Spot and Tango vs. Ollie 2023: Which is the Most Pawsome?

Spot & Tango and Ollie are two of the biggest names in the fresh dog food industry. Both feature a subscription-based service and only work with 100% human-grade ingredients to create high-quality recipes for pups everywhere. 

So, which one should you choose? Ultimately, it may come down to your pooch’s taste preferences, but there are a few other things to take into account. My extensive research places Ollie as top dog, as it offers a more diverse menu by combining fresh and dry recipes. 

However, Spot & Tango comes a very close second. So, if you’re still on the fence, make sure to read until the end to see which is a better fit for your pooch.

At a Glance: Who Won Each Category?

Ingredient Quality

Winner: Tie

Both services focus on creating delicious fresh meals for dogs of all ages, starting from puppyhood. The recipes are vet-formulated to fit diverse preferences and needs, and all the ingredients are gently cooked in small batches at low temperatures, to optimize nutrient retention. 

Both companies use human-grade ingredients sourced from US farms and fresh-food suppliers. All the recipes meet and exceed AAFCO guidelines for all life stages. Spot & Tango only uses real, high-quality, whole-muscle meats and organ meats, while Ollie’s recipes are all cooked in a USDA-certified kitchen. 

Spot & Tango meals are entirely free of artificial preservatives, ingredients, or colors. Also, there are no fillers, such as soy, corn, or wheat, and all the recipes are gluten-free, except for the Beef & Barley UnKibble. 

I also liked the fact that every recipe contains 50% USDA meat, which naturally contains Taurine. Taurine is a critical ingredient for dogs and helps with digestion, proper heart functioning, and vision (among others). Plus, if you’re looking for a healthy source of Omega acids, all the UnKibble recipes contain fish oil. 

In the spirit of catering to all dogs, Spot & Tango has both grain-inclusive and grain-free recipes (like the Turkey and Red Quinoa blend), so if your pup suffers from any grain intolerances, make sure to check the list of ingredients.

Ollie takes the same level of care when choosing the ingredients for its recipes, and most of its suppliers are US-based. The only exception is the premium lamb meat, which comes from sources in the U.S., New Zealand, and Australia.

Every ingredient, including produce, seeds, and oils, is 100% human-grade and doesn’t contain any by-products, fillers, artificial flavoring, or preservatives. However, keep in mind that three out of the four recipes include grain-based products. The only grain-free recipe is the Fresh Beef with Sweet Potatoes formula.

Ollie also has two Baked formulas designed to be served as is or in combination with fresh food. These are made with real meats and veggies and contain a wide range of vitamins and superfoods, such as fish oil and chia seeds. 

I like that the fresh recipes from both brands are gently cooked and flash-frozen for delivery. This way, I don’t have to worry about any harmful bacteria that may develop in raw foods, and the meals stay fresh and safe for consumption. Plus, the UnKibble and Baked recipes are slow-cooked at low temperatures, which makes them shelf-stable.

Meals and Customization

Winner: Ollie

Both companies focus on creating the best meals for your pooch and feature somewhat similar fresh foods, but I liked Ollie the best because you can create a more diverse menu by mixing the baked and fresh meals. Spot & Tango doesn’t have this option – you can order either fresh food or UnKibble.

In terms of customization options, you can’t change the composition of the recipe, but you can customize your dog’s meal plan to fit its needs. You do this by filling in a quiz where you describe your dog’s food preferences and more.

This short quiz (eight questions for Spot & Tango and seven questions for Ollie) includes questions on gender, breed, age, activity level, and if the dog is spayed or neutered. The main difference between these quizzes is that Ollie is more straightforward when it comes to choosing allergies and food sensitivities, while Spot & Tango makes it easier to identify your dog’s body type.

Spot & Tango also has a section in the quiz dedicated to special health conditions, but it provides you with a list of health conditions that don’t have a clear impact on the final meal plan. This was a bit confusing, although Ollie’s was straightforward and easy to understand.

