A daycare that books 30 dogs into a playroom built for 20 does not have a staffing problem. It has a capacity problem, and the software that was supposed to stop it is usually a calendar that never learned what a playgroup is. The best software for dog daycare knows the difference between a booking and a playgroup, checks vaccines before the dog arrives, and sends a report card home at the end of the day without the front desk writing it by hand.
The category splits in a useful way. Facility tools like Gingr and PetExec run daycare, boarding and grooming together. Booking tools like DaySmart Pet and Paw Partner cover appointments, payments and client records for a small shop. Mobile tools like MoeGo live on the phone. This guide compares eight tools on published prices where they exist, the job each one does best and the catch that only shows up after the trial ends. Start with the shortlist, then read the reviews that match the way your daycare actually runs.
The Quick Shortlist
The table below matches each common daycare job to the single tool that handles it best. Use it to narrow the best software for dog daycare to two or three candidates before you read the full reviews. Prices are monthly list prices unless noted, and quote only means the vendor does not publish a starting price.
| Job | Best tool | Why it wins |
|---|---|---|
| Daycare, boarding and grooming in one system | Gingr | Play plan from 142 dollars a month billed annually |
| Deep customisation for a boarding facility | PetExec | From 105 dollars a month, every workflow adjustable |
| Single location daycare on a budget | DaySmart Pet | Basic from 29 dollars a month |
| Mobile first grooming and daycare | MoeGo | Mobile starter from 49 dollars a month |
| Cheapest booking and payments | Paw Partner | From 19.99 dollars a month |
| Modular boarding, daycare and grooming | ProPet | From 49.99 dollars a month, add modules as needed |
| Kennel and daycare with a free trial | Kennel Link | From 60 dollars a month |
| Loyalty and repeat bookings | PawLoyalty | From 70 dollars a month |
How We Chose the Shortlist
A tool earned a place here only if it does a real daycare job in 2026, not if it added a dog photo to a generic booking app. The best software for dog daycare was judged on five things that decide whether a daycare keeps paying after the first season.
First, the playgroup itself, from capacity limits and dog temperament notes to vaccine checks, because a booking that ignores capacity is a safety problem, not a software problem. Second, whether the price is published or hidden behind a sales call, including per location fees and add ons that change the real bill. Third, the client experience, from online booking and report cards to two way messaging, because a daycare that communicates well keeps its clients.
Fourth, staff tools, from check in and check out to feeding and medicine tracking, because the yard team needs the same record the front desk sees. Fifth, the catch, from SMS charged as an add on to a grooming tool that never learned daycare at all.
| Check before you buy | What to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Playgroup capacity | Does it cap groups by size and temperament | Overfull groups are a safety risk |
| Vaccine checks | Does it block bookings with expired vaccines | Expired vaccines put every dog at risk |
| Report cards | Can staff send photos and notes at pickup | Report cards are why clients stay |
| Pricing model | Per location, per van, or per module | The model decides the real bill |
| SMS and messaging | Included, capped, or charged as an add on | Messaging costs add up fast |
| Data export | Can you take client and pet history with you | Leaving should not mean losing records |
The 8 Tools, Reviewed One by One
The reviews below follow the same shape for every tool, starting price first, then the job it does best and the catch to check before you sign. The best software for dog daycare in this list ranges from 19.99 dollars a month to 169 dollars a month, so read the price line as carefully as the feature list.
1. Gingr
Starting price Play plan 169 dollars a month, or 142 dollars billed annually. Best for Daycare, boarding and grooming in one system. Watch out SMS is an add on, and there is no free trial, only a demo.
Gingr is the best known name in pet care management, and its strength is breadth. Boarding reservations, daycare packages, grooming appointments, training and retail point of sale all live in one system, so a facility that does more than daycare can run the whole business on one contract. The Spa plan for groomers and trainers starts at 109 dollars a month, or 100 dollars billed annually. Play adds day bookings and capacity limits for dog daycare at 169 dollars a month, or 142 dollars billed annually. Stay adds overnight bookings, kennel management and feeding and medicine tracking at 209 dollars a month, or 179 dollars billed annually with Gingr payments.
The daycare workflow is the reason to buy it. Playgroups can be capped by capacity, vaccines can be checked before the dog arrives, and report cards can go home with photos and notes. The kennel grid with auto assignment, PreCheck and a long list of integrations suits a facility that boards as well as daycares, and the reporting shows which services earn the money.
The catch is the real bill. Gingr charges SMS as an add on, setup fees apply, and there is no free trial, so a buyer commits before running a real week on it. The per location pricing also means a second site doubles the bill. For a multi service facility, the depth is worth it. For a daycare only shop, the price may be more than the job needs.
