Purina Pro Plan vs Purina One: Pros & Cons of Both

By: Andrew
Time to read: 11 min.

This post contains affiliate links.

If you own a pet dog or cat, you’re always on the hunt for the best kibble that you can feed them. So you did some research, asked around, and narrowed it down to Purina and subsequently, two of Purina’s brands : Purina ONE and Purina Pro Plan. If only you knew how to decide.

The pros and cons of both Purina Pro Plan vs Purina One mostly concern nutrition and taste. Purina Pro Plan has an edge in terms of nutritional value and health-specific recipes; however, Purina ONE holds the best track record for overall satisfaction.

This article will first offer a thorough review of both brands to help you get acquainted with all they have to offer. We’ve listed out pros and cons of each and provided a comparative study to help you make a decision.

Purina ONE vs Purina Pro Plan: Pros & Cons

Before we delve into Purina ONE and Purina Pro Plan, I’ve provided a condensed list of pros and cons, followed by a comparative study of the two brands. These will help you understand the differences and act as key points to remember as we carry through to help you determine which is the right choice for you.

Purina ONE: Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Cost-effective and affordable.	Uses unspecified meat by-products.
Contains a line that’s completely grain-free and gluten-free.	Many products contain corn, cornmeal, wheat meal, and soybean.
Offers age-specific formulas, from puppy or kitten to adult, to senior.	Small variety of flavors offered.
One of the few brands in the market to offer real meat as the primary ingredient.	Limited recipes or formulas that target specific health concerns.
Has a line for cats and dogs.

Purina Pro Plan: Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Offer over 80 varieties of pet food formula and flavors to choose from.	Relatively more expensive, considering the size of variety.
Formulas help address health-specific needs, apart from the usual age and size of breed-based recipes. Plus, they help boost metabolic rate and control your pet’s weight.	Many grain-based recipes include wheat, corn, or cornmeal.
Higher quality ingredients and an excellent protein to meat ratio. The quality of the protein, be it chicken, salmon, turkey, beef, or pork, is such that there’s no scope for digestive problems.	Soy products are used.
Includes four product lines: Bright Mind, Focus Pet, Savor Pet, and Sport, to cater to your pet’s cognitive health as well as physical health.	Does not specify which animal meat is used for animal fat or animal by-product.
Provides joint and bone support for senior pets and development for younger pets.

Purina ONE vs Purina Pro Plan: A Comparison

Cost and Pricing Comparison

Purina Pro Plan includes more high-quality ingredients than Purina ONE. Plus, consider the fact they’re highly personalized, as each bag of wet or dry dog food contains a very specific blend or formula for your dog and his individual needs.

The lowest cost of production for one pound of Purina ONE pet food is $1.04. The highest, which is small breed kibble, is $1.87. This leaves the average cost of production for one pound of kibble at $1.35.

Purina Pro Plan, on the other hand, rates at $1.92 per pound of dry kibble, which is more expensive than the highest priced category of Purina ONE’s kibble, which is the small breed kibble. Purina Pro Plan’s cost of production for their wet food is $2.81–more than double of Purina ONE’s cost of production statistics in the same category.

Conclusively, Purina ONE is the cheaper of the two brands. And not just with the cat food example; Purina ONE is considered the lower-cost option for the entire line of dog food, too.

However, there’s a universal buying strategy to remember: the bigger the bag, the better the price. So if you do want to buy Purina Pro Plan pet food, and you want to make it cost-effective, consider buying in bulk.

Ingredient Quality Comparison

Hands down, Purina Pro Plan easily wins this category. Their dog food not only uses higher quality ingredients, but they also offer a wider variety of proteins (meat or fish) and grain or grain-free options to choose from.

This does reflect in the price of each bag of kibble.

Nutrition and Digestion Comparison

Purina Pro Plan also has better nutrient values, with a considerable percentage of difference between the two brands. Their pet food also offers higher levels of fiber content. Why is fiber important, you ask?

Dogs need adequate amounts of fiber in their diet to help with digestion. Fiber will make it easier on the dog’s bowels and regularise bowel movements. Additionally, stools will improve. Conversely, a lack of fiber in his diet can cause constipation.

Taste Comparison

This one’s a little harder to narrow down, since all pet food taste tests are based on your pet’s reaction to it. Purina Pro Plan does offer a wider variety of recipes than Purina ONE, but does that mean their dry and wet food options also taste better?

