- What It Is: A pet retailer with more than 1,500 stores, plus grooming and veterinary services
- Free Tier: Vital Care Core, 1% back in points, every eighth groom free
- Paid Tier: Vital Care Premier, now $24.99 a month for dogs and cats, up from $19.99
- Also New: Petco Perks branding is rolling out as the program relaunches in 2026
- Watch Out: Returns between 31 and 60 days get merchandise credit only
The Short Answer
Petco is trying to be more than a shop. Food, grooming, training, and veterinary care all sit under one membership, and the paid tier is priced to make that bundle worth committing to.
The price went up this year. Vital Care Premier for dogs and cats now runs $24.99 a month, up from $19.99, and Petco has signalled a broader loyalty relaunch in 2026 with Petco Perks branding appearing across the site.
Compare Petco Membership Tiers
The Two Tiers, Compared
| Feature | Vital Care Core | Vital Care Premier |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $24.99/mo for dogs and cats, about $9.99 for companion animals |
| Points | 1% back on everything | 1% back on everything |
| Grooming | Every 8th groom free | 20% off every full-service groom |
| Nutrition | Member pricing | 10% off, more on some plans |
| Vet | Standard pricing | Routine exam benefits at Petco vet locations |
| Monthly reward | None | $15 for dogs and cats, $5 for companion animals |
Enrolling more than one pet saves $2 a month per plan, which matters in a multi-pet household where the monthly figure otherwise stacks quickly.
How the Points Actually Work
Both tiers earn on everything, including grooming and vet services rather than just products. You earn 1% back in points, and 167 points converts to a $5 Vital Care Reward.
Premier members get longer reward expiration windows than Core members, which is a quieter benefit than the monthly rewards but matters if you shop irregularly.
The Petco Pay credit card earns 2X points on Petco purchases, which stacks on top of the membership earning rate.
Does the Paid Tier Pay for Itself?
The math is straightforward, and it depends almost entirely on whether you use the services.
At $24.99 a month, you are paying about $300 a year. The $15 monthly reward alone returns $180 of that. Add routine vet exams and 20% off grooming, and a dog owner who grooms every six to eight weeks clears the cost comfortably.
If you only buy food and litter and never book a groom or a vet visit, the math does not work. The free Core tier plus the every-eighth-groom-free benefit is the better fit there.
The Return Policy Detail Worth Knowing
Petco’s return window is flexible on paper, but the refund type changes partway through.
Returns within 30 days get a standard refund. Between 31 and 60 days after shipment, you receive merchandise credit rather than money back. For a large bag of food that did not agree with your pet, that distinction matters.
Unopened items in original packaging move through the process fastest, and in-store returns are simpler than mailing anything back.
Where Petco Is Genuinely Strong
The services integration is the real differentiator. Grooming, training, and Vetco veterinary care in the same place you buy food means one account holds your pet’s history.
Store count matters too. More than 1,500 locations means most people have somewhere to walk into for a return, a groom, or a routine exam.
Own brands including WholeHearted, SoPhresh, Well & Good, and Imagitarium sit noticeably below name-brand pricing on comparable products.
Where It Falls Short
Product pricing is not competitive with online-only retailers on identical name-brand items. The membership and services are what justify shopping here, not the shelf price.
The transition between Vital Care and Petco Perks branding has also made the program harder to follow than it should be, with both names appearing across the site during the changeover.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Vital Care Premier now?
$24.99 a month for dogs and cats, up from $19.99, with an annual option available. Companion animal plans for birds, fish, reptiles, and small pets run about $9.99 a month.
Is the free tier worth joining?
Yes. Vital Care Core costs nothing, earns 1% back in points, and includes a free groom after every eighth paid session.
How many points make a reward?
167 points converts to a $5 Vital Care Reward. Points accrue on products and services alike, including grooming and vet visits.
What is Petco’s return policy?
Returns within 30 days get a standard refund. Between 31 and 60 days after shipment, you receive merchandise credit rather than a refund to your payment method.
Can I enrol more than one pet?
Yes, and it is cheaper to do so. Each additional plan saves $2 a month.
Final Verdict
Petco makes most sense for people who use the services, not just the shelves. If you groom regularly and use Vetco for routine exams, Premier returns more than it costs without much effort.
The price rise to $24.99 changes that calculation at the margins though. Run your own numbers before renewing: count your grooms, your vet visits, and your monthly food spend. If the answer is mostly food, stay on the free Core tier and put the difference toward the food itself.