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Disclosure: some links on Fit For Your Dog may be affiliate links. If you buy through an eligible affiliate link, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure. This comparison is research-based and uses published brand information rather than a paid hands-on feeding trial. See How We Review for our methodology.
If you are comparing The Farmer’s Dog vs Ollie, the biggest difference is not simply “which fresh food is better.” The two services now offer different meal formats, pricing structures, storage requirements, and ways to customize how much fresh food you feed.
Neither brand has one flat price for every dog. The Farmer’s Dog says its plans start at about $2 per day, while Ollie publishes starting prices for several plan types and dog sizes. Your actual cost can still change with your dog’s weight, age, activity level, recipe, and plan, so the most useful comparison is what each service offers before you request a personalized quote.
Quick take
Frozen Fresh is personalized by dog, while Instant Fresh adds a lower-storage format for adult and senior dogs.
Full Fresh, Half Fresh, Mixed Bowl, and Baked options give owners more ways to balance fresh food, convenience, and budget.
Ollie currently advertises a Fresh Sampler Box before moving into a full subscription; offers can change, so verify the current terms.
The Farmer’s Dog vs Ollie, compared
| The Farmer’s Dog | Ollie | |
|---|---|---|
| Published starting price | Plans start at about $2/day; exact pricing depends on your dog’s needs and selected options. | Full Fresh starts at $1.57/meal and Half Fresh at $1.00/meal; Ollie also publishes weight-based starting examples. |
| How pricing works | Personalized using factors such as age, weight, activity level, recipe choice, and food needs. | Personalized by dog and plan type; published examples still vary as weight and plan change. |
| Meal formats | Frozen Fresh and Instant Fresh prepared foods, plus an optional DIY Nutrient Mix plan for owners who cook approved recipes at home. | Full Fresh, Half Fresh, Mixed Bowl, and Baked options. |
| Protein options | Recipes include proteins such as beef, chicken, turkey, and pork. | Fresh recipes currently include beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, and pork. |
| Nutritional adequacy & life stage | The brand says its complete recipes meet AAFCO standards. Frozen Fresh options are available for puppies, adults, and seniors; Instant Fresh is intended for adult and senior dogs. | Ollie states that its meals are complete and balanced and formulated to meet applicable AAFCO nutrient profiles. Check the nutritional adequacy statement for the specific recipe and life stage you plan to feed. |
| Preparation & storage | Frozen Fresh requires cold storage; Instant Fresh is designed to reduce freezer dependence and simplify storage. | Storage depends on the plan: Fresh meals require cold storage, while Baked is a dry-style format. |
| Best fit if… | You want a personalized prepared plan centered on The Farmer’s Dog’s fresh-food formats. | You want more flexibility between full-fresh, partial-fresh, mixed, or baked feeding formats. |
| Visit The Farmer’s Dog | Visit Ollie |
How we compared
This guide is based on publicly available information from each brand, including current pricing and plan pages, recipe information, nutritional statements, and published policies, along with AAFCO guidance on nutritional adequacy and life stages. We have not run a paid side-by-side feeding trial with our own dog, so we do not present personal taste, stool, coat, weight, or long-term health observations as if we had. Our goal here is to organize the meaningful differences so you can decide which service is worth getting a personalized quote from. Read more on our How We Review page.
The Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog personalizes portions using information about your dog and offers more than one prepared format. Frozen Fresh is its refrigerated/frozen meal option, while Instant Fresh uses a low-heat drying process and is intended for adult and senior dogs. The company also offers a separate DIY Nutrient Mix plan for owners who want to cook approved recipes at home.
For owners comparing it directly with Ollie, the key distinction is that The Farmer’s Dog does not currently position a baked kibble-style prepared plan as its budget alternative. That means the comparison should focus on the format you actually want, your dog’s life stage, storage space, and your personalized quote rather than assuming one brand is always cheaper.
Pros
- Personalized portions based on your dog’s profile
- Frozen Fresh recipes include beef, chicken, turkey, and pork options
- Instant Fresh offers a lower-storage prepared format for adult and senior dogs
- Frozen Fresh options are available across puppy, adult, and senior life stages
Cons
- Exact pricing requires your dog’s details; the brand only publishes a starting price
- Frozen Fresh still requires refrigerator/freezer space
- No Ollie-style Baked or Mixed Bowl prepared-plan equivalent for owners specifically seeking that format
Ollie
Ollie’s clearest advantage in this comparison is plan variety. Its current lineup includes Full Fresh, Half Fresh, Mixed Bowl, and Baked options, so an owner can choose between a fully fresh diet and formats that use less fresh food or a baked style. Ollie also publishes several starting-price examples, although your actual quote still depends on your dog and selected plan.
