PetGrid vs Shepherd, in short: Shepherd is ahead on messaging, the AI scribe, charge capture, inventory and support, and PetGrid is ahead on a published price, the rabies certificate, an owner app in the clinic's name and the detail of getting your data out. This page sets the two side by side in 36 rows, grouped into eight tables, each with a one-line verdict.
Every Shepherd cell comes from Shepherd's own pages as they read on 26 September 2026, and every PetGrid cell is what the product does today. For the shorter read on why clinics look elsewhere and where Shepherd is the better choice, see our Shepherd alternative guide.
How this PetGrid vs Shepherd comparison works
Both are cloud practice software for independent veterinary clinics, so the tables compare them on the same 36 rows every PetGrid comparison uses: everyday work, medical records, money, the owner app and messaging, AI, security, getting your data out, and price and contract.
- Sources. Shepherd's features, general practice, client communication, TranscribeAI and integrations pages, its customer service article, and its Capterra listing, all checked on 26 September 2026 and listed at the end.
- Not stated means we did not find it on Shepherd's own pages. It may exist, so ask Shepherd before you rule it out.
- PetGrid's cells are written once for every comparison and read from the product, including what it does not do yet: no lab integration, no independent audit and no clinic live on AI Front Desk.
Each PetGrid feature in the tables has its own page, for example patient records, AI Assist and import and export.
Shepherd and PetGrid side by side
Shepherd and PetGrid compared, from Shepherd's own pages as read on 26 September 2026.
Everyday work
Shepherd is ahead on inventory, which updates when a drug is given; both take booking requests your team confirms, and PetGrid has no lab integration.
| Feature | PetGrid | Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking | Yes, as requests your team confirms | Requests in the pet portal |
| Staff calendar sync (Google, Outlook) | Google, both ways; Outlook and Apple by read-only feed | Not stated |
| Inventory and dispensing | Yes, basic | Yes, updates when administered |
| Lab integration (IDEXX, Antech) | No | Not stated |
Medical records
Even on records: both export them and give vaccine certificates, and PetGrid also states an audit trail with addenda.
| Feature | PetGrid | Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Audit trail and addenda on clinical entries | Yes | Not stated |
| Complete record export and release | Yes, one click | Export stated |
| Printable rabies certificate | Yes | Vaccine certificates in the portal |
Money
PetGrid states both: drugs billed apart from services and sales tax on invoices; we found neither stated for Shepherd.
| Feature | PetGrid | Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Drugs billed separately from services | Yes | Not stated |
| Sales tax on client invoices | Yes, GST/HST, PST, QST or a US rate | Not stated |
Owner app and messaging
Even: both include an owner portal and email reminders. Both offer two-way texting; in PetGrid it is part of the paid AI Front Desk add-on.
| Feature | PetGrid | Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Pet owner portal included | Yes | Yes, web portal |
| Appointment and care reminders by email | Yes | Yes |
| Two-way SMS | Yes, with the paid AI Front Desk add-on | Yes, included |
AI
Shepherd sells TranscribeAI and SummarizeAI as add-ons; PetGrid includes note drafts and summaries and adds record reading and AI for owners, though its phone receptionist is not live at a clinic yet.
| Feature | PetGrid | Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| AI note drafts (SOAP, with vitals) | SOAP drafts from shorthand or dictation, vitals filled in, a vet approves (included) | Yes, TranscribeAI add-on |
| AI phone receptionist | AI Front Desk add-on: answers, books and takes messages in English or French; rolling out as clinics' phone lines are connected, none live yet | No phone system named |
| Automated confirmation calls | Built, with AI Front Desk; no clinic live yet | Not stated |
| AI reply drafts for client messages | Yes, staff edit and send (included) | Not stated |
| AI patient history summary | Yes, AI Assist (included) | SummarizeAI add-on |
| AI reading of old records and paper files | Yes, PDFs and photos; staff accept each item (free) | Not stated |
| Clinic knowledge base the AI answers from | Yes, clinic memory, with AI Front Desk | Not stated |
| Plain-language visit summaries for owners | Yes, a vet approves (free) | Not stated |
| AI assistant in the owner app | Yes, Pip, plus a symptom helper the clinic turns on; never diagnoses | Not stated; web portal, no app found |
| Owner can opt a pet out of AI | Yes, per pet, at any time | Not stated |
Security
Neither shows an independent audit; PetGrid states its database walls, MFA, encryption in transit and at rest, and nightly encrypted backups.
| Feature | PetGrid | Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Each clinic's data walled off in the database | Yes, row-level security forced on every table | Not stated |
| Two-step sign-in (MFA) | Yes, required for admins; can be required for all staff | Not stated |
| Encrypted backups | Nightly, encrypted, kept 35 days | Not stated |
| Where the data is hosted | Secure cloud, encrypted in transit and at rest | Cloud, provider and region not stated |
| Independent audit (SOC 2, ISO 27001, penetration test) | No, not yet | Not stated |
Getting your data out
PetGrid is ahead on detail, with accounting files, a whole-clinic ZIP and record transfers; Shepherd states end-of-day reporting and that records can be exported.