So let’s consider flavor, as opposed to taste. While Purina ONE’s classic flavor happens to be chicken and rice, with lamb and rice placing second, Purina Pro Plan has a much more impressive lineup of flavors to choose from. Having a wider variety gives you a better chance to provide something your dog enjoys eating and helps combat issues with digestion, bad breath, and yes, eat his favorite protein and grain of choice.

Purina One

You’ve read about the pros, the cons and then the comparative data. Now it’s time to read about the brands themselves. It will offer a more in-depth understanding of either brand and what they have to offer.

Purina ONE has introduced several formulas and blends for pet food over the years, evolving to embrace the trends in the market and advertising and embrace lifestyle changes that include different dietary needs.

Purina ONE Formulas

Purina ONE’s formulas are a blend of high-quality ingredients that hold the promise of nutrition and taste combined. Their formulas are designed to cater to varied, yet specific needs, and accordingly, they offer the following choice of pet food to choose from:

Purina One Formula	For Dogs	For Cats
Dry food	Dry dog food	Dry cat food
Wet food	Wet dog food	Wet cat food
Food for young pets	Puppy food	Kitten food
Grain-free options	Dog food	Cat food
+Plus Tailored	+Plus Tailored for dogs	+Plus Tailored for cats
True Instinct	True Instinct for dogs	True Instinct for cats

Purina ONE for Dogs

Purina ONE’s formula for dogs is about providing staples—rice, chicken, beef, fish, lamb—but in dry or wet food form, making it easy to just scoop and drop for dry, or turn and plop for wet.

Understanding the need to provide quality dog food in a market producing kibble often made from only fillers and by-products, Purina ONE’s dog food is all about using real meat.

Here is a popular choice kibble many pet owners buy for grown dogs:

Purina ONE Dry Dog Food

Purina ONE Dry Dog Food chicken and rice formula is infused with Omega-6 fatty acids, which are vital for strong, healthy coats and promote good health and hydration in the skin.

What this chicken-and-rice kibble is most known for, however, apart from having real chicken listed as its key ingredient, is that it goes easy on your dog’s digestive system. Easy to ingest and easy to digest, this blend of kibble helps your dog absorb nutrients faster and helps distribute all those vitamins to the rest of his body.

Purina also offers specialized dog food for larger breeds, smaller breeds, and dogs who require high levels of energy, such as herders, or those training for shows or building muscle.

Purina ONE for Cats

You can’t just open a can of cat food or tuna and dump it in your cat’s bowl. Your cat needs a well-balanced diet that gives her body adequate amounts of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, all packed into something she’ll find easy to eat but also tasty. Cats are too classy to just eat anything, you know.

Purina’s cat food also offers a range of digestible, high-protein, and grain-free options.

Purina ONE True Instinct Cat Food

Purina ONE True Instinct Cat Food is mouthful to say, but it’s a mouthful of food your cat will enjoy. True Instinct recipes include a high-protein formula that will target every single need your cat—or dog—might have, including adding more muscle, putting on some much-needed weight, or giving her more energy and better nutrition. Plus, it’s something tasty to eat.

Purina Pro Plan

Purina Pro Plan offers food designed to address specific health concerns or nutritional requirements, with a slew of recipes based on very specialized needs.

Needs and Requirements: Are you looking for pet food to help your dog or cat have better skin? Does your pet have a sensitive stomach and need something light and easy to digest? Speaking of sensitivity, does your pet have sensitive skin? Do you need help managing your pet’s weight or help build muscle?

Offers Variety: It seems as though Purina Pro Plan has a formula, and subsequently, a recipe for every single one of those specific health concerns. Their formulas target your pet’s individual needs, like a sensitive stomach, better skin health, or stronger muscles. These formulas are then incorporated into recipes or ingredients of your choice, like lamb and rice or chicken and rice combos.

Additionally, each category includes different meats and grains and extends to include dogs and cats of all ages, sizes, and breeds. So you’re sure to find something for your unique pet.

Demographic Example: If you’re looking for a meal plan that’s not only easy to digest but also helps your dog deal with sensitive skin, in just this category alone, you have the following dry food kibble available:

Then, there’s the wet food category for the same demographic, but you get my point. All in all, Purina Pro Plan has over eighty different formulas, each addressing any number of needs and concerns your pets might have. Each is customizable, so you don’t have to compromise on anything or settle for less. So whether it’s your dog, cat, puppy, or kitten, all can have the care they need in the flavors they want.

