Dog food subscription services can offer you affordable dog food with the convenience of at-home delivery. But with all of the options currently on the market, which services will offer you the type of experience you and your pup are looking for? 

 

Arguably two of the top companies in this space are Pet Plate and Ollie. Many take to the internet in an effort to discover which one out of the two is the right fit for them, but not all reviews will provide you with the necessary information needed to successfully make a decision. If you are trying to decide between Pet Plate or Ollie, let’s take a closer look at each service, what they have to offer, and which will give you exactly what you’re looking for. 

Pet Plate Vs. Ollie

Pet Plate: Fresh Dog Food Delivered

Pet Plate is a dog food subscription service that was founded in 2015. Offering several different meal plans based on your pup’s age, weight, and health status, Pet Plate makes it simple to feed your dog the high high-quality food that it needs to thrive. But as only one of the contenders in this industry, what does your subscription get you, and can it compete with similar services like Ollie that you may be looking at? Let’s dive in!

The Sign-Up Process

Pet Plate offers a similar sign-up process to Ollie. Upon creating your account, you will be asked questions about your pet like their age, breed, sex, activity level, weight, and build to better help determine what the best meal plan will be for your pup. You will then be brought over to the meals, which will tell you more about what your dog will receive in each nutritional dish and how much of each you should get based on you and your dog’s needs. Then, all you have to do is confirm your subscription and pay for your first subscription box! Overall, the sign-up process for Pet Plate is quick and seamless. 

Dog Food Meal Options 

Much like it is with Ollie, dog owners have four different meal options to choose from when they are creating their ideal meal plan. These food options include: 

 

  • Chompin’ Chicken: Chompin’ Chicken is a delicious recipe featuring ingredients like sweet potatoes, apples, chicken livers, butternut squash, and broccoli that is designed to improve digestion, provide your dog with more energy, and help them maintain the ideal weight. 
  • Barkin’ Beef: Is your dog a beef lover? Barkin’ Beef is jam-packed with human-grade ingredients like beef liver, carrots, apples, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green peas, and pumpkin, all of which serve to make your pup happier and healthier. 
  • Tail Waggin’ Turkey: You will have to resist diving into this dish as Tail Waggin’ Turkey features brown rice, turkey liver, pumpkin, carrots, and apples, making for a filling, satisfying meal right in your dog’s bowl. 
  • Lip Lickin’ Lamb: Lip Lickin’ Lamb delivers on its promise and separates itself from the other meal plan options with a succulent combination of lamb liver, quinoa, sweet potatoes, apples, and broccoli. 

 

Choosing to use Pet Plate for your dog food needs means getting access to all-natural ingredients, food that is cooked in a USDA facility, and a personalized food plan that has been designed by a pet nutritionist. If you choose to use Pet Plate, you and your dog are going to be in good hands. 

How Much Does Pet Plate Cost? 

As it is with most dog food subscription services, the price of the meals offered by Pet Plate will depend upon several factors, which all are influenced by your pup. That said, they do state the baseline price on their website, offering this: 

 

“Our Full Meal Plans start at $2.50/day and include free shipping. Each dog is different, and full-meal pricing will depend on a variety of factors including age, weight, activity, and more. Because we deliver the food right to your door, you can be sure that your dollars are going towards the highest quality ingredients, not to the mark-ups of a big retail store. To determine your exact costs, simply fill out your pup’s profile!

 

We also offer Topper meal plans with smaller amounts of our food, so you can decide how much you want to spend based on how much Pet Plate you want to feed your pup.” 

 

What is a Topper Plan? 

 

“Our topper plans are perfect for pet parents who want more flexibility or want to mix Pet Plate with another type of food. Our topper plans allow you to choose the amount of food and delivery frequency to substantially lower the cost per day for your pup to enjoy a fresh-cooked diet. Unsure about switching your pup’s food? Start with trying out a topper plan!”

 

Whether you’re looking to make Pet Plate your go-to service or simply want to add a healthier food option to your store-bought food, they have flexible plans available for all of your needs. 

How Does Shipping and Preparation Work? 

Since you are feeding your dog fresh, pre-prepared food, it is important that you use a service that takes great care to make sure these items don’t spoil on their way to your home. 

 

Pet Plate packages their dog food in refrigerated, carefully insulated boxes filled with dry ice so that your goods can stay fresh for up to five days in transit. This ensures that your food remains frozen and doesn’t have the potential to perish once it reaches your doorstep. They have also taken extra precautions by producing more eco-friendly, secure packaging so that your food won’t melt if you aren’t home to get it, so that it won’t melt on its way to the destination, and so that it is safe to unpack so that you aren’t exposed directly to the dry ice contained within the box. 

 

When you finally do unpack your dog food, store them in the freezer and either defrost them in the fridge or the microwave when you are ready to feed them to your pup. All of Pet Plate’s dog food comes in resealable containers but should be used within five days of opening. 

What Do People Think About Pet Plate? 

Want to see what others have to say about Pet Plate before you sign up? Some of the consumer reviews featured on the Pet Plate website include: 

 

“My Sammie is 14 and other than going deaf and a grade 5-6 heart murmur treated with vetmedin, he’s doing great. He has gotten to where he wasn’t enjoying kibble anymore so we decided to try soft food for him. After several trials, we have settled on Pet Plate. The convenience of the packaging and the lack of carrot chunks are key reasons for choosing Pet Plate. Sammie is loving his food and we’ve had no issues maintaining his weight. We are very pleased with this company.”

