Scout is a great US-built dog walking app. See how it compares for Australian pet businesses.
Scout maps the full walk route, which we don't. It charges per active staff member on top of the base plan. If the walk map is what your customers are paying for, buy theirs. If you're adding walkers and want the bill to stay flat, per-seat pricing works against you.
$33-39 USD/month base + $15-18/month per staff member (all in USD with FX conversion for AU businesses)
US Stripe processing: 2.9% + $0.30 USD (vs Stripe 1.65% + $0.30 through Petboost; Petboost booking fee 1.2-1.4%)
The USD subscription and per-staff fees apply whatever you do about payments, and attract your card's international transaction fee. Processing only differs if you take payments through Scout, where an Australian cardholder on US Stripe carries the international card surcharge and currency conversion
P
Petboost
Built in Sydney
Australian
Founded
2022
Headquarters
Sydney, Australia
Focus
Multi-vertical pet services
Customers
Australian pet businesses, running since 2022
Australian presence
Native. Built in Sydney, with Australian data residency, same-timezone support and pricing in AUD.
Scale
300+ pet businesses and 500,000+ bookings processed.
Pricing
$65-240/mo plus a 1.2-1.4% booking fee on card payments. Subscription $0 once your card volume reaches $7,500 a month on Pro, or $20,000 on Max.
No lock-in, cancel anytime
Where each platform excels
An honest look at how each platform handles key functionality.
Feature comparison
Scout vs Petboost
Pet Owner Booking Experience
Self-service booking flow for pet owners
Scout has dedicated native apps; Petboost has a frictionless web-based flow with no app download required
S
Scout
Native iOS/Android app for pet parents with service requests, scheduling, and payment management
P
Petboost
Passwordless phone login, progressive info collection, smart eligibility filtering, 24/7 booking in 38 seconds for a returning customer and 56 for a new one
GPS Walk Tracking
Continuous location tracking of pet walks with route maps
Scout offers continuous route tracking; Petboost captures GPS at check-in/checkout and from photos
S
Scout
Continuous GPS route maps sent to pet parents after each walk
P
Petboost
GPS check-in/checkout + photo locations on Magic Map (point-in-time, not continuous route)
Photo Check-Ins & Report Cards
Photo updates and end-of-service summaries for pet parents
Both have report cards with structured fields for feeding, medication, toilet breaks and mood: Scout on the report card, Petboost with team forms. Petboost adds Magic Map location data.
Report Cards with customer-facing notes, photos, team member details, Magic Map and the team form answers you share (meals, medication, wee and poo, mood). Auto-generated and visible in pet owner portal.
Pet Attributes Library
Pre-built tags for allergies, grooming prefs, behavioural traits
Petboost has a structured attribute library; Scout has free-text pet bios
S
Scout
Pet bios with behaviour, routines, feeding, medications
P
Petboost
1,600+ pre-built attributes across 48 categories
Pet & Owner Profiles
One profile with tabs for appointments, packages, sales, settings and paperwork
Petboost has more structured profile management; Scout is more lightweight
S
Scout
Pet profiles with photos, bios, birthday/anniversary tracking
P
Petboost
Nine tabs, plus Messages and Care & Grooming Templates when they apply, with per-customer policy overrides & collaborative management
Payroll Management
Staff payment tracking and reporting
Scout has integrated payroll; Petboost does not have payroll features
Scout staff can sync appointments to external calendars; Petboost does not offer this
S
Scout
iCal, Google Calendar, Outlook sync for staff
P
Petboost
Digital Agreements
Electronic service agreements and signatures
Both support digital agreements
S
Scout
E-sign service agreements with version tracking
P
Petboost
Digital paperwork and consent forms
Accounting Integration
Export to accounting software
Scout has direct QuickBooks and Xero integrations; Petboost connects to Xero via Stripe Bank Feeds
S
Scout
QuickBooks Online and Xero integration
P
Petboost
Xero via Stripe Bank Feeds
Prevent Early Check-In
Ensuring staff arrive at scheduled times
Scout has a feature to prevent staff checking in before appointment time
S
Scout
Prevents early check-in to maintain schedule accuracy
P
Petboost
Lead Collection
Capturing potential customer enquiries
Scout has dedicated lead management; Petboost captures leads through booking
S
Scout
Embeddable contact form, lead tracking, one-click conversion to customer
P
Petboost
Online booking form acts as lead capture
White-Label / Branded App
Fully branded mobile experience
Scout offers a white-label app option; Petboost does not have a branded app
S
Scout
Fully branded pet parent app with your logo and colours ($300/month add-on)
P
Petboost
Feature comparison
Scout vs Petboost
S
Scout
Chicago / Cleveland, USA
P
Petboost
Australian-built
Pet Owner Booking Experience
Self-service booking flow for pet owners
Scout has dedicated native apps; Petboost has a frictionless web-based flow with no app download required
Native iOS/Android app for pet parents with service requests, scheduling, and payment management
Passwordless phone login, progressive info collection, smart eligibility filtering, 24/7 booking in 38 seconds for a returning customer and 56 for a new one
GPS Walk Tracking
Continuous location tracking of pet walks with route maps
Scout offers continuous route tracking; Petboost captures GPS at check-in/checkout and from photos
Continuous GPS route maps sent to pet parents after each walk
GPS check-in/checkout + photo locations on Magic Map (point-in-time, not continuous route)
Photo Check-Ins & Report Cards
Photo updates and end-of-service summaries for pet parents
Both have report cards with structured fields for feeding, medication, toilet breaks and mood: Scout on the report card, Petboost with team forms. Petboost adds Magic Map location data.
