Dry dog food: Royal Canin wins
Royal Canin's Size Health Nutrition Small Adult scores 82 to 74. The biggest difference is owner ratings, where Royal Canin leads by 6.0 points.
| Hill's Science Diet | Royal Canin | |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Adult 1-6 Chicken & Barley Recipe | Size Health Nutrition Small Adult |
| Grade | C (74/100) | B (82/100) |
| Safety and recalls | 27.8/30 | 29.8/30 |
| Nutrition standards (WSAVA) | 24.8/25 | 25/25 |
| Owner rating | 4.5★ (523) | 4.7★ (4,696) |
| Value | $2.29 per 1,000 kcal | $2.53 per 1,000 kcal |
| Brand-line recalls since 2016 | 1 | 1 |
| Made by | Hill's Pet Nutrition | Mars Petcare |
Wet dog food: Royal Canin wins
Royal Canin's Canine Health Nutrition Adult In Gel scores 82 to 73. The biggest difference is safety and recall record, where Royal Canin leads by 4.3 points.
| Hill's Science Diet | Royal Canin | |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Adult Savory Stew with Chicken & Vegetables | Canine Health Nutrition Adult In Gel |
| Grade | C (73/100) | B (82/100) |
| Safety and recalls | 25.5/30 | 29.8/30 |
| Nutrition standards (WSAVA) | 24.8/25 | 25/25 |
| Owner rating | 4.5★ (981) | 4.7★ (1,104) |
| Value | $0.27 per oz | $0.29 per oz |
| Brand-line recalls since 2016 | 1 | 1 |
| Made by | Hill's Pet Nutrition | Mars Petcare |
Dry cat food: Royal Canin wins
Royal Canin's Feline Health Nutrition Indoor Adult scores 82 to 81. The biggest difference is safety and recall record, where Royal Canin leads by 1.2 points.
| Hill's Science Diet | Royal Canin | |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Adult Indoor Chicken Recipe | Feline Health Nutrition Indoor Adult |
| Grade | B (81/100) | B (82/100) |
| Safety and recalls | 28.2/30 | 29.4/30 |
| Nutrition standards (WSAVA) | 24.8/25 | 25/25 |
| Owner rating | 4.7★ (5,672) | 4.7★ (3,502) |
| Value | $2.59 per 1,000 kcal | $2.83 per 1,000 kcal |
| Brand-line recalls since 2016 | 1 | 1 |
| Made by | Hill's Pet Nutrition | Mars Petcare |
Wet cat food: a tie
Both score 76. The biggest difference is safety and recall record, where Royal Canin leads by 1.5 points.
| Hill's Science Diet | Royal Canin | |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Adult Savory Chicken Entrée | Feline Health Nutrition Adult Instinctive Thin Slices in Gravy |
| Grade | B (76/100) | B (76/100) |
| Safety and recalls | 28.2/30 | 29.7/30 |
| Nutrition standards (WSAVA) | 24.8/25 | 25/25 |
| Owner rating | 4.5★ (636) | 4.5★ (240) |
| Value | $0.47 per oz | $0.58 per oz |
| Brand-line recalls since 2016 | 1 | 1 |
| Made by | Hill's Pet Nutrition | Mars Petcare |
Questions
Is Hill's Science Diet better than Royal Canin?
Royal Canin comes out ahead, winning 3 of 4 categories in our grades. Dry dog foods: Hill's Science Diet 74, Royal Canin 82. Wet dog foods: Hill's Science Diet 73, Royal Canin 82. Dry cat foods: Hill's Science Diet 81, Royal Canin 82. Wet cat foods: Hill's Science Diet 76, Royal Canin 76. Scores are out of 100.
Which is cheaper, Hill's Science Diet or Royal Canin?
For dry dog foods, Hill's Science Diet costs less ($2.29 per 1,000 kcal vs $2.53 per 1,000 kcal). For wet dog foods, Hill's Science Diet costs less ($0.27 per oz vs $0.29 per oz). For dry cat foods, Hill's Science Diet costs less ($2.59 per 1,000 kcal vs $2.83 per 1,000 kcal). For wet cat foods, Hill's Science Diet costs less ($0.47 per oz vs $0.58 per oz).
Have Hill's Science Diet or Royal Canin had recalls?
Since 2016 we found 1 recall for Hill's Science Diet brand lines and 1 for Royal Canin. Each brand page lists them with sources.
Prices, ratings and recalls checked October 2026. We compare each brand's top-selling product in each category. How we grade.