Lyka vs Scratch
Lyka (87/100) and Scratch (86/100), run through the same independent six-pillar, 100-point methodology. Each brand gets credit for exactly the pillars it wins.
Lyka
ScratchReviewed by the Dog Food Reviews editorial team
Independent scoring · Updated August 2026 · Not veterinary advice
Lyka 87/100
Scratch 86/100
This is the closest matchup in our index, with one point splitting them overall. Scratch takes transparency, value and customer sentiment; Lyka wins ingredients and nutrition, and availability is a dead heat because both are subscription only. The real decision is format and budget: gently cooked fresh bowls against high-protein Australian kibble.
Lyka wins
Scratch wins
Level on availability & convenience (62 each).
Pillar by pillar
All six pillars of our methodology, side by side. Higher is better on every row, and the leader is marked purely by the scores.
Key differences
Choose Lyka or Scratch?
Choose Lyka if
- You want a fresh, gently cooked diet rather than kibble, with portions set to your dog during onboarding
- Ingredient quality and nutrition scores are your top priorities, and Lyka takes both pillars here
- You want the widest single-protein choice, including novel goat and turkey bowls
- Freezer space and a little defrost planning do not bother you
Choose Scratch if
- Exact ingredient percentages on every label matter to you: Scratch tops our transparency scores
- You want stronger everyday value: Scratch wins the value pillar in this pairing
- You prefer pantry-friendly kibble over frozen fresh food
- You want high-protein grain-free recipes, or a grain-inclusive single-protein lamb option
What each costs to feed
Lyka
$2.68–$2.98
per day · editorial estimate · ~15kg adult dog
Scratch
$3.19–$4.39
per day · editorial estimate · ~15kg adult dog
These are editorial estimates only, built from illustrative pricing and each brand's published feeding guide for a ~15kg adult dog. Formats feed very differently (fresh food and rolls are served in larger daily weights than dry or air-dried food), so compare cost per day rather than price per kg, and confirm live pricing before you buy. Feeding amounts vary by dog; this is not veterinary advice.
Frequently asked questions
On our editorial estimates for a ~15kg adult dog, Lyka's bowls work out at roughly $2.68 to $2.98 a day and Scratch kibble at roughly $3.19 to $4.39 a day. Those figures lean on feeding-guide assumptions, and fresh-food costs scale up faster as dogs get bigger. On the broader value pillar, which also weighs price per kg and value against similar formulas, Scratch scores 72 to Lyka's 66. All prices are editorial estimates; confirm live pricing before you buy.
On our index, yes: Scratch scores 95 on transparency to Lyka's 91. Scratch is the only major Australian brand that publishes the exact percentage of every ingredient, while Lyka publishes full ingredient and nutrient panels for each recipe. Both are class leaders on this pillar; Scratch takes it.
Yes. Lyka gently cooks its meals in its own kitchens in Sydney and Dandenong South, Victoria, and cites 85-95% Australian sourcing. Scratch makes its kibble in NSW and its raw range in Australia, with the large majority of ingredients from local farms. Both are Australian owned and B Corp certified.
Both cater well for sensitive dogs with single-protein recipes. Lyka offers six fresh single-protein bowls, including novel kangaroo and a goat recipe built for dogs with food sensitivities; Scratch counters with a novel-protein kangaroo kibble, a fish-only mackerel and salmon recipe and a single-protein lamb option. Talk to your vet before switching a sensitive dog; this is not veterinary advice.
Plenty of owners run a fresh-plus-kibble bowl. Both ranges are formulated complete and balanced (Lyka to AAFCO all life stages across its six recipes, and most Scratch recipes cover all life stages too), so mixing is mostly about keeping total daily intake in line with the feeding guides and transitioning gradually. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, change one thing at a time. Not veterinary advice.
Leaning the other way?
Read our full Scratch review →Keep comparing