Identibase (now Identi): how much does it cost, and what's the alternative?
Identibase is now Identi, but the way it charges hasn't changed: paid plans start at £15 a year, and its terms require an active plan before you can change the address or contact number on your pet's record. Some owners only discover that when they move house. Pet Database takes a different approach: £20 once, with updates included for life. Here's how these two leading microchip registration services compare.
Identibase vs Pet Database at a glance
At first glance, Identibase and Pet Database have a lot in common. Both are DEFRA-compliant UK microchip databases, and both help reunite lost pets with their owners. The biggest difference isn't registering your pet, it's what happens afterwards. Identibase uses paid plans for ongoing contact detail updates and additional services. Pet Database charges once, with updates included for life and nothing to renew.
Prices and products on this page last checked on 09/09/2026.
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How Identibase pricing works
Keeping your details current with Identi means holding one of its paid plans, starting at £15 a year. Changing your address, phone number or email requires an active subscription, which is where some pet owners first discover the ongoing cost.
- Unlimited changes to your pet's details
- Notified if the chip is scanned by a vet or rescue centre
- Downloadable microchip certificate
- Instant alerts to vets, wardens, police and nearby pet owners
- Personalised missing-pet posters and social posts
- 24/7 support from lost-pet specialists
- Everything in Alert
- Finders contact you by scanning the Smart Tag's QR code
- See where the tag was scanned
- Works with any smartphone
- Official keeper certificate
- 12 months of Alert included
- Incoming keeper starts it and pays
- Completes after 28 days if the outgoing keeper doesn't respond
If you've taken out a paid plan, you'll need to cancel it directly with Identi, by phone on 0330 912 8077 or by emailing [email protected]. Annual plans renew automatically, while monthly plans are based on a 12-month commitment. According to Identi's terms, cancelling early may not end the remaining payments on your contract, so check its current terms before you cancel. Alternatively, you can register with us, and with your consent, we'll reach out to Identi on your behalf to transfer the registration.
Pet Database Membership
Your details will change over the years. Keeping your pet's microchip record up to date shouldn't cost you each time they do. With Pet Database, you pay once and can keep your details up to date whenever you need to. Standard membership costs £20. Or choose the £30 Premium Bundle to add a Smart Pet Tag and perks from partner brands.
What customers say about Identi and Pet Database
Both Identi and Pet Database are DEFRA-compliant UK microchip databases trusted by thousands of pet owners. While they take different approaches to pricing and membership, both are established providers with strong customer feedback. Pet Database holds the higher score of the two, at 4.8 out of 5.
How to move your pet's record to Pet Database
Moving your pet's record from Identi is simple. The chip stays in your pet and keeps the same number, and because any DEFRA-compliant database can register it, you can bring the record across without contacting Identi first. Most transfers take under five minutes, though some take longer if the current keeper needs to respond or evidence of keepership is required.
Identibase vs Pet Database: your questions answered
Identibase is the former name of Identi, one of the UK's DEFRA-compliant pet microchip databases, holding the records that link a pet's microchip number to its keeper's contact details. Basic registration is free, with paid plans from £15 a year covering detail changes and extra reunification services.
Yes, they're the same database. Identibase rebranded as Identi in September 2026: same company, same DEFRA-compliant register, new name and website. identibase.co.uk now redirects to identi.pet, and the paid plans have new names too. identibase+ is now Base+, identialert is now Alert, and identifind is now Locator.
Only at the point of registration. Identi's terms require an active paid plan, starting at £15 a year with Base+, before you can change your address or contact numbers, so £15 a year is the practical starting cost. Registering an unregistered microchip itself costs nothing.
Base+ is £15 a year, Alert is £39 a year (also payable by monthly instalments on a 12-month contract), and Locator is £39 a year at its launch price, listed at £49. All renew automatically. Transferring a pet to a new keeper is £39.
Yes. Your record is not locked to the database it started on. You can register the same chip number with any DEFRA-compliant database, and you don't need Identi's permission. The chip stays in your pet and keeps its number. Close the old record and cancel any paid plan separately.
Call 0330 912 8077 or email [email protected]. Annual plans run to their renewal date with no refund for partial months. Cancelling a monthly plan early can trigger a charge for the remainder of the 12-month term, under its published terms.
Identi's contact number is 0330 912 8077, and its email address is [email protected]. Detail changes and plan management are handled through your online account at identi.pet.
In practice, yes. Moving house, changing mobile number or switching email all require an update, and updates need a paid plan of £15 a year or more. You could hold a record indefinitely without paying, but only by never changing anything on it.
Yes. Identibase is named on the government's list of DEFRA-compliant microchip databases, which means a record held there meets the legal requirement for dogs and cats in the UK. Any question about Identibase is about cost, not legitimacy.
Log into your Identi account and edit the record. A change of address, phone number or email requires an active Base+, Alert or Locator plan, as set out in its terms and conditions.
No. Pet Database is a one-off payment: £20 for Standard, or £30 for the Premium Bundle, which adds a free Smart Pet Tag with lifetime service included, plus perks from partner brands. Both cover every pet you own now or in future, with lifetime microchip registration and free updates included. There is no annual fee, no monthly fee and no renewal date, so there is nothing to cancel later.