Animal rescue software can cost nothing at all or several hundred dollars a year, depending on the pricing model. Subscriptions start around $29 a month, per-adoption pricing runs about $2 per adoption, and PawPlacer is completely free for every rescue, with only your payment processor's standard fees on online payments.
The sticker price rarely tells the whole story. A rescue choosing software has to think about adoption volume, signed contracts, payment processing, add-ons and what happens to the bill in a busy season.
This guide from the PawPlacer team breaks down how rescue software is priced, what the real costs look like, and how PawPlacer keeps the number at $0.
At a Glance
- Free: PawPlacer costs $0, with no tiers, per-adoption fees or user limits.
- Subscriptions: some tools charge a monthly fee, sometimes tiered by adoption volume.
- Per-adoption pricing: some tools charge a small fee for every adoption.
- Payment processing: card processors charge their own fees on online payments, whatever software you use.
- Hidden costs: migration, contracts and features locked behind upgrades.
How Animal Rescue Software Is Priced
Most rescue software uses one of a few models:
- Free for everyone: the full product at no cost.
- Tiered subscriptions: a monthly fee that rises with adoptions, contracts or features.
- Per-adoption fees: a set charge for every completed adoption.
- Program-linked free plans: free when you participate in another program, paid otherwise.
- Custom quotes: pricing set through a sales conversation.
Rescue Software Pricing Compared
| Software | Features | Pricing | Differences |
|---|---|---|---|
| PawPlacer | Fosters, adoption applications and QR checkout, medical suite, volunteers, transports, donors, reports, website widgets, Petfinder, Adopt-a-Pet and GetBuddy syndication | Free for every organization | No tiers, per-adoption fees or user limits |
| Pawlytics | Rescue management designed for foster-based rescues | $29/month for 0 to 24 adoptions and contracts; $49/month for 25 to 49 | Tier is reviewed every six months |
| Shelterluv | Shelter and rescue management with phone-based adoption checkout | $2 per adoption; 3.4% + 30 cents per checkout transaction | No subscription |
| Petstablished | Web-based rescue and shelter management | Free with its microchip program; monthly plans otherwise | Free access is tied to its microchip program |
| Doobert | Case management, fosters, volunteers and transport requests | Paid tiered plans; Pro tier listed at $149/month | Tiered subscription plans |
Competitor pricing is based on each vendor's public pricing information at the time of writing and can change.
1. What a Year of Rescue Software Actually Costs
The simplest way to compare is to add up a full year. Take a rescue completing 300 adoptions:
- Per-adoption pricing at $2: $600 a year in software fees, before card processing.
- A $29 or $49 monthly tier: $348 to $588 a year, depending on volume.
- PawPlacer: $0 a year.
The difference grows with the rescue. A per-adoption fee or volume tier scales with success, while PawPlacer stays at $0 no matter how many animals find homes.
2. Payment Processing Is Separate From Software
Any rescue that accepts cards online pays a processing fee to the card processor. That is true with every platform.
PawPlacer connects to Stripe and Square for online adoption fees and donations. Those processors charge their own standard fees, and PawPlacer adds nothing on top and takes no cut of adoption fees or donations. Cash, check, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App and Zelle can be recorded as manual payment methods at no cost.
3. Costs That Hide in the Fine Print
Beyond the headline price, check for:
- Contract fees: whether signed adoption or foster contracts count toward a bill.
- Feature tiers: whether medical records, reports or integrations require an upgrade.
- User limits: whether adding volunteers or fosters adds seats.
- Migration fees: whether moving your data costs extra.
- Exports: whether getting your data back out is easy.
With PawPlacer, every feature is included, signed contracts are free, there are no user limits, migration is free and full CSV exports are available any time.
4. What Free Software Should Still Include
Free software is only a bargain if it covers your work. PawPlacer includes:
- A pet database with custom statuses, photos, documents and full history.
- Foster capacity, assignments and transfers.
- Adoption applications, an applicant inbox and QR checkout with digital contracts.
- A Medical Suite with vaccines, prescriptions, dose schedules and reminders.
- Volunteer schedules and hours, transports and drivers.
- Donor records, campaigns, recurring gifts, tax receipts and a public wishlist.
- Reports, website widgets and syndication to Petfinder, Adopt-a-Pet and GetBuddy.
5. How PawPlacer Stays Free
PawPlacer is self-funded and built to stay free. It shows no ads, never sells or brokers organization data, and does not take a share of adoption fees or donations. The entire product is included for every animal welfare organization, with no trial that expires and no upgrade waiting later.
6. The Cost of Switching
Switching to PawPlacer costs nothing. The PawPlacer team offers free white-glove migration, or you can import pets, adopters, fosters, volunteers, donors and surrenders from CSV or Excel files with the Data Uploader, which previews every row before saving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there free animal rescue software?
Yes. PawPlacer is free for every animal welfare organization, with every feature included and no paid tier.
Do I pay anything to accept adoption fees online?
Only your payment processor's standard fee. Stripe or Square charge their own processing fees, and PawPlacer adds nothing on top.
Does PawPlacer charge for more users?
No. PawPlacer has no per-user charges, so staff, fosters and volunteers can all be added at no cost.
Start With PawPlacer for $0
The cheapest animal rescue software is the one that costs nothing and still does the whole job. PawPlacer is free for every rescue, with fosters, adoptions, medical records, volunteers, transports and donors included and no fee that grows with your success.
Create your free PawPlacer account today and keep every dollar working for the animals.