10 Choices of Best Cheap Dog Food Brands

No breed and no dog are the same, and the different nutritional needs. Finding the best cheap dog food that will also be healthy for your pet will depend largely on what your pet requires at his stage of life.

Puppies need more protein than adult dogs because their bodies are growing, developing their musculoskeletal system. Senior dogs need a diet that lower in calories and fat and higher in fiber. Dog food brands will usually provide that extra bit of information about which stage of a dog's life their brand of kibble is best for.

Accounting for those factors can be very difficult for pet owners on a strict budget. Premium pet foods marketed as “best for [insert age/condition/etc.]” are often expensive and sometimes overpriced. Below are the top ten cheapest dog food brands that will likely fit most dogs' nutritional requirements and won't break the bank.

A Quick Glance of Some of Our Top 10 Cheap Dog Food

We've done the 2020's dog food price breakdown to find the best dog food for the money and how these brands fair against each other. These ten cheap dog food brands don't have the lowest price tag. There are even cheaper dog food brands that will have lower-quality ingredients. However, foods mentioned here, considering their cost-to-value ratio, are inexpensive for the quality they offer.

Note that this list contains the best cheap dog foods for adult dogs. If you're looking for puppy food, take a look at our 25 top puppy foods breakdown at different prices.

Picking the Best Dog Food for the Price

A goal of a good quality dog food brand that provides all the nutrition a dog needs is to eventually strengthen the animal's immune system, keep their coat sleek and shiny, their digestive system in good health, and prevent health issues.

Many factors contribute to finding the right nutritional match for your dog, depending on his individual needs. Whether to lose or maintain weight, improve the immune system, or have a healthier coat and skin, you can find a dog food formula that caters to those specific needs.

However, while it is important to have kibble or wet dog food that your pet loves to eat, and the one that provides all the necessary vitamins, minerals, and nutrition that the dog requires, that's not always feasible for a cheap cost.

Pet food prices have been increasing recently. And when it comes to the complete balance and high quality of dog food, not all dog food brands will be affordable. Most of us dog owners in the United States would like a choice of dog foods that are safe, nutritious, and, most importantly – fit within our budget.

When you're choosing the best cheap dog food that is of higher quality, some online retailers (not manufacturers) strive to conquer the market of affordable natural pet foods. In fact, choices are endless on Amazon, Chewy, or Petco, and below are some well-known best cheap dog food brands that have been proven to work and will not break your budget.

RELATED: 15 Top Dog Food Brands Overall (Dry Kibble)

10 Choices of Best Cheap Dog Food Brands

1 Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Dry Dog Food
by Pedigree

• Find it on Amazon Find it on Chewy

Easily one of the cheapest dog foods out there, Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food fits any budget and supports your dog’s health with complete nutrition. It is enriched with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. It is formulated for dogs over a year old and is one of the best cheap dog food brands on the market for that age range.

Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition has been specially formulated to give mature dogs the nourishment and energy they need to live life to its fullest. This dry dog food is packed with vitamins, omega 6, and zinc to help keep your dog's body healthy and their skin and coat shiny and sleek.

Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition has leading levels of vitamin E, an antioxidant that keeps the immune system young at heart. Plus, the blend of fiber helps support and promote healthy digestion, and the oral care kibble helps keep teeth clean. It has a minimum of 21% protein.

 

2 Taste of the Wild Dry Dog Food, Hi Prairie Formula
by Taste of the Wild

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Taste of the Wild is rated as highly with dogs as it is with their owners. It is made with real roasted meats like bison, lamb, and chicken and includes sweet potatoes, peas, and potatoes.

Dogs love these ingredients because they satisfy their natural desires. In nature, dogs are naturally omnivores and crave the nutrients provided by fruits and vegetables as much as they crave meat.

This food is grain-free and enriched with antioxidants to support your dog’s immune system, and it is easily digestible. Taste of the Wild contains the brand's unique K9 Strain Probiotics, prebiotic fiber, optimal amino acids, a blend of omega fatty acids, and chelated minerals. The protein content is a key ingredient to look for on dog food labels, and this particular food is made up of a minimum of 32% protein.

 

3 Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula
by Blue Buffalo

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A popular dog food brand, Blue Buffalo Life Protection Dry Dog Food, is a complete, balanced source of nutrition for your dog. This is a good choice if your dog requires a grain-free diet or has a grains allergy. This product specifically helps with maintaining your dog’s weight and helps give him increased energy to play longer, as well as boosts his natural immune defenses.

This Blue Buffalo dog food also contains omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, which will improve your pet's skin and coat condition. It is also made with vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals and contains apples which are a great source of vitamin C. This dog food is also made with cranberries that contain antioxidants and promote bladder health.

This food is vet recommended for adult dogs between 1 and 6 years of age. For senior dogs, pregnant or nursing dogs, it's recommended to consult with a vet before feeding this brand or searching for alternative inexpensive dog foods instead.

4 Merrick Dry Dog Food
by Merrick

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Merrick's Grain Free Dog Food is another grain-free product for dogs who have sensitivity issues. It's number one ingredient is de-boned buffalo, and it is made up of 70% meat proteins and 30% fresh produce. It has a high amount of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids to support a healthy coat and skin and glucosamine and chondroitin to promote healthy joints.

Merrick's knows how to feed a dog, and that's why Merrick's Grain Free Dog Food provides balanced nutrition with real whole foods that are sourced from local farms. This grain-free, natural dog food is ideal for all breeds of dogs in all stages of life because its formula focuses on naturally nutrient-rich ingredients that support overall health. The de-boned buffalo and fish help build and maintain lean, healthy muscle tissue with high-quality protein.

