Rover vs. Wag – the war is on.

When you are looking for doggie related services – whether it is dog walking, dog sitting, or dog boarding – two names come up over and over again: Rover and Wag. So of course the question arises as to which one you should go with. Like with most other things in life, it’s not a question of which service is objectively better (is there such a thing?), but rather which one suits your needs and your particular situation better. There are of course certain strengths and weaknesses of each service, and certain aspects and features that you’ll want to know about, so that you can make a well-informed decision. So we have listed some of these key aspects below. Before getting to the details in the table, we give you our bottom line up-front:

 

And the winner is... ROVER

Overall, we prefer Rover by far, mainly because of the ease with which you can communicate directly with the dog sitter/walker you are considering. This gives you the ability to properly vet the service provider, and make the right choice. Wag! makes it difficult to do that. There is one functionality Wag! has which is useful though, and missing in Rover, and that is to schedule a walk asap. So if you are in a bind and need to schedule a walk within the next few minutes, consider Wag!; otherwise we’d say go with Rover. Plus we have a special deal to get you a $20 credit with Rover, which will be automatically deposited into your account.

Rover Wag! Comments
Services Offered Dog walking, sitting, and boarding Dog walking, sitting, and boarding Both Wag! and Rover offer each of these services.
Service Emphasized Dog sitting/boarding Dog walking While each of these companies offers all services, Rover appears to be more focused on dog sitting and boarding, while Wag! is more so on dog walking.
How things work Rover is mainly used to plan stuff at least a little in advance. For example, you can arrange to have your dog stay at a certain sitter's place for the next weekend, or you can get a dog walker to walk your dog on Monday evenings. You can pick which specific dog service provider you would like to contact, and contact that provider directly. You can then schedule an in-person meeting if you'd like, and meet along with your dog to see if you and your dog approve of the care provider. You can also see if they'll let you see their place if you are planning to board there. We feel that these steps are critical to ensure that your fur-baby is well taken care of. With Wag!, you can use the mobile app to schedule a walk, or to set up a walk ASAP. While you can see which walkers are available in your vicinity, and see their reviews, it does not appear possible (or at the very least it is not very up front) to book a specific walker or sitter. It also does not seem to be possible to communicate directly with the dog service providers. If you need a dog walker almost immediately for pretty much right then, Wag! is a good choice. But if you want to plan things out, whether it is for doggie boarding or for kind of a regular walk time a few times a week, then Rover will work for you. With Rover it's a huge plus that you can communicate directly with the person who will be boarding or walking your dog, as opposed to with Wag! where a company coordinator actually coordinates between you and the dog sitter or walker. We find that to be a huge negative with Wag!
Mobile App The app is pretty good. You can look through various sitters or walkers, see their reviews, and contact the individual sitters or walkers directly. Per reviews from several clients, the mobile app is very well designed and is easy to use. However, we were ourselves not that impressed with the app, and the lack of ease and/or ability to choose your sitter or walker and communicate with them directly. The walk map that shows where your walker is taking your dog is very accurate. The app for Wag! seems to be more intuitive to use, and seems to provide a more accurate walk map.
Other The ability to easily communicate directly with any dog service provider you are considering is a huge plus for Rover. Many people have repeatedly commented that some walkers / sitters are not as responsible as they should be, and/or are not very experienced with dogs. This, combined with the inability to select and/or communicate directly with your dog care provider, is a big con for Wag! Make sure to check references of the dog sitter / walker you are using. After all, you will be trusting your beloved dog to a total stranger, and possibly even allowing access to your house. While both services claim to vet their walkers and sitters, do not rely on these claims alone - do your own homework!
Booking Options Book with Rover and get an automatic $20 credit in your account Book with Wag!