Alternatives to Hill's

Alternatives to Hill's: 10 better-rated foods

Hill's averages 72/100 across 78 products on the PetFoodRate independent A–E methodology. Here are 10 better-rated foods worth considering, picked across species and food type.

In short

The best-rated alternative to Hill's in our database is Orijen Cat & Kitten (94/100, grade A), versus Hill's's 72/100 average. Below are 10 foods scored higher than Hill's, one per species + food-type pairing, ranked on our independent A–E method.

78 Hill's products graded
72/100 average score
10 better-rated alternatives

The Hill's profile across 5 criteria

Across the 78 Hill's products we graded, the brand is strongest on "Few undesirables" and weakest on "Ingredient transparency". That weakest axis is usually where the alternatives below pull ahead.

  • Protein quality B 73/100
  • Nutritional balance C 69/100
  • Few undesirables A 89/100
  • Ingredient transparency D 49/100
  • Species fit B 70/100

Average of the A–E sub-scores across every graded Hill's product. See it product by product →

Our Hill's alternative picks

  1. #1
    A

    Top dry food for cats outside Hill's.

    Orijen Cat & Kitten
    94/100
  2. #2
    A

    Top dry food for cats outside Hill's.

    Orijen Six Fish Cat
    92/100
  3. #3
    A

    Top dry food for dogs outside Hill's.

    Orijen Puppy
    93/100
  4. #4
    A

    Top dry food for cats outside Hill's.

    Applaws Kitten
    90/100
  5. #5
    A

    Top dry food for dogs outside Hill's.

    Orijen Original Adult Poulet
    92/100
  6. #6
    A

    Top dry food for dogs outside Hill's.

    Orijen Six Fish
    91/100
  7. #7
    A

    Top dry food for dogs outside Hill's.

    Acana Wild Prairie Recipe
    90/100
  8. #8
    A

    Top dry food for cats outside Hill's.

    Acana First Feast Kitten
    89/100
  9. #9
    A
  10. #10
    A

    Top dry food for cats outside Hill's.

    Acana Homestead Harvest Cat
    88/100

How we select alternatives to Hill's

For each species + food type combination represented in the Hill's range, we identify the highest-scored product from a competing brand. The A–E score synthesises five criteria: protein quality, overall nutritional balance, absence of undesirable additives, ingredient transparency, and species fit. No sponsorship can change a product's score — the methodology is applied uniformly across the catalog.

Want to dig into a specific alternative? Each card above points to that product's dedicated /alternatives/<product>/ page, which adds cheaper-per-kg sub-rankings and other food-type options for the same species.

Full methodology →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Hill's?

In our database the best-rated alternative to Hill's is Orijen Cat & Kitten, scoring 94/100 (grade A) versus Hill's's 72/100 average. We list 10 better-graded picks in total, one for each species and food type Hill's sells.

Why look for alternatives to Hill's?

Hill's averages 72/100 on the PetFoodRate independent methodology across 78 products we've scored, and scores lowest on transparency. Buyers searching for alternatives typically want higher protein quality, fewer undesirable additives, better ingredient transparency, or a better species fit.

How are these alternatives selected?

For each food type and species in the Hill's catalogue, we pick the top-scored food from a different brand. Scoring covers five criteria: protein quality, nutritional balance, undesirables, transparency, and species adaptability. No sponsored brand ever changes its score.

Are these alternatives cheaper than Hill's?

Cheaper-per-kg picks are flagged inside each individual product alternative page. Open any product card below to see its dedicated /alternatives/<product>/ page where the cheaper-per-kg sub-list sits alongside the higher-scored picks.