CheckForPet
CheckForPet is a Hamburg-based pet food recommendation platform and e-commerce marketplace that helps German-speaking dog and cat owners discover personalized food via a 2-minute Futtercheck questionnaire backed by 1.2 million verified user reviews, then delivers curated sample boxes and direct food purchases on a subscription basis.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersHamburg, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What CheckForPet does
CheckForPet GmbH is a Hamburg-based pet food recommendation platform and e-commerce marketplace founded in 2018, serving dog and cat owners in German-speaking markets. The company's flagship product is the Futtercheck (Food Check), a structured 2-minute questionnaire that captures pet profile data — species, breed, age, weight, activity level, and current food — and cross-references these inputs against a database of over 1.2 million verified, profile-linked user reviews to generate personalized pet food recommendations. Reviews are scored on three dimensions (overall satisfaction, price-performance ratio, and composition) and weighted by feeding duration, enabling breed-specific and age-specific filtering that distinguishes the platform from generic e-commerce review systems. The Futtercheck output drives a curated Probierbox (trial box) of 3-5 brand-specific food samples, which serves as the primary conversion funnel from anonymous visitor to paying customer.
The company operates three revenue streams: (1) direct-to-consumer e-commerce on checkforpet.de selling dog and cat food from multiple premium brands (Primum, Orijen, Acana, Happy Dog, Herrmann's, Miamor, Royal Canin, and others) with a subscription product called Spar-Abo (5% recurring discount, free shipping, delivery cadence 2-12 weeks); (2) trial box sales across Starter (€4.90), Marken-Box, and Premium Bestseller-Box (€7.50+ with €20 voucher) tiers, supplemented by upsells for XL and additional brands; and (3) B2B services for pet food brands, including a dedicated portal (pet-food-brands.checkforpet.de) for review management, sampling campaign support, and brand visibility. Auxiliary monetization includes a publisher/influencer affiliate program, embeddable widgets for brand websites, the annual Best Rated Pet Food award program, and a 2025 referral partnership with DA Direkt pet insurance integrated into the Futtercheck flow.
CheckForPet is privately held, founder-owned, and bootstrapped, with two disclosed funding rounds totaling approximately €789,000 (July 2018: €291,364; December 2021: €498,014). The company operates from its registered office at Hammer Deich 10, Hamburg, with 11-50 employees. Geographic operations center on Germany (primary), with delivery to Austria and country-specific storefronts in the UK, Spain, France, and Italy. Customer-reported outcomes include 3-in-4 pet owners finding suitable food through the platform, 80% of pets approving the Premium Bestseller-Box, and select brand benchmarks such as an 86% recommendation rate for Herrmann's Cat Food.
CheckForPet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CheckForPet
- Legal name
- CheckForPet GmbH
- Website
- https://checkforpet.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CheckForPet is a Hamburg-based pet food recommendation platform and e-commerce marketplace that helps German-speaking dog and cat owners discover personalized food via a 2-minute Futtercheck questionnaire backed by 1.2 million verified user reviews, then delivers curated sample boxes and direct food purchases on a subscription basis.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CheckForPet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pet Food E-commerce
- NAICS
- Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910)
- SIC
- Retail-Food Stores (5400), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pet Supplies Inventory-led Online Retailers (CRAFADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pet Supplies Omnichannel (CRAFAEAJ), Pet Health & Wellness Retail (Supplements, OTC, Flea/Tick) (CRALAHAC)
Keywords
Where CheckForPet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
CheckForPet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- E-commerce product sales: CheckForPet operates a direct-to-consumer online shop selling dog and cat food from multiple premium brands. Customers can make one-time purchases or subscribe to the Spar-Abo (savings subscription) for recurring deliveries with a 5% discount and free shipping. Revenue is generated per transaction with unit pricing from €1.49 per 100g product up to €59.58 for bulk multi-unit packs.
- Subscription (Spar-Abo): The Spar-Abo is a recurring delivery subscription offering 5% discount on every order plus free shipping. Customers choose a delivery cadence (every 2 to 12 weeks). This provides predictable recurring revenue and reduces churn by locking in regular purchasing behavior.