Ollie currently lists Fresh recipes using beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, and pork. The company states that its meals are complete and balanced and formulated to meet applicable AAFCO nutrient profiles. As with any dog food, check the nutritional adequacy statement for the exact recipe and life stage you plan to feed.
Pros
- Multiple plan formats make it easier to adjust how much fresh food you feed
- Publishes starting prices for Full Fresh and Half Fresh plans
- Five current Fresh protein options: beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, and pork
- Fresh Sampler Box provides a lower-commitment way to try the Fresh recipes when the offer is available
Cons
- Actual price still varies with your dog and plan
- Full Fresh can become expensive as dog size and calorie needs rise
- More plan choices mean you need to compare what percentage of your dog’s calories each plan actually supplies
What the AAFCO statement means here
When you compare dog foods, ingredients and marketing terms are only part of the picture. AAFCO says the nutritional adequacy statement is one of the most important parts of a pet-food label because it tells you whether the food is complete and balanced and the life stage it is intended for. Puppies, adult dogs, pregnant or nursing dogs, and other life stages can have different nutrient requirements.
For that reason, do not choose between The Farmer’s Dog and Ollie only because one ingredient list sounds more appealing. Check the nutritional adequacy statement for the exact recipe and format you plan to feed, especially for puppies, large-breed growth, seniors, or dogs with medical needs.
If budget is your main constraint, a full fresh-food subscription can cost substantially more than conventional kibble, especially for a large or highly active dog. If your dog has a diagnosed health condition, food allergy, gastrointestinal disease, kidney disease, pancreatitis, or needs a prescription diet, talk with your veterinarian before changing foods. A subscription service is not a substitute for a therapeutic diet when one has been prescribed.
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Frequently asked questions
Is The Farmer’s Dog or Ollie cheaper?
There is no single answer for every dog. The Farmer’s Dog says plans start at about $2 per day. Ollie publishes starting prices for several plan types, including Full Fresh and Half Fresh, but both services personalize the final cost. Compare quotes using the same dog profile and the specific plan format you actually want to feed.
Can I switch my dog straight onto fresh food?
A gradual transition is usually easier on a dog’s digestive system. Ollie’s current transition guide uses a seven-day progression for its plans. Your veterinarian may recommend a different schedule if your dog has a sensitive stomach, a medical condition, or a history of diet-related problems.
Do these plans work for puppies or senior dogs?
Life-stage suitability depends on the exact recipe and format. The Farmer’s Dog says its Frozen Fresh options are suitable for puppies, adults, and seniors, while Instant Fresh is intended for adult and senior dogs. Ollie states that its meals are complete and balanced and formulated to meet applicable AAFCO nutrient profiles. Always check the nutritional adequacy statement for the specific recipe you plan to feed.
Does “human-grade” mean the food is automatically better for every dog?
No. “Human-grade” describes ingredient and handling standards; it does not by itself tell you whether a food is nutritionally appropriate for your individual dog. Nutritional adequacy, life stage, calorie needs, medical history, and how your dog tolerates the diet still matter.
Which one may fit your dog better?
The Farmer’s Dog may make more sense if you want a personalized prepared plan centered on its fresh-food formats and are comfortable working within its storage and pricing structure. Ollie may make more sense if you want more flexibility between Full Fresh, Half Fresh, Mixed Bowl, and Baked formats.
Neither choice is automatically better for every dog. Compare the exact plan, nutritional adequacy statement, life-stage fit, storage requirements, and personalized cost before deciding.
Sources & update notes
This comparison was reviewed against the following public information in September 2026. Brand pricing, promotions, recipes, and policies can change.
- The Farmer’s Dog FAQ: pricing, formats, recipes, and life-stage information
- The Farmer’s Dog DIY Nutrient Mix plan
- Ollie meal plans and starting prices
- Ollie published pricing examples by dog size
- Ollie Fresh Sampler Box
- AAFCO: selecting the right pet food and understanding life-stage nutritional adequacy
This article is for general information and is not veterinary advice. Talk to your veterinarian before changing your dog’s diet, especially if your dog has an existing health condition, food allergy, gastrointestinal problem, is a puppy, or needs a prescription diet.