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Mobile App FAQ

Answers to common questions about using Petboost on your phone or tablet.

Getting Started

Do I need to download anything from the App Store?

No. Petboost is a mobile web app (Progressive Web App / PWA). Instead of downloading a 5-8GB app from the App Store or Google Play, visit business.petboost.com in your browser and add it to your home screen. That gives you a full-screen app experience with no address bar along the bottom, without eating precious phone storage. Takes about 30 seconds.

Watch the install video: How to add Petboost to your home screen

Why can't I find Petboost in the App Store or Google Play?

Petboost is not listed in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store because it is a Progressive Web App (PWA), not a traditional native app. This is a deliberate choice, not a limitation. PWA technology means you get 100% of features on every device, instant updates without app store delays, and a tiny storage footprint instead of a multi-GB download. To install Petboost, visit business.petboost.com in your browser and add it to your home screen. See the Add to Home Screen guide, or watch this install video.

Which browser should I use?

  • iPhone/iPad: Safari (recommended) or Chrome

  • Android: Chrome (recommended) or Samsung Internet

How do I add Petboost to my home screen?

Watch the install video: How to add Petboost to your home screen

Or follow our detailed guide: Add to Home Screen

Quick summary:

  1. Open business.petboost.com in your browser

  2. Tap Share (iOS) or Menu (Android)

  3. Select "Add to Home Screen"

  4. Tap Add

iPhone/iPad (Safari):

  1. Open Safari and go to business.petboost.com

  2. Tap the Share button (square with an arrow pointing up) at the bottom of the screen

  3. Scroll down and tap "Add to Home Screen"

  4. Tap "Add" in the top-right corner

Android (Chrome):

  1. Open Chrome and go to business.petboost.com

  2. Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner

  3. Tap "Install app" or "Add to Home screen"

  4. Confirm by tapping "Install" or "Add"

Once added, tapping the Petboost icon launches the app in full-screen mode with no browser bars.

Can I use Petboost on my tablet?

Yes. Petboost works on iPads and Android tablets with the same 100% feature set as phones and desktops. Tablets are particularly good for:

  • Calendar views - the larger screen gives you a better overview of your week

  • Reception check-in - many businesses keep a tablet at the front desk for checking pets in and out

  • Multi-column layouts - some pages display additional detail panels side-by-side on wider screens

Add Petboost to your tablet's home screen the same way you would on a phone. See Add to Home Screen for device-specific steps.

Features & Functionality

Is the mobile version limited compared to desktop?

No. Petboost has 100% feature parity between mobile and desktop. Every feature - scheduling, payments, customer management, automations, reports - works identically on your phone or tablet.

Can I manage appointments on my phone?

Yes. You can:

  • View all appointments

  • Create new bookings

  • Reschedule or cancel

  • Check in and check out pets

  • Process payments

  • Send messages

Can I process payments from my phone?

Yes. You can:

  • Charge cards on file

  • Send SMS payment links

  • Create and send invoices

  • View payment history

  • Process refunds

How do I process payments on mobile?

Processing payments on your phone works identically to desktop. From any appointment:

  1. Open the appointment details

  2. Tap "Process Payment"

  3. Choose your method: charge the card on file, send an SMS payment link, or create an invoice

  4. Confirm the amount and tap "Charge" or "Send"

You can also navigate to a customer's profile and process a payment directly from their payment history tab. All payment methods (card on file, SMS link, invoice) are fully supported on mobile.

Does the calendar work on mobile?

Yes. All calendar views are available:

  • Day view

  • Week view

  • Month view

  • Timeline view

The calendar is fully interactive - tap to view details, drag to reschedule (on larger screens).

Can I drag-and-drop appointments on mobile?

Drag-and-drop rescheduling is available on tablets and larger screens where there is enough room to comfortably grab and move an appointment. On phones, the screen is generally too narrow for reliable drag-and-drop, so you reschedule by tapping the appointment and selecting a new time from the detail view.

If you frequently reschedule appointments throughout the day, a tablet in landscape mode or your desktop gives you the best drag-and-drop experience.

How do I switch between different views on mobile?

Petboost adapts its navigation to suit smaller screens:

  • Bottom navigation bar - the main sections (Schedule, Customers, Messages, etc.) are accessible from the bottom of the screen for easy thumb reach

  • Calendar view switcher - tap the view name at the top of the calendar to toggle between Day, Week, Month and Timeline views

  • Quick Search - tap the search icon to find customers, pets, or appointments instantly

  • Mission Control - your mobile-optimised daily operations hub, designed for one-handed use

If you cannot find a specific feature, try Quick Search. Everything available on desktop is accessible on mobile, though some options may be located under a menu or a different navigation path to suit the smaller screen.

The app looks different from what I see on desktop - is that normal?

Yes, this is completely normal and intentional. Petboost uses a responsive design that rearranges the layout to suit the screen size you are using:

  • Navigation moves to the bottom of the screen on phones for easier thumb access, whereas on desktop it sits in a sidebar

  • Multi-column layouts on desktop collapse into a single scrollable column on phones

  • Tables and data grids may switch to card-based layouts on narrower screens for readability

  • Buttons and tap targets are larger on mobile to accommodate touch input

Every feature and piece of data is still there. The layout simply adapts so that everything remains usable on a smaller screen without pinching or zooming.

