Guide

Mobile App

Mobile App FAQ

Answers to common questions about using Petboost on a phone or tablet, where it runs in the browser and opens full screen from your home screen, with nothing to download from an app store.

Updated 27 September 2026 - 11 min read

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, a Progressive Web App (PWA). Visit business.petboost.com in your browser and add it to your home screen. It then opens full screen from its own icon, with no address bar, and takes about 30 seconds to add.

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 a Progressive Web App, not a native app, so it is not listed in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. That is deliberate: the same app runs on phones, tablets and computers, and a change reaches every device as soon as it is released, with no app store review. To install Petboost, visit business.petboost.com in your browser and add it to your home screen. See Add to Home Screen, or watch this install video.

Which browser should I use?

  • iPhone and 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 the steps for your device. Add to Home Screen has them for every browser.

On an iPhone or iPad with Safari

  1. Open business.petboost.com in Safari.
  2. Tap the share button, the square with an arrow pointing up, at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
  4. Tap Add at the top right.

On Android with Chrome

  1. Open business.petboost.com in Chrome.
  2. Tap the three-dot menu at the top right.
  3. Tap Install app or Add to Home screen.
  4. Tap Install or Add to confirm.

Once it is added, tapping the Petboost icon opens the app full screen, with no browser bars.

Can I use Petboost on my tablet?

Yes. Petboost works on iPads and Android tablets, the same app as on a phone or a computer. A tablet is particularly good for:

  • Calendar views: the larger screen gives a better overview of your week
  • Reception check-in: many businesses keep a tablet at the front desk for checking pets in and out
  • Wider layouts: some pages show extra detail panels side by side on a wider screen

Add Petboost to your tablet's home screen the same way as on a phone. See Add to Home Screen for the steps for each device.

Features and functionality

Is the mobile version limited compared to desktop?

Very little. The version on your phone or tablet is the same app as the one on your computer, so scheduling, payments, customer management, automations and reports all work there. The one exception is the bulk edit grids for pets and for services: on a phone-sized screen they show "The bulk edit grid requires a desktop or laptop computer for the best experience", so use a tablet or a computer for them.

Can I manage appointments on my phone?

Yes. You can:

  • View all appointments
  • Create new bookings
  • Reschedule or cancel them
  • Check pets in and out
  • Take payments
  • Send messages

Can I process payments from my phone?

Yes. You can:

  • Charge a card on file
  • Send a payment link
  • Take a payment on a card reader
  • Record cash, bank transfer and other EFTPOS payments
  • View payment history
  • Issue refunds

How do I process payments on mobile?

Payments work the same way on your phone as on a computer. From the booking:

  1. Open Appointments and select the booking.
  2. Under Payment Method, choose how the customer pays, such as their saved card or Secure Payment Link.
  3. Select the amount and the button beside it, such as Charge Card on File.

To take a payment with no booking behind it, open the customer's profile and select New Sale on the Sales tab. See Payment Processing.

Does the calendar work on mobile?

Yes. Every calendar view is available: Day, Week, Month and Timeline. Tap a booking to open it. To move a booking by dragging it, switch Drag Lock off first. It is on by default.

Can I drag-and-drop appointments on mobile?

Dragging a booking works once Drag Lock, under the view button on Appointments, is off. It is on by default on every device, so touching and holding a booking does not move it by accident. There is more room to grab and move an appointment on a tablet or a larger screen. On a phone, the screen is usually too narrow to drag reliably, so reschedule by opening the booking and selecting Manage, then Edit.

If you reschedule often during the day, a tablet in landscape or a computer suits drag and drop better.

How do I switch between different views on mobile?

Petboost adapts its navigation to a smaller screen:

  • The menu button at the top of the screen opens the sidebar, with every section
  • The view button at the top of Appointments switches between Day, Week, Month and Timeline
  • The search button, a magnifying glass, opens the Quick Command Centre to find pets, owners, services, team members and pages. See Quick Command Centre
  • Mission Control is designed for a phone and lists the day's appointments

If you cannot find a feature, search for it. Everything on your computer is on your phone too, though an option can sit under a menu or on a different path on the smaller screen.

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

Yes. Petboost rearranges the layout to suit the screen:

  • Navigation: on a computer the sidebar is always there; on a phone or small tablet it opens from the menu button
  • Multi-column layouts collapse into a single scrolling column on a phone
  • Tables and data grids can switch to cards on a narrow screen
  • Buttons and tap targets are larger for touch

Your data is all still there. The layout adapts so that everything stays usable on a smaller screen without pinching or zooming.

