Houndtrust field guide · Compare
Houndtrust vs. Rover, Wag, and pet-sitting software
A solo pet-care operator usually needs to choose between a marketplace and business software. Rover and Wag can introduce pet owners, then keep the booking inside their platform. Time To Pet, Scritches, Precise Petcare, Pet Sitter Plus, and Houndtrust are tools for running a business. They publish monthly subscription plans, while payment-processing charges can be separate.
Houndtrust is the narrowest option in this comparison. It is built for a solo or spouse-run operator who already has direct clients and wants one Trust Link for the new-client care profile and emergency-vet authorization. Booking details, the separate care agreement, calendar, updates, and money records stay in the same workspace. Owner-led walking and drop-in businesses can apply for the Teams private beta.
Looking for Houndtrust itself? Start with the pet-sitting software overview or take the product tour.
Marketplace or business software?
Start here. A marketplace is useful when you need it to introduce a client. Business software is for the clients and referrals you acquire independently.
| Platform | Type | How you pay | Best reason to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houndtrust | Business software | Free or $24/month. No marketplace booking commission. | Run a solo direct-client book. |
| Rover | Marketplace | Standard US sitter fee is 20%. Selected pilot cities use 30%, 15%, and 10% relationship tiers. The owner booking fee is 11%. | Get discovered by owners already looking for care. |
| Wag | Marketplace | Caregivers set rates within the app, and parents see platform fees before booking. Review the live caregiver payout before accepting a service. | Reach on-demand walk, drop-in, sitting, and boarding requests. |
Which pet-sitting software fits a solo operator?
These prices and plan details were checked against each company’s public pages on August 20, 2026. Choose the workflow you need, then check the live price before moving client data.
| Tool | Published solo price | Good fit | Documented strength | Check before choosing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houndtrust | Free or $24/month founding price | Solo or spouse-run home boarder and sitter | One intake flow for booking details, waiver, and vet authorization | Teams scheduling is in private beta. Payroll and a native app are not included. |
| Time To Pet | Lite $25/month; Solo $50/month | Solo operators that want mature scheduling and invoicing | Scheduling, invoicing, client management, and a broad team product | Lite requires Time To Pet Payments and excludes several integrations |
| Scritches | Free up to 5 clients; Solo from $15/month annually | New solo pros that want a low-cost path into team features | Online booking, invoicing, agreement e-signing, and report cards | Unlimited intake forms and calendar sync sit on higher plans |
| Precise Petcare | Solo $20/month | A solo company that expects to add field staff | Full core feature set, GPS tools, client accounts, billing, and staff workflows | The broader operations setup may be more than a small home boarder needs |
| Pet Sitter Plus | $18/month first year; then $36/month | Solo pros that want the same feature set larger teams use | Scheduling, GPS, billing, reports, and QuickBooks Online integration | Its full suite is built to cover much larger operations too |
Official pages checked
What Houndtrust does differently
One Trust Link
It collects the client and dog-care profile, veterinary details, emergency authorization, and the owner's vet spending limit. Booking details and the separately signed care agreement follow.
Client updates from rough notes
Pip drafts the update. The sitter reviews it, makes any changes, and chooses when to send it. Clients can receive it by email, in the pet portal, or by optional text.
A monthly membership
The first 300 sitters get the $24 monthly founding price and Founding Operator status. The published regular price for later customers is $49. Flexible is $0 per month with five manual booking completions each month. Houndtrust card bookings bypass that allowance and carry one $5 fee when they qualify. Connected card checkout also carries a separate 1.5% automation fee on the care subtotal, plus Stripe processing.
Individual plans and a Teams private beta
Flexible and Solo cover individual businesses. Teams is testing assignments, worker access, care proof, and promised pay for approved walking and drop-in businesses. Payroll and multi-location management are not included.
When another tool is the better fit
Time To Pet, Precise Petcare, and Pet Sitter Plus are better candidates when you need a generally available team system, payroll-related reports, or several locations. Scritches is worth a look when you want a low-cost solo start with a path into staff features.
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?
The business tools compared here publish monthly subscription prices. Houndtrust charges no marketplace booking commission. Marketplaces work differently. Rover's standard US sitter fee is 20%, and a selected-city pilot uses 30%, 15%, and 10% relationship tiers. Wag shows current caregiver rates and booking economics in its app, so review the live offer before accepting work.
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 charges no marketplace booking commission, and you keep the direct client relationship.
Which pet-sitting software is cheapest for a solo sitter?
Scritches has a free plan for up to five clients. Houndtrust Flexible is $0 per month with five manual booking completions each month; Houndtrust card bookings bypass that allowance and carry one $5 fee when they qualify. Current paid entry prices include Scritches Solo from $15 per month when billed annually, Precise Petcare Solo at $20, Houndtrust Solo at the $24 founding price, Time To Pet Lite at $25, and Pet Sitter Plus Solo at $18 for the first year and then $36. Compare limits, transaction fees, and workflow as well as the monthly price.
Does any dog-sitting app e-sign both a waiver and emergency-vet authorization?
Houndtrust uses Trust Link for the new-client care profile and emergency-vet authorization. Booking details and the liability waiver follow as separate steps in the same workspace. Other tools support agreements and custom client records in different ways, so check the exact form workflow before moving your paperwork.
See it for your own business
Free to start, a week of full access, and no marketplace booking commission.
Start freePrices and features come from each company's public pages as of August 20, 2026. Check the company's site before choosing a tool. Rover, Wag, Time To Pet, Scritches, Precise Petcare, and Pet Sitter Plus are trademarks of their respective owners.