The 4 Best Pet Care Apps in 2026
Pets are family, and their app ecosystem has grown up to match: pocket trainers, GPS for the household escape artist, and sitter platforms for when you travel. In this guide we compare the 4 best pet care apps in 2026.
Top apps for looking after dogs and cats
Apps to look after your pet: step-by-step video training, GPS trackers, and vetted sitters and walkers with reviews.
Top pick
Dogo: Adiestramiento de Perros
Dogo App · Free (with purchases) · 5M+
The pocket trainer
4.3
129K reviews
TopApps analysis
Dogo teaches over 100 commands with step-by-step videos, and real trainers review the clips you upload of your dog. Gold for puppies.
Dogo is a dog trainer in your pocket: over 100 tricks and commands with step-by-step video instructions, a built-in clicker, specific programmes (puppy, basic obedience, stop pulling on the lead) and exams where a real trainer reviews the video of your dog. Training turns into a daily game.
Pros
- 100+ tricks with step-by-step videos
- Built-in clicker and whistle
- Programmes by age and goal
Cons
- The full programme is subscription-based
- Part of the content is in English
- No substitute for professional help in serious cases
Tractive GPS
Free (with purchases) · 1M+
Never lost again
4.7
130K reviews
TopApps analysis
Tractive tracks your dog or cat in real time through its GPS collar, with a virtual fence that alerts you if they leave the safe zone.
Tractive is the leading GPS tracker for dogs and cats: with its tracking collar (sold separately), the app shows where your pet is in real time, alerts you if it leaves the safe zone you set, and logs activity and sleep like a fitness tracker with fur. The reassurance of always knowing where they are.
Pros
- Real-time location of your pet
- Virtual fence with escape alerts
- Activity and sleep tracking
Cons
- You have to buy the GPS collar separately
- Monthly subscription is mandatory
- The collar battery only lasts a few days
PetBacker
Free · 1M+
Sitters near you
4.3
8K reviews
TopApps analysis
PetBacker finds sitters and walkers with reviews, live photo updates and protected payment. The holiday problem, solved.
PetBacker finds pet sitters and dog walkers near you: boarding for the holidays, daily walks or home visits, with reviews from other owners, a chat that sends live photos of the care and payment held by the platform. The answer to the eternal question of who looks after the dog now.
Pros
- Sitters and walkers with reviews
- Live photos of the care in progress
- Payment protected by the platform
Cons
- Quality varies from sitter to sitter
- The platform takes a commission
- Fewer sitters outside the cities
Rover: Cuidado de Mascotas
Rover.com · Free · 5M+
The global giant
3.6
47K reviews
TopApps analysis
Rover brings the largest international sitter network, with protection included in every booking, which also helps when you travel abroad.
Rover is the world's largest pet-sitting platform and already operates in Spain: boarding at the sitter's home, doggy day care, walks and drop-in visits, with Rover protection included in every booking and walk reports showing the GPS route. The sector's giant, and handy when you travel abroad too.
Pros
- The world's largest sitter platform
- Rover protection on every booking
- GPS route for every walk
Cons
- Fewer sitters in Spain than PetBacker
- Average app rating (3.6★)
- Slightly higher prices
Frequently asked questions
Do dog training apps actually work?
For basic obedience, surprisingly well. Dogo uses standard positive reinforcement, the same approach any modern trainer would take, and the app supplies what usually breaks down at home: consistency and an ordered progression, in 5-10 minutes a day. For serious behavioural problems (aggression, severe separation anxiety) an app is no substitute for a trainer in the room, and Dogo says so itself. For teaching a puppy to sit, come and walk without pulling, it is more than enough.
Is a GPS tracker worth it for my pet?
It depends on the animal and where you live. For dogs with a habit of bolting, working or hunting dogs, or houses with a garden, the peace of mind Tractive buys is worth the cost (collar plus subscription); the virtual fence that pings your phone the moment they leave the perimeter is the standout feature. For cats with outdoor access it is arguably even more useful: you will discover a secret territory you had no idea about. For a city dog that is never off the lead, you can skip it.
How do I pick a good sitter on PetBacker or Rover?
The same way you would pick a babysitter: plenty of recent reviews, quick replies in chat, and a conversation up front where you ask about experience with animals like yours (size, age, medication). Always arrange a meet-and-greet to watch how they interact before you book a long stay, start with a short trial service, and insist on daily photos through the app. Keep every message and payment inside the platform, because that is what activates its protection.
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