a different salary conversation. See agency fee vs worker salary and write duties down using our duty-sheet guide.

A quick way to decide

1. List every task you need help with.
2. Mark each as cleaning, cooking or care.
3. If almost everything is cleaning, choose a house maid.
4. If you have a mix and the total fits within your chosen hours, choose an all-rounder.
5. If the total does not fit, split the work between roles or choose longer hours.

Larger homes

For villas, large apartments or homes with many rooms, cleaning alone can fill a full day. Housekeeping staff or a male domestic helper for heavier tasks may suit better than asking one all-rounder to do everything.

Maidvy arranges domestic help in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune and Kolkata. These are operating service areas; Maidvy's registered office is in Bengaluru.

What a typical day looks like

House maid (8 hours, example)

Sweeping and mopping, dusting, bathrooms on set days, utensils after meals, laundry and folding, kitchen cleaning.

All-rounder (9 or 10 hours, example)

Morning cleaning, breakfast and lunch preparation, utensils, help getting a child ready or sitting with an elder, laundry, evening cooking support.

These are examples only; write your own duty sheet using our guide.

Interviewing for each role

For a house maid, focus on cleaning methods and pace. For an all-rounder, also ask about cooking and comfort with children or elders. Our interview questions cover both.

Frequently asked questions

Does a house maid cook?

Usually not. A house maid focuses on cleaning and upkeep. For cooking plus cleaning, consider an all-rounder or a separate cook.

Can an all-rounder look after a baby?

An all-rounder can give some help with children. For a newborn or infant's full routine, a Japa maid or baby caretaker is better.

Is an all-rounder more expensive?

Maidvy's service fee is the same plan either way. The helper's salary is agreed separately and usually reflects wider duties.

Can I start with a house maid and later need an all-rounder?

Yes. Changing the role means new duties, hours and salary, so discuss it with Maidvy and the helper first.

Which is better for a working couple?

If you need cleaning plus simple meals, an all-rounder on a 9 or 10-hour schedule often suits. If you mainly need cleaning, a house maid is enough.