| Feature | PetGrid | Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Reports downloadable as CSV | Yes: revenue, daily close, aging, clients, reminders | Automatic end-of-day reporting |
| Accounting files (QuickBooks Online, Xero) | Yes, files they import; no live sync | Not stated |
| Whole-clinic data export | Yes, one ZIP any time: spreadsheets, a data file, PDFs and stored files | Records can be exported |
| Record transfer to another clinic | Yes: the owner asks, staff approve, sent to the clinic's PetGrid inbox or by link | Not stated |
| Record copies for pet owners | Yes: the full record as a PDF on request, a vaccine record, share links | Vaccine certificates from the portal |
Price and contract
PetGrid publishes its price and Shepherd does not; Shepherd's onboarding team moves the data over 8 to 10 weeks, and PetGrid's import is free.
| Feature | PetGrid | Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Price published on the vendor's own site | Yes | No |
| Setup or onboarding fee | None | Not stated |
| Client and pet import | Yes, free | Yes, by their onboarding team |
| Visit history import | Yes, free | Yes, 8 to 10 week onboarding |
What the table does not show
A table flattens differences of degree. Shepherd is built so that finishing the SOAP note updates the record and the invoice together, while PetGrid's invoice lines are added by hand; PetGrid's entries are never edited once saved, and a correction is an addendum with its own author, date and reason.
- Messaging. Shepherd has two-way SMS and MMS saved to the record and mass SMS and email. PetGrid's two-way texting is new, part of the paid AI Front Desk add-on, and has no MMS or mass texting.
- The owner side. Shepherd has a web pet portal; we found no native mobile app. PetGrid's owner app carries your clinic's name, logo and colour, and is free for pet owners even with no clinic.
- Phones. Neither has a live feature today. Shepherd's integrations page names no phone system, and PetGrid's AI Front Desk is rolling out as clinics' phone lines are connected, none live yet.
- Support. Shepherd offers in-software live chat with clinically trained staff. PetGrid offers email support from the PetGrid team, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00 Eastern Time, with no phone line.
Which one fits your clinic?
Choose Shepherd if texting at full strength, an AI scribe that listens, charge capture from the record and live chat support are worth a price quoted in a demo. Choose PetGrid if you want the price on the page, $259 CAD a month per practice plus $90 CAD per veterinarian, a self-serve start with free imports and records that are never edited.
The Shepherd alternative guide sets out the reasons in prose, and our guide to veterinary practice management software in Canada puts the other main systems beside both. The pricing questions in the clinic FAQ cover billing.
Questions people ask
What is the main difference between PetGrid and Shepherd?
Shepherd is the proven, SOAP-centred product with texting, live chat support and AI add-ons, rated 4.7 stars from 89 reviews on Capterra. PetGrid is newer and narrower, with a public price, a self-serve start, never-edited records and an owner app in the clinic's name. Both take booking requests and export records.
Is PetGrid cheaper than Shepherd?
Shepherd does not publish a price, so only a quote can tell you. Capterra lists a third-party starting price of US$299 a month, which may be out of date, and Shepherd's AI tools are add-ons with no stated price. PetGrid is $259 CAD a month per practice plus $90 CAD per veterinarian with no setup fee.
Which has more AI, Shepherd or PetGrid?
Shepherd's TranscribeAI writes SOAP notes in real time during the appointment, as a paid add-on. PetGrid's AI Assist, included for every vet, drafts notes from shorthand or dictation, summarises history and drafts replies, and PetGrid adds AI that reads old records and vet-approved visit summaries for owners.
Which is more secure, PetGrid or Shepherd?
Neither shows an independent audit. PetGrid states that each clinic's data is walled off by row-level security, admins sign in with a second step, and backups are encrypted nightly; records are encrypted in transit and at rest. We found no hosting provider, region or certification on Shepherd's pages. The security page has PetGrid's detail.
Can I move from Shepherd to PetGrid?
Yes. Shepherd says records can be exported, so ask for a full export of clients, pets and visit history. PetGrid imports them free and shows every row before saving; our post on switching veterinary software without losing data walks through it.
The short version
Row by row, Shepherd wins on messaging, the AI scribe, charge capture, inventory and support, and PetGrid wins on a public price, the rabies certificate, the owner app and getting your data out. Records, scheduling and migration come out close.
If PetGrid's side of the table fits your clinic, try it with 14 days free and no card, import a few clients, and compare for yourself.
Switching to PetGrid
Questions about switching? Ask Theo
Theo, PetGrid's AI assistant, helps any clinic with switching, from moving your records to what comes across. When Theo cannot answer, someone from the PetGrid team calls you back.
Or call Theo now: (365) 217-9922
Or message Theo on WhatsApp
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Theo only calls during calling hours where you are: 9:00 to 21:30 on weekdays, 10:00 to 18:00 at weekends. Outside them, Theo calls the next weekday morning.
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Sources
Every fact about another product or organisation comes from these pages, read on the date shown.