Updated March 2026

Same free tier. But we also answer your phone. Same price range.

Scritches and HeyDogWalker both start free for up to 5 clients. Both have paid plans in the $15–35/mo range. The difference? HeyDogWalker includes a 24/7 AI receptionist that answers calls while you walk dogs.

Try HeyDogWalker Free — 14-Day Pro Trial →
No credit card needed · Free tier available forever

The Real Pricing Breakdown

Scritches has 4 tiers. HeyDogWalker keeps it simple with 2. Here’s how they stack up.

Plan Tier Scritches HeyDogWalker
Free tier Free (5 clients) Free (5 clients + AI)
Solo basics Solo $15/mo Pro $29/mo (with AI)
Full-featured solo Solo Pro $35/mo Pro $29/mo (with AI)
Team plan Growth $51/mo + $12/staff Pro $29/mo flat
Per-staff charges $12/mo per person $0
AI receptionist ✗ Not available ✓ Included on all plans

Solo Pro comparison: Scritches $35/mo vs HeyDogWalker $29/mo — you save $72/year and get AI included. Team of 3? Scritches Growth: $87/mo ($1,044/yr). HeyDogWalker: $29/mo ($348/yr). You save $696/year.

Scritches pricing from scritches.com/pricing — verified March 25, 2026.

You save $72/year switching from Scritches Solo Pro to HeyDogWalker Pro. Plus you get an AI receptionist that would cost $99–149/mo separately. That’s $1,260+ in total annual value.

Feature-by-Feature Breakdown

Every feature that matters — Scritches vs HeyDogWalker, side by side.

Feature HeyDogWalker Scritches
📞 AI Features (The Big Difference)
AI receptionist (answers phone calls 24/7) ✓ Included
AI text message responses ✓ Included
AI chat widget on booking page ✓ Included
Google review automation ✓ Included
Marketing automation ✓ Included
📅 Scheduling & Booking
Online booking page
No account required for clients
Scheduling calendar
Recurring bookings
Overnight/multi-day bookings
Automated reminders ✓ (via AI)
Mobile app Coming Soon
💰 Payments & Invoicing
Stripe payments
Invoicing
Multi-dog pricing
Recurring billing
🐕 Client & Pet Management
Client profiles
Pet profiles (feeding, meds, vet info)
Digital service agreements Coming Soon
Intake forms Coming Soon
Trip summaries Coming Soon
🗺 Walk Tracking
GPS walk tracking Coming Soon
Visit report cards with photos Coming Soon ✓ (Trip summaries)
📊 Business Growth
AI receptionist (never miss a call)
Google review requests (automated)
Marketing automation
SEO-optimized booking page
💰 Pricing
Free tier ✓ 5 clients + AI ✓ 5 clients
Solo plan $29/mo (all features + AI) Solo $15/mo · Solo Pro $35/mo
Team plan $29/mo flat $51/mo + $12/staff
AI included ✓ All plans ✗ Not available

Scritches has zero AI features. Every call, text, and inquiry requires your manual response. HeyDogWalker’s AI handles it while you’re mid-walk with three dogs.

Try the AI receptionist Scritches doesn’t offer — free for 14 days

Same scheduling features. Same price range. But only HeyDogWalker answers your phone while you walk dogs. No credit card required.

Try HeyDogWalker Free — 14-Day Pro Trial →

What You Save in a Year

Solo Pro Comparison
Scritches Solo Pro $35/mo × 12 = $420/yr
HeyDogWalker Pro $29/mo × 12 = $348/yr
Direct savings $72/yr
Team of 3 Comparison
Scritches Growth (3 staff) $51 + $36 = $87/mo ($1,044/yr)
HeyDogWalker Pro (flat) $29/mo ($348/yr)
Team savings $696/yr
AI Receptionist Value (included free)
Comparable answering service $99/mo × 12 = $1,188/yr
Your cost with HeyDogWalker $0 extra
Total first-year value (solo) $1,260+

What We’ll Tell You Straight

What Scritches Does Well

  • Clean, modern UI that’s easy to learn
  • Strong free tier for getting started
  • Digital service agreements and intake forms
  • Mobile app for on-the-go management
  • Trip summaries after each visit
  • Active founder who listens to feedback

What HeyDogWalker Does Better

  • AI receptionist that answers calls 24/7
  • $6/mo cheaper vs Solo Pro (or $696/yr for teams)
  • No per-staff charges (Scritches: $12/mo per person)
  • Google review automation to grow your reputation
  • Marketing tools to help you get new clients
  • Your phone gets answered even mid-walk

Who Should Stay with Scritches

If you’re a solo sitter who never misses calls, needs digital service agreements today, loves the Scritches mobile app, and doesn’t need AI — Scritches is a solid tool. Their $15/mo Solo plan is a great value for basic scheduling.

Who Should Switch to HeyDogWalker

If you miss calls during walks, want help growing your business through reviews and marketing, and would rather pay the same price range but get AI included — HeyDogWalker was built for exactly that.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does HeyDogWalker pricing compare to Scritches?

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Both have free tiers for up to 5 clients. HeyDogWalker Pro is $29/mo. Scritches has Solo ($15/mo) and Solo Pro ($35/mo). For the full-featured comparison, you save $72/year with HeyDogWalker and get an AI receptionist that Scritches doesn’t offer. For teams, HeyDogWalker is $29/mo flat vs Scritches Growth at $51/mo + $12/staff.

Does Scritches have any AI features?

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No. As of March 2026, Scritches has zero AI features. No AI phone answering, no AI text responses, no automated marketing. Every inquiry requires your manual response. HeyDogWalker includes a 24/7 AI receptionist on all plans including the free tier.

What features does Scritches have that HeyDogWalker doesn’t?

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Scritches currently has digital service agreements, intake forms, trip summaries, and a mobile app that we’re still building. Everything else — booking, scheduling, payments, client management — both platforms cover. HeyDogWalker adds AI receptionist, Google review automation, and marketing tools that Scritches doesn’t have.

Can I try HeyDogWalker before switching from Scritches?

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Absolutely. Start a free trial (no credit card needed) and run both side-by-side for 14 days. Switch when you’re comfortable. Both platforms are month-to-month with no cancellation penalties.

Is there a free plan?

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Yes. Both HeyDogWalker and Scritches offer free tiers for up to 5 clients. The key difference: HeyDogWalker’s free tier includes AI receptionist features. Scritches’ free tier is basic scheduling only.

Same free tier. Same price range.
But only one answers your phone.

Start your free trial. No credit card. 14 days of full Pro features including AI receptionist.

Try HeyDogWalker Free — 14-Day Pro Trial →
14-day Pro trial · No credit card needed · Free tier available forever