2. PetExec
Starting price From 105 dollars a month. Best for Deep customisation for a boarding facility. Watch out Customisation takes setup time, so a small daycare may find it heavy.
PetExec is the customisation pick for boarding facilities that want every workflow adjusted to the way they work. It sits in the same mid market as Gingr, at 105 dollars a month, and it is stronger on deep customisation while Gingr is stronger on daycare and grooming workflows. A facility that has a specific way of running check in, feeding, medicine and billing will find PetExec bends to fit it.
The strength is the workflow depth. Boarding, daycare, grooming and training can each be shaped to the facility, rather than forcing the facility to shape itself to the software. That matters for a kennel with a long history and a team that knows its own routine, because a tool that fights the routine gets abandoned within a month.
The catch is the setup. Deep customisation means a longer setup, more decisions to make before launch, and a team that needs training on the workflows it helped design. A small daycare that wants to start this week should look at a simpler tool. A facility that wants its own process in software will find PetExec worth the setup time.
3. DaySmart Pet
Starting price Basic from 29 dollars a month. Best for Single location daycare on a budget. Watch out Daycare and boarding calendars are add ons at 25 dollars a month each.
DaySmart Pet, formerly 123Pet, is the budget pick for a single location grooming and daycare shop. Basic costs 29 dollars a month for one user when the shop uses the vendor card processing, or 39 dollars without it. That low entry price covers booking, payments and client records, which is the core job for a small facility that does not need a full kennel system.
The strength is the appointment flow. Booking, reminders and payments work cleanly for a shop that lives on appointments, and the client messaging keeps owners informed without a separate tool. A small daycare that books by appointment rather than by playgroup will find the flow fits its day.
The catch is the add on model. The daycare calendar costs 25 dollars a month extra, and the boarding calendar costs another 25 dollars a month, so a shop that needs both pays 79 dollars a month on top of the card processing terms. Price the calendars you need, not just the Basic plan, before you compare.
4. MoeGo
Starting price Mobile starter from 49 dollars a month. Best for Mobile first grooming and daycare. Watch out Boarding and daycare are a separate product without a published price.
MoeGo is the mobile first pick, built for groomers and small shops that live on their phones. The Mobile starter plan costs 49 dollars a month for one team member, with unlimited clients, pets, appointments and devices, plus appointment reminders and payment processing included. Growth costs 99 dollars a month per van with unlimited team members, route planning, a waitlist and CRM tools. Ultimate costs 159 dollars a month per van and adds a branded phone number and business reports.
The strength is the phone workflow. Smart Schedule, route planning and a waitlist suit a mobile groomer who books by van and by route, and the app is built for a team that works from the van rather than the desk. For a grooming heavy business, that mobile focus is the point.
The catch is that MoeGo is grooming first. It is not a kennel management system in the Gingr sense, with no run boards, feeding schedules or boarding workflows. Boarding and daycare are a separate product without a published price, so a daycare that needs playgroup capacity should check that product separately before buying.
5. Paw Partner
Starting price From 19.99 dollars a month. Best for Cheapest booking and payments. Watch out The low price covers the basics, so check what the daycare workflow adds.
Paw Partner is the cheapest tool on this list, at 19.99 dollars a month, and it covers booking, payments and client records for a small facility. That low price makes it the easiest tool to try for a daycare that is moving off paper and does not want a large monthly bill before it knows whether software helps.
The strength is simplicity. A small daycare can book dogs, take payments and keep client records in one place without learning a kennel system. The low price also means the return is easy to see, because a single extra booking a month covers the subscription.
The catch is depth. A facility that needs playgroup capacity, vaccine blocks, feeding schedules and report cards will outgrow a booking tool quickly, and should check whether Paw Partner covers those jobs before committing. For a small daycare that only needs booking and payments, it is the right price. For a larger one, it is a starting point, not a destination.
6. ProPet
Starting price From 49.99 dollars a month. Best for Modular boarding, daycare and grooming. Watch out Modules add up, so price the full set before you commit.
ProPet is the modular pick, with a starting price of 49.99 dollars a month and modules for boarding, daycare, training and grooming that a facility adds only as it needs them. That pick and mix approach suits a business that grows in stages, because it can start with daycare and add boarding later without changing systems.
The strength is the module choice. A daycare that also grooms can add the grooming module when the grooming book fills, and a kennel that adds training can add that module without a new contract. The facility pays for the workflows it runs, not for the ones it might run one day.