The Spot & Tango menu includes three dried recipes (aka the UnKibble) and three fresh meals. The three UnKibble recipes are:

• Cod & Salmon (grain-free, min. 29.67% crude protein)

• Beef & Barley (min 26.58% crude protein)

• Chicken & Brown Rice (gluten-free, min 26.58% crude protein)

The three Fresh recipes are: 

• Turkey & Red Quinoa (grain-free, min 13.69% crude protein)

• Beef & Millet (grain-free, min 11.85% crude protein)

• Lamb & Brown Rice (min 11.8% crude protein)

The downside is that Spot & Tango doesn’t support a mix-and-match between the two recipe types, so you have to choose one or the other when building your dog’s meal plan. 

Ollie, on the other hand, offers four fresh meals and two dried formulas (aka the Baked goods): 

• Fresh Beef with Sweet Potatoes (grain-free, min 9% crude protein)

• Fresh Chicken with Carrots (min 10% crude protein)

• Fresh Lamb with Cranberries (min 10% crude protein)

• Fresh Turkey with Blueberries (min 11% crude protein)

• Baked Beef with Sweet Potatoes (min 23% crude protein)

• Baked Chicken with Carrots (min 24% crude protein)

Both brands offer extras, but Ollie comes up trumps here. Spot & Tango offers three treats recipes (sweet potato, chicken breast, bison kidney), while Ollie offers two types of jerky treats (Chicken and Apple, Beef and Sweet Potato) and three all-natural supplements designed to keep your dog happy and healthy (a calming formula, a formula for hips and joints, and a probiotic formula).

Ordering and Delivery

Winner: Ollie

Both Ollie and Spot & Tango are subscription-based services that make it easy to place your first order and then make changes as time goes by. However, Ollie makes it easier to create profiles for several dogs from your online account, while you’ll have to call Spot & Tango’s customer service to add a second dog. 

You’ll be assigned a customized meal plan that fits your dog’s caloric needs (based on your answers to the initial quiz) for your first order. However, if your dog doesn’t like a recipe, both brands make it easy to change the meal plan for subsequent orders.

In both cases, you can change an order, pause/delay a delivery, adjust the delivery frequency and portion sizes, or cancel a subscription using your online account. However, you’ll have to pay attention to the cut-off dates and times, which are available on your account for each order.

Both brands offer a starter box for first-time buyers. The box includes the necessary amount of food for two weeks, feeding instructions, and a scoop to make feeding easier. The starter box is also backed by a 100% money-back guarantee (for both Spot & Tango and Ollie) in case your pooch doesn’t like the food. Just make sure to send in your refund request before the trial period ends (two weeks from receiving the order).

Lastly, both companies ship to verified addresses in the 48 contiguous U.S. states, so most pups in the country can get delicious food right at their doorstep. 

How Do the Meals Arrive?

Winner: Ollie

Both companies deliver fresh food frozen and dry food in easy-to-open bags. Plus, each delivery comes in a recyclable cardboard box that’s lined with dry ice insulation for fresh foods. However, Ollie’s unboxing experience is better overall.

Ollie’s box is well organized and includes feeding instructions for each of your pups. Plus, every food package is labeled with detailed information on nutrients, ingredients, and ideal storage conditions. This is also true for dry foods, which are delivered in zip-locked bags that can be stored in cool, dry places (like a pantry).

The first box comes with a scoop (to make portioning easier) and a “puptainer”, which is a suction-sealed bamboo-crafted container for storage of fresh food while in the fridge. The puptainer is dishwasher safe (easy to clean) and makes it easier to keep your dog’s food in the fridge, right next to yours. 

Ollie recommends keeping any Fresh food your dog isn’t going to eat over the next few days in the freezer. This way, it will stay fresh and safe to eat for up to six months. Meals take around 24h to defrost using the puptainer. Put it in the fridge, and food will stay fresh and safe to eat for up to four days.

Spot & Tango’s box is just as well-organized. The fresh food arrives in sealed packages that you’ll need to cut at one end to remove the food. You’ll also get a food clip with your first order to seal back any leftovers and safely store in the refrigerator. 

If you’ve ordered UnKibble, your first box will also include a scoop molded for your dog’s needs which you can use for accurate portioning. If you’ve placed an order for two dogs or if you have a large dog, you may receive several boxes, depending on how Spot & Tango decides to pack everything.

