Comparison
PackRunHQ vs Paw Partner
Paw Partner is built by the owners of a large dog daycare and boarding business. It has been around since 2020. PackRunHQ is brand new. It is built by a Nova Scotia dog daycare owner for small facilities that want to start free and pay in CAD.
By Travis Barlow, founder of PackRunHQ. Paw Partner prices and features from pawpartner.com/pricing, checked . Prices change, so check theirs before you decide.
Is PackRunHQ a good Paw Partner alternative?
PackRunHQ is a good Paw Partner alternative if you care for up to 50 dogs, want to start free with no deposit and pay in Canadian dollars. Paw Partner is the safer pick if you need card payments, tips, online waivers or text messages today.
Paw Partner is a better fit if
- You need online card payments, tips and online waivers today
- You want your own branded app in the app stores (paid add-on)
- You want text messages to clients (paid add-on)
PackRunHQ is a better fit if
- You care for up to 50 dogs and want to pay by the number of dogs
- You're in Canada and want to pay in CAD
- You want to start free, with no deposit up front
- You want expired shots caught at check-in, with the override logged
How do PackRunHQ and Paw Partner compare, feature by feature?
The table below lists what each one offers today. Where Paw Partner doesn't say, we wrote "Ask Paw Partner".
Swipe the table sideways to see both columns.
| PackRunHQ | Paw Partner | |
|---|---|---|
| Boarding and daycare price | Free for up to 5 dogs, then $49, $79 or $99 CAD a month by number of dogs | US$99.99 a month (US$1,079.88 a year prepaid) |
| Grooming or training only | Same plans | US$44.99 a month |
| Free plan | Yes, Puppy plan: up to 5 dogs, no card | None listed |
| Up-front deposit | None | One month's deposit at account build, credited to your first month |
| Currency | Canadian dollars | US dollars |
| Vaccine check at check-in | Flags missing or expired vaccines at check-in; staff override needs a reason and is logged | Pet parents upload vaccine information in the app |
| Online card payments | Not yet (coming soon). Record cash, e-Transfer and cheque against invoices | Yes, integrated payments |
| Online waivers | On our roadmap | Yes |
| Text messages | Not yet; email only | Add-on, US$10.99 a month for 700 texts |
| Data import | Send a CSV or spreadsheet and we import clients, pets and vaccines, free for founding facilities | Free data migration from their templates, depending on data quality |
| Two-step verification | Required on every account | Ask Paw Partner |
What would a 30-dog boarding and daycare facility pay?
A facility with 30 active dogs, offering boarding and daycare, would be on PackRunHQ Best Friend. Here is what each plan costs at list price.
| Plan | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| PackRunHQ Best Friend (up to 50 dogs), billed monthly | CA$79 | CA$948 |
| PackRunHQ Best Friend, billed annually | about CA$66 | CA$790 |
| PackRunHQ Best Friend, founding facility (30% off) | CA$55.30 | CA$663.60 |
| Paw Partner Boarding, Daycare and Multi-Service, monthly | US$99.99 | US$1,199.88 |
| Paw Partner, prepaid annually | about US$90 | US$1,079.88 |
| Paw Partner text messaging add-on | +US$10.99 | +US$131.88 |
- Paw Partner asks for one month's deposit when your account is built. It is credited to your first paid month.
- Paw Partner's annual plans are prepaid and non-refundable, according to its pricing page.
- Prices are in different currencies, so we haven't converted them. Check today's exchange rate.
What doesn't PackRunHQ do yet?
PackRunHQ is new, so a few things Paw Partner customers may rely on are not built yet. We list them so you don't find out after you switch.
- Online card payments. You record cash, e-Transfer and cheque payments by hand for now.
- Online waivers that pet parents sign in the portal.
- Text message reminders. Reminders go out by email.
- An app in the app stores. PackRunHQ runs in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer.
- A track record. PackRunHQ launched in 2026 and has no public reviews yet.
When one of these ships, it goes on What's new with the date.
How do I switch from Paw Partner to PackRunHQ?
Most facilities can switch in four steps.
- Export your clients, pets and vaccine records from Paw Partner as a CSV or spreadsheet.
- Send the file to support@packrunhq.com. Founding facilities get the import for free.
- Set your required vaccines, kennels and price list in Settings.
- Run one real week in PackRunHQ next to Paw Partner before you cancel anything.
What should I ask before I switch?
Ask any vendor these questions, us included.
- What's the total each month once I add texts or a branded app?
- Is a deposit needed before I can start, and is it refundable?
- What happens at check-in when a dog's Rabies or Bordetella has expired?
- Will you import my clients, pets and vaccine records, and is that free?
The full checklist is in our guide to choosing dog boarding software. You can also read PackRunHQ vs Gingr.