Updated March 2026

HeyDogWalker vs Time To Pet vs Scout vs Rover

Walking AND sitting, side by side. One platform has an AI receptionist, handles both walks and sitting visits, and charges zero commission. The others are calendars or marketplaces that take a cut. Here’s the full breakdown.

Not another scheduling app. Not another marketplace.

Time To Pet, Scout, and Scritches are scheduling tools — they organize walks you already have. Rover takes 20-38% of every booking. HeyDogWalker is an AI business partner that answers calls, books walks and sitting visits, and grows your business — zero commission.

That’s a different category entirely.

Scheduling Tools

Time To Pet · Scout · Scritches

Organize existing bookings, send invoices, manage calendars

Marketplace (takes a cut)

Rover · Wag

Brings clients but takes 20-38% commission on every booking

AI Business Partner — Walking & Sitting

HeyDogWalker

AI answers calls, books walks & sitting visits, zero commission, you own every client

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Every feature that matters for running a dog walking and pet sitting business.

Feature HeyDogWalker Time To Pet Scout Scritches Rover/Wag
🤖 AI Features (only HeyDogWalker)
AI Call/Text Answering
AI Chat on Booking Pages
Consumer Directory
🏠 Dog Sitting & Overnight Care
Dog Sitting Bookings
Multi-Day Calendar
Overnight Bookings
Pet Care Instructions
Commission Rate 0% 0% 0% 0% 20-38%
📅 Core Scheduling & CRM
Online Booking Page
Scheduling / Calendar
Client CRM
Recurring Bookings
Automated Reminders
You Own Your Clients
🚀 Advanced
GPS Walk Tracking Coming Soon
Mobile App Coming Soon

The only platform with AI receptionist + walking & sitting — zero commission

Stop missing calls while you’re on walks or sitting visits. HeyDogWalker answers every inquiry 24/7, books both services, and keeps 100% of your revenue.

Start Your Free Trial →

Pricing Breakdown

What you actually pay — and what you actually get.

Scheduling Only

Time To Pet

$25–130/mo

Scheduling & team management

  • Staff scheduling & routes
  • Client portal & invoicing
  • GPS tracking & mobile app
  • Report cards with photos
Scheduling Only

Scout

$25/mo+

Modern scheduling for pet care

  • Scheduling & automated billing
  • GPS tracking & mobile app
  • Custom-branded booking page
  • Report cards
Scheduling + Separate AI

DIY: Scheduling + AI Receptionist

$104–630/mo

Two subscriptions, double the headache

  • $25-130/mo for Time To Pet or Scout
  • $79-500/mo for FetchDesk, My AI Front Desk, etc.
  • Two dashboards to manage
  • No integration between tools

Save $500+/mo vs. hiring a virtual assistant

A human VA to answer calls costs $800-1,500/mo. A separate AI receptionist costs $79-500/mo. HeyDogWalker starts free (up to 5 clients) and just $29/mo for unlimited — and it schedules walks too.

Walking + sitting + AI receptionist for less than Rover’s commission

Start free with up to 5 clients. Paid plans from $29/mo — less than one month of Rover’s 20-38% commission. Keep 100% of your revenue, manage walks and sitting from one dashboard.

Save $500+/mo vs. Hiring a VA →

Head-to-Head Breakdowns

HeyDogWalker vs Time To Pet

AI business partner vs. industry-standard scheduler

Time To Pet is the most feature-rich scheduling platform for dog walkers, especially teams with 5+ staff. Deep staff management, route optimization, GPS tracking, and a polished mobile app.

HeyDogWalker matches core scheduling features and adds what Time To Pet can’t: an AI receptionist that answers calls and texts 24/7, AI chat on booking pages, and a consumer directory that brings new clients to you.

If you’re a solo walker or small team focused on growth, HeyDogWalker is the better investment. If you manage 5+ staff and need advanced route planning, Time To Pet is mature software.

Bottom line: Time To Pet organizes the clients you have. HeyDogWalker gets you more of them — and organizes them too.

HeyDogWalker vs Scout

AI business partner vs. modern scheduler

Scout is a clean, modern scheduling tool with automated billing, GPS tracking, and a slick mobile app. Great for walkers who want a polished look.