- B2B brand services (review management & sampling): Pet food brands pay for access to CheckForPet's B2B platform to view, manage, and respond to reviews of their products; to receive sampling support; and to gain brand visibility through the trial box program. Revenue comes from service/package fees charged to brand partners.
- Trial box sales (Starter/4er/Premium boxes): Starter-Probierbox is offered at €4.90 (free box, customer pays only shipping). Premium Bestseller-Box includes 5 premium brands with a €20 purchase voucher. Revenue is generated per box shipment, with upsells for XL upgrades (+€0.99) and additional brands (+€2.90).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Starter-Probierbox - 3 brands, 14-20 portions, €4.90 shipping only |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 4er Marken-Box - 4 brands, 20-26 portions |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Bestseller-Box - 5 premium brands, 26-32 portions, €20 voucher |
| Subscription | Monthly | Spar-Abo - 5% discount + free shipping on all recurring orders |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Herrmann's Selection Adult Fish - from €1.49 per 100g unit |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
CheckForPet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CheckForPet operates an online pet food e-commerce and recommendation platform serving dog and cat owners in German-speaking markets. Its core offering is the Futtercheck, a 2-minute structured questionnaire that combines individual pet profile data (breed, age, weight, activity level) with over 1.2 million verified user reviews to generate personalized food recommendations. This is paired with the Probierbox (trial sample box), a curated box of up to 5 brand-specific food samples, and a direct online shop with an optional Spar-Abo subscription for recurring deliveries.
Product overview
CheckForPet is a German pet food e-commerce marketplace and recommendation platform. Its core offering consists of the Futtercheck (a 2-minute structured questionnaire) powered by an algorithm that matches individual pets to food brands using over 1.2 million user-generated reviews and pet profile data, generating personalized food recommendations and directing users to the associated Probierbox (trial sample box) — available in Starter (3 brands), Marken-Box (4 brands), and Premium Bestseller-Box (5 brands with a 20 EUR voucher) tiers. The company operates a direct online shop for purchasing recommended food, integrated with a subscription service (Spar-Abo) offering 5% discounts and free shipping. The product portfolio also includes a B2B portal for pet food brands to manage reviews and drive customer acquisition, a publisher/influencer affiliate program, embeddable widgets for brand websites, and the annual Best Rated Pet Food award program. On the supplier side, CheckForPet features branded products from third-party pet food manufacturers such as Herrmann's (organic selection and pure-meat lines) and Miamor (wet cat food with high meat content), as well as Tales & Tails (wet food and snacks). A referral partnership with DA Direkt pet insurance is also integrated into the Futtercheck flow.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Futtercheck (Food Check) Recommendation Engine A free 2-minute online questionnaire that combines an individual pet's profile (species, breed, age, weight, activity level) with over 1.2 million verified user reviews to produce a personalized pet food recommendation and a curated trial box offer. Targeted at dog and cat owners seeking data-driven guidance.
- Probierbox (Trial Sample Box) A curated box of food samples from 3 to 5 premium pet food brands matched to the pet's Futtercheck profile. Available as Starter-Probierbox (3 brands, customer pays EUR 4.90 shipping), 4er Marken-Box (4 brands), and Premium Bestseller-Box (5 brands plus a EUR 20 purchase voucher and optional 72h express delivery). Includes optional birthday gift (party hat).
- CheckForPet Online Shop (Tierfutter Onlineshop) A German-language online store selling dog and cat food from multiple third-party brands, with one-time purchases, a Spar-Abo subscription (5% discount and free shipping on recurring deliveries of cadence 2-12 weeks), and unit-based pricing from EUR 1.49 per 100g up to EUR 59.58 for bulk multi-unit packs.
