Time To Pet
Tiered by active client count, plus per-staff add-on
From $35/mo (up to 50 active clients) + $9/staff
Established workflows
Dog Walker Central vs Time To Pet
Time To Pet is one of the longest-running pet sitting and dog walking platforms. It charges by active client tier plus a per-staff seat fee, and is widely adopted by solo sitters and small teams. This guide uses pricing and feature information published by each vendor as of April 2026.
The commercial snapshot
Start with the pricing model, not the feature count.
The biggest long-term difference is often what makes the monthly bill change as your business grows.
Dog Walker Central
Per team member, not per active client
Free up to 5 team members; Pro from $10/user/mo with no setup fee.
Feature by feature
Time To Pet vs Dog Walker Central
Vendor claims are based on published product and pricing pages. Dog Walker Central entries reflect current production features.
| Feature | Time To Pet | Dog Walker Central |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per active-client tier + per-staff seat | Free up to 5 team members; Pro from $10/user/mo |
| Free tier | 14-day free trial only | Free plan for up to 5 team members |
| Mobile apps | iOS and Android | iOS and Android |
| Client portal | Yes | Yes |
| Recurring scheduling | Yes | Yes |
| GPS check-in / check-out | Yes | Yes |
| Photo visit reports | Yes | Yes |
| Route optimization | Map view; manual ordering | Automated route optimization for daily schedules |
| AI report quality control | Not advertised | AI scores visit reports and flags low-quality submissions |
| AI business assistant | Not advertised | Built-in AI assistant for scheduling and operational questions |
| Direct mail marketing | Not built in (third-party only) | Built-in postcard / direct mail campaigns |
| Public marketplace listing | No public directory | Public provider profile + bookable from /search |
| Stripe payments | Yes | Yes |
| QuickBooks export | Yes | Yes |
| API access | Limited; on request | Public API + webhooks |
The honest read
Strong products can still be built for different businesses.
Where Time To Pet stands out
What Time To Pet does well
- Long product history (since 2014) and a large existing user base.
- Mature client communication features and templated messages.
- Established integrations with several pet-industry tools.
The DWC difference
What Dog Walker Central adds
- Free plan for up to 5 team members — pricing only changes when the team grows past that.
- No per-active-client tier; bills do not increase as the client list grows.
- Public marketplace listing on /search drives inbound bookings without paid ads.
- Built-in direct mail (postcard) marketing module.
- Public REST API and webhooks for integrations and exports.
Migration reality
What moving from Time To Pet actually involves.
- Most Time To Pet exports (clients, pets, services, schedules) can be imported into Dog Walker Central via CSV with no manual re-entry.
- Recurring schedules and service definitions need to be re-confirmed after import to make sure cadence and pricing match the original.
- Past invoices can be brought over as historical records; ongoing Stripe billing is reconnected to the same Stripe account.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dog Walker Central a Time To Pet alternative?
Yes. Dog Walker Central covers the same core scheduling, client portal, GPS-verified visits, photo reports, and Stripe invoicing workflows as Time To Pet, with a free tier for teams up to 5, a public marketplace listing, and built-in direct mail marketing.
How does Dog Walker Central pricing compare to Time To Pet?
Time To Pet charges by active-client tier plus a per-staff seat fee, starting at $35/mo. Dog Walker Central is free for up to 5 team members; the Pro plan starts at $10/user/mo with no per-active-client tier, so the bill does not rise as the client list grows.
Can I import my Time To Pet data?
Yes. Clients, pets, services, and schedules can be imported via CSV from a Time To Pet export. The Switch & Save program includes a guided import session.
Does Dog Walker Central have a free trial?
There is a free plan for businesses with up to 5 team members that includes full scheduling, GPS check-ins, photo visit reports, and Stripe invoicing. Paid plans unlock unlimited team and advanced reporting.
Do I have to switch payment processors when I migrate?
No. Dog Walker Central uses Stripe Connect, the same processor most Time To Pet customers already use, so the same Stripe account can be reconnected without re-onboarding clients.
Keep comparing
See the other tools on your shortlist.
Pricing and feature claims about Time To Pet are sourced from www.timetopet.com and their published pricing page (snapshot April 2026). Time To Pet is a trademark of its respective owner; this page is not affiliated with or endorsed by Time To Pet.
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