How To Choose The Best Pet Food Subscription Brand
It’s not a secret that dogs and cats love meat, nor is it an unknown fact that their original diets were wild, and they, themselves, were hunters. Though pets have become more reliant on their owners for food, they still hunt when given the chance—it’s in their DNA.
Traditional pet food has strayed quite far from animals’ original diets. Today, a lot of what you’ll find in shops resembles something more like wood chips than real nutritious food.
Pet food subscription brands emerged from the dark place of under-nourished and overweight pets, serving as a solution to help them become the energetic creatures they naturally are.
Almost every single brand on this best pet food subscription list was launched in the last ten years, and it’s not a stretch to say that in the last five, the market has exploded. Many of the stories of brands you’ll read here started at a time where no nourishing pet food options existed—and we’re talking just a few years back.
Offering balanced, simple formulas in a number of smart formats (freeze-dried kibble, fresh human-grade mixes, and mineral-packed broths), pet food subscription companies give customers and their pets options. Considering not every dog or cat enjoys the same tastes and textures, this variety is extremely valuable.
This best pet food subscription brands list will introduce you to our top 10 picks for the leading brands on the market. We’ll fill you in on how they got started and what they offer to help you decide if one, or perhaps a few, are worth your attention.
How To Choose The Best Pet Food Subscription?
The brands on this Best Pet Food Subscription list are all very different. When deciding which one fits your pet’s needs and your time schedule, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind.
First and foremost, you’ll need to choose one that actually caters to the type of animal(s) you have. Some of the names on this best pet food subscription list are just for dogs, serve cats only, or dish out meals for both.
Certain brands require you to fill out a little quiz before starting. If you’re looking for customization and recommendations, those may be the ones you find yourself gravitating to.
The quizzes will ask things like your pet’s breed, weight, and age. These are usually the brands that offer a variation in formats (wet, dry, supplements, etc.) to make sure your pet is getting the nutrition they need.
You’ll also find that some of the brands on this best pet food subscription list offer unique formulas. Some are completely grain-free and most are soy-free, some make dry kibble only, while others specialize in fresh wet food, or perhaps even raw.
And though you can guarantee that the names on this list make food that is higher quality than grocery store brands, certain ones will use cage-free, hormone-free, and local meat, and some, even organic veggies.
If you’ve been feeding your pet traditional low-quality food, there’s a chance they may turn their nose up at the fresh kind.
Seems crazy that a dog wouldn’t like ground chicken or a cat wouldn’t devour a plate of salmon, but sometimes, it happens. Certain brands offer a money-back guarantee that promises a full refund if your pet isn’t enjoying their new food, while others don’t. If this is important to you, keep this in mind in your search.
10 Best Pet Food Subscription Brands
Now that you know what to look out for, let’s jump right into our top 10 picks for the best pet food subscription brands, starting with The Farmer’s Dog.
1. The Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog takes a natural approach to dog food, reconnecting your pup with the wholesome foods of the earth to help them thrive and live a long and happy life. Founded in 2014 by Brett Podolsky and Jonathan Yoni Regev, the brand turns its “unconditional love for dogs into uncomplicated care.”
Frustrated with the unhealthy processed options on the market and with a puppy that struggled with digestive issues, Brett teamed up with Jonathan and the two began preparing fresh meals in their own kitchen.
After joining up with a pet nutritionist and refining their recipes, The Farmer’s Dog was born, offering human-grade, simple pet food that’s properly balanced for your pup. Today, the NYC-based brand employs over 300 people and offers fresh meat and veggie meals.
Plans start at around $2/day but keep in mind your actual price will vary based on the size, breed, and age of your pup. To get a more accurate quote, take the quick questionnaire.
Looking around the web, pet owners express gratitude for this nutrient-based brand that ultimately helps them save on vet bills each year.
2. Savage Cat Food
If you can’t tell by the name, Savage Cat Food is just for cats and it’s all about feeding them their original diet. Think of it as the paleo diet of the cat food world.
With the mission to “increase your cat’s health and longevity by feeding a raw prey-based diet,” the brand was started out of California by Joseph Abraham in 2016. The brand’s website tells us that a primal cat’s diet is wet—not dry. And though wet cat food is a good start, it doesn’t contain the right digestive enzymes, bones, and organs that felines would traditionally eat.
When you feed your cat a proper diet, you should notice less waste and smell, a shinier coat, and better tooth health.
The ingredients used are extremely wholesome, including whole chicken meat, hearts, livers, and even ground bone, along with salmon oil for coat health, psyllium husk for fiber, and taurine. You won’t find a single trace of soy, corn, or grains in Savage Cat Food, which sources its meats directly from California farms.
