Best Animal Shelter Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Pet Friend is ranked #1 of 8 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of ShelterBuddy and RescueRM. The best-ranked option with a free plan is RescueRM. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Pet Friend at $25/mo.
Animal shelter software can support day-to-day work ranging from recording an animal’s intake and outcome to managing adoptions and care. Pet Friend, ShelterBuddy and RescueRM are among the entries shown. Compare adoption portal and foster management features with kennel management and medical records to see which operational needs are covered. The other listed criteria include volunteer management, intake and outcome tracking, free-plan availability and paid starting price. Since the entries are ranked, these comparison points offer a practical way to consider the capabilities named for each option.
8 animal shelter software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | App | Score | From | Free plan | Paid from | Adoption portal | Intake & outcome tracking | Kennel management | Medical records | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pet Friend | 7.1 | $25/mo | No | 25 /mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | View |
| 2 | ShelterBuddy | 6.9 | — | — | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | View |
| 3 | RescueRM | 6.2 | Free | Yes | — | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 4 | PawPlacer | 6.1 | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 5 | RescueGroups.org Data Management Service | 6.0 | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 6 | RescueBase | 5.9 | — | Yes | — | No | — | — | Yes | View |
| 7 | Cara | 4.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 8 | Pact | 4.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which animal shelter software is ranked first on Samsung Mobile US Press?
Pet Friend is ranked #1 of 8 with a score of 7.1. ShelterBuddy is second and RescueRM third.
How many of these have a free plan?
2 of the 8 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Pet Friend has the lowest first paid tier we found: $25/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.