Purina ONE vs. Purina Pro Plan: What’s The Difference & Which Is Better?

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Not sure whether to go with Purina Pro Plan or Purina ONE? You’re not alone. These two brands from Purina are popular, have a long-trusted history, and are often confusing to choose between.

What’s the difference between Purina ONE vs Purina Pro Plan? While they share many similarities, they’re actually formulated for different types of dogs and owners. Let’s dig into the details to help you make the right choice for your furry friend.

Best Overall	Budget Pick	For Sensitivities
Purina Pro Plan	Purina ONE	Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach
View on Amazon	View on Amazon	View on Amazon
View on Chewy	View on Chewy	View on Chewy

A Quick Look At Purina’s Brand History

Before comparing Purina ONE vs Purina Pro Plan, it helps to know the brand behind them.

Purina, now owned by Nestlé, has been a leader in pet nutrition since 1894 when William H. Danforth founded the original company, the Robinson-Danforth Commission Company. Eight years later, the company’s name was changed to Ralston Purina.

Over the years, Purina has pioneered many “firsts” in the pet food industry:

• The first to use extrusion technology to create kibble
• The first to develop puppy-specific nutrition
• Introduced natural pet food with the Purina ONE line
• Launched Pro Plan, the first dry food using real meat as the #1 ingredient
• Conducted a groundbreaking 14-year study to understand the dietary needs of dogs as they age, which led to the creation of hypo-allergenic products.

Purina’s philosophy is simple: “Responsibly sourced. Expertly prepared. Nutritionally essential.” Every ingredient has a purpose, and they tell you precisely what that is.

However, is Purina nutritionally on par with the all-natural dog foods that have entered the market over the last 10-20 years? I’ll share that information later.

Purina Pro Plan vs Purina ONE: Quick Comparison

Nutritional Value: What’s In The Bowl?

Our food choices for our pooches dictate what nutrients, vitamins, and minerals their bodies get and, ultimately, what state their health is.

The three major components of food products measured as nutritional content are protein, fat, and fiber. These are the most important for a healthy, balanced diet, and for good reason.

However, certain grains and specialized ingredients, like added omega fatty acids (commonly from fish oil) and probiotics, can provide additional nutritional value.

Protein Content

Protein supplies our pups with amino acids critical for energy, cellular regeneration, muscle production and repair, and healthy hair, skin, and ligaments.

Purina ONE and Purina Pro list high-quality real meat as the first ingredient, with protein content generally higher than the industry standard.

If you’re looking for high protein content, Purina ONE’s True Instinct line and Purina Pro’s Sport Performance line have several options for formulas containing 30% protein.

Sources of meat protein can also affect dogs’ diets. Two of the most common food allergens for dogs are chicken and beef.

So, if your pup is sensitive to the usual proteins, which brand has better alternative options? While both carry formulas featuring lamb, fish, and turkey, Purina Pro Plan has more novel protein recipes.

Meat By-Products

However, know that both brands use meat by-products in many of their recipes to increase protein content. While not harmful, they’re not top-tier ingredients either. Some pet owners prefer foods without them.

What are meat by-products? They’re somewhat controversial as a food source, made from grinding rendered parts of poultry carcasses, and can contain beaks, bones, and offal. Although not necessarily harmful for your pet, they are not the purest of ingredients.

Fat Content

Fat levels are relatively balanced between the two brands, especially in size-specific formulas. However, some Pro Plan recipes may be a bit high in fat, which can lead to weight gain in less active dogs.

Fat is an essential part of all dogs’ diets as it delivers a host of benefits, such as a strong body and healthy blood pressure. It also enables the delivery of fat-soluble vitamins and adds a punch to the taste.

Fiber Content

Again, there’s minimal difference in fiber content between these two brands. Both provide enough fiber to support digestion.

Fiber is an essential ingredient that aids digestion and keeps your pooch’s stools firm and bowel movements regular.

A lack of fiber in his diet can lead to constipation and sometimes problems with their anal glands, so your vet may high fiber dog food to help clear it up.