Multi-Device Use

Can I use it on multiple devices?

Absolutely. Add Petboost to your iPhone, iPad, Android phone, tablet - as many devices as you like. Every device works from the same account data.

Can I use Petboost on multiple devices at the same time?

Yes. You can be logged in on your phone, tablet, and desktop simultaneously. Other devices do not update live. A booking made on the reception tablet shows on your phone the next time the calendar loads: when you open it, change its date or view, or switch back to it from another app. Mission Control and other pages load fresh data when you open them, or when you return to Petboost after at least a minute away.

There is no limit to the number of active sessions. Common setups include:

  • Phone for on-the-go management between appointments

  • Tablet at reception for check-in and checkout

  • Desktop for admin tasks, reports, and longer planning sessions

All devices share the same account and data. You do not need separate licences for each device.

Updates & Versions

Will I get updates automatically?

Yes. Unlike app store apps, Petboost updates automatically in the background. Every time you open the app, you're running the latest version with all new features and improvements.

How do I know which version I'm running?

You're always running the latest version. There's no version number to check because updates happen automatically.

Do I need to manually update?

Never. No "Update Available" prompts, no app store visits, no waiting.

Technical Questions

Does Petboost work offline?

Petboost requires an internet connection to sync with your data. However:

  • The app shell loads instantly from cache

  • Pages you've visited recently may be available offline

  • As soon as you have signal, everything syncs

In practice, this means you can open the app and see your most recent schedule even if you briefly lose signal (for example, in an underground car park). However, actions like creating bookings, processing payments, or sending messages require an active connection. We recommend using Petboost on Wi-Fi or a reliable mobile network for the best experience.

How much storage does it use?

Minimal. Unlike native apps that can use hundreds of MB, Petboost's PWA has a very small footprint - typically under 5MB.

Does it use a lot of mobile data?

Petboost is optimised for mobile networks. Initial page loads are small, and subsequent navigation uses cached resources when possible.

Troubleshooting

The iPad keeps logging me out

Open Petboost from the home screen icon, not from a Safari tab. Safari can drop a signed-in session when it clears website data. Add the app from Safari with Add to Home Screen, then always open that icon. See Add Petboost to Your Home Screen.

Do not share one owner password so "anyone can get in" after a logout. Give each person their own login, then use Switch user on the account menu. To change a password, see Change your account password.

The app opens in the browser instead of full-screen

This happens if you're opening from a bookmark rather than the home screen icon.

To fix:

  1. Remove the current shortcut

  2. Visit business.petboost.com fresh

  3. Add to home screen again

  4. Tap the new icon

I can't find "Add to Home Screen" option

Safari (iOS):

  • Make sure you're using Safari, not another browser

  • Tap the Share button (square with arrow)

  • Scroll down in the share sheet - the option may be below the fold

Chrome (Android):

  • Tap the three-dot menu

  • Look for "Install app" or "Add to Home screen"

  • If neither appears, try reloading the page

Content isn't loading

  1. Check your internet connection

  2. Pull down to refresh the page

  3. Try closing and reopening the app

  4. If issues persist, log out and log back in

The icon looks wrong

  1. Remove the home screen shortcut

  2. Clear your browser cache

  3. Visit business.petboost.com

  4. Add to home screen again

How do I clear the cache if something isn't loading properly?

If pages are not updating, content looks stale, or something is not loading correctly, clearing the browser cache usually resolves it.

iPhone/iPad (Safari):

  1. Open Settings on your device (the iOS Settings app, not Petboost settings)

  2. Scroll down and tap Safari

  3. Tap Clear History and Website Data

  4. Confirm by tapping Clear

  5. Re-open business.petboost.com and add it to your home screen again

Android (Chrome):

  1. Open Chrome

  2. Tap the three-dot menu and select Settings

  3. Tap Privacy and security then Clear browsing data

  4. Select Cached images and files (you can leave other options unchecked)

  5. Tap Clear data

  6. Re-open business.petboost.com and add it to your home screen again

After clearing the cache, you may need to log in again. Your data is stored securely on the server, so nothing is lost.

Security

Is it secure on my phone?

Yes. Petboost uses the same bank-level encryption (TLS 1.3) on mobile as on desktop. Your login is secured, payment data is protected by Stripe, and all data transmission is encrypted.

Does my login persist?

Yes. Once logged in, your session persists between uses. You don't need to log in every time you open the app.

Can I log out remotely?

No. Petboost does not have a page for managing active sessions. To log out a device, log out on that device.

Comparison Questions

Why doesn't Petboost have an app store app?

We deliberately chose PWA technology because:

  • 100% feature parity - no "lite" mobile version

  • Instant updates - no app store delays

  • Single codebase - faster innovation

  • Works everywhere - iOS, Android, desktop

Native apps from competitors often lag behind their web versions. Petboost is the same everywhere.

Is a PWA as good as a native app?

For business software like Petboost, PWAs are often better:

  • Same performance

  • Same offline capabilities

  • Same full-screen experience

  • Plus: automatic updates and 100% features

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