 

“My 17-year-old chihuahua who has become impossible to please with food and who lost a lot of weight in the past few months finally started eating! I tried every brand of Dog food, tried table food, CBD oil for appetite, nothing worked! My vet said it’s old age and a slew of other issues. I had to improvise every time I had to feed him to not let him starve. I decided to try Pet Plate a month ago and Fonzy finally started enjoying his meals again! He absolutely loves it and I feel good knowing he gets good nutrition. I must admit, it is a little costly, but my Fonzy and my peace of mind worth it! Thank you guys at Pet Plate for doing an amazing job during these challenging times!”

 

“We ordered the topper and Papa Simba is loving it mixed in with his kibble. He knows the box when it’s delivered and gets so excited because he knows he will be eating good, and feeling good! The customer service is also great and very responsive!”

Ollie: Healthier Food for a Healthier Dog

Like many other companies providing dog food subscription boxes, Ollie was founded in 2015. Arguably one of the more well-known companies out of all of the dog food subscription services, Ollie is known for providing a high-quality, convenient food delivery service for their customer base. We have covered this service extensively in the past, but let’s take a look over who Ollie is and what they have to offer. 

The Sign-Up Process

Don’t want to miss out on an easy sign-up process? Don’t worry. Ollie offers the same seamless sign-up process that you see on Pet Plate. Just enter your contact information, tell them more about your dog’s age, weight, build, gender, breed, and activity level (this will help them prepare a meal plan tailored to your dog, which they will break down after you have supplied them with the above information), and sign up for your first subscription box. It’s that easy!

Dog Food Meal Options 

Ollie offers four different dog food meals for you and your pup to choose from. These include: 

 

  • The Beef Option: A meaty feast consisting of a collection of protein-packed, nutritious meats (both beef and organ meats). This recipe also features great ingredients like sweet potatoes, peas, and rosemary.
  • The Chicken Option: A dish inspired by the classic chicken pot pie, the chicken meal features a wide array of tasty ingredients like peas, blueberries, carrots, cod liver oil, and spinach. You may even want to take a taste yourself!
  • The Turkey Option: A meal that your dog is sure to gobble up quickly, the turkey dish is a heart-healthy option filled with vitamin-rich pumpkin, carrots full of phytonutrients, blueberries high in antioxidants, and chia seeds, which come filled with copper, zinc, and manganese.
  • The Lamb Option: A great selection for dogs with allergies, the lamb meal comes packed with filling, nutrient-dense ingredients like butternut squash, cranberries, and kale.

 

As you can see from the above, the meals offered by Ollie are a bit more varied than the meals offered by Pet Plate. This is something that you may wish to keep in mind if you have a pet that tires quickly of new food options and needs a little bit of variety in their daily meal routine. 

How Much Does Ollie Cost? 

The amount that you are going to spend on your dog will depend upon your dog’s needs, how much you decide to purchase, and whether or not you feed them any other foods at home. However, Ollie has covered this question, stating: 

 

“Our food starts at less than $2/day for small dogs who are exclusively fed Ollie, and averages $6/day depending on the size of your dog and portions they’ll want to eat. We also offer partial meal plans with smaller amounts of our food, so you can decide how much you want to spend based on how much Ollie you want to feed your pup.”

 

No matter what your current budget is, you will find something that will work best for you and your pup!

How Does Shipping and Preparation Work? 

Ollie uses the same shipping methods as other fresh food providers do, sealing your dog food in a well-insulated box along with dry ice to ensure that it remains frozen along its journey. Once your food has been delivered, you will need to store your dog food in the freezer until you are ready to feed it to your pup. 

 

When it comes time to begin your Ollie meal plan, take the meals out of the freezer and put them into the fridge to thaw, scooping out the recommended amount into your dog’s bowl once it’s ready to go. 

What Do People Think About Ollie? 

Ollie definitely lives up to its reputation based on what customers have had to say about the service. Here are a few customer reviews to look over. 

 

“Great customer service and the packaging is so neat and well thought out. I really appreciate the quality of the product and most of all how my puppies health is fantastic due to their food” – Allison Kusmierz via Trustpilot

 

“Ollie has great customer service! They have always been super responsive and so willing to help you with your needs. Excellent customer service is a reflection of a company’s values and ethics. I’d recommend them to anyone seeking nutritious options for your picky pup or simply because you care what your furry friend puts in its body!” – Yolanda Escutia Magpantay via Trustpilot

 

“My dog hated food. Wouldn’t eat, super low energy and we tried so many kinds of different food, wet, dry, whatever (allowing time for transitioning of course). So I tried Ollie as a last resort because I knew it would be more money, but eating was a constant battle and I needed to do something. Game changer. He immediately ate it up. He wanted food. His energy came back, his stools were better (pet parents, you know we watch that) lol. Every day now, he is excited to eat. It’s been about 4 months now and I will not go back…” – Ariel N. via Influenster

Ollie Vs. Pet Plate: A Comparison

So, when it boils down between choosing Pet Plate or Ollie, which dog food subscription box is going to be right for you? Deciding between the two can be a very difficult process since, as you can see from the above, the two companies offer a very similar experience. To help you make a better decision for your needs, here are a few items to consider. 

 

  • Ollie tends to be the more affordable alternative out of the two services. That said, given the flexibility they have with their plans, you are sure to stay within your budget no matter which service you choose. 
  • Ollie offers more variety in their meal plan than Pet Plate does. However, Pet Plate food looks a little more presentable (if that is something that matters to you and your dog). 
  • Pet Plate provides you with resealable containers that can easily be stored away once you’ve fed your dog a portion of the packaged meal. Ollie, on the other hand, only features a plastic covering, which can make it harder to store your food once it has been opened. 

 

Ultimately, the choice that you make will depend upon some of the small differences between the two services and how well those line up with your own preferences and needs. If you are stuck between Ollie and Pet Plate, use the guide above to become more well-acquainted with the two subscription boxes and help your dog get access to the nutritious, high-quality food that they need today!