Chewy Review 2023: Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Overview

Chewy makes it easy to find everything you need for your pets in one place. I think it’s great because it offers food and supplies not just for cats and dogs (like most online retailers), but also for small animals, horses, and farm animals. Even the bees aren’t left out.

Sure, it can’t possibly cover every product for every pet, but I found the selection impressive enough, with more than 2,000 brands included in Chewy’s offerings, so you’re sure to find what you need. I also noticed a strong focus on minimally-processed, human-grade food, which I strongly support.

Another thing I found Chewy does better than most online pet food retailers is offer great savings with deals and subscriptions. 

But find out exactly just how Chewy does in terms of affordability, supply, and more in my detailed review.

Chewy Is Best For

• Pet owners who want to get everything in one place 

• Pet owners who have preferred brands 

• Pet owners who have multiple pets

• Owners of cats and dogs

Chewy May Not Be Great For

• Anyone who wants to customize their pet’s diet

• Anyone who requires next-day delivery 

Chewy Products

Food

I was impressed by how diverse the range of pet food on Chewy is. As well as dry and wet food, you can browse raw food, toppings, freeze-dried and dehydrated food, frozen food, and even fresh prepared meals.

Plus, there are many premium brands and specialist veterinary diets, including human-grade pet food.

Most of these categories are dedicated to cats and dogs, but you’ll find a considerable amount of options for other animals as well. There are hundreds of food products for fish, birds, reptiles, and small pets, for example. 

Farm animals and horses have fewer options by comparison, but there are still plenty to choose from. If you can’t find your pet from the get-go, take a second look at the categories or use the search bar – ducks are listed under Birds and not Farm Animals, for instance.

I have two cats and two degus at home, and since most online stores don’t have many products for rodents, it often forces me to shop separately for my degus. I think it's great that Chewy offers more than 100 options of hay and food specifically for degus! 

This is also the case for other exotic or more unusual pets, such as bearded dragons or ferrets. You’ll even find special food for hermit crabs. As for farm animals, alpacas and llamas are not left behind either.

Pharmacy

Chewy’s Pharmacy has NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy) accreditation, so you know it’s legit.

This section provides meds for cats, dogs, and horses, but you can find supplements and vitamins for other pets, such as reptiles, if you browse the respective categories.

You can find prescription and non-prescription meds for different health conditions, too, including arthritis, asthma, ear and eye conditions, flea and tick solutions, and even remedies for your pet’s anxiety.

You can order prescription items for your furry friends easily and even set up an Autoship if you have a valid prescription or remaining refills on file.

If you can’t provide a prescription or if your prescription is about to expire, don’t worry. Chewy’s customer support team will contact your vet to obtain approval. This will come as a huge plus point for many, especially since it saves you a trip to the vet’s office and the veterinary pharmacy.

If you have any questions about medications or prescription food, you can reach Chewy’s pharmacists by phone or email.

Accessories & Supplies

As well as food, treats, and meds, you can find pretty much anything else you and your pet might need at home and beyond. Bedding and litter, bowls and feeders, cages and habitats, crates, pens, and gates – even tech and smart home appliances like automatic feeders and robot cameras.

You’ll find a variety of toys for your pet too; trees, condos and scratchers to have fun with, harnesses and carriers for traveling, leashes, collars, and harnesses for walks, and even cute clothing and accessories.

For reptiles, for example, you can purchase décor and accessories as well as tanks and terrariums, plus heating and lighting to keep the environment at optimal condition.

You can keep your pet clean and dandy with grooming products, and keep your home neat with cleaning and potty supplies – from lint rollers and air fresheners to poop bags and scoops.

And that's not all (no, really!). Chewy has tons of products for pet parents too, like personalized gifts and books. Because who doesn’t want a pair of tie-dye socks with their cat’s face on them? 

I think it’s really sweet that you can also order memorials and keepsakes to cherish the memory of beloved pets that are no longer with you, including some beautiful urns.

Shipping & Delivery

Chewy ships to all contiguous US states using FedEx. Orders are conveniently delivered to your door seven days a week, before 10 pm.

In most cases, you can expect to receive your pet’s food and supplies within one to three days. However, if your order requires prescription approval or personalization, it may take a bit longer.

You can check the status of your delivery in the Orders section of your account. There are three stages: Preparing for Shipment, Shipped, and Delivered. You’ll receive an email once your order starts processing in the first stage, then another one with the tracking info once it's shipped.

If you’ve signed up to receive Autoship and you want to change the frequency of your deliveries, go to the Frequency page, click the link to change, and select your desired frequency from the dropdown menu. This will not affect the date of your next order, only the following ones.

To change the date of your next order, you’ll need to click the Change button in the Next Order section. 

You can delay your orders by clicking on the Skip Shipment button. If you want to get an order earlier than scheduled, click on the Order Now button and confirm your selection.