With the option to buy individual packs or boxed memberships, you’ll need to complete a quiz to find out exactly how much to order each 4-8 weeks. Of course, how much you feed your cat depends on their unique needs, but a 3 oz can costs well under $3 each when you buy a pack of 28.
What sets this brand apart from every other cat food company on the market is its ingredients. You’ll actually see the real chunks of muscle in its formulas, and even though the ingredient list may look a little scary to you (pancreas, anyone?), it’s exactly what your cat needs. And that’s precisely why cat owners love it so much.
3. Ollie
Ollie has a classy restaurant kind of vibe, serving up fancy feasts that include upscale ingredients like quinoa and are made from 100% real foods.
The brand was founded by Alex Douzet, Gabby Slome, and Randy Jimenez in 2015 to “give your pup the exact nutrients they need at every stage of life.” The company’s customized feeding plans take into account the age and size of your dog, delivering fresh food right to your door.
At each delivery, you’ll receive two weeks’ worth of food packs to be placed in the freezer until you’re ready to serve them. Your order will also come with a customized feeding guide to show you how to transition them onto Ollie food and how much they should get at each mealtime.
Related: Read our full Ollie Dog Food Review for more information.
Ollie offers four different fresh food recipes, Beef, Chicken, Turkey, and Lamb, all of which include whole foods like sweet potato, peas, organs, vitamins, and essential fatty acids. Oh, and of course, a healthy serving of real meat.
A medium-sized dog will receive 14 packs of food (7 per week) at $62/week. Your first order will also contain a free puptainer to serve it up in and scooper.
Human-grade food with no filler whatsoever, Ollie is loved for its transparent approach and nutritionist-designed recipes.
4. Primal Pet Foods
Primal Pet Foods was launched quickly in 2001 after founder Matt Koss learned that his pup had early signs of renal failure. Consulting a holistic veterinarian who told Matt to swap her diet to raw food and bones, he sprung into action and watched her condition improve.
The brand takes a holistic, also known as BARF (biologically appropriate raw food) approach to dog and cat food with ingredients, but puts a modern, digestible spin on it. The company’s collection includes canned, kibble, raw, and broths to ensure all pet’s needs and preferences are met.
Each recipe is packed with humanely-raised whole muscle meat, organic produce, and food-based vitamins and minerals.
Primal Pet Food isn’t available for purchase directly from the brand’s website, but it has a helpful tool that connects you with a selection of shops in your area that do. You can shop a la carte or try the Bowl Builder to check out all of the different ways to nourish your pet completely.
Primal Pet Foods offer four different formats of their dog formulas: Raw Frozen Pronto, Freeze-dried Nugget, Raw Frozen Nuggets, Raw Frozen Patties. The first three are offered for cats as well.
As for the price, you’re looking at about $12-$15 per 14 oz bag, regardless of whether you need dog or cat food.
This brand isn’t technically subscription-based. You’ll need to visit stores or shop online each month, but you may come across some retailers who offer auto-ship programs.
Designed to support whole-system health, Primal Pet Foods are highly rated by customers—4.7/5 stars by 688 pet owners on Amazon—who, in general, report excited dogs and easy-to-serve food.
5. Jinx
Jinx believes in the traditional diet. But, it knows that over the years, dogs have evolved, meaning their diets have, too.
The brand was created in 2020 by Terri Rockovich, Michael Kim, and Sameer Mehta as a way to offer a more affordable, healthy option than fresh pet food, but one that contained the same levels of nutrients.
Designing recipes that balance lean, premium meats with plant-based superfoods like kale and chia, along with helpful extras like probiotics, the brand works in tandem with pet nutritionists. All of its recipes are vet-approved.
Related: To learn more read the full Jinx Dog Food Review.
Among its four kibble recipes, you’ll find simple, whole-food ingredients. Jinx serves up chicken and salmon dishes only, but you have the option of adding omega-3 and six toppers to pump up their essential fatty acid levels.
Pet owners say that their dogs gobble up the food with glee and appreciate the clean ingredients that go into each recipe. Some dogs prefer kibble over wet food, so Jinx is a great option for those who want to give their pups the kind of food they want, but ensure they’re getting the nutrients their bodies need.
Offering a 4 lb bag of kibble for $18, you can also pick up a 3 oz bag of freeze-dried topper for $9. Ship-out options are every 3-8 weeks, but if you prefer, you can purchase Jinx as a one-off thing.
6. Chewy
Perhaps the most well-known name on this best pet food subscription list, it’s maybe the only one that’s got a TV commercial. Chewy specializes in all things pets—and that includes supplies and food for cats, dogs, horses, lizards, and even birds.
