An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you decide what's right for your Australian pet business.
Acuity is a capable generic scheduler and it plugs straight into Squarespace. It doesn't know a pet from a haircut. If you want a simple calendar on a Squarespace site, buy theirs. If you need pet profiles, vaccination checks, breed-based pricing and capacity per kennel, a generic scheduler will fight you.
Purpose-built for Australian pet businesses. No compromises.
AUD pricing, GST-ready, No FX Fees
Grooming, daycare, boarding, walking, training. All included.
All on one plan. No add-ons.
Minimal digging. No endless menus
Avg. time to book less than 2 min
Double Fee Alert for Australian Businesses
Australian businesses pay subscription AND separate payment processing fees
*Subscription waived as a bonus reward: Pro at $7,500+/mo, Max at $20,000+/mo in card payments
US-based software simply can't match these Australian-specific advantages.
| Payment Processing | Acuity Scheduling | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| Card Rate | 2.9-5%+ (with intl fees) | 1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee |
| Monthly Subscription | $20-61 USD/month | $65/month (waived at $7,500+ in card payments) |
| SMS Functionality | Acuity Scheduling | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| SMS Bundling | ✅ Unlimited SMS reminders included on Standard+ ($27-49 USD/mo). No per-message fee | ✅ Included with Business Pro, Flex & Max plans |
| Plan Required for SMS | ⚠️ Standard ($27-34 USD/mo) or higher. Not on Starter ($16-20 USD/mo) | Business Pro & Max plans |
| 2-Way Messaging | ❌ One-way reminders only. Clients cannot reply | ✅ Communications Booster add-on with dedicated AU number |
| Marketing SMS | ❌ Not available. Reminders only | ❌ Use Mailchimp integration |
| Australian Phone Number | ❌ Auto-assigned number via Twilio. Not an Australian number | ✅ Australian number with Communications Booster |
| SMS Payment Links | ❌ Not available | ✅ One-tap payment via SMS |
| Currency | USD only. No AUD billing | AUD (no conversion fees) |
| SMS Infrastructure | Twilio. Supports 180+ countries but cannot guarantee AU deliverability | Sinch Australia. Local infrastructure |
There are limited scenarios where Acuity Scheduling may suit you better:
Purpose-built for Australian pet businesses with a design-first approach our customers rave about:
An honest look at how each platform handles key functionality.
Acuity Scheduling vs Petboost
Self-service booking flow
Petboost understands pets and their requirements; Acuity treats all clients the same
Generic client booking (not pet-aware)
Passwordless phone login, progressive info collection, pet-aware eligibility filtering
Online appointment scheduling
Petboost understands pets
Generic scheduling
Pet-aware Magic Availability Check
Pet-specific data storage
Breed, weight, notes, history
Comprehensive profile hub with tabs for appointments, packages, sales, settings & paperwork
Square lacks pet-specific profiles entirely; Petboost purpose-built for pets
Generic customer records (not pet-aware)
8 organised tabs with per-customer policy overrides & collaborative management
Multiple pets per owner
Prepaid package management
Petboost fully automated
Basic
Self-service 24/7 purchase
Training course lifecycle
Petboost purpose-built
Native courses
Transaction fees
Petboost optimised for AU
2.9-5%+ (with intl fees)
1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee (AU Stripe)
Appointment notifications
Petboost better for AU
Yes (paid tier)
AU-native (+61)
Book multiple pets at once
Petboost designed for this
Workarounds needed
Native
Structured time blocks with per-session controls
Petboost offers per-session capacity, service restrictions, and pet eligibility
Basic calendar blocks
Schedules & Sessions
Website integration
Acuity wins if using Squarespace
🔗 Embed widget
Multiple business locations
Both support multi-location; Petboost via Enterprise
Yes (higher tiers)
Yes (Enterprise)
Digital forms with e-signatures and auto-send
Petboost forms are purpose-built for pet businesses with auto-send and service linking
Basic intake forms via Squarespace
Built-in form builder with sections, e-signatures, auto-send on booking, and response tracking
Feature Comparison Acuity Scheduling vs Petboost | A Acuity Scheduling | P PetboostAustralian-Built |
|---|---|---|
Pet Owner Booking ExperienceSelf-service booking flow Petboost understands pets and their requirements; Acuity treats all clients the same | Generic client booking (not pet-aware) | Passwordless phone login, progressive info collection, pet-aware eligibility filtering |
