Is TruePath more expensive than Mad Paws?

Slightly cheaper on a typical 30-minute walk in Sydney once Mad Paws' service fee is included. Both platforms vary by suburb and by walker.

Does TruePath operate in regional Australia?

Not yet. We're metro-only across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, and parts of the Sunshine Coast. We add new suburbs based on owner demand — if there's no walker in yours, register interest and you'll be the first to hear.

Can I import my walker from Mad Paws?

Walkers can apply to TruePath independently, but we run our own verification — we don't carry over Mad Paws' approval. If your existing walker wants to come across, send them our walker page and we'll fast-track their interview.

What if my dog only has one specific walker they like?

Tell us their name and suburb on signup. If they're already on TruePath, we'll match you. If they're not, we'll reach out to invite them — most TruePath walkers came from a request like that.

Does Mad Paws know if I cancel?

Only that you've cancelled your bookings. There's no negative effect on your dog's profile or your reviews — you can always come back.

Compare

TruePath vs Mad Paws: Full Comparison for 2026

Side-by-side comparison of TruePath and Mad Paws — pricing, fees, walker verification, insurance, refund policy, and app features. Updated May 2026.

By Atticus · 6 min read · Last updated 17 May 2026

If you've been a Mad Paws customer and you're wondering whether TruePath is worth a switch, this page is the honest answer. We built TruePath because we were Mad Paws customers ourselves, and a few things kept happening — last-minute walker cancellations, unclear refunds, and no real verification when you really thought about what "verified" means. So we're biased. We're also transparent about the differences, including where Mad Paws is still the right call for some owners.

How the two platforms actually differ

The fastest way to see it is side by side.

Feature	TruePath	Mad Paws
Coverage	Metro AU (8 cities)	National incl. regional
Walker count (approx)	Hundreds, verified	Tens of thousands
Verification	In-person meet + ID + reference checks	Online ID check
Service fee on top	—	Up to 18%
GPS tracking included	✓	Optional, sitter-dependent
Insurance	Walks covered by platform policy	Mad Paws Premium Care (claim-based)
Refund policy	Walk not delivered → full refund, no support ticket	Case-by-case via support
Avg 30-min walk price	$32 (May 2026)	$25–$40 (varies by sitter)

Figures are May 2026. We refresh this table quarterly.

Pricing — the bit Mad Paws gets accused of hiding

Mad Paws shows you the walker's rate, then adds a service fee at checkout that can be up to 18% of the booking. The walker doesn't see that fee — they keep their listed rate. TruePath shows you one price. It's what you pay, and the walker keeps the same percentage on every walk so they don't undercut each other.

For a typical 30-minute walk:

Mad Paws listed rate: ~$28
Mad Paws service fee: ~$5
Your total: ~$33
TruePath all-in price: $32 (May 2026 average)

For one walk a week that's roughly the same. For five walks a week it's a $250 annual difference.

Verification — what "background-checked" actually means

This is the bit we care about most, because it's where Mad Paws gets the most one-star reviews. Mad Paws sitters complete an online onboarding — government ID, a short profile, sometimes a reference. There's no in-person step. TruePath requires every walker to:

Submit a Working With Children Check (or state equivalent).
Provide two non-family references that we actually call.
Meet a TruePath team member in person — coffee, 30 minutes, with their own dog or one of ours.

Mad Paws has more walkers because their bar is lower. That's a real trade-off — in newer TruePath suburbs you may have a shorter shortlist or longer wait. We think the trade is worth it; some owners disagree. Both positions are defensible.

Insurance & what happens when something goes wrong

Mad Paws offers "Mad Paws Premium Care," which is essentially platform-side insurance that owners claim against when something goes wrong. The claim process can take weeks, and it requires receipts, vet reports, and platform sign-off.

TruePath has a public liability policy covering every walk on the platform. If your dog is injured during a walk, we cover the emergency vet bill upfront — you don't pay and claim. We can do this because we have fewer walkers and more verification, so claim frequency is much lower than a marketplace model.

App experience

Mad Paws has a more mature mobile app — they've been at it longer. TruePath's app is newer and simpler: book, track the walk live on a map, see photos, message. We deliberately don't have a feed, social profiles, or "favourite walker" lists yet because they weren't requested by the first 500 owners.

If you want a feature-rich app, Mad Paws wins. If you want one screen that just shows where your dog is right now, TruePath is better.

When Mad Paws is the right call

We say this because it's true:

You're regional. TruePath isn't in your town yet — Mad Paws probably is.
You want the cheapest possible walker and you don't mind a less-verified profile. Mad Paws' marketplace floor is lower.
You need a one-off urgent walk and have no relationship with any platform. Mad Paws has the deeper bench.

When TruePath is the right call

You want one all-in price with no service-fee surprise.
Verification matters because your dog is reactive, elderly, has medical needs, or is just expensive (purebred, working dog, breed with prohibited markings).
You want GPS-tracked walks by default rather than as a per-sitter option.
You don't want to chase support to get a refund when a walk doesn't happen.

Find a TruePath walker near you

Background-checked walkers, GPS-tracked walks, and live photo updates. Most owners book their first walk within an hour.

Find a walker

How to switch from Mad Paws to TruePath

If you've decided to switch, the practical steps are short:

Sign up on TruePath and add your dog (takes ~3 minutes).
Book a meet-and-greet with the walker we shortlist for your suburb. This is free and TruePath covers the walker's time for the first one.
Run one walk in parallel with your existing Mad Paws booking if you want to compare. We don't recommend cancelling the Mad Paws sitter until you've done at least one TruePath walk.
Move your recurring walks across. Take 2–4 weeks to fully transition so your dog gets time with the new walker.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

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