Marleybones vs Years: Which Fresh Dog Food is Right for Your Dog?

*Update, August 2026: On 17 August 2026, Years announced a voluntary recall of its fresh meals. Their statement identifies a potential link between buckwheat, used across their recipes, and reported cases of sudden dry eye in dogs. Years has paused subscriptions and told all dog owners to stop feeding their meals in the meantime. See Years' statement for the current position. The comparison below was written before the recall.

At a Glance

Brand Overviews

Marleybones

Founded in London by Josephine and Mikala, and named after their golden cocker spaniel Marley, Marleybones is a female-founded, vet-backed fresh dog food brand built around the Pantry Fresh® preparation format.

Meals are sealed raw and slow-cooked in-pack, making them shelf-stable without any preservatives and ready to serve straight from the carton. Every recipe contains 60% freshly prepared meat or fish, three vegetables, and seven functional superfoods — including chicory root, a natural prebiotic that supports gut health as standard in every meal. Customers can complete a short quiz to receive a personalised plan, or buy as they go. Plastic neutral certified, Marleybones has delivered over 2 million meals and holds a 4.8/5 Trustpilot rating.

Years

Years is a Nottingham-based fresh dog food brand founded by Darren Beale. Meals are steam-cooked in airtight trays, keeping them shelf-stable for up to three months without preservatives.

Recipes are complete and vet-formulated, using 60% meat, and Years adds a breed-specific Breed Health+ topper at serving. Years is stocked in selected pet stores and holds a 4.7/5 Trustpilot rating from over 5,500 reviews.

Marleybones vs Years: A Detailed Comparison

Food Format: Both Pantry-Fresh, Different Approaches

Marleybones

Marleybones meals come in recyclable Tetra-style cartons that are shelf-stable until opened. Open the carton and serve — no prep, no measuring, no additional steps. 

Years

Years meals come in steam-cooked airtight trays that are also shelf-stable until opened. At serving, the breed-specific Breed Health+ topper is added to the meal.

Summary: Both brands are pantry-stored and require no freezing. Marleybones is ready to serve straight from the carton. Years involves adding the Breed Health+ topper at each meal.

Ingredients & Nutrition

Marleybones

Every recipe contains 60% freshly prepared meat or fish, three vegetables, and seven functional superfoods, including chicory root - a natural prebiotic. These are baked into every recipe as standard, with no separate supplements needed. No artificial preservatives, additives, or fillers.

Years

Years recipes use 60% meat alongside vegetables, seeds, herbs and botanicals, including chicory, a natural prebiotic. Years also adds a breed-specific Breed Health+ topper at serving, which includes a probiotic and ingredients tailored to the dog's breed.

Summary: Both brands use high-quality natural ingredients with no nasties, and both build functional nutrition into the meal itself. The difference is in approach: Marleybones builds everything, including its natural prebiotics, into a single recipe with nothing added at serving. Years serves a complete meal and adds a breed-specific Breed Health+ topper at each serving. 

Sustainability & Packaging

Marleybones

Marleybones uses recyclable Tetra-style aseptic cartons and is plastic neutral certified — removing as much plastic from the environment as it unavoidably uses.

Years

Years uses recyclable airtight trays with a reusable Stay Fresh lid. 

Summary: Both brands use recyclable packaging. Marleybones is also plastic neutral certified.

Availability: Where Can You Buy It?

Marleybones

Available primarily via a personalised subscription quiz online, and as one-off orders. Marleybones is also stocked in selected retailers across the UK including Waitrose, Ocado, and Pets at Home. 

Years

Years is available via a personalised subscription online, as one-off orders and in selected retailers including Just for Pets, Pets at Home, and Pets & Friends.

Summary: Marleybones is available online and in retailers including Waitrose, Ocado, and Pets at Home. Years is available online and in retailers including Just for Pets, Pets at Home, and Pets & Friends stores.

Customer Satisfaction

Marleybones

4.8/5 on Trustpilot from 750+ reviews. Common themes: fussy dogs clearing their bowls, improved digestion and coat condition, and the simplicity of a no-prep, no-freezer format. Customer service is consistently praised as responsive and helpful.

Years

4.7/5 on Trustpilot from over 5,500 reviews. Customers highlight the visible quality of the ingredients, improvements in digestion and coat condition. 

Summary: Both brands are highly rated by customers. Years has a significantly larger review base reflecting its longer track record; Marleybones holds a marginally higher rating, with customers consistently highlighting the simplicity and convenience of its format.

Which Is Right for You?

Marleybones may suit you better if:

• You want fresh nutrition, including natural prebiotics, built into every meal with no extra steps
• Your dog has a sensitive stomach - natural prebiotics in every recipe support gut health
• You want broad retail availability across the UK including Waitrose, Ocado, and Pets at Home
• You want a plastic neutral certified brand that, for many small-to-mid-size dogs, works out more affordable per day¹

Years may suit you better if:

• You want a breed-specific topper tailored to your dog's health needs
• You want chef-cooked meals with a fine-dining-style positioning
• You prefer the tray format with a Stay Fresh lid for easy portion management

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FAQs

Is Marleybones or Years.com cheaper?

Both brands offer personalised plans priced to your dog, so cost depends on size, age and activity. In our comparison — for a typical 2-year-old neutered dog at an ideal weight with moderate activity, fed food only (no treats) — Marleybones worked out cheaper per day than Years at every weight we checked (5kg, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg and 25kg), with the biggest savings on smaller dogs.¹ As pricing is personalised and serving sizes differ between brands, we'd recommend checking each brand's quiz for your own dog.

Does either Marleybones or Years.com require any preparation?

No. Marleybones meals are ready to serve straight from the carton with no preparation of any kind. Years meals are also shelf-stable and require no cooking, but the Breed Health+ topper is added at each serving.

Is Marleybones or Years better for dogs with sensitive stomachs?

Marleybones includes chicory root — a natural prebiotic — in every recipe as standard, supporting gut health through whole-food nutrition. Years supports gut health with chicory — a natural prebiotic — in its meals, plus a probiotic in its Breed Health+ topper, tailored to each dog's needs.

Is Marleybones suitable for all breeds and life stages?

Yes. All Marleybones recipes are vet-formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of dogs of all breeds and life stages. Customers can complete a short quiz to receive a personalised plan, or buy individual recipes directly.

Which has better Trustpilot reviews — Marleybones or Years?

Marleybones holds a 4.8/5 Trustpilot rating from 750+ reviews. Years holds a 4.7/5 from over 5,500 reviews. Both brands are highly regarded by customers.

Where can I buy Marleybones?

Marleybones is available via a personalised subscription quiz online, as one-off orders, and is stocked in selected retailers across the UK including Waitrose, Ocado, and Pets at Home. 

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¹: Based on subscription plans quoted on marleybones.com and years.com on 7th July 2026, for a 2-year-old neutered male dog, moderate activity, ideal body condition, no treats. Per-day prices compared: 5kg £1.57 vs £2.18; 10kg £2.36 vs £3.15; 15kg £3.28 vs £3.65; 20kg £3.94 vs £3.98; 25kg £4.59 vs £4.96 (Marleybones vs Years). Prices are personalised via each brand's quiz and subject to change; check current pricing via each brand's website.