Termly vs iubenda vs Free: Best Privacy Policy Tool for Dog Walkers, Pet Sitters, & Mobile Groomers
As a solo dog walker, pet sitter, or mobile groomer, you regularly collect client names, addresses, pet medical info, payment details, and likely share photos of pets. Your client booking forms, scheduling apps like Time To Pet or PetPocketBook, and even basic website analytics mean you're handling personal data. In most US states and all of the EU, you legally need a privacy policy for your pet services business. Don't hire a pricey lawyer for this; a simple online tool can set you up for around $10-20 a month.
READY TO TAKE ACTION?
Use the free LaunchAdvisor checklist to track every step in this guide.
The quick answer
Termly is the best starting point for most US-based solo pet services businesses. It offers strong coverage for regulations like GDPR and CCPA, sends automatic update notifications when laws change, and includes a clear cookie consent banner, which is important if you collect any data from website visitors. iubenda is a stronger choice for pet businesses targeting clients in the EU or with significant international website traffic. Free generators are acceptable only for the most basic pet services websites that do minimal data collection, like a static 'about me' page with just a phone number, but they lack the ongoing compliance monitoring that makes paid tools worth the cost for a growing pet business.
Side-by-side breakdown
Termly: $10-20/month. Covers major regulations including GDPR, CCPA, COPPA (less common for pet services, but good to have). It auto-updates when laws change, includes a cookie consent banner, and can generate a privacy policy, terms of service (useful for booking agreements), and a cookie policy. This is strong for solo dog walkers, pet sitters, and mobile groomers serving primarily US clients who collect client details through booking forms or payment processors like Square.
iubenda: $9-27/month depending on the plan. Built in Italy with EU compliance as its main focus. It offers multi-language support and is IAB TCF certified (important for EU ad compliance). This is a strong option if your pet services business serves a significant number of international clients, such as expat communities or high-end pet travel services, or if you run international advertising campaigns.
Free generators (PrivacyPolicies.com, Termly free tier): These are adequate only for a very basic, informational pet services website with minimal data collection, perhaps just an email form. They offer no auto-updates or ongoing compliance monitoring. They may also miss state-specific requirements, especially when you collect sensitive details like pet medical history or emergency contacts. Only use a free generator if your data collection is extremely limited and you plan to review and update your policy regularly, or if you're truly just starting with a 'coming soon' page.
When to choose Termly
Choose Termly when you are a US-based solo pet services business – like a local dog walker, a pet sitter working through a booking app like Rover (but want to eventually go independent), or a mobile groomer. It’s ideal if you want to set it up once and mostly forget about it, and you need a cookie consent banner that actually complies with CCPA and GDPR requirements. Termly's interface is straightforward, making it easy to detail how you handle client names, addresses, pet health info, and payment details from your booking system. Their support documentation is thorough, helping you understand what data your pet business collects.
When to choose iubenda
Choose iubenda when a significant portion of your pet services clientele or website visitors are in the EU. This might be less common for local solo dog walkers but relevant if you offer specialized, high-end pet sitting for international travelers, or if your marketing efforts reach across different countries. It's also the choice if you run advertising campaigns that require IAB TCF consent framework compliance, which is mainly an EU advertising standard. iubenda's legal monitoring team tracks regulatory changes across dozens of jurisdictions, which is crucial if your pet business has a global reach.
When a free generator is acceptable
Use a free generator only if you have a static informational pet services website with no client intake forms, no email newsletter sign-ups, no advertising, and no analytics beyond basic server logs (meaning no Google Analytics or similar tools). This describes very few pet services businesses in practice. Even if you use a simple contact form to book dog walks, or collect client details for pet sitting via a Google Form, you are already past the threshold where a free generator is sufficient. If you take client photos for social media or collect payment through a third-party app linked to your site, a paid tool is a safer bet.
The verdict
For a US-based dog walking, pet sitting, or mobile grooming business: Termly is the way to go. If you cater to an EU or international audience, or have specific advanced advertising needs: iubenda. Neither should take more than 30 minutes to set up properly. Make sure to publish your privacy policy, terms of service, and cookie policy pages on your website or link them clearly from your booking portal before you start driving any paid traffic (like Facebook ads for new grooming clients) to your site. Some ad platforms require it before they will approve your account.
How to get started
1. List every type of data you collect from your pet clients: names, emails, physical addresses, pet medical history, emergency contacts, payment info (even if via a processor like Stripe or PayPal), photos of pets, and website visitor data (like IP addresses and browsing habits from analytics). 2. Choose Termly or iubenda based on where your pet services clients are located, mainly US for Termly, or international for iubenda. 3. Use the wizard provided by your chosen tool to generate your privacy policy, terms of service (for outlining your dog walking or pet sitting agreements), and cookie policy. 4. Publish all three pages on your pet services website with clear links in the footer, or link them directly from your client portal or booking system. 5. Enable the cookie consent banner (if offered by your tool) before running any advertising to attract new dog walking or grooming clients.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS
Termly
Privacy policy + cookie consent banner — best for US businesses
iubenda
Best for EU compliance and international audiences
PrivacyPolicies.com
Free generator for simple sites
Some links above are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you sign up — at no extra cost to you.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I need a privacy policy if I do not sell products online?
Yes, if your website collects any data — including email addresses, contact form submissions, or analytics. GDPR applies to any business that collects data from EU residents regardless of where the business is located. CCPA applies to businesses collecting data from California residents above certain thresholds.
What is a cookie consent banner and do I need one?
A cookie consent banner informs visitors that your site uses cookies and, in many jurisdictions, requires their consent before non-essential cookies are set. GDPR requires explicit consent for analytics and advertising cookies. CCPA requires a Do Not Sell My Personal Information option. If you run Google Analytics or any advertising, you need a compliant banner.
How often should I update my privacy policy?
Update it whenever you add a new data collection method, change a third-party service that handles user data, or when a new privacy law takes effect in a jurisdiction where you have users. Paid tools like Termly and iubenda alert you when updates are needed.
Apply This in Your Checklist