Top Mobile App Builders for Pet Brands to Grow Repeat Sales in 2026

The pet industry runs on repeat purchases,food, supplements, and meds on a predictable schedule. But relying on mobile web alone, rising ad costs, and fluctuating email opens makes capturing those reorders hard.

Email and SMS still matter, but apps and push notifications fill the gaps when messages get filtered or ignored.

With the global pet care market projected to reach hundreds of billions, competition is fierce and brands that own customer relationships through an app have a clear edge over those relying on “rented” audiences like Facebook or Google.

Mobile apps convert at a significantly higher rate than mobile websites, often up to 3x, and they live on the home screen so you can send refill reminders without extra ad spend. There are many ways to build that app, from cheap DIY tools to fully managed, sync-based solutions.

This guide compares the best options for pet brands so you can choose the one that turns one-time buyers into loyal subscribers.

Top Mobile App Builders for Pet Brands

Below are the top mobile app builders for pet brands, from fully managed, sync-based solutions to drag-and-drop Shopify app builders.

1. MobiLoud

MobiLoud is built for established pet brands that want a premium native app without rebuilding their store.

Instead of designing a separate app storefront with blocks and templates, MobiLoud converts your existing mobile-optimized website into fully native iOS and Android apps and keeps them synced with your site.

This is especially helpful if your store relies on subscription and retention tooling. Recharge and Bold Subscriptions are subscription apps, and setups like these often break or require workarounds in template-based builders.

With MobiLoud’s website-based approach, the app follows your existing site experience and checkout logic, so you avoid recreating core flows from scratch.

For example, PetShop.co.uk (a subscription-based pet food and supplies retailer) launched its mobile app with MobiLoud and saw the app contribute 10% of total store revenue in its first month, with ~1.6x higher revenue per user compared to the website.

Curious what apps like yours actually achieve? Browse MobiLoud case studies to see real-world revenue and retention lifts

Best For

MobiLoud is the ideal choice for serious pet brands (typically $1M+ in annual revenue) that want a “set it and forget it” solution. If you rely on specialized Shopify apps for subscriptions, loyalty, or complex merchandising, MobiLoud ensures they work in a native app experience without rebuilds or compromises.

Key Features

• No Rebuild Required: Your current theme, apps, plugins, and custom features work out of the box.
• Real-Time Sync: Any product update, inventory change, or blog post on your site is instantly reflected in the app.
• Unlimited Push Notifications: Send targeted alerts for restocks, sales, or shipping updates without extra fees.
• Full Service: The MobiLoud team handles the entire build, app store submission, and ongoing maintenance for you.

Pros

• Works with Any Platform: Compatible with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce, and custom stacks.
  
• Zero Tech Debt: You only manage one codebase (your website). There is no separate “app CMS” to update.
• Guaranteed Approval: MobiLoud offers an approval guarantee for the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
• Retains All Functionality: Loyalty programs, subscription apps, custom bundles, and complex flows carry over from your site.
• No Revenue Share: You keep 100% of the revenue your app generates.

Cons

• Better Fit for Established Brands: MobiLoud is a premium, fully managed solution, so it can be expensive for smaller stores. It’s best for pet brands doing a meaningful volume of orders, typically around 7 figures or more in annual revenue, where the ROI from retention and repeat purchases is clearer.
• Won’t Fix a Poor Mobile Site: Because the app mirrors your existing mobile site, any UX or performance issues will carry over, so you’ll want to improve your mobile experience first.

Want your pet brand living on customers’ home screens, not just in their inboxes? See how to launch a pet supplies app in 30 days

2. Tapcart

Tapcart is a popular mobile app builder designed exclusively for Shopify merchants. It uses a drag-and-drop interface that allows you to design your app using a library of pre-built blocks. It’s widely used by fashion and lifestyle brands but is also a viable option for pet stores running relatively straightforward Shopify setups.

Tapcart’s main appeal is its ease of use.

You can log in, drag a few banners around, and have a decent-looking app layout in a few hours. However, this convenience comes with structural trade-offs. Since the app is a separate ecosystem from your website, you essentially have to manage two storefronts.

Best For

Tapcart is a strong contender for Shopify-based pet brands that have a simple catalog and don’t rely heavily on niche or custom third-party apps that might lack integrations.

Key Features

• Drag-and-Drop Editor: Easy visual builder that requires no coding skills.
• Pre-Built Integrations: Connects with major Shopify apps like Yotpo and Klaviyo.
• Instant App Updates: Change layouts in the dashboard without resubmitting to app stores.

Pros

• User-Friendly: Very approachable for non-technical founders and marketers.
• Shopify Focused: Deep integration with the Shopify backend.
• Marketing Tools: Built-in push notification campaigns and automation features.

Cons

• Shopify Only: Does not work with WooCommerce, Magento, or custom sites.
• Separate Management: You must design and update the app separately from your website.
• Feature Limits: If a specific Shopify app or custom feature isn’t supported by Tapcart’s integration library, you may not be able to replicate it in the app or you’ll need a workaround.
• Cost: Pricing can get steep for enterprise features, often including a platform fee plus other costs.