Founded in 2011 by Ryan Cohen and Michael Day, the Florida-based brand was acquired by PetSmart in 2017, but its mission hasn’t changed… “to be the most trusted and convenient online destination for pet parents (and partners), everywhere.”
Promising stellar prices and over 2k brands, you’ll find nutritious, balanced pet foods in its selection, as well as other, more affordable options. In addition to supplies, Chewy’s support team is around 24/7 to help you shop and answer questions, and every order is backed by a 100% Unconditional Satisfaction Guarantee Policy.
With other 18k team members, 17 locations, and 7 million square feet of warehouse space, the brand believes in always staying in stock so that you can get your order as fast as possible.
Chewy has the most variation and largest selection of brands on this best pet food subscription list, meaning you can try out different foods and formulas and feel confident that you’re getting one of the lowest prices available.
Offering auto-ship options for its pet food, 30 lb dry dog food bags range from around $50-$60. That’s less than half of what you’d pay with other subscription brands.
7. Spot and Tango
Spot & Tango got its start in 2013 with the mission to make “it easier for pet parents to keep their dogs happy and healthy.” With the belief that a happy pup starts with nutritious food, founder Russell Breuer developed a convenient and shelf-stable way for pet owners to increase joy, health, and longevity in their pups’ lives.
Offering Fresh ready-to-eat meals and UnKibble, the latter is what landed the brand on this best pet food subscription list and the reason for its success. Essentially freeze-dried munchable nuggets of human-grade food, UnKibble comes in three finger-licking recipes, like Duck & Salmon and Chicken & Brown Rice.
Related: For a full analysis read our full Spot and Tango Dog Food Review.
Its Fresh meals include Turkey & Red Quinoa, Beef & Millet, and Lamb & Brown Rice, and have a soft, real food-like texture packaged into pre-portioned bags.
Before you get started, Spot & Tango will ask that you take a quick quiz so that it can understand the needs of your dog.
The cost of your pup’s plan will vary based on their size, age, and activity level, but UnKibble plans start at just over $2/meal, while Fresh starts at $4/meal.
Pet owners love that the brand offers Fresh and UnKibble options to give their pup variety, but more so, the way they pack nutrition into a kibble format—something that wasn’t really done before Spot & Tango came to be.
8. Smalls
You can’t help but smile when looking at Smalls aesthetic. A smiling, agile, and well-fed cat graces the cover of its packaging and website, tossing up whole chickens or diving into small, perfectly cat-sized spaces.
With a design that’s silly yet sophisticated, Smalls captures the essence of cats while creating nutritionally balanced meals alongside pet nutritionist, Susan Lauren Ph.D. It serves up nutrition in Fresh Ground or Freeze-dried Kibble formats.
The brand, a joint effort of friends Matt Michaelson and Calvin Bohn, was launched in 2017 out of Minnesota, where their cat food is also made. Using USDA-certified and humanely and sustainably sourced ingredients, Smalls started as a home-cooked thing but has turned into one that’s served over one million meals.
The process is simple, “chop, steam, freeze, ship,” say the folks at Smalls. They also note that with proper nutrition your cat should have better and less stinky trips to the litter box, along with a shiner coat, brighter eyes, and more energy.
With satisfying wholesome meals and totally adorable branding, Smalls has received a ton of attention from popular publications like BuzzFeed, New York Magazine, and Business Insider. All three outlets agree that the brand’s meals are cat-approved and quickly devoured.
Tickled with the packaging and what’s inside, Smalls is one of our fav picks for the top pet food subscription brands around. Neatly packaged in 11.5 oz tubes, Ground recipes cost $9, while 12 oz bags of Kibble cost $30.
9. Crafted Kibble
Based in Florida, Crafted Kibble uses only USA-sourced ingredients in its dog food recipes. Offering four all-natural meals, Chef’s Chicken & Pea, Lavish Lamb & Pea, Tender Turkey & Lentils Light, and Savory Salmon & Peas, this brand is always grain-free, pre-portioned, and full of balanced nutrition for your dog.
The company was launched in 2016 by Jamie Mendal who put a personal and healthy spin on traditional kibble-based meals. His mission was to “educate pet parents about their dog’s unique nutritional needs to enrich the bond between human and canine.”
Proper nourishment leads to happier, healthier dogs, which means in the end, you’ll be happier too. After you give the details on your pup’s lifestyle and health, the brand will craft a plan and ship out its high-quality food along with a feeding card that tells you what’s in each recipe and how much to feed your dog each day.
