Pets Best vs Lemonade
Lemonade wins for most dogs on score and price: 9.0/10 against 8.1 for Pets Best, with illustrative dog premiums from about $28/mo versus $33/mo. Those are starting estimates, not quotes. Pets Best wins if you want an unlimited annual limit, a cruciate wait that can be reduced or waived when a participating veterinarian certifies the pet, or the cheaper cat start in our catalog (about $14/mo versus $16/mo). Lemonade accidents wait 2 days, or 0 days in a named group of states. Pets Best accidents wait 3 days, waivable with a qualifying vet exam. Both hold cruciate events for 6 months; Lemonade's wait is not waivable. As of August 2026 Lemonade is not sold in Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wyoming. California and Florida are sold. WhichPetPlan does not earn a commission from Pets Best. Lemonade is the only live Get-quote partner on this site.
Side by side
| Pets Best | Lemonade | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score (dogs) | 8.1/10 | 9/10 |
| Illustrative starting price | dogs from $33/mo, cats from $14/mo | dogs from $28/mo, cats from $16/mo |
| Annual limit | $5k-unlimited | $100k |
| Deductible | Annual, $50/$100/$200/$250/$500/$1,000 | Fully customizable, $100 to $750 (up to $1,000 on some policies) |
| Reimbursement options | 70%, 80% or 90% | 70%, 80% or 90% |
| Accident wait | 3 days (waivable entirely with a qualifying vet exam submitted within 30 days of enrollment) | 2 days (0 days in AL, AR, CT, DC, GA, IL, IN, IA, MD, MS, NE, NH, NM, OH, SC, TX, UT, WA) |
| Illness wait | 14 days | 14 days |
| Orthopedic / cruciate wait | 6 months for cruciate ligament events. Waiting periods may be reduced or waived when a participating veterinarian certifies the pet (exam up to 3 days before or 7 days after the effective date; form back within 30 days of the exam) | 30 days for orthopedic conditions generally, 6 months for cruciate ligament events specifically |
| Wellness add-on | Available | Available |
| Direct vet pay | No, reimbursement only | No, reimbursement only |
Starting prices are illustrative estimates for a healthy one-year-old animal, not quotes. Your real premium depends on breed, age, ZIP code, deductible and reimbursement rate.
Pre-existing conditions
Pets Best: Not covered, standard exclusion for signs shown before enrollment or during the waiting period.
Lemonade: Not covered for conditions that showed signs before enrollment or during the waiting period. In most states, temporary or curable pre-existing conditions or injuries can be covered again after 12 consecutive months without recurrent symptoms or continued treatment. Chronic conditions and knee or ligament conditions cannot be covered as curable pre-existing conditions.
Choose Pets Best if
You want an unlimited annual limit, a waivable cruciate path, or the cheaper cat start in our catalog. Pets Best offers $5,000, $10,000, or unlimited, scores 8.4/10 for cats, and starts around $14/mo for a cat. Accidents wait 3 days, waivable with a vet exam. Cruciate events wait 6 months unless a participating veterinarian certifies the pet. Exam fees cost extra on the base Essential plan.
Choose Lemonade if
Your priority is the monthly price for a young dog, you live in a state where Lemonade is sold, and you want claims in the app. Illustrative dog premiums start around $28/mo. Accidents wait 2 days, or 0 days in a named group of states. Illness waits 14 days. The cruciate wait is 6 months with no waiver, and the annual cap configures from $5,000 up to $100,000, not unlimited.
Get a Lemonade quote
Lemonade is the one insurer on this site we can send you to for a live quote. That does not make it the right plan for every pet. As of August 2026, Lemonade Pet is not available in Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wyoming.
Some links here are partner links. If you buy through one, the insurer may pay us a fee. It never changes your premium and it never changes a ranking.
Get a quote from LemonadeQuestions
Keep reading
Written by the WhichPetPlan editorial team. Rankings are editorial, not paid placement. Some links (currently Lemonade) may earn a fee; it never changes the premium and never changes a ranking. Scores are our own editorial ratings, not an industry standard. See our methodology for how scores are set.