Houndtrust field guide · Compare
Houndtrust vs. Rover, Wag, and pet-sitting software
Pet-care pros generally choose between two kinds of tools. Marketplaces such as Rover and Wag help you find clients, then take a commission from each booking made through the platform. Business tools such as Time To Pet, Precise Petcare, Pet Sitter Plus, Scout, DoggieDashboard, PetPocketbook, and Houndtrust charge a monthly price. They do not take a commission from your bookings.
Houndtrust can be used by a company, but it is designed for a one- or two-person operation. One intake link collects the booking details, liability waiver, and emergency-vet authorization. The dashboard tracks the month's money, and Pip turns a few notes into a client update for you to review.
Do they take a cut of your bookings?
This is the main pricing difference. Marketplaces take a percentage of bookings made through their platforms. The business tools below charge a monthly price instead.
| Platform | Type | Commission on each booking |
|---|---|---|
| Houndtrust | Business software | None. Flat monthly price. |
| Rover | Marketplace | About 20% of sitter earnings. Pilot markets use 30% / 15% / 10% tiers as of June 2026. Owners also pay a booking fee. |
| Wag | Marketplace | Reported around 40%. Check Wag for its current rate. |
| Time To Pet, Precise Petcare, Pet Sitter Plus, Scout, DoggieDashboard, PetPocketbook | Business software | None. Flat monthly price. |
Rover and Wag can help you find new clients. When a client rebooks through the marketplace, you pay the commission again. Business software is for clients you manage directly.
Houndtrust compared with other pet-care tools
None of these tools take a commission from each booking. These are the solo or entry prices listed by each company as of June 2026.
| Tool | Starting price | Waiver and vet authorization in one link | AI client updates | Business size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houndtrust | Free or $24/month | Yes | Yes, with Pip | One- or two-person operations |
| Time To Pet | $25 Lite; $50 solo | WaiverVet authorization | No | Solo pros, teams, and facilities |
| Scritches | Free; $15 Solo billed annually | Not listed | Not listed | Solo pros and teams |
| Precise Petcare | $20 | Not listed as a main feature | Not listed on feature pages | Solo pros and large teams |
| Pet Sitter Plus | $18 (then $36) | Combined flow not listed | No | Solo pros through enterprise teams |
| Scout | $33 | Not listed | No | Solo pros and teams |
| DoggieDashboard | Free for 10 pets; then $40 | WaiverVet authorization not listed | No | Solo and small businesses |
| PetPocketbook | $25/month; clients pay 5% | Combined flow not listed | No | Solo pros and teams |
What Houndtrust does differently
One intake link
It collects the booking details, liability waiver, emergency-vet authorization, and the owner's vet spending limit.
Client updates from rough notes
Pip drafts the update. The sitter reviews it, makes any changes, and chooses when to send it.
A flat monthly price
The first 300 sitters get the $24 monthly founding price and Founding Operator status. The published regular price for later customers is $49. A free tier is also available.
Designed for one or two people
A larger company can use Houndtrust, but it does not include staff scheduling, payroll, or multi-location management.
When another tool is the better fit
A larger company can use Houndtrust. Time To Pet, Precise Petcare, and Pet Sitter Plus may be better choices when a company needs employee scheduling, time tracking, payroll, or support for several locations.
See what dog-care pros say on Reddit
These searches lead to discussions written by sitters and walkers, not Houndtrust. Read what other pet-care pros say about marketplace fees and business software:
Common questions
Does dog-care software take a cut of my bookings?
Pet-care business tools such as Time To Pet, Precise Petcare, Pet Sitter Plus, Scout, DoggieDashboard, PetPocketbook, and Houndtrust use subscription pricing rather than a marketplace commission. Marketplaces work differently. Rover usually takes about 20% of a sitter's earnings, and Wag has been reported around 40%.
What's the difference between Rover and software like Houndtrust?
Rover is a marketplace that helps sitters find clients and takes a commission from each booking. Houndtrust helps you manage clients you already have or find yourself. Houndtrust takes no booking cut on clients you bring, and you keep the direct client relationship.
Which pet-sitting software is cheapest for a solo sitter?
Scritches and Houndtrust both have free tiers. Scritches Solo is $15 per month billed annually, Pet Sitter Plus is $18 for its first year and then $36, Precise Petcare is $20, and Houndtrust Solo is $24 for the first 300 pros. Compare the limits and workflow as well as the headline price.
Does any dog-sitting app e-sign both a waiver and emergency-vet authorization?
Several tools e-sign a liability waiver or service agreement. A separate emergency-vet authorization is less common. Houndtrust puts the waiver, the owner's vet consent and spending limit, and the booking details in one intake link.
See it for your own business
Free to start, a week of full access, and no booking cut on clients you bring.
Start freePrices and features come from each company's public pages as of June 2026. Check the company's site before choosing a tool. Rover, Wag, Time To Pet, Precise Petcare, Pet Sitter Plus, Scout, DoggieDashboard, and PetPocketbook are trademarks of their respective owners.