The Top 10 Online Payment & Billing Solutions for Veterinary & Pet Services

From veterinary clinics to dog groomers, pet hotels to pet sitting services, we love to take care of our furry friends. However, veterinary and pet services face a wide range of challenges. Vets and other pet-related businesses must deal not just with patients (animals), but with the owners of those pets. Coordinating care, diagnosing conditions, communicating grooming requirements – these can all be challenging. However, one of the most difficult to overcome is how to get paid. 

Thankfully, technology has caught up and now offers a myriad of options that promise to empower these businesses to control their revenue cycle. Of course, it can be challenging to sort through the various options out there, so we’ve done the legwork for you and collected the 10 best online payment and billing solutions for vets and pet services. 

A brief caveat

You’ll notice that some of the software we cover below is more robust than other options. That’s because these are veterinary practice management solutions that are designed to help manage patient records, pet parent information, medication history, and more, in addition to enabling the pet business to accept and process payments online and in person. 

Of course, we’ve also included some streamlined options that are solely focused on the online payment and billing aspect, allowing you to find other solutions to needs like patient intake, appointment setting, and the rest (speaking of intake, booking appointments, and answering questions, Smith.ai’s live receptionists can take that load off your staff’s shoulders, ensuring they can focus on caring for patients). 

The 10 veterinary & pet services online payment and billing solutions to consider

We’ve listed our top 10 picks for online payment and billing solutions designed for veterinary clinics and pet services below. As mentioned, they’re a combination of standalone platforms and practice management software, so there is something here for just about every business, from established veterinary clinics to doggie daycares. 

1. eVetPractice

Developed and supported by Covetrus, eVetPractice® is a full veterinary practice suite. That means it includes all the bells and whistles, like a boarding module, wellness plans, and integration with most lab systems. However, it also provides easy access to online payments and billing capabilities.

When it comes to billing, you have an online client portal that allows owners to log in, access their records, and pay their bills online. Payment processing is also included (through WorldPay). This software is cloud-based (no app) and is designed to be simple to use. However, it is not modular and it is designed for veterinary clinics, so it’s not the right option for everyone. Important things to know include the following:

• Free option? No
• Price: $250 per month
• Full payment processing capabilities
• Handle billing and payment to suppliers, too
• Designed for veterinary clinics
• Complete practice management solution
  

2. ezyVet

Another practice management solution, ezyVet offers everything you might need, including online payment and billing capabilities. It also offers both iOS and Android apps and provides support services that work with billing/payments, such as expense tracking.

In addition to online payments and billing, ezyVet also helps you build a robust client database, stores images and X-rays, and can store horse records in addition to standard pet medical records. It’s also helpful with inventory management and prescription processing. Important things to know about this platform include the following:

• Free option? No, but there’s a free trial
• Price: $150 per month for 1 user
• Full billing and invoicing capabilities
• Online client portal for payments and record access
• Customizable invoices
  

3. Electronic Merchant Systems

For veterinary clinics happy with their practice management software, but interested in finding a new way to accept online payments, Electronic Merchant Systems has something to offer. EMS is unlike the other two options we’ve discussed thus far in that this solution only handles online payments (note that EMS focuses solely on customer payments).

EMS provides a full online/offline payment processing system. That includes point of sale (POS) systems, credit card machines, and more. However, the company also provides payment gateways for existing websites, web design for new vets and pet services, and supports e-commerce, as well. Some of the most important things to understand here include the following:

• Free option? No
• Price: Varies
• Process online and in-person payments
• Full POS systems
• Payment gateways
• Competitive processing rates
  

4. PayJunction

Another payment processing-only option, PayJunction is designed primarily for veterinary clinics, but can also be used by other pet services. It enables you to process payments in a variety of ways, ensuring that your team can focus on providing great care, rather than handling administrative tasks. 

PayJunction also provides additional benefits that go beyond accepting online payments. Issue digital receipts and save paper, time, and cost. Allow patients to pay from their mobile device or PC for greater convenience. Follow up on plan payments to improve cash flow. Important factors to consider with this payment option include the following:

• Free option? Yes (processing fees apply)
• Price: Volume-based
• Capture digital signatures and use them in the front-office
• Automate recurring payments
• Mobile app (iOS)
• Transaction histories
• Deposit reporting
• In-depth sales reporting
  

5. TMGvets

Designed primarily for vet clinics, TMGvets provides a robust platform if you’re looking for a way to start accepting payments online. However, this company also provides you with contactless payment processing for in-clinic needs, as well as standard POS systems.

When it comes to online payments, TMGvets lets you accept mobile payments from your customers’ devices, but also provides a virtual terminal that helps you track and store credit card information securely. Interestingly, for vets looking to add an ecommerce touch to their website, the TMGvets shopping cart does the trick. Other important things to know here include:

• Free option? No
• Price: Custom
• Accept mobile payments
• Integrates with ecommerce systems
• Full virtual terminal for robust security
• Customized billing for online and recurring payments
  

6. Gravity Payments

Built for pet services, Gravity Payments is specially designed to meet the needs of today’s small businesses, whether they’re veterinary clinics, mobile groomers, pet sitters, or something else entirely. Gravity is another payment-specific platform and is not a clinic management software suite.

