DaySmart Pet alternative for solo and home-based groomers
Last checked 2026-10-17.
Short answer: Pawdmin is the DaySmart Pet alternative built for one groomer working from home or a small studio: a free plan, time-based billing, client tiers for raising prices, and a client portal that never shows your calendar.
DaySmart Pet is built for grooming salons from one user to larger teams. DaySmart Pet (formerly 123Pet) is long-running salon software with a low entry price for one user and tiers that unlock more users, texting and marketing.
Why groomers look for a DaySmart Pet alternative
- •You want a free plan to start on rather than a $29 to $39 entry fee.
- •Two-way texting and marketing sit on tiers priced for salons.
- •You want hourly billing and client tiers rather than a per-breed price list.
What changes with Pawdmin
- ✓Hourly billing. Prices on estimates and invoices are calculated from time. Flat-fee services and add-ons still work.
- ✓Client tiers. Start new clients at your new rate and move existing clients up gradually.
- ✓Order before schedule. Review the client and dog, send a one-click estimate, then offer a few penciled-in times. Clients never see your calendar.
- ✓Unlimited reminders. Email and SMS confirmations and reminders with no per-message fees on Grow and above.
- ✓Free to start. Unlimited clients, pets, appointments, invoicing and payments on the Basic plan, no credit card.
What you give up
- •Stay with DaySmart Pet if: you run a salon with several groomers and want a mature, inexpensive per-user product.
- •Stay with DaySmart Pet if: you are happy with per-breed pricing and open online booking.
Side by side
| Feature | Pawdmin | DaySmart Pet |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Solo, home-based groomers who charge by time | Grooming salons from one user to larger teams |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Starting price (paid) | $29/month billed yearly ($39 monthly) | About $29/month for one user when you use DaySmart payments (about $39/month without); multi-user tiers from about $69/month |
| Priced per | Per business, 1 groomer included | Per location, by number of users |
| Time-based (hourly) billing Prices on estimates and invoices calculated from time, not a flat or per-breed menu. | Yes | Flat service menu with per-breed and per-size pricing |
| Client tiers (rate groups) Keep new and existing clients at different rates while you raise prices. | Yes | No |
| Offer several time options, client picks one | Yes | No |
| Clients never see your calendar | Yes | Online booking shows open availability |
| Every booking needs your approval | Yes | Optional |
| Build the order and estimate before scheduling | Yes | No |
| Email and SMS reminders | Unlimited email and SMS on Grow and above, no per-message fees | Email and SMS reminders with monthly text caps; two-way texting on higher tiers |
| Client portal / app | Yes | Online booking, no full portal |
| Website builder | Included on Advanced and Plus | No |
| Multi-groomer staff, payroll or commissions | Extra staff accounts on paid plans; no payroll or commissions | Yes |
| Route optimization for mobile | No | No |
| Boarding and daycare | No | Daycare and boarding calendars as paid add-ons |
| Card payments | Stripe, paid straight into your account, no markup | DaySmart Payments; surcharge reported if you use another processor |
| Contract or setup fee | None. Cancel anytime, 30-day refund | Month to month; 14-day trial |
Moving your data
Clients and pets import from CSV, and we help with the migration. Future appointments are re-created in Pawdmin (one per client, then copy or rebook) because every system structures services differently. Most groomers finish in a few hours, or a weekend if the book is full.
Questions people ask
Is DaySmart Pet the same as 123Pet?
Yes. 123Pet was renamed DaySmart Pet. The product and pricing tiers continued under the new name.
Which is cheaper for one groomer, DaySmart Pet or Pawdmin?
Pawdmin's Basic plan is free. DaySmart Pet starts around $29/month for one user if you use their payment processing. Pawdmin's paid plans start at $29/month billed yearly and add reminders, a client portal and automated messages.
Who is Pawdmin for?
Solo, home-based pet groomers first, plus solo studio groomers and mobile or house-call groomers. It is not built for multi-groomer salons that need payroll or for boarding and daycare facilities.
Is the pricing on this page current?
Pawdmin prices come straight from our live pricing configuration. Competitor prices were taken from their public pricing pages and software directories on 2026-10-17 and can change; confirm on the vendor's site before deciding.
See the full Pawdmin vs DaySmart Pet comparison →
Start free. Charge what you are worth.
Pawdmin’s Basic plan is free forever, no credit card. Upgrade when reminders, the client portal or the website builder start paying for themselves.
Competitor names are trademarks of their owners. Competitor details were taken from their public pricing pages and software directories on 2026-10-17 and may have changed; confirm on the vendor’s site. Pawdmin prices are read live from our pricing configuration. Spotted an error? Email support@pawdmin.com and we will fix it.