Ollie vs A Pup Above: Which Fresh Dog Food Is Better? (2026)
A Pup Above is the better fresh dog food. In our side-by-side comparison — appearance, smell, taste, ingredients, and price — A Pup Above outperformed Ollie in every quality category. The only area where Ollie wins is price: roughly $6/lb vs $13/lb. But the gap in food quality is significant enough that we’d recommend A Pup Above for any dog owner who can afford it.
| A Pup Above | Ollie | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein (as fed) | 13–14% | 9–11% |
| Visible Whole Ingredients | Yes | No (paste-like) |
| Taste (human test) | Pleasant, herb-seasoned | Off-putting, grainy |
| Smell | Complex, like human food | Heavy, like traditional dog food |
| Subscription Required | No (optional, save 15%) | Yes |
| Price | $13/lb | $6/lb |
| Our Verdict | Recommended | Not recommended |
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How We Compared Them
Zach evaluated both brands across four quality dimensions — appearance, smell, taste, and ingredients — plus convenience factors like purchasing, shipping, and packaging. Yes, he tasted both. That’s what we do here.
Quality: A Pup Above Wins Every Category
Appearance
Ollie’s meals look like a homogenous paste — similar to traditional commercial wet dog food with only a few specks of whole ingredients visible. It’s consistent with what their website shows, but it doesn’t look like “fresh” food.
A Pup Above’s recipes have whole pieces of ingredients you can actually see — carrots, grains of rice, identifiable protein. The food doesn’t look quite as polished as their marketing photos, but you can tell what’s in it. That matters.
Smell
Ollie’s recipes have no distinct smell of the primary ingredients. No protein, no vegetables — just a heavy aroma similar to regular commercial dog food.
A Pup Above smells like human food. Each recipe has complex aromatic notes — herbs and spices that you’d recognize from your own kitchen. Across every brand we’ve tested, A Pup Above is one of the best-smelling.
Taste
Ollie has an off-putting, strong taste — probably from excessive organ meat. The dry, grainy texture makes it worse. This is not food you’d want to eat, and we think dogs deserve better.
A Pup Above meals are genuinely tasty. The herbs and spices elevate it beyond what most fresh dog food brands deliver. Not the single most delicious brand we’ve tried, but solidly above average and far ahead of Ollie.
Ingredients & Protein
Both companies use whole ingredients supplemented with a nutrient mix to meet AAFCO standards. Both are formulated by veterinary nutritionists and made in USDA-inspected kitchens. On paper, both are nutritionally complete.
The difference is in the numbers. A Pup Above delivers 13–14% protein as fed. Ollie delivers 9–11%. That’s a meaningful gap — especially for active dogs or breeds that benefit from higher protein intake.
Best for A Pup Above: Dog owners who want visible, high-protein ingredients and food that looks, smells, and tastes like real cooking.
Best for Ollie: Dog owners on a tight budget who need a nutritionally complete fresh food at the lowest possible price point.
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Convenience: Ollie Has the Edge
Purchasing
Ollie requires a subscription to purchase, but canceling is easy from their website dashboard — no phone call, no guilt trip.
A Pup Above doesn’t require a subscription at all. You can buy individual orders whenever you want, or opt into a subscription to save up to 15%.
Shipping
Ollie shipped in four business days. Ordered Saturday, arrived Friday. Food came frozen in an insulated container with dry ice. Packaging is all recyclable.
A Pup Above took eight business days — the longest shipping time of any fresh dog food brand we’ve tested. The food stayed frozen, but the cellulose insulation needs to be dissolved in water and rinsed down the sink. More hassle than tossing a box in the recycling bin.
Packaging
Ollie comes in 1.50–1.75lb patties. That’s a lot for one serving, but they include a “puptainer” for storing defrosted food — good for up to four days.
A Pup Above comes in 1lb patties. Once thawed, use within seven days. Smaller portions mean less waste if your dog eats less per meal.
Price: Ollie Is Significantly Cheaper
Ollie costs roughly $6/lb — one of the cheapest fresh dog foods on the market. A Pup Above runs about $13/lb — one of the most expensive.
That’s a real difference, and we won’t pretend it doesn’t matter. But quality tracks with price here. With A Pup Above, you’re paying more for food that has higher protein, visible whole ingredients, and a taste your dog will actually get excited about. With Ollie, you’re saving money on food that looks, smells, and tastes closer to what you’d expect from a can.
Our Recommendation
Go with A Pup Above if you can afford it. The food quality difference is not subtle — it’s visible, tasteable, and measurable in the protein numbers. Use our link below for the best discount we have access to:
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Other fresh dog food brands worth considering: If A Pup Above’s price is too steep, there are other brands that outperform Ollie on quality at a lower price than A Pup Above. Check our best fresh dog food reviews for the full breakdown. We’ve also compared A Pup Above head-to-head with The Farmer’s Dog, Nom Nom, and PetPlate.
If you’re set on Ollie — we understand, the price is appealing. Read our full Ollie review to know exactly what you’re getting. Use our link for the best available discount:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ollie or A Pup Above better for dogs?
A Pup Above is the better fresh dog food. It has higher protein (13–14% vs 9–11% as fed), visible whole ingredients, and a taste and smell closer to human food. Ollie is cheaper at roughly $6/lb vs $13/lb, but the food looks and tastes more like traditional commercial wet dog food.
What does Ollie dog food taste like?
Ollie has an off-putting, strong taste — likely from heavy organ meat inclusion. The texture is dry and grainy. In our taste test, it did not taste like the whole ingredients listed on the label. A Pup Above, by comparison, tastes like seasoned human food with herbs and spices.
Does A Pup Above require a subscription?
No. A Pup Above does not require a subscription. You can buy individual orders or opt into a subscription to save up to 15%. Ollie requires a subscription to purchase, though canceling is easy from their website dashboard.
How much does A Pup Above cost compared to Ollie?
A Pup Above costs roughly $13/lb — one of the most expensive fresh dog foods on the market. Ollie costs roughly $6/lb, making it one of the cheapest. The price gap is real, but A Pup Above delivers measurably higher quality in appearance, taste, smell, and protein content.
Is Ollie dog food good quality?
Ollie is nutritionally complete and made in a USDA-inspected kitchen, but the food quality is below other fresh dog food brands we’ve tested. It looks like a homogenous paste, smells like traditional dog food, and has lower protein than competitors. We recommend exploring other options before committing to Ollie.