The catch is the total. A facility that turns on three modules pays more than the 49.99 dollar headline, and a buyer should price the modules it will actually use. Compare that total against Gingr Play at 142 dollars a month billed annually, and the modular saving may be smaller than it looks.
7. Kennel Link
Starting price From 60 dollars a month. Best for Kennel and daycare with a free trial. Watch out The middle price needs a trial to prove the workflow fits your facility.
Kennel Link sits in the middle of this list at 60 dollars a month, with a free trial that makes it easy to test before committing. That trial is the reason to look at it, because a kennel tool is hard to judge from a homepage and easy to judge from a real week of bookings.
The strength is the kennel workflow. Boarding and daycare bookings, client records and payments sit together, so a facility that boards and daycares can run both from one system without paying for a grooming suite it does not use. The free trial lets the team test the check in flow with real dogs before paying.
The catch is that the middle price is only a middle price if the workflow fits. A buyer should run the trial with a full week, including a busy Saturday, a vaccine expiry and a late pickup, and check whether the tool handles all three without a workaround. If it does, the price is fair. If it does not, the trial has saved a subscription.
8. PawLoyalty
Starting price From 70 dollars a month. Best for Loyalty and repeat bookings. Watch out Loyalty only pays if clients actually return, so check the repeat rate first.
PawLoyalty is the loyalty pick, at 70 dollars a month, built around repeat bookings and client retention. A daycare that lives on regulars needs software that rewards them, reminds them and makes rebooking easy, because a regular dog is worth far more than a one off booking.
The strength is the retention loop. Loyalty, repeat bookings and client messaging work together, so a dog that comes every Tuesday gets booked, reminded and rewarded without the front desk chasing it. That loop is what turns a busy daycare into a stable one, with a diary that fills itself weeks ahead.
The catch is the maths. Loyalty software only pays if the daycare already has repeat clients to retain, and a new daycare with mostly one off bookings will see less return. Check the repeat rate before buying, and trial the rebooking flow with the regulars who already come every week.
Side by Side Comparison
The table below puts the shortlist side by side on price, best job and free plan, so you can compare the published prices against each other at a glance.
| Tool | Starting price | Best for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gingr | Play 169 dollars a month, 142 dollars annual | Daycare, boarding and grooming | Demo only |
| PetExec | From 105 dollars a month | Deep customisation | No |
| DaySmart Pet | Basic from 29 dollars a month | Single location on a budget | No |
| MoeGo | Mobile starter from 49 dollars a month | Mobile first grooming | No |
| Paw Partner | From 19.99 dollars a month | Cheapest booking and payments | No |
| ProPet | From 49.99 dollars a month | Modular boarding and daycare | No |
| Kennel Link | From 60 dollars a month | Kennel and daycare with trial | Free trial |
| PawLoyalty | From 70 dollars a month | Loyalty and repeat bookings | No |
How to Pick the Right Tool from the Best Software for Dog Daycare
The right pick starts from the job that loses the daycare the most money, not from the longest feature list. A multi service facility with boarding, daycare and grooming should buy Gingr, because one system for the whole operation removes the double entry that slows a busy morning. A boarding facility with a specific workflow should buy PetExec, because customisation decides whether the team actually uses the tool. A small daycare on a tight budget should buy DaySmart Pet or Paw Partner, because the booking and payment flow is the job that matters most.
Budget the full bill, not the headline price. The table below shows what a small daycare actually pays in year one for the most common combinations, using published starting prices. SMS add ons, daycare calendars and per location fees are the lines that surprise buyers, so ask for them in writing before you sign.
| Stack for one daycare | Monthly cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Gingr Play, annual | 142 dollars | Day bookings, capacity limits and report cards |
| PetExec | From 105 dollars | Custom boarding and daycare workflows |
| DaySmart Pet plus daycare calendar | About 54 dollars | Booking, payments and daycare calendar |
| MoeGo Mobile starter | From 49 dollars | Mobile grooming and appointments |
| Paw Partner | 19.99 dollars | Booking, payments and client records |
Setting Up Your Daycare Software in the First Week
The first week decides whether the team uses the new system or quietly returns to paper, so treat setup as a project with a deadline rather than a task to fit around the dogs. Start by importing the client list and the pet records, with vaccine dates, temperament notes, feeding instructions and emergency contacts checked line by line. A record imported with a wrong vaccine date will block a booking on the first busy morning, and the front desk will lose trust in the system before lunch. Spend an afternoon on the import, and check ten records by hand against the paper files before you move on.
