Houndtrust vs Scritches: Which Fits a Solo Home Boarder? (2026)
Honest comparison · Updated August 13, 2026
Scritches and Houndtrust now compete for much of the same customer: a small or solo pet-care professional who wants to stop running the business through texts and a paper calendar. Scritches is cheaper and covers more standard business functions. Houndtrust goes deeper on the home-boarding intake and the client experience after a stay.
The short version
Scritches wins on paid price. Its Solo plan is $15 a month billed annually, while Houndtrust Solo is $24 a month at the founding rate. Houndtrust is the better fit when the combined waiver and emergency-vet authorization, direct payment relationship, Pip-assisted updates, and Stay Cards matter more than the $9 monthly difference.
Side by side, August 2026
| Feature | Scritches | Houndtrust |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free for up to five clients | $0 with five manual completions per month |
| Paid solo price | $15/mo billed annually | $24/mo founding price |
| Expanded solo tier | $35/mo billed annually | Included in Solo |
| Built for | Small and solo pros, with a Growth tier | Solo home boarding; owner-led Teams private beta |
| Staff tools | Growth: scheduling, roles, profiles, pay reports | Teams assignments, worker access, and promised pay in private beta |
| Intake, booking, and agreements | Booking, intake forms, signed agreements | Trust Link intake, then booking and a signed care agreement |
| Client payments | Online payments on paid plans | Recommended Houndtrust connected-card checkout, with manual methods also available |
| Booking commission | Subscription software, not a marketplace | No marketplace booking commission |
| Update presentation | Not advertised | Choose a clean Simple Update or a collectible Stay Card |
| AI update writing | Not advertised | Pip drafts warm client updates you review and send |
| $0 monthly option | Five clients, one intake form, unlimited bookings | Five manual completions; card bookings bypass the limit and carry a $5 fee when they qualify |
Scritches details come from its official pricing page as checked August 13, 2026. “Not advertised” means we couldn't find it there, not a claim that the feature does not exist.
The price math for a solo
Scritches Solo
$180/year
$15 × 12, billed annually
Houndtrust Solo
$288/year
$24 × 12 at the founding rate
Scritches difference
$108 less
Per year at the listed Solo price
Scritches Solo costs $108 less per year than Houndtrust Solo at the founding rate. Its free Starter plan also supports up to five clients. Houndtrust Flexible costs $0 per month with five manual booking completions each month. Houndtrust card bookings bypass that allowance and carry a $5 fee when they qualify. The paid Houndtrust case rests on its home-boarding intake, Pip, and Stay Cards, not price.
What a solo home boarder actually uses
Scritches covers online booking, invoices, agreements, and report cards at every tier. Houndtrust makes a different set of choices for a home boarder:
- One Trust Link that gathers the client and dog-care profile, veterinary details, and emergency authorization. Booking dates and the separate care agreement follow.
- Pip drafts a warm client update from your quick note. Send it as a clean Simple Update, or choose a collectible Stay Card with a 1-to-99 pull when you want extra personality.
- Clients get a free portal with two-way messaging and collectible Stay Cards. No app to download.
- When they pay, they pay you directly through your own Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, or Stripe. Manual payment methods have no Houndtrust transaction fee. Connected cards are optional and use a 1.5% automation fee on the care amount.
When Scritches is the right choice
Scritches is the right choice if five clients are enough for now, if price is the deciding factor, or if you want standard online payments inside the product. Solo Pro adds unlimited intake forms, report-card videos, a review booster, and calendar sync. Its Growth plan adds staff scheduling and pay reports. Houndtrust's Teams private beta tests assignments, worker access, care proof, and promised pay for approved walking and drop-in businesses.
Common questions
Is there a Scritches alternative for solo home boarders?
Yes. Both Scritches and Houndtrust are built for small or solo pet-care businesses. Scritches includes online booking, invoicing, agreement e-signing, and report cards, with a free plan for up to five clients. Houndtrust is the closer fit for a home boarder who wants a focused care intake and emergency authorization, followed by booking and a separately signed care agreement, plus Pip-assisted updates and collectible Stay Cards.
How much does Scritches cost for one person?
Scritches lists a free Starter plan for up to five clients. Its pricing page shows Solo at $15 per month billed annually and Solo Pro at $35 per month billed annually. The Growth example shows $51 per month with one staff member and adds $12 per active staff member. These prices were checked on August 13, 2026.
Is Scritches or Houndtrust better for a solo dog boarder?
It depends on what you value. Scritches costs less on its Solo tier and includes online payments, e-signed agreements, invoicing, and standard report cards. Houndtrust costs $24 per month at the founding rate and focuses on home boarding: Trust Link care intake, a separate booking and agreement flow, a money dashboard, Pip-assisted updates, and collectible Stay Cards.
Does Scritches take a cut of my bookings?
Scritches publishes free and subscription plans rather than a marketplace commission. Its paid Solo plan includes online payments, where payment-processing terms may apply. Houndtrust charges no marketplace booking commission. Its recommended connected-card checkout has a 1.5% automation fee on care plus Stripe processing, while manual methods remain available without a Houndtrust transaction fee.
When is Scritches the right choice over Houndtrust?
Choose Scritches if its free five-client plan covers your business, if you want the $15 Solo price, or if you need online payments and standard e-signed agreements. Solo Pro adds unlimited intake forms, a review booster, report-card videos, and calendar sync. Growth adds staff scheduling, staff profiles, roles, and pay reports.
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Scritches pricing and features are drawn from its official public pages as of August 13, 2026 and can change. Scritches is a trademark of its owner; this comparison is our honest opinion for a solo dog-care audience. Not affiliated with Scritches.
Questions? hello@houndtrust.com · (385) 246-2984