# Pawgrade > Dog food scanner with safety scores and ingredient analysis based on research. (iPhone/iPad app by kyle cabral.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pawgrade/id6760376540 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [kyle cabral](https://appshunter.io/developer/1884190296) - Category: Health & Fitness - Price: Free - Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.1 · 31 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-03-31 - Data updated: 2026-07-29 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pawgrade/id6760376540/reviews.md ## What is Pawgrade? I was completely overwhelmed when I first got Hershey. Every decision felt high-stakes — food, vaccines, preventatives, supplements. I didn't know anything. So I did what everyone does: I trusted my vet, I bought what they recommended, and I assumed the system was looking out for my dog. That was 7 years ago. I've been learning ever since. At some point I came across a statistic I couldn't shake: 1 in 2 dogs now develops cancer. I started asking why, and the more I researched, the more I realized how little I actually knew about what was going into Hershey's bowl every single day. Ingredients linked to liver damage. Synthetic preservatives flagged by cancer researchers. Things that have been in "premium" pet food for decades. I'm not saying don't trust your vet. I'm saying be thoughtful about who you trust — and with what. PawGrade doesn't tell you what to do. It just shows you what's in the food and what the research says. That's it. You decide. Point your camera at any dog food or treat and get an instant breakdown: Safety score 0–100 based on peer-reviewed research, not brand partnerships Flags 60+ harmful ingredients — BHA, BHT, menadione, artificial dyes, and more — with the science behind each one Detects how the food was made — freeze-dried and raw score higher than kibble because the nutrition genuinely is different Separate Treats Scanner with its own scoring system Smart Scan — no barcode needed, just point at any part of the bag Supplement recommendations based on what the food is missing Tap any ingredient for a plain-English explanation of what it is, why it's in the food, and what long-term exposure looks like. I built this out of love — for Hershey, and for every dog owner who felt as lost as I did and just wants to do right by their dog. Free to download. No subscription. For informational and educational purposes only. Not veterinary advice. ## Key features - Instant safety score for dog food - Flags 60+ harmful ingredients - Explains ingredient science - Detects food manufacturing methods - Separate treat scanner - Smart Scan without barcode - Supplement recommendations ## Frequently asked questions about Pawgrade ### What is Pawgrade? Pawgrade is a free app that allows you to scan dog food and treats to receive an instant safety score. It analyzes ingredients based on peer-reviewed research and flags potentially harmful components. ### How does Pawgrade score dog food? Pawgrade assigns a safety score from 0-100 based on peer-reviewed research. It also considers how the food was made, with freeze-dried and raw options scoring higher than kibble. ### What kind of ingredients does Pawgrade flag? Pawgrade flags over 60 harmful ingredients, including BHA, BHT, menadione, and artificial dyes. It provides the scientific reasoning behind each flag. ### Can Pawgrade scan treats too? Yes, Pawgrade includes a separate scanner specifically for dog treats, which provides its own scoring system. ### Does Pawgrade offer veterinary advice? No, Pawgrade is for informational and educational purposes only and does not provide veterinary advice. It empowers users to make informed decisions based on the data presented. ### What devices does Pawgrade support? Pawgrade is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. ### How often is Pawgrade updated? The latest version of Pawgrade is 54, and it was last updated on June 22, 2026. ### Is Pawgrade free to download? Yes, Pawgrade is free to download and does not require a subscription. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 61 — 2026-07-23 PawGrade got a full visual refresh with a cleaner, more polished look — plus a new Light/Dark Mode that matches your phone's settings. We also rethought how kibble is scored: rather than penalizing a food just for being kibble, better formats (raw, freeze-dried, gently cooked) now earn bonus points instead, so the score focuses on what's actually in the bowl. New: a Heart-Health card flags foods matching the FDA's grain-free/legume pattern under investigation for canine DCM, and you can now ask about a specific ingredient without doing a full scan. ### 54 — 2026-06-22 More reliable scanning, a redesigned results screen that shows your dog food's score and what to do next at a glance, tap-to-learn red-flag ingredients, and a cleaner collapsible layout. Plus performance improvements and bug fixes. ### 53 — 2026-06-11 updated barcode scanner and made some slight visual improvements ### 19 — 2026-06-02 Improved scoring accuracy — bad and terrible kibbles now score differently so you can tell them apart Added a compassionate message to all scan results to help guide next steps New supplement recommendations section with affiliate product links Ingredient penalties now scale by position — harmful ingredients listed early in the formula are penalized more heavily Scan logging added to track results over time Various scoring fixes and improvements ### 18 — 2026-05-26 fixes bugs that crashes when opening app --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-29.*