Next, build the playgroups as they actually run, not as the software defaults suggest. Name each group by size, energy and temperament, set the capacity for each one, and assign the regular dogs to the group they already play in. A group that is set to twenty dogs when the room holds twelve will overbook on the first Saturday, so walk the room, count the space and set the cap to the number the staff can actually supervise. Add the staff rota beside the groups, so the morning team can see who is on which group before the first dog arrives.
Then set up the money side, with packages, day rates, late pickup fees and cancellation terms entered exactly as they are charged today. A package that is priced wrong in the system will be charged wrong at pickup, and the owner will notice before the staff do. Test the full flow with a real booking, from online request to check in, report card and payment, and fix every gap while the old sign in sheet is still beside the desk. A test that covers one regular dog, one new dog and one late pickup will catch most of the problems that a demo never shows.
Train the team in the room where they work, not in the office. Show the yard team how to check a dog in, how to move a dog between groups and how to send a report card from a phone. Show the front desk how to take a payment, how to block a booking with an expired vaccine and how to find a client record in under ten seconds. A team that can do those five jobs without asking for help will use the system every day. A team that cannot will return to paper by Friday.
Finally, tell the clients what has changed and why it helps them. A short message explaining online booking, vaccine reminders and photo report cards will bring the regulars onto the new flow without a phone call each time. Offer the first online booking as the easy option, and keep the phone line open for the clients who prefer it. The switch works when the clients see the benefit, not when the software is installed, and that usually takes a full week of steady use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest good dog daycare software to start with
Paw Partner at 19.99 dollars a month is the cheapest published entry with real booking and payments behind it, and it needs no sales call to price. DaySmart Pet Basic at 29 dollars a month is the cheapest way into a proper appointment flow with reminders, though the daycare calendar costs 25 dollars a month extra. For a full facility system, Gingr Play at 142 dollars a month billed annually is the cheapest published facility price on this list. Start with the job that loses you the most money, not with the cheapest tool overall.
Why does Gingr cost more than the other tools
Gingr costs more because it covers more jobs in one system, with boarding, daycare, grooming, training and retail point of sale together, plus a kennel grid, PreCheck and a long list of integrations. A facility that uses all of those jobs pays less for Gingr than for five separate tools, while a daycare only shop pays for depth it never opens. The best software for dog daycare in this guide lists the price beside the job, so you can see whether the depth is worth the bill for your own facility.
Which dog daycare software is best for a small daycare
DaySmart Pet suits a small daycare that books by appointment and wants a low monthly bill, with Basic from 29 dollars a month and a daycare calendar as a 25 dollar add on. Paw Partner suits a small daycare that only needs booking, payments and client records at 19.99 dollars a month. Gingr Play suits a small daycare that also boards or grooms and wants one system for the whole operation. Trial the playgroup capacity with real dogs before you sign, because a booking tool that ignores capacity will cost more than the subscription saves.
How much should a small daycare budget for software in year one
A realistic year one budget is 20 to 55 dollars a month for a booking tool, and 105 to 169 dollars a month once you move to a full facility system. SMS add ons, setup fees and per location charges sit on top of the subscription, and Gingr charges SMS separately. The best software for dog daycare is not the cheapest one on the list. It is the one that caps playgroups safely, checks vaccines before arrival and sends report cards home without the front desk writing them by hand.
How long does it take to switch to new daycare software?
Plan for a full week of steady use before the switch feels normal, and keep the old sign in sheet beside the new system for the first month. The best software for dog daycare in this guide is worth trialling with real dogs, so test the full flow with a real booking, from online request to check in, report card and payment, and fix every gap while the old sheet is still beside the desk.
A test that covers one regular dog, one new dog and one late pickup will catch most of the problems that a demo never shows. Train the team in the room where they work, and tell the clients what has changed, because the switch works when the clients see the benefit, not when the software is installed.
Our Verdict
If you buy one tool this quarter, buy Gingr Play. At 142 dollars a month billed annually, it covers the three jobs a daycare feels every day, day bookings with capacity limits, vaccine checks and report cards, in one system that also handles boarding and grooming when the business grows. The best software for dog daycare earns its keep by keeping playgroups safe and clients informed, and Gingr does both from the first week, whether the win is a vaccine expiry caught before arrival or a report card that brings a client back next Tuesday.
Whatever you pick, start with the leak, trial the playgroup capacity with real dogs, and keep the old sign in sheet beside the new system for the first month. The best software for dog daycare on this list all work. The difference is whether the tool matches the job your daycare actually needs done, and whether you measure the return in safe playgroups and returning clients rather than in features used.