30% of the food is made up of fresh produce that fortifies your pet's diet with sweet potato, peas, potatoes, blueberries, and apples which offer vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants. Easily digestible carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and potatoes offer sustained energy without the use of stomach-upsetting grains.

 

5 Hill's Science Diet Adult Advanced Fitness Formula
by Hill's Science Diet

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Hill's Science Diet Adult Advanced Fitness formula is a great choice for maintaining your dog’s muscles, skin, coat, immune system, heart, and other vital organs, as well as being one of the best cheap dog food brands on the market. This dog food is made with real chicken and is easy to digest and chew. It is a great choice for dogs with skin and digestive problems. This particular blend is recommended for dogs between 1 and 6 years of age.

Hill's Science Diet Adult Advanced Fitness dog food is made with high-quality protein to help maintain strong, lean muscles and Omega-6 fatty acids to improve your dog's skin and coat within 30 days. It is easy to digest, so your dog's body will absorb all the nutrients it offers, which helps maintain ideal body weight.

Hill's makes every bag of their dry dog food in the U.S., only using the highest quality natural ingredients from North America, New Zealand, and Europe. These ingredients meet their strict requirements for purity and nutrient content, which exceed industry standards.

RELATED: Where to Find FREE Dog Food Samples

6 Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets
by Natural Balance

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Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diet formula is an excellent choice if your dog is prone to allergies. It has limited ingredients, as its name represents, and contains a special combination of only one protein and only one carbohydrate that are both highly digestible.

This is a simple dog food with huge health benefits. Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diet Dry Dog Food is scientifically formulated to provide high-quality nutrition for your pet and optimize their skin and coat health.

The brand offers complete and balanced options for senior dogs, adult dogs, and puppies. This dog food also has specially designed kibbles to promote healthy teeth and gums.

 

7 Rachael Ray Nutrish Super Premium Dry Dog Food
by Rachel Ray

• • Find it on Amazon Find it on Chewy

Nutrish Super Premium Dry Dog Food is a trendy dog food brand rated highly by many dedicated Rachael Ray fans and dog owners who want to feed their dogs top-quality food. Rachael Ray worked with a team of dog food experts who know exactly what dogs eat to create Nutrish, high-quality dog food made with natural and simple ingredients.

Real U.S. farm-raised chicken is the number one ingredient, and it is combined with nourishing grains and vegetables. This food has tested very positively with dogs due to its rich flavors and variety of tastes.

The wholesome grains and vegetables that it contains provide an excellent source of natural fiber. Nutrish Super Premium Dry Dog Food also contains no fillers, animal by-products, artificial flavors, or preservatives. It also does not have any wheat or wheat gluten. No wonder dogs, and their owners, love it so much! It's one of the healthiest and best cheap dog foods on the market.

 

8 Nature's Recipe Wet Cheap Dog Food Cups
by Nature's Recipe

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If your dog requires a wet food diet, Nature’s Recipe Wet Dog Food Cups are a great choice. They are made with all-natural ingredients, and no dairy, sugars, or soy products are added.

These wet dog food formulas offer high-quality protein sources in cups full of savory broth. They contain no color additives or artificial preservatives, making them yet another great choice if your dog suffers from food allergies.

Nature's Recipe uses top-quality protein sources like chicken, turkey, duck, venison, salmon, and lamb. These wet dog food cups are also rich in vitamins and minerals, thanks to delicious vegetables like pumpkin, green beans, and sweet potatoes.

 

9Wellness Complete Health Dry Dog Food
by Wellness Natural Pet Food Store

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Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Dog Food, Chicken Recipe, is a nutritious, all-natural dog food created with carefully selected, real ingredients for daily health. An ideal mixture of nutrient-dense whole foods to meet the special dietary requirements of your dog, offering total nutritional support.

It contains components that are high in antioxidants, which support robust immune systems, encourage optimum energy, and maintain healthy skin and fur.

With no artificial preservatives, fillers, or meat byproducts, these premium proteins and whole grains provide a complete meal full of the nutrients your dog needs to grow.

10Grizzly Salmon Plus Omega Fatty Acids Supplement
by Grizzly

• • Find it on Amazon Find it on Chewy

Finally, this isn't dog food, but it's a product that's a great fit for pet owners on a budget who are looking to keep their dogs healthy. Even though it's not technically one of the best cheap dog food products, due to the positive feedback it has gotten from dog owners as an excellent supplemental product for dogs who need something extra in their diets. This product does wonders to a dog's coat, heart, and immune system.

So if you're aiming to purchase an inexpensive dog food brand, and it may be missing omega-3s from it, this cheap supplement is highly recommended. Grizzly Salmon Oil offers a range of different omega-3 fatty acids, including EPA and DHA. These omega-3 fatty acids are essential building blocks for maintaining a balanced metabolism. Studies have also shown that these fatty acids help boost the immune system.

Salmon oil is derived from wild Alaskan Salmon. It retains its balanced blend of valuable fatty acids, inherent antioxidants, and traces of vitamins naturally occurring in the salmon. This all-natural product will not interfere with your dog's intake of vitamins from other sources. The easy pump-bottle dispenser makes administering the oil simple, easy, and clean. All dog owners have to pump Grizzly Salmon Oil onto their pet's food directly from the dispenser bottle according to the weight chart on the label.

READ NEXT: Dog Food Prices – 30 Top Dog Food Brands & Their Value Compared

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