Honest Comparison

Paws & Grooming vs. RunLoyal

All-in-one pet care platform — how Paws & Grooming offers grooming-focused simplicity at a fraction of the cost

RunLoyal is an all-in-one pet care platform covering boarding, daycare, grooming, and training. It targets multi-service facilities with branded mobile apps, staff management, and enterprise-level features. Paws & Grooming takes a different approach — purpose-built for groomers with mobile-first design, route optimization, and more value at every price point.

Pricing Comparison

RunLoyal uses a per-location monthly model with appointment caps and a mandatory $499 setup fee. Paws & Grooming matches the tier structure but delivers more at every level — with no setup fee, higher appointment caps, more staff licenses, and a better annual discount (15% vs 10%).

	Paws & Grooming Starter	Paws & Grooming Pro	Paws & Grooming Growth	Paws & Grooming Enterprise	RunLoyal Jog	RunLoyal Run	RunLoyal Sprint	RunLoyal Enterprise
Monthly price	Free	$79/mo	$149/mo	$249/mo	$99/mo	$199/mo	$249/mo	$299/mo
Appointments	50/mo	1,000/mo	3,000/mo	Unlimited	500/mo	1,000/mo	2,500/mo	5,000/mo
Setup fee	None	None	None	None	$499	$499	$499	$499
Staff users	1	3	5	Unlimited	1	3	5	10
Annual discount	—	15%	15%	15%	10%	10%	10%	10%
SMS reminders	❌	✅ Included	✅ Included	✅ Included	💰 $29/mo extra	💰 $29/mo extra	💰 $29/mo extra	💰 $29/mo extra
Route optimization	❌	✅ Included	✅ Included	✅ Included	❌	❌	❌	❌

The real cost comparison: A grooming business doing 1,000 appointments/month with 3 staff and SMS needs RunLoyal Run ($199) + SMS ($29) + Advanced Staff ($39) = $267/mo + $499 setup. With Paws & Grooming Pro, that's $79/mo with no setup fee — saving over $2,700 in the first year.

Where Paws & Grooming is stronger

More appointments per dollar: Paws & Grooming Pro gives you 1,000 appointments for $79/mo. RunLoyal charges $199/mo for the same capacity — and caps you there.
No setup fee: Get started immediately without a $499 upfront cost. No onboarding fees, no app-building charges.
Built-in route optimization: Plan your daily stops to minimize drive time, integrated with Google Maps and Apple Maps. RunLoyal doesn't offer routing — it's designed for fixed-location facilities.
SMS included in every paid plan: RunLoyal charges $29/mo extra for 2-way texting. Paws & Grooming includes SMS reminders starting at Pro.
Better annual discount: Save 15% when you pay annually with Paws & Grooming, compared to RunLoyal's 10%.
Bilingual communications: Full English and Spanish support for client-facing messages. RunLoyal doesn't offer multilingual client communications.
Unlimited appointments on Enterprise: Paws & Grooming Enterprise has no appointment cap at all. RunLoyal's top tier still caps at 5,000/mo.

Where RunLoyal is stronger

Multi-service facilities

If you run boarding, daycare, and grooming under one roof, RunLoyal's unified platform handles all service types in one system.

Branded mobile app

RunLoyal builds a custom-branded app for your business on both app stores. Paws & Grooming uses a shared app experience.

Express kiosk check-in

Dedicated iPad check-in/out app for walk-in facilities with high foot traffic.

Established integrations

MailChimp marketing integration, external review management, and retail product sales (Loyal Cart).

Paws & Grooming is NOT for you if…

You operate a multi-service facility (boarding + daycare + grooming) and need a single platform for all services.

You need a custom-branded app published under your business name in app stores.

You need in-store kiosk check-in hardware integration.

You require MailChimp or retail POS integration today.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Paws & Grooming	RunLoyal
Online scheduling	✅	✅
Client & pet profiles	✅	✅
Automated reminders	✅	✅
Route optimization	✅ Pro+	❌
Bilingual support	✅ Pro+	❌
SMS texting	✅ Included in Pro+	💰 $29/mo add-on
Staff management	✅ 3–Unlimited by plan	💰 $39/mo add-on for advanced
Financial reports	✅	✅
Payment processing	✅	✅
Membership programs	✅ Growth+	💰 $99/mo add-on
Branded mobile app	❌	✅
Boarding/daycare	❌	✅
Kiosk check-in	❌	💰 $39/mo add-on
Free tier	✅ 50 appts/mo	❌
Setup fee	None	$499
Annual discount	15%	10%

Ready to try Paws & Grooming?

If you want a platform built specifically for groomers with smart scheduling, route optimization, and integrated payments, Paws & Grooming might be the right fit. Start with the free tier — no credit card required.