The two plain microchip flaps
Which chip does each one read, and what does the wall cost?
Neither has an app, and both keep the neighbor’s cat out. The differences are narrow and they are the ones that matter.
| Compared on | Microchip Cat Flap | Microchip Cat Flap |
|---|---|---|
| Chip standards | Microchip or SureFlap RFID tag | 15-digit chips |
| Pets stored | Not stated | Up to 40 |
| Battery | 4 × AA, up to 12 months | Not stated |
| Locking modes | Four | Four |
| Sealing | Not stated | Energy seals, twin magnetic points |
| Tunnel extenders | Sold separately, 50 mm (1.97 in) each | Not stated |
| Collar-tag fallback | Yes, sold separately | Not stated |
| Price | Around half as much again | The cheaper of the two |
| Listed on amazon.com | Yes | Yes |
A tick marks the better answer on that line only. Counting ticks does not decide the page — the two verdicts below do, because these machines answer different questions.
Take the SureFlap if your cat’s chip might be awkward, or if the flap is going through a wall. The collar-tag fallback and the published tunnel system are what make an installation solvable rather than a gamble.
Take the PetSafe if the chip is a modern 15-digit one and the flap is going into a door. It does the same core job for noticeably less, and the weather seals are a genuine advantage on an exterior door.
Ask a vet to read it, or look at the registration paperwork. Fifteen digits is FDX-B and works with both flaps; a 9 or 10-digit number is an older standard that the PetSafe does not list.
Chips migrate and some sit deep. SureFlap sells an RFID collar tag for exactly that case at a tenth of the price of a new door — which is why it is the safer choice when the chip is unknown.
Microchip · 4 × AA · up to 12 months of battery · 4 locking modes
The plain SureFlap: it reads your cat’s chip, keeps the neighbor’s cat out, runs a year on four AA cells, and has no app at all. It is the one most households actually need.
Best for: One or two cats, a wooden door, and no interest in an app — which describes most homes.
≈ $135
15-digit chips · up to 40 pets · 4 manual modes · weather seals
The cheapest microchip flap here apart from the Cat Mate, reading 15-digit chips for up to 40 animals, with four manual locking modes and double magnetic closing points.
Best for: A first microchip flap on a budget, where the cat’s chip is a modern 15-digit one.
≈ $110