Booking EngineOnline appointment scheduling Petboost understands pets | Generic scheduling | Pet-aware Magic Availability Check |
Pet ProfilesPet-specific data storage Breed, weight, notes, history | ||
Pet & Owner ProfilesComprehensive profile hub with tabs for appointments, packages, sales, settings & paperwork Square lacks pet-specific profiles entirely; Petboost purpose-built for pets | Generic customer records (not pet-aware) | 8 organised tabs with per-customer policy overrides & collaborative management |
Owner/Pet LinkingMultiple pets per owner | ❌ Manual workarounds | ✅ Automatic |
Package CreditsPrepaid package management Petboost fully automated | Basic | Self-service 24/7 purchase |
Course ManagementTraining course lifecycle Petboost purpose-built | Limited | Native courses |
Payment ProcessingTransaction fees Petboost optimised for AU | 2.9-5%+ (with intl fees) | 1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee (AU Stripe) |
SMS RemindersAppointment notifications Petboost better for AU | Yes (paid tier) | AU-native (+61) |
Multi-Pet BookingBook multiple pets at once Petboost designed for this | Workarounds needed | Native |
Session-Based SchedulingStructured time blocks with per-session controls Petboost offers per-session capacity, service restrictions, and pet eligibility | Basic calendar blocks | Schedules & Sessions |
Squarespace IntegrationWebsite integration Acuity wins if using Squarespace | ✅ Native | 🔗 Embed widget |
Multi-LocationMultiple business locations Both support multi-location; Petboost via Enterprise | Yes (higher tiers) | Yes (Enterprise) |
Custom Fields & Intake FormsDigital forms with e-signatures and auto-send Petboost forms are purpose-built for pet businesses with auto-send and service linking | Basic intake forms via Squarespace | Built-in form builder with sections, e-signatures, auto-send on booking, and response tracking |
Last updated: January 2026 • Based on publicly available information
We do fewer things exceptionally well rather than many things adequately. Our customers consistently tell us our design and user experience is miles ahead. Here's where we've intentionally focused elsewhere:
We offer embeddable booking widgets instead
We're pet-specific only
| Feature | Status | Our Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Squarespace native integration | Focused elsewhere | We offer embeddable booking widgets instead |
| Generic scheduling for non-pets | Focused elsewhere | We're pet-specific only |
If any of these are dealbreakers today, Acuity Scheduling may be better suited for your current needs.
Based on typical Australian pet business transaction volumes.
* For illustrative purposes only, based on industry averages. Your actual costs may vary.
| Cost Type | Acuity Scheduling | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Subscription | $324 AUD (Standard plan) | $780/year (waived at $7,500+/mo) |
| Payment Processing ($100K GMV) | ~$3,200 AUD | ~$2,000 (1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee) |
| Petboost Booking Fee (on $100K GMV) | N/A (included above) | ~$1,400 (1.2-1.4%) |
| Total Annual (incl. transaction fees) | ~$3,524 AUD | ~$4,180 |
You may be paying twice with Acuity Scheduling
$16-49 USD/month subscription (plus FX fees for Australian cards), plus separate payment processor: 2.9-5%+ (vs petboost 1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee). With Petboost, you pay $65/month (waived at $7,500+ volume) and competitive AU payment processing rates.
What Could You Save?
Calculate your potential savings
Your savings depend on your business size and payment volume. Use the calculator below for a personalised estimate.
Enter your numbers and see
Business Pro starts at -/month with 0 appointments included. Business Max at -/month gives you unlimited appointments.
Total customer payments (all methods)
Appointments you expect each month
Reminders and notifications sent
What percentage of payments go through card on file?
Subscription waiver impact: Your total revenue ($10,000) would qualify for a subscription waiver, but only $8,000 goes through card on file. Increase card payments to $0 to unlock the waiver.
At 100 bookings/month, Business Pro would cost $45/month. Max costs $45/month, which is $0/month more but includes unlimited appointments.
20 of your 100 appointments are paid without card on file
$1 in fees saves $408 in hidden costs
Annual impact: $4,892/year in recoverable losses
Business Pro includes 0 SMS/month. Most businesses never hit these limits. You've set 300 SMS/month. You'll need 3 SMS Power-Up Packs ($45).
Save $636+ per month compared to typical competitors.
All plans include SMS Power-Up Packs at $15 for 100 additional SMS if needed.