- B2B Portal for Pet Food Brands
Quantifiable outcome
- 3 out of 4 pet owners find the right food for their pet through the Futtercheck
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CheckForPet
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CheckForPet technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
CheckForPet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- DA DirektminorCheckForPet and DA Direkt entered into a partnership where CheckForPet presents pet health insurance offers from DA Direkt during the Futtercheck flow. Pet owners are offered a free, non-binding quote for dog or cat insurance. CheckForPet receives a referral fee for each successful sign-up. The partnership is disclosed as a 'tipgeberfunktion' (referral function) in CheckForPet's AGB, noting that CheckForPet does not act as an insurance broker.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CheckForPet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fressnapf: Fressnapf is Europe's largest omnichannel pet supplies retailer, operating 1,700+ stores across Europe plus a strong online shop. It directly competes with CheckForPet for German pet food customers and offers private-label and third-party brands across price tiers.
- Zooplus: Zooplus is the largest pure-play online pet retailer in Europe, now owned by Petco/Hellman & Friedman. It sells dog and cat food across dozens of brands via a subscription-led model, directly overlapping with CheckForPet's e-commerce and Spar-Abo offering.
- bitiba: bitiba is a discount-oriented online pet retailer owned by the Zooplus Group, offering lower-priced dry and wet food plus accessories across European markets. It competes with CheckForPet on price-sensitive online pet food buyers.
- Pets Deli: Pets Deli is a German premium fresh pet food brand and online retailer, offering customized fresh and BARF-style meals. It is both a brand partner on CheckForPet and a direct competitor for premium food buyers in Germany.
Broad incumbents
- Terra Canis: Terra Canis is a leading premium natural dog food brand in Germany, sold both direct-to-consumer and on marketplaces including CheckForPet. Comparable as a premium pet food brand competing for the same end consumer.
- Wolfsblut: Wolfsblut (by Healthfood24) is a well-known German premium natural pet food brand focused on grain-free and species-appropriate recipes. Sold via CheckForPet and competes in the same premium-nutrition segment.
- Chewy: Chewy is the largest pure-play online pet retailer in the US, offering autoship subscriptions, vet care, and a broad assortment. Comparable business model - online-first pet retail with subscription - though much larger and US-focused.
- Petco: Petco operates omnichannel pet retail plus vet services and is also the parent of Zooplus post-acquisition. Comparable as a vertically integrated pet retailer spanning food, accessories, and services.
Others
- Herrmann's Manufaktur: Herrmann's is a German organic Bio-certified wet cat food manufacturer featured prominently on CheckForPet. Brand partner and supplier relationship rather than a direct marketplace competitor.
Emerging players
- BarkBox: BarkBox is a US-based subscription pet product company offering curated boxes of toys, treats, and food. Comparable to CheckForPet on the curated-sample-box GTM motion and subscription mechanics, though focused on dogs and the US market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CheckForPet social profiles
Digital presenceCheckForPet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CheckForPet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
CheckForPet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CheckForPet M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CheckForPet
What does CheckForPet do?
CheckForPet operates an online pet food e-commerce and recommendation platform serving dog and cat owners in German-speaking markets. Its core offering is the Futtercheck, a 2-minute structured questionnaire that combines individual pet profile data (breed, age, weight, activity level) with over 1.2 million verified user reviews to generate personalized food recommendations. This is paired with the Probierbox (trial sample box), a curated box of up to 5 brand-specific food samples, and a direct online shop with an optional Spar-Abo subscription for recurring deliveries.
Is CheckForPet a public or private company?
CheckForPet is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CheckForPet founded?
CheckForPet was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CheckForPet based?
CheckForPet is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does CheckForPet make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. E-commerce product sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription (Spar-Abo), B2B brand services (review management & sampling) and trial box sales (Starter/4er/Premium boxes).
Who are CheckForPet's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fressnapf, Zooplus, bitiba and Pets Deli. Broad incumbents are Terra Canis, Wolfsblut, Chewy and Petco. Herrmann's Manufaktur is listed as an others. BarkBox is listed as an emerging player.
Does CheckForPet have an API?
No public API is recorded for CheckForPet.
What industry is CheckForPet in?
CheckForPet's product category is Pet Food E-commerce. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFADAH, Pet Supplies Inventory-led Online Retailers, with a secondary code of CRAFAEAJ, Pet Supplies Omnichannel. Its NAICS code is 459910 and its SIC code is 5400.