The cost of your kibble depends on your unique dog. For a small dog that weighs 10 lbs, the cost of food is under $7/week.
The cost and locally sourced ingredients are what make this particular brand so popular, with a rating of 4.5/5 stars from 30 customers on Trustpilot.
What sets this company apart from the rest on this best pet food subscription list, is that it offers sample packs. Normally, pet food brands won’t do this. Crafted Kibble’s samples put it a step ahead for any pet owners unsure of how their pup will enjoy a new food.
10. Cat Person
One of the most noteworthy things about Cat Person, aside from its playful, colorful branding and high amounts of protein, is its transparency. Clearly noting the percentages of each ingredient group on the side of the box (no spectacles required), this straightforward brand gives pet owners a leg up when choosing cat food.
Cat Person is brand new, founded in 2020 by Lambert Wang and Jimmy Wu in an effort to get rid of all the yuckies normally found in cat food. Instead, pumping up the good stuff, like clean protein and wholesome mineral-packed broth.
In fact, the majority of what your cat will be eating in these meals is real meat. The second? Meat broth. You won’t find whole veggies in its formulations, which may be why cats love it so much and why this is one of our top picks for the best pet food subscription service on the market.
Instead, the brand supplements with vitamins and minerals to ensure your four-legged friends are getting the nutrition they need.
Offered in Pate, Shreds in Broth, and Dry Food formulas, Cat Person also makes tasty Treats to boost nutrition and let your cat know how much they’re loved. Flavors include all their favorites like Tuna, Duck & Chicken, and Mackerel & Bream.
All of the brand’s recipes are grain-free and low-carb, making sure your cats get enough of the protein they need to feel their best. Cat Person is highly rated across sites, with 334 Trustpilot users giving it a 4.6/5 star score.
Offered in meal plans and one-time purchases, the latter is sold in pre-portioned bundles of 5 x 2.75 oz easy-to-open cups for $7 or a 2lb resealable bag of Kibble for $11.
Want the subscription? There are a ton of options to choose from, but for the Wet & Dry Starter or Wet Starter, you’re looking at about $20 for two weeks of food.
How Does A Pet Food Subscription Work?
Signing up for a pet food subscription is usually as simple as a few clicks.
In some cases, certain services will have you take a short quiz to answer some questions about your pet. These questions get to know the breed, age, size, and activity level of your fluffy pal and are usually reserved for services that deal with dogs only.
After you’ve been recommended, or when you decide how much to feed your pet, you’ll get to choose which recipes you think they’d like. All set? The next step is to choose how often you’d like to receive shipments.
Since not everyone who uses a pet food subscription sticks to that specific brand’s food alone (some supplement fresh with store-bought dry or vice versa), delivery frequencies vary.
All you need to do now is input your address and billing information and your pet’s new food will be on its way!
Though some of the names on this best pet food subscription list deal with dry food only, which is a lot easier and less temperamental to transport, the majority of brands mentioned here offer fresh.
If that concerns you, it shouldn’t, as these companies take extra care to assure it arrives at your door still fresh, frozen, and tasty. Packing insulated boxes with ice packs or dry ice, as long as the food is still partially frozen when you receive it, it’s still ok for your pet to eat.
Why Use A Pet Food Subscription?
Have you ever come home and realized you forgot the pet food? Your little loving creature stares up at you with needy eyes and you shame yourself for being so selfish and forgetful. You quickly grab the keys, shut the door, and run out to stock up with whatever is at the nearest corner store.
Of course, what’s there isn’t top-notch stuff. You know this, but you’d rather your pet have a full tummy than go hungry for the sake of a quality meal.
Pet food subscriptions were born out of situations like this, as well as their new-age digital model. With most starting out in small home-based kitchens, you won’t find some of the best brands on the market stocked on the shelves of your local pet food store.
Instead, they deliver their nourishing dishes to your door at a schedule that fits your pet’s needs. Once you set up your plan, the right amount of food is delivered each week, two weeks, or month. There’s no extra fiddling, no surprise trips to the store, and always a reliable meal for your pet.
Choosing a pet food subscription means you’re getting more variety, more nourishing choices, and supporting modern brands that put your pet’s health first.
Taking into account your pet’s allergies, size, and activity level, many subscription brands tailor your order to their needs. You can be sure they’re getting a daily meal that’s actually designed for their health, not one stuffed with by-products and fillers.
Pet food subscription services have the reputation for being a little more costly than the stuff you’d find at your corner shop, but once you see how the food they eat can transform your pet, the few extra bucks are totally worth it. Being that the delivery fees are often included in the price, you may even save a little on gas each month.
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