* Estimates based on $10,000 total revenue (80% card on file), 100 appointments, and 300 SMS. Hidden cost estimates use industry averages for no-show rates, cancellation losses, and admin time. Actual costs vary.
Enter your business numbers and compare total costs including international card and currency conversion fees.
See exactly what you save with Petboost
1 staff calendar. No SMS reminders.
If platform fee built into pricing: $0/mo
Annual savings: $7,346
Compared to Acuity Scheduling Starter at 100 transactions/month
Acuity Scheduling pricing from their pricing page. Verified 2026-08-17. USD converted to AUD at current exchange rates.
"Within just 2 days my calendar was up and running"
"Huge shout out to the team at Petboost. After months of wasting time and money trialling other software, dealing with endless setup issues and ongoing emails, I finally threw in the towel and gave Petboost a go. Within just 2 days, all of my client information had been transferred, services created, staff added, and my calendar was up and running. Every question I've had has been answered so quickly, and the support team has been incredible throughout the entire setup process. The software itself is so well thought out and easy to navigate. From appointments and invoicing to pet profiles, grooming notes, banking integration and automation, everything just works seamlessly. It already feels like it's saving me hours of admin, and I can't wait to keep customising it over the coming months. I'm genuinely impressed with how smooth the transition has been. If you're a pet business looking for new software, I'd absolutely recommend giving Petboost a look."
Meg O
Hounds with Hair - QLD
"Built by people who actually walk into salons"
"I bought this salon in Brisbane at the start of the year with my wife Andi. I've run businesses for 35 years but never a grooming salon, so I inherited a team of groomers, a full client book & software I hadn't chosen. This salon had been through several systems over the years & nobody here had any appetite for doing it again. I was extremely reluctant. I'm very glad we did. What stands out is that Petboost is built by people who actually understand this industry. I asked them once how to handle a price rise & instead of just answering me they went & wrote a proper guide on it for the industry. When I showed them the whiteboard my team writes out & rubs off every day, they'd already seen the same board taped up in salons interstate. They moved our data properly, which is the part I dreaded most. Reception takes payment on the card reader at the counter against the booking, so nothing gets written down twice. The reporting is what changed how I run it. I can see which days are running over capacity & which aren't, & which parts of the menu are earning. That turned a decision about taking on another groomer from a gut feel into something I could actually look at. I've used a lot of software over 35 years. This is the best in its field in Australia."
Craig H
The Grooming Salon - QLD
Petboost fits your business. Whether you're a one-person mobile groomer, running a large facility with multiple staff and spaces, or managing several locations at once.
One-person operations with streamlined scheduling and automated payments.
3-10 staff with resource management, shared calendars, and team coordination.
Multi-space daycare and boarding, high-volume salons, and busy multi-service businesses.
Multi-location groups and franchises running every site from one HQ dashboard.
It's easier than you think. Here's what to expect if you decide to move from Acuity Scheduling.
Customer Data
Export CSV from Acuity
Appointment History
Can be imported
Package Balances
Reconcile and set up fresh
Timeline
1-2 weeks typical
If you're using a Stripe WisePOS-E terminal with Acuity Scheduling, you can bring it across to Petboost. No new equipment needed.
We're here to help. We provide migration assistance for businesses switching from Acuity Scheduling.
Contact us for a migration assessmentStill unsure? Book a no-pressure demo and we'll help you figure out if we're the right fit, even if that means recommending someone else.
Honest about change
Switching to any new system is a big adjustment. Buttons are in different places, naming might be different, and the muscle memory you have built does not transfer overnight. We tell every customer the same thing: give it 4 to 6 weeks. Then, one day, you realise it is so much better.
Common questions about switching and comparing these platforms.
Purpose-built features for every type of pet business.
Last verified: 17th August 2026 | Pricing and features sourced from www.acuityscheduling.com
Exchange rate: AUD figures converted at 1 USD = $1.43 and 1 GBP = $1.91, the European Central Bank via Frankfurter rate as at . Rates move daily, so the AUD amounts above are indicative; we re-check them every week.
Found an error? Let us know and we'll correct it promptly.
Acuity Scheduling® is a registered trademark of its respective owners. This comparison is based on publicly available information and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Acuity Scheduling.
From large daycares to solo groomers, businesses Australia-wide
From large daycares to solo groomers, businesses Australia-wide