Multi-device use

Can I use it on multiple devices?

Yes. Add Petboost to your iPhone, iPad, Android phone or tablet, on 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 signed in on your phone, tablet and computer at once. 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 come back to Petboost after at least a minute away.

There is no limit to the number of active sessions. Common set-ups include:

  • Phone for managing on the go between appointments
  • Tablet at reception for check-in and check-out
  • Computer for admin, reports and longer planning

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

Updates and versions

Will I get updates automatically?

Yes, without an app store. When a new version is out, a New Version button appears at the top of Petboost, and selecting it loads the new version. Otherwise the update loads the next time you open Petboost after closing it.

How do I know which version I'm running?

There is no version number to check. If New Version is showing, a newer version is ready: select it to load it.

Do I need to manually update?

No. There is nothing to update by hand and no app store to visit. Select New Version when it appears, or close Petboost and open it again.

Technical questions

Does Petboost work offline?

Petboost needs an internet connection for your data. It keeps the app's own files on your device, so it opens quickly even on a weak signal, and data loaded in the last few minutes can still show if the signal drops for a moment, for example in an underground car park. Anything that saves or loads new data, such as creating a booking, taking a payment or sending a message, needs a connection. With no connection, Petboost shows a page saying you have lost your internet connection.

Use Petboost on Wi-Fi or a reliable mobile network.

How much storage does it use?

Less than an app store download. Petboost keeps a copy of its own files on your device so it opens quickly, and your appointments and customers stay on Petboost's servers.

Does it use a lot of mobile data?

After the first load, Petboost reuses the files stored on your device, so moving between pages mostly loads your data rather than the whole app.

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 that "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 when you open it from a bookmark rather than the home screen icon.

  1. Remove the current shortcut.
  2. Visit business.petboost.com again.
  3. Add it to your home screen again.
  4. Tap the new icon.

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

  • Safari on an iPhone or iPad: check you are in Safari, tap the share button, the square with an arrow, and scroll down the share sheet. The option can be below the first row
  • Chrome on Android: tap the three-dot menu and look for Install app or Add to Home screen. If neither appears, reload the page
  • Opened from Instagram, Facebook or TikTok: you are in that app's own browser, which has no Add to Home Screen. See Links that open inside Instagram or Facebook

Content isn't loading

  1. Check your internet connection.
  2. Pull down to refresh the page.
  3. If it still does not load, open the account menu at the top of the screen and select Reset & Update, then Let's do it!. It checks for the latest version of Petboost and refreshes the page.
  4. If that does not help, close the app and open it again.
  5. If the problem continues, sign out and sign back in.

The icon looks wrong

  1. Remove the home screen shortcut.
  2. Clear your browser cache.
  3. Visit business.petboost.com.
  4. Add it to your 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, clearing the browser cache usually fixes it. After clearing it you may need to sign in again. Your data is stored on Petboost's servers, so nothing is lost.

On an iPhone or iPad (Safari)

  1. Open Settings on your device, the iOS Settings app, not Petboost's settings.
  2. Scroll down and tap Safari.
  3. Tap Clear History and Website Data.
  4. Tap Clear to confirm.
  5. Open business.petboost.com again and add it to your home screen again.

On 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 the other options unticked.
  5. Tap Clear data.
  6. Open business.petboost.com again and add it to your home screen again.

Security

Is it secure on my phone?

Yes. Petboost uses the same encrypted connection on mobile as on a computer. Your login is secured, payment data is handled by Stripe, and all data is encrypted in transit.

Does my login persist?

Yes. Once you are signed in, you stay signed in between uses, so you do not sign in each time you open the app. Open it from the home screen icon: Safari can drop a session when it clears website data.

Can I log out remotely?

No. Petboost has no page for managing active sessions. To sign out on a device, sign out on that device.

Comparison questions

Why doesn't Petboost have an app store app?

Petboost chose a Progressive Web App on purpose:

  • The same app everywhere: there is no cut-down mobile version
  • Updates without an app store: a change reaches every device as soon as it is released
  • One codebase: a feature ships to phones, tablets and computers at once
  • Works on iOS, Android and computers

Is a PWA as good as a native app?

For Petboost, the home screen app opens full screen from its own icon like a native app, and it updates without an app store. It needs an internet connection for your data, and it does not send push notifications: alerts about new bookings come by email or text. See Business Communications.