Fresh, frozen, and refrigerated items (such as medication) will be shipped separately in order to arrive sooner.

The packaging is insulated with dry ice to keep these items cold or frozen and ensure maximum freshness. This will keep your pet’s food and meds at a safe temperature for up to 72 hours.

One thing to note: if you order refrigerated medication on the weekend, it will ship on the following Monday. 

Ordering from Chewy

It’s super easy to order from Chewy and set up an Autoship subscription should you require one. 

How to Sign Up

1. Create your account by entering your name and email, and create a password. 

2. Look for the items you want to order and add them to your cart. You can use the search bar or click on Shop by Pet to browse different categories.

3. Click on Proceed to Checkout when you’re ready. Add your shipping address and select your payment method.

4. Select Yes to Autoship and set your schedule to get regular deliveries and discounts.

5. Click on Place Order after reviewing the items in your cart. Simple as that!

Managing Your Subscription

Once you’ve shopped and set up your Autoship, you’ll receive your items as scheduled. There’s no membership fee, and you can cancel whenever you want. 

What’s more, you can have multiple Autoships for items that you wish to receive at different intervals.

To manage your subscription, simply go to the Manage Autoship section of your account.

You can remove items or cancel here, too. If you want to cancel, simply click on the Cancel This Autoship button at the bottom of the page and you’ll no longer receive future shipments.

You have 48 hours before your next scheduled delivery to make any changes to your order, such as adding items to your Autoship. 

You’ll get an email reminder three days before your next scheduled order, so you’ll have plenty of time to make changes. You’ll get another email the moment your order ships.

Customer Service

Customer service is open all day, every day. You can talk to the team via phone, messaging, or chat right on the website. They should be able to sort out any problems you run into, including handling returns.

Chewy's refund policy is flexible. If you're unhappy, you can send back your pet products within a year of buying them. To ask for your return or replacement, just forward a message to customer support with your order number.

In some cases, rather than returning the product, customer service advises you to donate the food or supplies to an animal shelter, which I think is a very nice gesture.

You can’t return or exchange any prescription medications. However, if the medication you received is incorrect or damaged, you can get a refund or an exchange depending on the case.

As well as a pretty great customer service team, Chewy also has a telehealth program that offers you support from licensed veterinarians. You can contact a vet daily from 8 am to 11 pm ET, by either instant chat or live video, or schedule an appointment up to two weeks in advance.

Prices

The prices on Chewy’s products are generally similar to those you’d find on other retailer websites such as Amazon. But – unlike Amazon – the prices are consistent in time, making it way more reliable.

If you want to see what deals Chewy has on at any given time, check the Today’s Deals tab on the website. You’ll find a collection of pretty good discounts, especially around holidays.

Now, when it comes to recurring orders, you can save a lot of money with Chewy. Your first Autoship order alone gives you 35% off, which is pretty generous in my opinion.

After your initial Autoship discount, you’ll save an extra 5% on select brands for all future Autoship orders, making it easy to save in the long run.

And guess what? You don’t have to worry about shipping fees on orders over $49. If you order less than that, the shipping fee is a flat $4.95, which I think is super reasonable.

Chewy’s Connect With a Vet program is free and unlimited if you’re an Autoship customer, too. Otherwise, the price for a single chat session is $14.99, and the price for a single 20-minute video appointment is $19.99.

The Bottom Line: Is Chewy Worth It?

Yes! If you’re a pet owner, Chewy is definitely worth checking out. You can get deals on many products and enjoy further discounts on Autoship orders. The prices are more consistent than Amazon’s and generally lower than other online pet shops like PetSmart.

What I also love is that you can find food and supplies for almost every animal, not just cats and dogs, which is especially helpful if you have an exotic pet or you’re taking care of farm animals.

Another plus is that you can get quick online appointments with licensed vets if you need some help, using Chewy’s Connect with a Vet program. In many cases, it will save you a trip to your local vet and the related costs, especially since the appointments are free for Autoship customers.

FAQ

Is Chewy good for cats and dogs?

Yes, Chewy has an extensive range of products for cats and dogs. As well as food, check out the special categories dedicated to new pet owners that make it super easy to start taking care of your new pup or kitty.

But Chewy doesn’t stop at cats and dogs. There are tons of supplies for other pets as well, from fish and reptiles to birds and rodents. There are some supplies for horses and farm animals, too. 

Is Chewy food fresh?

Chewy does offer some fresh and prepared meals for dogs, all of which meets AAFCO standards – look out for brands such as JustFoodForDogs. You’ll also find a wealth of other top-quality foods for other animals. 

Is Chewy cheaper than PetSmart?

Generally speaking, yes. Chewy wins in the price category, as many items have slightly lower price points than at PetSmart, some of them being significantly more affordable. Sure, you’ll find the occasional better deal at PetSmart, but for the most part, Chewy is cheaper.