Report Cards with customer-facing notes, photos, team member details, Magic Map and the team form answers you share (meals, medication, wee and poo, mood). Auto-generated and visible in pet owner portal.
Pet Attributes Library
Pre-built tags for allergies, grooming prefs, behavioural traits
Petboost has a structured attribute library; Scout has free-text pet bios
Pet bios with behaviour, routines, feeding, medications
1,600+ pre-built attributes across 48 categories
Pet & Owner Profiles
One profile with tabs for appointments, packages, sales, settings and paperwork
Petboost has more structured profile management; Scout is more lightweight
Pet profiles with photos, bios, birthday/anniversary tracking
Nine tabs, plus Messages and Care & Grooming Templates when they apply, with per-customer policy overrides & collaborative management
Payroll Management
Staff payment tracking and reporting
Scout has integrated payroll; Petboost does not have payroll features
Owners who want 1,600+ pet attributes and a profile that holds the paperwork
Businesses that want SMS payment links to collect outstanding invoices
From large daycares to solo groomers, businesses Australia-wide
Real cost comparison
Based on typical Australian pet business transaction volumes. * For illustrative purposes only, based on industry averages. Your actual costs may vary.
$33-39 USD/month base + $15-18/month per staff member (all in USD with FX conversion for AU businesses), plus US Stripe processing: 2.9% + $0.30 USD (vs Stripe 1.65% + $0.30 through Petboost; Petboost booking fee 1.2-1.4%). With Petboost, you pay $65/month (waived at $7,500+ in card payments), a booking fee on card payments (1.2% to 1.4% by plan), and Stripe's Australian rate as a separate Stripe charge.
Any saving depends on your business size and payment volume, and is an estimate. If you take cards on your own EFTPOS terminal rather than through Scout, the processing difference does not apply to you. Use the calculator above for a personalised estimate. See your numbers
Making the switch
It's easier than you think. Here's what to expect if you decide to move from Scout.
Migration Complexity
Customer Data
Scout data can be exported. Import assistance provided by Petboost.
Medium
Pet Records
Basic pet bios and profiles. May need to re-enter structured attributes in Petboost.
Easy
Booking History
Historical bookings typically not migrated. Fresh start in Petboost.
Hard
Service Agreements
Re-create service agreements in Petboost. Signed versions archived separately.
Easy
Staff Setup
Staff accounts quick to set up. No per-staff fees in Petboost.
Easy
Timeline
Core data typically across within 24 hours of access (terms apply), calendar loaded for you, you confirm it
Still unsure?Book a no-pressure demo and we'll help you figure out if we're the right fit, even if that means recommending someone else.
Honest about change
The little bit of pain is generally 4 to 6 weeks. Then it clicks.
Switching to any new system is a big adjustment. Buttons are in different places, naming might be different, and the muscle memory you have built does not transfer overnight. We tell every customer the same thing: give it 4 to 6 weeks. Then, one day, you realise it is so much better.
Petboost fits your business. Whether you're a one-person mobile groomer, running a large facility with multiple staff and spaces, or managing several locations at once.
Solo Superstars
One-person operations with streamlined scheduling and automated payments.
1-tap booking management
Automated invoicing & receipts
After-hours self-service booking
SMS reminders on autopilot
Growing Teams
3-10 staff with resource management, shared calendars, and team coordination.
Multi-staff scheduling
Per-resource capacity limits
Team permissions & roles
Shared customer database
Large Operations
Multi-space daycare and boarding, high-volume salons, and busy multi-service businesses.
Bulk operations & admin
Multi-space capacity tracking
Volume pricing available
Advanced automation rules
Petboost Enterprise
Multi-location groups and franchises running every site from one HQ dashboard.
Last verified: 19th October 2026 | Pricing and features sourced from www.scoutforpets.com
Exchange rate: AUD figures converted at 1 USD = $1.44 and 1 GBP = $1.91, the European Central Bank via Frankfurter rate as at . Rates move daily, so the AUD amounts above are indicative; we re-check them every week.
GST: every price on this page is what you actually pay. Where a competitor quotes before GST, we have added the 10%. Where a competitor prices in another currency, the local tax treatment is theirs to set, so check it before you compare.
Found an error? Let us know and we'll correct it promptly.
Scout® is a registered trademark of its respective owners. This comparison is based on publicly available information and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Scout.