3. Shopney

Shopney is another Shopify-centric app builder that differentiates itself with a focus on design and customer support.

It offers a variety of themes that are often more visually distinct than standard template builders, which can be great for pet brands that rely heavily on cute, high-quality imagery.

Shopney also provides good features for chat and customer support integration, which is helpful for pet owners who often have questions about product ingredients, sizing, or pet-specific needs.

Best For

Shopney is great for small to mid-sized Shopify pet stores that prioritize visual design and want a budget-friendly way to launch a native app quickly.

Key Features

• Design Themes: Offers specific themes for different verticals, including retail.
• In-App Chat: Integrates with tools like Gorgias and Shopify Inbox.
• Easy Setup: Straightforward process to launch an app quickly.

Pros

• Affordable Entry: Generally lower starting price point than many enterprise-focused builders.
• Visual Appeal: Strong focus on UX and design templates.
• Customer Support: Known for responsive support during onboarding and setup.

Cons

• Template Constraints: You’re largely limited to the design blocks and layouts they provide.
• Shopify Only: Like Tapcart, it locks you into the Shopify ecosystem.
• Limited Customization: More complex custom functionality is harder to implement compared to a web-to-app solution.
  

4. Plobal Apps

Plobal Apps is a Shopify Plus certified mobile app builder that targets larger merchants. They focus heavily on personalized service and growth strategy, offering success managers to help brands scale their app revenue.

For pet brands, Plobal’s strength lies in its segmentation and analytics capabilities.

They offer detailed insights into user behavior, allowing you to tailor push notifications and in-app experiences based on what kind of pet a customer owns (e.g., sending cat product offers only to cat owners).

Best For

Plobal Apps is suited for high-growth Shopify Plus pet brands that have a dedicated marketing or ecommerce team ready to fully leverage advanced segmentation and analytics.

Key Features

• Personalization Engine: AI-driven product recommendations.
• Dedicated Success Manager: Hands-on guidance for enterprise plans.
• Advanced Analytics: Deep insight into install sources, behavior, and retention metrics.

Pros

• Scalable: Built to handle high-volume stores and complex requirements.
• Marketing Focus: Strong tools for segmentation, campaigns, and growth experiments.
• Integrations: Solid library of integrations with top Shopify tools.

Cons

• Expensive: Targeted at enterprise brands with budgets to match.
• Separate Backend: Still requires managing app design and layout separately from your website.
• Complexity: The advanced feature set can have a steeper learning curve.

5. StoreLab

StoreLab is a Shopify mobile app builder that pairs a no-code app experience with more hands-on guidance than most DIY tools. It’s positioned for Shopify SMEs that want an iOS and Android shopping app plus support around launch and ongoing growth, rather than a purely self-serve builder.

Best For

StoreLab is a good fit for Shopify-based pet brands that want a native app with strong retention basics (especially abandoned cart recovery and push) and prefer a guided approach with expert support, instead of managing every detail alone.

Key Features

• Unlimited push notifications, including abandoned cart, promo, and custom notifications.
• Works inside Shopify admin, so it’s built to plug into your existing Shopify operations.
• Common integrations listed with tools like Klaviyo, Google Analytics, Loyalty Lion, Reviews.io, and more.
• Two primary plans: Guided ($499/month) and Professional ($999/month), with annual options available.

Pros

• More guided than many builders: Guided plan includes expert account manager support plus a guided launch strategy and implementation assistance.
• Retention-first tooling: Push notifications and abandoned cart notifications are core to the product, not add-ons.
• Option for full management: Professional plan adds full-app management and ongoing strategy help.

Cons

• Shopify only: Not a fit for WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or custom platforms.
• Higher starting price than many app builders: Entry pricing begins at $499/month, which may be steep for smaller stores.
• Separate app experience: Like most Shopify app builders, you are still operating an app layer alongside your website experience, rather than simply converting the site into an app.

MobiLoud vs. Drag-and-Drop Builders

When choosing an app builder, there’s usually not a huge difference between the drag-and-drop options.

The bigger decision is whether you want one of those off-the-shelf builders, or a managed, website-based solution like MobiLoud that stays in sync with your existing store. Here’s how they compare at a high level:

If you’d like a deeper dive into specific competitors, you can also check out MobiLoud’s own comparisons, such as the best Tapcart alternatives or how MobiLoud stacks up as a Shopney alternative.

Final Thoughts

For pet brands, the primary goal of a mobile app is simple: retention. You want to make it as easy as possible for a dog owner to reorder their food, or for a cat owner to grab that new toy they saw on Instagram, without having to dig through emails or search for your website.

If you’re just starting out and have a simple Shopify store, a template builder like Shopney or Tapcart might be enough to get you going. They’re easy to use and cover the basics for smaller catalogs.

However, if you’re an established brand with a high-performing website, MobiLoud is the superior choice. It allows you to leverage the years of optimization you’ve put into your mobile site and port that directly into the App Store. There’s no need to rebuild, no need to compromise on features, and no need to manage a second platform.

Ready to see how your pet brand would look as a top-tier mobile app? Book a demo with MobiLoud today and let their team show you what’s possible.