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
Fresh
- Cost per day
- $2.68–$2.98
- Pillars won
- 2 of 6
- Recipes indexed
- 6
- Sold in shops
- No
Scratch
Dry · Raw
- Cost per day
- $3.19–$4.39
- Pillars won
- 3 of 6
- Recipes indexed
- 4
- Sold in shops
- No
Overall gap
1 point to Lyka
Reviewed by the Dog Food Reviews editorial team
Independent scoringUpdated August 2026Not veterinary advice
Scores checked· Prices are editorial estimates
Quick verdict
One point apart
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): both are subscription only and neither is stocked in shops.
Brand pack shot
The scorecard
Pillar by pillar
All six pillars of our methodology, side by side, with the weight each one carries out of 100. Higher is better on every row, and the leader is marked purely by the scores.
Price & Value
Worth 25 of 100Price per kg, cost per day, subscription discount, sale frequency and value vs similar formulas.
Ingredient Quality
Worth 25 of 100Named meat first, protein source quality, wholefoods, fillers, artificial colours/flavours, grain quality.
Nutrition & Suitability
Worth 20 of 100Complete & balanced claim, life-stage suitability, protein/fat levels, sensitive-stomach and vet use cases.
Transparency
Worth 15 of 100Clear ingredient list, country of manufacture, ownership, feeding-guide clarity, recall visibility.
Availability & Convenience
Worth 10 of 100Stock availability, delivery options, repeat delivery and retailer availability.
Customer Sentiment
Worth 5 of 100Review sentiment, repeat complaints and product consistency feedback.
Side by side
Key differences
The five things that actually change the day to day: what arrives, how it arrives, what it costs, what is in it and who it suits.
| Difference | Lyka | Scratch |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Gently cooked fresh meals, delivered frozen | High-protein dry kibble, plus a complete frozen raw line |
| Delivery model | Subscription only, direct from lyka.com.au | Flexible subscription, direct from its own site; not sold in shops |
| Cost per day | About $2.68–$2.98 a day (editorial estimate, ~15kg dog) | About $3.19–$4.39 a day (editorial estimate, ~15kg dog) |
| Proteins | Six single-protein recipes: chicken, beef, kangaroo, lamb, turkey and goat | Turkey and beef, mackerel and salmon, kangaroo, and lamb recipes |
| Life stages | Complete and balanced to AAFCO all life stages across the range | Everyday recipes cover all life stages; the lamb and kangaroo kibbles are not suited to large-breed puppies |
“The real decision is format and budget: gently cooked fresh bowls against high-protein Australian kibble.”
Every recipe we hold
Inside the two ranges
The 10 recipes we have indexed across both brands, with the figures we hold for each one: format, protein, fat and the ingredient the label leads with.
Lyka range
6 recipes indexed · 13% to 20% protein as fed
Scratch range
4 recipes indexed · 23% to 30% protein as fed
What we hold
10
recipes priced and profiled across the two ranges.
- Lyka
- 6 recipes · 13% to 20% protein · super-premium tier
- Scratch
- 4 recipes · 23% to 30% protein · premium tier
- Where to buy
- Neither brand is stocked in shops. Both are subscription only, direct from their own sites.
| Recipe | Format | Protein | Fat | First ingredient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyka 87/100 | ||||
| Free Range Chicken Bowl (fresh, subscription)1kg · Grain free · All life stages | Fresh | 19% | 4% | Chicken Breast |
| Grass Fed Beef Bowl (fresh, subscription)1kg · Grain free · All life stages | Fresh | 18% | 6% | Beef Mince |
| Wild Caught Kangaroo Bowl (fresh, subscription)1kg · Grain free · All life stages | Fresh | 20% | 3% | Kangaroo Mince |
| Grass Fed Lamb Bowl (fresh, subscription)1kg · Grain inclusive · All life stages | Fresh | 15% | 8% | Lamb Mince |
| Barn Raised Turkey Bowl (fresh, subscription)1kg · Grain inclusive · All life stages | Fresh | 18% | 8% | Turkey Mince |
| Hypoallergenic Pro Goat Bowl (fresh, subscription)1kg · Grain free · All life stages | Fresh | 13% | 5% | Goat Mince |
| Scratch 86/100 | ||||
| Grain-Free Turkey & Beef Dry Dog Food8kg · Grain free · All life stages | Dry | 29% | 16% | Turkey Meal (27%) |
| Grain-Free Mackerel & Salmon Dry Dog Food8kg · Grain free · All life stages | Dry | 30% | 14% | Mackerel Meal (22.9%) |
| Pasture-Raised Lamb with Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food8kg · Grain inclusive · All life stages | Dry | 23% | 15% | Lamb Meal (24.1%) |
| Sensitive Kangaroo Grain-Free Dry Dog Food8kg · Grain free · All life stages | Dry | 28% | 15% | Kangaroo (21%) |
Which fits your dog
Choose Lyka or Scratch?
Neither brand is the answer for every dog. These are the conditions under which each one is the better buy, and the conditions under which it is not.
Choose Lyka if
$2.68–$2.98 a day, our estimate
- 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
Skip Lyka if
- You want a budget-friendly everyday feeding cost
- You prefer to buy in-store or have limited freezer space
Choose Scratch if
$3.19–$4.39 a day, our estimate
- 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
Skip Scratch if
- You want the lowest possible cost per kilo
- You prefer buying food in-store rather than by subscription delivery
Cost per day
What each costs to feed
Every recipe we hold, costed for the same dog on the same assumptions, so the two ranges sit on one axis. These are editorial estimates, not quoted prices.
Lyka
Estimated cost per day
$2.68–$2.98
for a ~15kg adult dog, across 6 recipes
- Free Range Chicken Bowl (fresh, subscription)$2.68
- Grass Fed Beef Bowl (fresh, subscription)$2.98
- Wild Caught Kangaroo Bowl (fresh, subscription)$2.98
- Grass Fed Lamb Bowl (fresh, subscription)$2.98
- Barn Raised Turkey Bowl (fresh, subscription)$2.98
- Hypoallergenic Pro Goat Bowl (fresh, subscription)$2.98
Scratch
Estimated cost per day
$3.19–$4.39
for a ~15kg adult dog, across 4 recipes
- Grain-Free Turkey & Beef Dry Dog Food$3.19
- Grain-Free Mackerel & Salmon Dry Dog Food$3.82
- Pasture-Raised Lamb with Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food$3.71
- Sensitive Kangaroo Grain-Free Dry Dog Food$4.39
How we costed this
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.
Questions
Lyka vs Scratch, answered
Answered from the same index the scores come from. Prices are editorial estimates, and nothing here is veterinary advice.
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?
The full Scratch file: scores, recipes and the watch-outs.
Not sure either one fits?
Answer a few questions and we will point you at the shortlist for your dog.