Fiber also aids in absorbing nutrients when food is in the gut, making it an essential part of a healthy diet. The levels in these products are well within industry-recommended standards.

Grain Content

All of Pro Plan’s kibble formulas feature grains, and Purina ONE only offers one grain-free kibble, Purina ONE Natural True Instinct Grain-Free with Real Beef. Each brand has a few grain-free wet dog food formulas to choose from.

Common grain sources for each brand are rice, whole-grain wheat, whole-grain corn, and wheat bran. Ingredients such as corn and wheat are often mischaracterized as “fillers.” However, they both provide protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals.

Variety Of Flavors

Let’s face it — dogs get bored with the same food every day, too. A variety of flavors can keep mealtime exciting. A majority of Purina ONE and Purina Pro Plan formulas feature chicken and poultry (as is the case with most dog food brands).

Still, there are some differences between the two when it comes to flavor options by formula type (life stage, breed size, special diets, etc.).

• Purina ONE: Limited flavor options in different formulas — mostly chicken, beef, or turkey (although it does have a True Instinct formula with venison or duck flavors)
• Purina Pro Plan: Offers way more variety, including salmon, lamb, chicken, beef, or turkey

Life Stages & Breed Sizes

It’s also important to know that Purina ONE and Purina Pro Plan consider your dog’s life stage and breed size when offering ideal nutrition. Both brands provide options for:

• Puppies
• Seniors
• Small, medium, and large breeds

Health-Specific Needs

Pro Plan is the better choice if your pup has specific dietary requirements, like joint support, sensitive digestion, skin problems, weight control, bad breath, etc. It’s backed by Purina’s veterinary research and has formulas for nearly every health concern.

Many health-specific formulas, like the bestselling Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach or Weight Management formulas, don’t require a veterinarian’s prescription.

However, Pro Plan also has a line of Veterinary Diets, which which vets often prescribe for different conditions. These include anything from advanced arthritis and kidney disease to severe digestive issues and food allergies (hydrolyzed food).

To give it credit, Purina ONE also carries condition-specific formulas for joint health, weight management, and digestive health but not as many as its sister brand.

Pricing

The battle between what is affordable and what is high quality still rages on with most owners. So, the question is, what brand should we trust, and how do we know if we are buying the right food for the right price?

Both Purina ranges meet the required standards set by AAFCO, but are they good value for money? On a pound-for-pound comparison, it sometimes is a mixed bag, but generally, Purina ONE has more affordable formulas compared to Pro Plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing the best dog food for your pup is a hard decision, and owners have many questions. Here are some of the most common we see. If yours isn’t here, hit us up in our comments.

What’s The Main Difference Between Purina’s Top Brands?

Mainly, variety and specialization – and somtimes price. Purina ONE is more budget-friendly with natural ingredients. Pro Plan offers more tailored formulas and a much wider variety.

Which Brand Is The Tastiest?

Now, this is a tough one. Both are very highly recommended by pup owners. According to the reviews, dogs love both just as much, so the simple answer is that it’s really budget-dependent.

Which Brand Is A Better Value?

All Purina kibbles are made with science research-backed recipes, and they both offer very good value for the money.

What’s My Final Verdict?

Both foods within this brand have an incredible reputation. They are still firm favorites for pet owners across the globe. Not only are the recipes tasty for your pooch, but they are also well-balanced.

Like American Journey, they are great value for the money. If I had to choose one line, then Purina Pro Plan has the largest range offering, so I would crown them on that basis.

However, if you’re not a fan of meat by-products, wheat, soy, or corn, you may want to look elsewhere.

Alternatives To Kibble Or Canned Food

If cost isn’t a major obstacle for you, why not consider fresh or air-dried dog food? Many of your options feature human-grade meals using all-natural, whole-food ingredients, such as premium meats, vegetables, fruits, and wholesome grains.

See our reviews of the best fresh dog food brands and the best air-dried dog chow for some fantastic, super healthy options.

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