KennelSoft Alternatives: A Look at Pet Manager’s Modern Cloud Solution

In the world of kennel software, stability and reliability are paramount. For years, KennelSoft has been a trusted name, providing a robust, on-premise solution for pet boarding facilities. It’s known for being a comprehensive system that, once installed on your computer, gets the job done.

But the world has changed. Business owners now crave flexibility, remote access, and the power of cloud-based tools. If you’re a long-time KennelSoft user who is curious about what a modern, cloud-based alternative can offer, you’re in the right place. Let’s explore why so many businesses are looking to a platform like Pet Manager for their next chapter.

The Paradigm Shift: From Local Desktop to Global Cloud

The biggest difference between KennelSoft and Pet Manager is the technological foundation.

KennelSoft is a desktop software program. It lives on a specific computer in your office. This makes it fast and independent of your internet connection, which can feel secure. However, it also means your business data is tied to that physical location and that specific machine.

Pet Manager is a 100% cloud-native solution. This means your entire business—your schedules, client data, financial records—is securely stored online and accessible from any device, anywhere in the world. Let’s break down what that really means for you:
• Freedom of Access: You can check your dashboard from your home computer, manage bookings on a tablet while walking through the kennels, or even check in a pet using your phone if the front desk is busy.
• Data Security: Your data isn’t vulnerable to a single hard drive crashing or an office mishap like a fire or flood. Pet Manager performs daily offsite backups to multiple secure locations, giving you enterprise-grade peace of mind.
• Automatic Updates: You’ll never have to download and install an update again. All improvements and new features are rolled out automatically, ensuring you’re always on the latest and greatest version.

This shift to the cloud is about more than convenience; it’s about making your business more resilient and adaptable to the modern world.

Modernizing the Client Experience

Today’s pet owners, especially millennials and Gen Z who make up the largest pet-owning demographic, expect a seamless digital experience.

KennelSoft can offer online booking functionality, giving clients a way to request services.

Pet Manager offers a sophisticated and highly customisable Customer Portal that can be embedded directly into your own website. This is a huge deal. Your client isn’t sent to a generic-looking third-party page; they stay on your site, with your branding. From the portal, clients can:
• Register and create detailed profiles for themselves and their pets.
• Request bookings for any of your services (boarding, daycare, grooming, etc.).
• Upload vaccination documents directly for your approval.
• Digitally sign your latest Terms & Conditions.
• Pay for their bookings and deposits online via Stripe.

This level of self-service not only delights clients but also dramatically cuts down on your administrative workload.

The “Are My Babies Okay?” Phone Call

We all get them. The loving pet owner on holiday in Fiji, calling to check on their fur babies. It’s sweet, but it takes time. Imagine instead of just reassuring them, you could delight them. With Pet Manager, you can quickly snap a photo of their dog playing in the yard and send them a Pet Postcard email update. It takes 30 seconds but creates a lasting impression and incredible peace of mind. One user commented in a review, “The Pet Postcard feature is genius. Our clients share the photos all over social media, it’s fantastic free marketing for us!” This is the kind of modern touch that builds immense loyalty.

Powering Up Your Operations and Finances

An upgrade should make your life easier and your business stronger.

KennelSoft provides the tools you need to manage your bookings and billing within its own ecosystem.

Pet Manager is designed to be the hub of a connected business. The powerful, rules-based pricing calculator can handle almost any scenario you can think of—from complex seasonal pricing to “charge for the final day if checkout is after 10 am” rules. But the real power comes from its integrations. The Xero integration is a standout feature, creating a two-way sync for your invoices and payments that can save hours of bookkeeping pain. You can also manage pre-paid packages for daycare, run a full retail shop with inventory control, and generate detailed reports on everything from occupancy rates to your most profitable services.

Making the Leap

Moving from a trusted desktop system to a new cloud platform can feel like a big step.

KennelSoft has been a reliable workhorse for many. If you value the stability and self-contained nature of on-premise software, it remains a solid choice.

However, if you find yourself wishing you could check bookings from home, if you’re manually entering financial data into a separate accounting program, or if you want to offer your clients a slick, modern, self-service online experience, then exploring a KennelSoft alternative like Pet Manager is a logical next step. It’s more than just a software change; it’s an investment in a more flexible, efficient, and future-proof way of running your business.

Curious to see what the cloud feels like? Step into the future of pet care management with a completely free, 30-day trial of Pet Manager. No commitments, just pure potential.