Gravity offers quite a few important benefits, including the ability to process credit and debit cards (on-premises and online), accept mobile payments, and even set up recurring invoices/payments. The company promises no hidden fees, and the software integrates with your equipment and technology stack. Other features of note here include:

• Free option? No
• Price: Custom
• Process debit and credit cards
• Integrates with ecommerce systems
• Accept and process mobile payments 
• Create recurring invoices and payments
  

7. Dharma Merchant Services

Dharma Merchant Services focuses on serving the needs of ultra-small businesses and solopreneurs in the pet services space. Think groomers, mobile groomers, and dog trainers, for instance. In most cases, these business owners have been relegated to using Stripe or Square, with little option for online payments, but Dharma Merchant Services wants to change that.

With this payment platform, you can accept payments in person (whether in a physical storefront or a mobile situation). However, you can also accept payments online through a merchant account, virtual terminal, and NMI gateway that syncs with your accounting software. Other things to note with this platform include the following:

• Free option? Yes, but processing fees apply
• Price: Custom
• Accept cards online
• Use a virtual terminal to securely store card information
• Access to robust reporting
• Join the ecommerce revolution with the NMI gateway
  

8. PetPocketbook

The payment platform designed for pet sitters and dog walkers, PetPocketbook offers intuitive operation and plenty of features. It combines elements of a business management tool with a payment processing platform, although it doesn’t quite reach the same level of operability as a full practice management system (which would be unnecessary for most pet sitters and dog walkers).

You’ll find a lot of high points here, from automated invoicing to the ability to process online payments (either one-time or recurring charges). You can set up your own cancellation policies (including financial fees), apply automatic service fees, track staff payments, and a lot more. Some of the things you’ll want to know about this tool include the following:

• Free option? No, but there is a 60-day free trial
• Price: $25 per month
• Automated invoicing
• Recurring payments
• Automatic service fees
• Accept online payments
  

9. ProPet

ProPet is an intuitive, easy-to-use software suite designed for today’s busy pet professionals. Unlike several other options on our list, this one is designed primarily for boarding, daycare providers, trainers, groomers (and mobile groomers), and pet retail companies.

In addition to offering a full range of payment processing capabilities, including accepting online payments, ProPet also brings modularity to the table. Optional modules include those specific for managing grooming, boarding, and training businesses, a retail module, and a scheduled services module. Important factors to consider with ProPet include the following:

• Free option? No, but there is a free demo.
• Price: $49.99 per month
• Merchant terminal integration
• Low processing rates
• Secure online payments
• Mobile app
  

10. PetCheck

Designed just for dog walkers, PetCheck helps you “run every aspect of your dog walking business.” While the platform is designed for dog walkers, it does more than just allow you to accept online payments. It provides a full business management solution that ranges from verified check-ins to GPS visit tracking, the ability to add pet photos, and even handle staff payroll.

In terms of payments and billing, you can accept credit cards online or in person. It also provides robust invoicing tools to help you build a stronger business. The credit card processing tools are optional but well worth integrating, and you also get in-depth business reports to help you guide your business forward. Other things to know here include:

• Free option? No
• Price: $29.99 per month for 1 walker
• Designed for dog walkers and pet sitters by pet professionals
• Mobile access for business owners, dog walkers/sitters, and pet owners 
• Customizable invoices
  

What it takes to build a successful pet service today

Today’s consumers have dramatically different expectations than they did just a few years ago. They expect to be able to pay for pet grooming, boarding, medical treatment, and walking on the go from their mobile device, or from their PC sitting at home. The tools we’ve covered above help ensure that you can speak to those expectations and deliver a positive customer experience each and every time.

There’s something for every budget and just about every niche. Whether you only need an online payment processing tool, or you’re looking for a robust business management suite, there’s an option available.

However, there’s more to building a successful pet service than just accepting online payments and billing electronically. As your business grows, you and your team will be inundated with other tasks that take you away from what you do best – caring for those pets entrusted to you. You’ll need to field phone calls, book appointments, answer questions, transfer calls, figure out how you’ll deal with after-hours communication, and so much more.

It’s a massive challenge and one that could mean serious hardships for your pet service business. Thankfully, you’ve got Smith.ai on your side. We help you tame the unpredictable and make sense of the chaos, all while ensuring that your team can provide great care for your customers’ pets. From capturing and screening incoming calls to booking appointments and logging client details in your system to handling outbound communication, and even dealing with Facebook Messenger and text messages, we’ve got your back.

Take a moment to check out our full range of mission-critical features and services to see just how we can lighten the load. Or, if you’re already convinced, schedule your FREE consultation to learn more about our capabilities and how we can help you grow and thrive. Of course, you can also give us a call at (650) 727-6484 or you can drop us a line at hello@smith.ai.