Leaving your dog behind while you travel is never easy. You miss their companionship, and worry about their care. A pet sitter eases both woes. But are dog walking apps like DogVacay and Rover trustworthy for your precious pup?
These on-demand pet care apps connect you to local dog walkers, boarders, and sitters. Prices often undercut professional kennels. The convenience appeals to frequent travelers and busy pet owners.
But how do you choose between DogVacay and Rover? Which app offers better pet sitters and reliability? We’ll compare their features, prices, services, and more to determine the leading dog boarding platform.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Aspects | DogVacay | Rover |
| Services | Boarding, walking, drop-ins, daycare, telehealth vet | Boarding, walking, drop-ins |
| Screening Process | Application, interview, checks, home visit, dog test | Application, interview, checks, home visit, dog test |
| Customer Support | 24/7 phone, chat, and emergency line | 24/7 live chat, phone hours |
| Average Prices | Boarding $25-$50 per night | Boarding $25-$40 per night |
| Sitters Available | 30,000 sitters nationwide | 400,000+ sitters nationwide |
| Reviews | A+ BBB rating with glowing reviews | A+ BBB rating with glowing reviews |
| Key Differences | Unique daycare and vet services | Larger sitter network nationwide |
DogVacay Overview
DogVacay pioneered the concept of an app-based network of pet sitters. Launched in 2011 in Los Angeles, their services now span over 30,000 cities in North America.
The premise is simple – DogVacay connects you with nearby dog lovers for pet sitting, boarding, walks, and visits. Sitters provide dog care in their own homes. The app handles booking and payments.
Perks of DogVacay include:
- Boarding, walks, drop-in visits
- 24/7 customer support
- Free meet-and-greet with sitters
- DogVacay Vet telehealth service
- Photo updates during your trip
- Rated A+ with BBB
Rover.com Overview
Rover offers a nearly identical service – on-demand pet sitting via mobile app. Founded in 2011 as well, Rover now has over 400,000 pet sitters across North America.
Like DogVacay, local pet lovers provide dog boarding and care services. Rover’s app handles booking and payments to sitters.
Key features and services of Rover include:
- Boarding, walks, drop-in visits
- 24/7 live chat support
- Meet-and-greet included
- Photo updates during service
- Pet safety and lost dog support
- Rated A+ with BBB
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Key Differences Between DogVacay And Rover
The two companies are remarkably similar. So how do you pick the best option for your pup? Let’s do a detailed comparison.
1. Services Offered
The core service from both Rover and DogVacay is in-home dog boarding and pet sitting. Sitters watch your dog in their own houses. Some even offer to come visit at your home instead.
Both apps also provide:
- Dog walking
- Drop-in pet visits
- Cat sitting and boarding
Beyond that, DogVacay offers a few unique services:
- Doggy Daycare – Some sitters have dedicated daycare facilities and outdoor areas.
- DogVacay Vet – 24/7 telehealth veterinary care through the app.
So DogVacay edges out Rover slightly when it comes to service diversity. But Rover continues adding new offerings as well.
2. Screening Process
Your top question – can these strangers be trusted alone with my dog? Both DogVacay and Rover conduct screenings to ensure sitter quality:
DogVacay Sitter Requirements
- Application and phone interview
- Background checks
- Reference checks
- In-home safety inspections
- Dog handling test
Rover Sitter Requirements
- Application and phone interview
- Background and identity verification
- Home environment reviews
- Dog safety test
The screening process is very similar across both platforms. Each thoroughly vets sitters with interviews, checks, and home visits.
Bottom line – DogVacay and Rover both implement sufficient sitter screening for safety and reliability.
3. Customer Support
What if an issue arises during your trip? Having responsive customer service for backup is crucial.
DogVacay offers 24/7 customer support via phone, email, or live online chat. They have an emergency line to call for urgent issues.
Rover provides 24/7 live chat support through their app. They also offer phone support during extended business hours.
User reviews praise DogVacay for extremely fast, caring responses from their customer service team. Rover also gets positive feedback, but some users report delays during peak periods.
For immediate support around the clock, DogVacay wins for customer service. Their emergency line and quick response time earns rave reviews.
4. Dog Boarding Prices
Cost often drives the decision between pet care services. Here’s how DogVacay and Rover compare for average dog boarding rates across the US:
DogVacay Pricing
- Boarding: $25 – $50 per night
- House visits: $15 – $25 per visit
- Dog walking: $15 – $25 per walk
Rover Pricing
- Boarding: $25 – $40 per night
- House sit visits: $15 – $25 per visit
- Dog walking: $15 – $30 per walk
The companies have near-identical price points for the same services. Owners report paying a few dollars less on average with Rover.
But DogVacay offers discounts for multi-week and multi-pet trips. This helps offset their slightly higher sticker prices.
For cost savings overall, Rover edges out DogVacay just barely. But pricing is very similar across both platforms.
4. Sitters and Availability
With on-demand service, ample sitter availability is a must. Which app has the larger network of pet sitters?
DogVacay has over 30,000 sitters covering all major US metro areas. While smaller towns have limited options.
Rover boasts over 400,000 pet sitters nationwide, with at least hundreds available in most cities. Even smaller communities have 15-20+ sitters typically.
For sitter availability, Rover wins handily. Their massive provider network ensures abundant boarding and walking options nearly everywhere.
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5. Reviews and Testimonials
Reading reviews from past customers provides helpful insight into real experiences with each service.
DogVacay reviews on BBB, Facebook, and elsewhere are overwhelmingly positive – they maintain a rating of A+. Happy customers praise their responsive support and quality pet sitters. Complaints are very rare.
Rover also earns A+ marks on BBB with many glowing reviews. Customers rave about convenient service and caring pet sitters. Negative feedback is limited.
Both apps earn stellar reviews overall for matching owners with trustworthy, dedicated pet sitters across the nation.
DogVacay vs Rover: Key Notes
To summarize the main distinctions:
- DogVacay offers unique services like doggy daycare and telehealth veterinary care. Their support team also provides incredibly fast, caring assistance.
- Rover has the edge in national availability of pet sitters. Their massive network provides abundance in all locations.
- Prices are very similar, with Rover having a slight cost savings on average.
- Both receive rave reviews for quality pet sitters and responsive support.
For most dog owners, Rover tends to come out ahead. Their unbeatable sitter availability makes booking convenient anywhere. Slightly lower prices don’t hurt either.
But DogVacay’s specialized offerings like doggy daycare appeal to some pet parents. Their customer service team also earns outstanding praise.
Either platform makes dog boarding and sitting easy, affordable, and worry-free while you travel. It comes down to which features are most important to you.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To recap key information about DogVacay and Rover:
The main competitors to DogVacay are Rover, Wag, and Fetch! All provide similar on-demand dog walking and pet sitting via mobile apps.
Most users prefer Rover to Wag. Rover has lower prices, wider sitter availability, and better customer support compared to Wag.
DogVacay gets its name from “vacation” for dogs – a vacation from their owner and their own home while boarded with DogVacay sitters.
Yes, Rover sitters earn extra income by providing dog boarding, walking, and house sitting services. Rover reports sitters earning over $1000 per month on average.
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The Takeaway
DogVacay and Rover both provide an invaluable service to traveling pet owners. Their apps make finding trustworthy, affordable pet sitters quick and easy.
While DogVacay offers unique extras like veterinary telehealth, most dog owners are swayed by Rover’s unbeatable nationwide sitter availability. But with both apps earning rave reviews, you can book your next trip assured your dog is in caring hands.