Spot & Tango and Ollie are among 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.
The services are neck-and-neck in terms of quality, so it may be difficult to choose between them. Ultimately, the decision comes down to your pooch’s taste preferences, but there are a few specific details to take into account.
My extensive research and my colleague's at-home testing places Ollie on top, as it offers a more diverse menu by combining fresh and dry recipes. However, Spot & Tango comes in a very close second. If you’re on the fence, make sure to read until the end to see which is a better fit for your pet.
💲 Price: | Spot & Tango (<$1 per meal) |
🍗 Ingredient Quality: | It’s a tie |
🍴 Recipes | Ollie (7 recipes + treats and supplements) |
📦Packaging and Eco-Friendliness | Ollie |
⏰ Meal Prep | It’s a tie |
👍 Ordering and Delivery: | Ollie |
👑 Overall Winner: |
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 Spot & Tango recipe contains 50% USDA meat, which naturally contains Taurine. Taurine is a critical ingredient for dogs and helps with digestion, proper heart functioning, vision, and more. If you’re looking for a healthy source of Omega acids, all the UnKibble recipes contain fish oil as well.
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 Ollie 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 3 out of the 4 recipes include grain-based products. The only grain-free recipe is the Fresh Beef with Sweet Potatoes formula.
Ollie also has 2 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. The UnKibble and Baked recipes are slow-cooked at low temperatures and made to be shelf-stable.
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 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 with either service, 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.
The quizzes are short (8 questions for Spot & Tango and 7 questions for Ollie) and include questions on gender, breed, age, activity level, and whether your 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.