Every shipment is customized for your dog’s caloric needs, but it’s up to you to portion out the food, using the instructions and feeding guide (in the box or online). Fresh meals must be stored in the freezer, where they’ll stay safe for up to six months. 

Before giving your dog a portion of fresh food, you’ll have to thaw a pack in the fridge overnight, in a bowl of water. If you forget and your pup threatens to go on strike unless it gets its food, you can run a sealed packet under hot water for several minutes. Any leftovers are safe to keep in the fridge for up to four days. 

If you’re feeding UnKibble or Snacks, you can keep them in a cool and dry place. The dry food stays fresh and safe for up to 12 months before opening and lasts eight weeks after opening (provided you use the seal to close it). 

Both companies care about their environmental paw print, so most of the packaging is recyclable. With Ollie, the food packs are non-recyclable, and there’s a store drop-off program for the Baked Bites bags.

Pricing

Winner: Spot & Tango

Since Ollie and Spot & Tango work with customized meal plans, the final cost depends on your dog’s size and caloric needs. Plus, it also depends on whether you want to feed your pooch only fresh food or you combine dry and fresh. 

According to Ollie, for a small dog that’s exclusively fed its food, the cost should be less than $4/day and around $8/day for average-sized dogs. Spot & Tango’s UnKibble plans start at $1/day and Fresh plans start at $2/day. In both cases, shipping is free.

To test things out, I ran the numbers for a female 1.5-year-old Boston Terrier who has an active lifestyle and is at the right weight for her age. The results showed Spot & Tango is indeed the more affordable option. 

If you choose Spot & Tango and start with UnKibble, prices start from $1.45/meal for the Beef & Barley version, going up to $2.12/meal for Cod & Salmon. With the cheapest option, my Boston Terrier’s starter box (meals for two weeks) would have cost $25.36/week (price is without a discount).

If you opt for fresh food, the costs vary between $2.28/meal for Turkey and Red Quinoa and $3.48/meal for Lamb and Brown Rice. The total cost for two weeks with the cheapest option would’ve been $39.87/week (no discount applied).

If you want to add treats, this will cost you between $12 and $16 per bag (each bag weighs between 2.5 and 3 oz).

For the same time period and dog, Ollie designed a meal plan that would cost $42/week for the Beef recipe, $44.1/week for the Chicken and Lamb recipes, and $43.4/week for all three combined. Treats are $10/bag (5 oz per bag) and $22/jar (60 chews per jar) for supplements. Again, these are prices without discounts. 

With discounts (Spot & Tango’s live discount is Get 50% off your first order, and Ollie’s is Get 60% Off Your Starter Box!), my final cost for two weeks' worth of fresh food (no treats or supplements) was $63.80 with Spot & Tango and $34.40 with Ollie. 

Features Comparison: Spot & Tango vs. Ollie

And The Winner Is: Ollie

While it’s clear that you get more of a range with Ollie, it’s also the more expensive option. So, if you’re constrained by your budget, never fear – Spot & Tango is just as good in terms of ingredients and food quality.

And, if neither option works for you or your pup, check out our list of the best fresh dog food delivery services – one of them will be sure to catch your eye!

FAQ

How good is Spot and Tango UnKibble?

Delicious, according to dogs of all ages who love their UnKibble! Spot &Tango’s UnKibble is made from 100% fresh, whole ingredients and contains no artificial preservatives, fillers, or additives. The food is gently dried to retain its shape and nutrients and can be used for a steady diet or in combination with fresh food.

Is Ollie cooked or raw?

All the fresh food recipes made by Ollie are slow-cooked at low temperatures. This way, the food stays fresh and filled with nutrients, and there’s no risk of contamination, as often happens with raw food.

However, to keep the meals safe to eat, you have to keep the packs in the freezer. To serve, the food needs to be thawed in the refrigerator.

Are Ollie and Spot & Tango vet approved?

Yes, the fresh and dried meals meet and surpass AAFCO requirements. Plus, both services created their recipes in collaboration with veterinary nutritionists to make sure the meals are appropriate for dogs in all stages of life, of all sizes and breeds. Also, the delivery process is designed to ensure the safety of the food while in transit.