Comparison

PetLink ACO vs Petcove

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PetLink ACO

This app enables US animal professionals to quickly look up owner details for lost pets using microchip numbers. It facilitates submitting found pet reports and provides access to pet photos and medical information for faster reunification.

Highlights
  • Microchip number lookup via keypad or voice
  • Camera capture of microchip reader display
  • Search across PetLink, Backtrack, and AAHA databases
  • Submit found pet reports in 4 clicks
  • View pet photos and medical details
  • Facilitates pet-owner reunification
Features
Read full description

The Petlink ACO app is for Animal Professionals (ACOs, Shelter or Rescue teams) in North America to use in the field. When Animal Professionals find a lost pet, they can use Petlink ACO on their phones to look up owner details via the pet’s microchip number and submit a found pet report to PetLink. We will contact the owner to let them know their pet has been found and set up reunification. You can put the microchip number into Petlink ACO on your phone by keypad or speak the number in. You can also use the camera to capture the microchip number from the LCD display of a microchip reader. Using the camera makes it much faster to transfer the 9-, 10- or 15-microchip number from the chip reader to the search function of Petlink ACO. It also reduces typing errors. Petlink ACO will search for owner details first in PetLink, then in PetLink’s Backtrack system and finally in the AAHA Pet microchip look-up tool. Petlink ACO will help save the lives of lost animals. The quicker a pet is returned to its owner, the greater their chance of survival. Petlink ACO allows Animal Professionals in North America to contact the owners of lost pets as soon as they have read the pet’s microchip number. There is no need to call PetLink, no need to use a computer to look up details. Animal Professionals can use Petlink ACO to submit a found pet report in 4 easy clicks. We will then notify owners via SMS, phone and email, that their pet has been found and organize reunification. When an Animal Professional finds a lost pet and that pet is registered with PetLink, then Petlink ACO will show a photo of the pet, if available, to confirm identification. Petlink ACO will also show medical details, if available, for the pet, for example if a dog is diabetic and needs regular insulin, this information will be clearly shown. This will be beneficial for the health of all lost pets. PetLink - the industry standard in pet microchips for over 30 years. PetLink is an industry leader in pet microchips, pet identification and reunification, creating a lifelong link between people and pets. PetLink helps Animal Control Officers, Shelter staff and rescues return lost pets to their families and prepare adopted pets for their new homes. For the last 30 years PetLink has been making it quicker and easier for people to microchip their pets. Instead of complicated processes and annual charges, we provide lifetime support to pet parents for a simple one-time registration. PetLink is a registered trademark of Datamars Inc. www.petlink.net PetLink c/o Datamars 345 West Cummings Park Woburn, MA 01801 U.S.A.

About

Petcove

Manage and automate your pet's daily care routines. This app handles tasks like cleaning litter robots and scheduling automatic feeding times for pet feeders, offering convenience and peace of mind.

Highlights
  • Automate litter robot cleaning
  • Schedule automatic pet feeding
  • Manage pet's daily needs
  • Deodorize litter robots
  • Pet care companion
Features
Read full description

Welcome to PetCove, where pet care meets simplicity. Our app helps you manage and automate all your pet's day-to-day needs, from cleaning and deodorizing your litter robots to scheduling automatic feed times for your pet feeders. Enjoy convenience and peace of mind with PetCove, the ultimate pet care companion.

Screenshots

PetLink ACO4 screens
Petcove4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Petcove at 63% against PetLink ACO's 12%. Petcove also leads on rating (4.4 vs 1.8) and ratings volume (500 vs 28). PetLink ACO's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 7 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Petcove holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Petcove has 500 ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of PetLink ACO's written reviews are positive against 63% of Petcove's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PetLink ACO ships an update every 9 days, Petcove every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
PetLink ACO versus Petcove: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPetLink ACOPetcove
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.8 (28 ratings)4.4 (500 ratings) — better
Positive reviews11.8% of reviews63.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings28500 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.614.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB241 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperDatamars SAFurs N' Purs LLC

Customer experience

PetLink ACO

All ratings28 ratings
Positive21.4%
Neutral3.6%
Negative75.0%
Written reviews34 reviews
Positive11.8%
Neutral2.9%
Negative85.3%

Petcove

All ratings403 ratings
Positive84.1%
Neutral6.7%
Negative9.2%
Written reviews41 reviews
Positive63.4%
Neutral12.2%
Negative24.4%

Bugs and requests

PetLink ACO

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Petcove

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App not connecting to device
  • Incorrect weight tracking for cats
  • Litter barrel centering issues

Requested features

3 requests
  • Customizable notification settings
  • Improved data visualization in app
  • Bag replacement reminder

In-app purchases

None

PetLink ACO

No in-app purchases

None

Petcove

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PetLink ACO free?
PetLink ACO is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Petcove free?
Petcove is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PetLink ACO or Petcove?
Petcove is rated higher. PetLink ACO averages 1.8 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Petcove averages 4.4 from 500 ratings.
Do PetLink ACO or Petcove have ads?
Petcove shows ads; PetLink ACO does not.
Which is updated more often, PetLink ACO or Petcove?
PetLink ACO ships an update every 9 days, and Petcove every 7 months. Most recently, PetLink ACO was updated on October 24, 2026 and Petcove on October 27, 2026.

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