Pawfinity alternative for solo and home-based groomers
Last checked 2026-10-17.
Short answer: Pawdmin is the Pawfinity 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.
Pawfinity is built for small grooming shops, mobile groomers and small boarding operations. Pawfinity is well-reviewed grooming and boarding software with modest plan prices and usage-based text messaging, aimed at small shops and mobile groomers.
Why groomers look for a Pawfinity alternative
- •Per-text billing makes your monthly cost unpredictable.
- •You want a free plan to start on.
- •You want hourly billing and client tiers instead of a per-breed menu.
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 Pawfinity if: you run a small shop with a couple of groomers and like per-breed pricing.
- •Stay with Pawfinity if: you also board dogs and want one vendor for both.
Side by side
| Feature | Pawdmin | Pawfinity |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Solo, home-based groomers who charge by time | Small grooming shops, mobile groomers and small boarding operations |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Starting price (paid) | $29/month billed yearly ($39 monthly) | About $60/month (or $55/month billed annually) for the grooming plan; top plan about $110/month |
| Priced per | Per business, 1 groomer included | Per business, tiered |
| 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 included; texts billed per message, or a monthly credit allowance on the top plan |
| Client portal / app | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | Paid "Precision Location" add-on for mobile |
| Boarding and daycare | No | Separate "Stay & Play" plan |
| Card payments | Stripe, paid straight into your account, no markup | Integrated processing |
| Contract or setup fee | None. Cancel anytime, 30-day refund | Month to month; 7-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
Does Pawdmin charge per text message?
No. On Grow and above, email and SMS confirmations and reminders are unlimited with no per-message fees. Pawfinity bills texts by volume or caps them with monthly credits.
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 Pawfinity 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.