Purina Pro Plan’s Find Your Formula Tool

There are over 80 formulas under the Purina Pro Plan diet chart. It takes into account the following criterias:

Age
Breed
Size of breed
Health concern and needs
Preferences like the choice of meat and grain
Weight
Activity levels
Dietary requirements

Now think how many variations of formulas these five categories can generate! Think of all those recipes!

Luckily, Purina Pro Plan has got just the right tool to help you. On their website, and under their drop-down menu is the Find Your Formula tool.

How To Get Your Specialized, Customized Plan

Getting a customized plan is so easy, I was able to get one and I don’t even own a dog. I simply put in some imaginary information and was suggested the Purina Pro Plan High Protein Wet Dog Food based on that input.

To get a customized Purina Pro Plan, follow these simple steps:

Visit the page and click on the link. This will open the page for finding your pet’s formula.
Locate the detailed information chart provided prior to beginning. This chart will explain both the process and the information needed about your dog beforehand. Gather all this information to create a truly personalised plan for your dog.
Upload a picture of your pet to determine the species and breed. This will help the experts to provide the best options for your pet according to those specifications. Nutrition values will vary significantly for small and large breeds.
Specify information about your pet. This includes the following:
1. Breed, age, gender, and weight
2. Body type (underweight, ideal, or overweight)
3. Food preference (wet, dry, or a combination of both)
4. Dietary needs (weight management, cognitive health support, sensitive system, no soy, or grain-free food)
5. Primary protein of choice (beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, seafood, pork, or other poultry)
Wait for your results. A copy of your dog’s personalized feeding guide will be sent to you along with his Purina Pro Plan Personalised recipe.

Grain-Free Formula Similarities: Purina ONE vs Purina Pro Plan

What is all this brouhaha about grain-free pet food these days? Is grain-free the same as gluten-free?

Grain-free dog food is made without, well, grains. That means no rice, no corn, and no wheat. So yes, that does mean that grain-free pet food is also gluten-free.

Keeping with the trend many humans themselves are following and opting for a gluten-free diet, Purina ONE’s range of grain-free pet food for cats and dogs cuts out all ‘empty carbs’ from your pet’s kibble.

Yet, understanding that pets still require carbs (albeit in small portions), Purina ONE instead uses alternative sources, such as potatoes or pea flour, both of which are much healthier.

Ingredients & Nutrition Value: Purina One vs Purina Pro Plan

Ingredients

Here’s an exhaustive list of the ingredients that go into Purina pet food formula and their nutritional value:

Protein of choice: Chicken is used as the primary meat of choice that happens to be a good source of protein, followed by fish and fish meal. All Purina foods have either fish or chicken as their starter meat, as well as lamb, beef or pork.
Grains: Then, in their line of grain-inclusive pet food, there’s brewer’s rice, corn, gluten meal, and whole-grain wheat as the secondary ingredients.
Secondary ingredients: These include poultry by-products, which are essentially chicken bones, offal or undeveloped eggs. However, they do not specify precisely what poultry.
Soy products: You can also find soybean meal and pea fiber or pea flour, and the last primary ingredient is animal fat.
Fat: Something you need to look out for in any pet food is generic terms like ‘animal’ fat, animal digest, or just animal by-product. This often leaves a lot left unsaid and a lot to be desired in pet food.

Nutrition

From a nutritional standpoint, Purina tries to incorporate reasonable amounts of protein and healthy fats. When you read through the back of the pet food bag, you’ll find glycerin, salt, calcium carbonate, potassium citrate, Vitamins E, B 12, K and C supplements, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplements, and folic acid, to name a few.

Cause for Concern?

In recent times, dog food producers are trying not just to go grain and gluten-free but to avoid soy and soy products in particular, altogether. This is because soy can mess up your pet’s endocrine system; and if you have a female, including more extra soy in her diet can make it difficult for her to conceive.

Conclusion

Based on the comparative data we just considered, Purina Pro Plan holds an edge over Purina One in every category except cost/price point. The slew of benefits you get from the former and the sheer number of choices that allow you to tailor your dog’s food to meet specific needs, should help you offset the costs.

Overall, Purina has created two brands of pet foods that will cater to your pet’s needs. They understand that those needs vary from pet to pet, and Purina offers a well-rounded and well-researched variety of pet food formulas to cover all bases.

Sources

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