How Much Does Dog Grooming Software Cost in Australia?

If you have started looking at grooming software, you will have noticed that prices are rarely written the same way twice. One company quotes a monthly plan per location, another charges per van, another per staff member, and almost all of them add card fees and text message limits on top.

This guide explains how grooming software is priced in Australia, what you actually end up paying over a year, and the questions to ask before you sign up for anything.

The two main pricing models

1. Monthly subscription. This is the most common model. You pay a fixed amount every month, usually per location or per van, and the price goes up as you move to bigger plans with more features. Features like marketing, extra staff logins or route planning are often only included on the higher tiers.

2. Pay per transaction. Instead of a monthly fee, you pay a small percentage when a customer pays by card. When the salon is busy you pay more, and in a quiet month you pay less. There is nothing to pay just for having the software.

PetConnect uses the second model: no setup fee and no monthly fee, and about 2.2% on card payments taken through PetConnect. Cash payments carry no fee.

The costs that are easy to miss

The headline price is only part of the story. When you compare options, add up these as well:

• Card processing fees. Most subscription software still charges a separate fee on every card payment. Check the rate for card-present payments (on a terminal) and for online payments.
• Hardware. Card readers and terminals can cost several hundred dollars, or come with a monthly rental. With PetConnect, approved businesses receive a card terminal free.
• Extra users and vans. If you add a groomer, a receptionist or a second van, does the price go up?
• Text messages. Some plans include a set number of SMS each month, others charge for every message. Find out what happens when you go over.
• Setup and data transfer. Moving your client list and bookings can carry a one-off fee. PetConnect moves your data for you, usually within 24 business hours.
• When you get paid. A slow payout is a hidden cost too. PetConnect card payments settle the same day.

How to work out your real yearly cost

Grab last year's numbers and do this quick sum for each option you are considering:

1. Monthly fee × 12 (include the plan you would really need, not the cheapest one).
2. Add any setup, hardware or data transfer fees.
3. Add card fees: your yearly card takings × the card rate.
4. Add SMS costs if they are not included.

For a pay-per-transaction option like PetConnect, step 1 and step 2 are zero, so your cost is simply your card takings × about 2.2%, plus any SMS credits you choose to buy.

Can you pass the card fee on?

Many salons build card costs into their service prices, the same way they include shampoo, towels and power. Raising a full groom by a small amount usually covers it without your clients noticing. It is also the approach that will keep working: the Reserve Bank of Australia has decided that card surcharges on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa will end from 1 October 2026, so adding a separate card fee at the counter is not a long-term option.

Questions to ask before you sign up

• What will I pay in total in a normal month, including card fees?
• Does the price change when I add staff, a van or a second location?
• Which features are only on higher plans?
• Is there a setup fee, and who moves my data?
• How quickly do card payments reach my bank account?

A worked example

Numbers make this easier to see. Imagine a small salon with two groomers and a part-time receptionist. They take about $8,000 a month, and roughly three quarters of that is paid by card.

On a monthly subscription, they need the plan that allows three users and includes reminders, so they pay a fixed fee every month whether it is a busy December or a quiet winter. On top of that sits the card processing fee for every card payment, a card reader, and possibly extra charges once they go over their text message allowance.

On a pay-per-transaction model like PetConnect, there is no monthly fee and no charge for the extra users. Their only cost is about 2.2% of the card takings, plus any SMS credits they choose to buy. In a slow month, the cost drops with the takings.

Neither model is right for every business. A very large operation with high card volume might prefer a fixed fee. For most small and medium salons, though, paying only when you get paid is easier on cash flow, especially in the first year or after a quiet season.

What should be included as standard

Whatever you choose, these are the basics a grooming business should expect without paying extra:

• A calendar that handles several groomers at once
• Online booking and automatic reminders
• Client and pet profiles with notes, photos and history
• Checkout and card payments in the same system
• Simple reports on takings, bookings and busy days
• A phone app for staff, so groomers can check the day away from the desk

If any of these sit behind a higher plan, include that plan in your yearly calculation. It is the plan you will end up on.

The bottom line

The cheapest-looking plan is not always the cheapest once card fees, extra users and hardware are added. Work out the yearly total for your own salon, and choose the model that fits how your business actually earns.

If you would like to see the numbers for PetConnect, the pricing page lays everything out, and our comparison pages show how it stacks up against MoeGo, Gingr and DaySmart Pet.