HeyDogWalker offers everything Scout does for scheduling, plus an AI receptionist that answers calls, an AI chatbot on your booking page, and directory listings that drive organic discovery.

Bottom line: Scout is a good calendar. HeyDogWalker is a good calendar with an AI employee built in.

HeyDogWalker vs Scritches

AI business partner vs. budget scheduler

Scritches is the most affordable option with a free tier. It covers basic scheduling, invoicing, and client management for solo walkers on a tight budget. No sitting support.

HeyDogWalker costs more ($29/mo vs. free-$15/mo) but the difference pays for itself after one captured client. Scritches has no sitting bookings, no automated reminders, no GPS tracking, no mobile app, and no AI features of any kind.

Bottom line: Scritches is fine if you only do walks and don’t need to grow. HeyDogWalker is for walkers and sitters who want to build a real business.

HeyDogWalker vs Rover / Wag

Your business vs. their marketplace

Rover brings clients to you — then takes 20-38% of every booking. You don’t own the client relationship. If you leave Rover, your reviews and clients stay on their platform. Wag is similar, with 40% commission on walks.

HeyDogWalker charges a flat $29/mo with zero commission. You own every client, every review, every relationship. The AI receptionist answers calls and books both walks and sitting visits — you keep 100% of the revenue.

On just $500/mo in sitting revenue, Rover takes $100-190. HeyDogWalker costs $29 flat. The math is simple.

Bottom line: Rover rents you clients. HeyDogWalker helps you build a business you actually own — walking and sitting, zero commission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is HeyDogWalker better than Time To Pet?

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It depends on your business. HeyDogWalker is better for solo walkers and small teams focused on growth — it includes an AI receptionist that answers calls 24/7, which no other platform offers. Time To Pet is better for larger teams (5+ staff) who need deep scheduling, route planning, and staff management features. Both handle core scheduling well.

Why is HeyDogWalker more expensive than Time To Pet’s base plan?

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HeyDogWalker’s $29/mo includes an AI receptionist that would cost $79-500/mo as a standalone product (FetchDesk, My AI Front Desk, etc). So you’re actually getting scheduling + AI receptionist for less than the cost of scheduling + a separate AI tool, which would run $104-630/mo combined.

What features does HeyDogWalker have that others don’t?

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Four things set HeyDogWalker apart: (1) AI call/text answering that handles client inquiries 24/7, (2) AI chat on booking pages that helps clients self-serve, (3) a consumer directory that brings new clients to you, and (4) walking + sitting management with zero commission — unlike Rover’s 20-38% cut. No other platform combines all of these.

Can I switch from Time To Pet or Scout?

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Yes. Set up HeyDogWalker in under 5 minutes and run it alongside your current tool for a week. Once you’re confident, cancel the old subscription. Your clients won’t notice any disruption — they just get a better booking experience with AI chat support.

Does HeyDogWalker have GPS tracking and a mobile app?

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GPS walk tracking and a native mobile app are coming soon. If GPS tracking is a dealbreaker today, Time To Pet or Scout might be better short-term. But if capturing more clients matters more than tracking walks, HeyDogWalker’s AI receptionist delivers significantly more ROI.

How does HeyDogWalker compare to Rover for dog sitting?

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Rover is a marketplace — it brings clients but takes 20-38% of every booking. You don’t own the client relationship, and your reviews live on their platform. HeyDogWalker charges a flat $29/mo with zero commission. You manage walks and sitting visits from one dashboard, keep 100% of revenue, and own every client relationship. On $500/mo in sitting revenue, you save $100-190/mo versus Rover.

Can HeyDogWalker handle overnight and multi-day sitting bookings?

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Yes. HeyDogWalker supports multi-day sitting calendars, overnight bookings, and detailed pet care instructions (feeding schedules, medications, emergency contacts, behavior notes). The AI receptionist can answer sitting inquiries, quote overnight rates, and book multi-day stays — all automatically.

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They organize walks. They take a cut.
HeyDogWalker does both — for less.

Scheduling tools organize. Marketplaces take 20-38%. HeyDogWalker answers calls, books walks and sitting visits, grows your client base, and charges zero commission. The $29/mo pays for itself after one saved booking.

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