.png)
DaySmart Pet has been around for a long time — it was one of the first platforms purpose-built for pet service businesses, and it built a loyal following among grooming salons and pet care businesses over the years. Teddy is newer and takes a different approach: built specifically for independent groomers and small teams, with a modern interface and unlimited texting at its core.
If you're evaluating both platforms, this side-by-side breakdown gives you a straight answer on what each does well and which one is the better fit depending on how you run your business.
For additional comparisons between major grooming platforms, you can also read MoeGo vs DaySmart: Full Comparison [2026].
What Is DaySmart Pet?
DaySmart Pet (formerly 123Pet) is a veteran of the grooming software space. It handles scheduling, client management, POS, online booking, automated reminders, and reporting for pet grooming salons and multi-service pet businesses. DaySmart has evolved over the years to cover boarding, daycare, and retail alongside grooming, making it a flexible platform for businesses that combine multiple pet services.
Its longevity in the market means a large user base and an extensive help library, but the interface reflects its age — functional and reliable, but not the most intuitive experience for someone setting up grooming software for the first time.
Best for: Established multi-service pet businesses combining grooming with boarding, daycare, or retail.
What Is Teddy?
Teddy is a modern all-in-one platform built specifically for independent groomers and small grooming teams. It includes scheduling, unlimited two-way SMS, request-based online booking, digital intake forms, service agreements, a CRM with full pet profiles, automated reminders, and Square POS integration.
Teddy launched with a focus on making professional-grade grooming software accessible for small operators — not just established businesses, but groomers who are launching their first salon or transitioning from paper to digital. The interface is clean, onboarding is fast, and unlimited texting is a built-in feature rather than an add-on.
Best for: Independent groomers and small teams who want a modern, easy platform with unlimited SMS.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Teddy | DaySmart Pet |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment Scheduling | ✅ Full calendar | ✅ Full calendar |
| Online Booking | ✅ Request-based | ✅ Direct and request-based |
| Two-Way SMS | ✅ Unlimited, included | ⚠️ Available, metered |
| Automated Reminders | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Digital Intake Forms | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Service Agreements | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Client & Pet CRM | ✅ Full pet profiles | ✅ Full pet profiles |
| Boarding & Daycare | ❌ Grooming only | ✅ Full support |
| Retail Inventory | ❌ | ✅ |
| POS Integration | ✅ Square | ✅ Multiple options |
| AI Receptionist | ✅ Add-on | ❌ |
| Reporting & Analytics | ✅ Core reports | ✅ Extensive |
| Mobile App | ✅ | ✅ |
| Free Trial | ✅ | ✅ |
| Best For | Small grooming teams | Multi-service businesses |
If you're looking for lower-cost platforms while launching your salon, check out Budget-Friendly Software Options for New Groomers.
The Interface Difference
This is one of the clearest distinctions between the two platforms. Teddy's interface was designed in the last few years with modern UX principles — clean layouts, intuitive navigation, minimal clicks to complete common tasks. Most groomers report being up and running in a day.
DaySmart's interface, while functional, carries the weight of its history. It was built for a broader set of use cases across
