An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you decide what's right for your Australian pet business.
Fresha is built for beauty salons, spas and nail bars, its own words. Your clients have four legs and a vaccination record. It also takes 20% commission on new clients from its marketplace, and charges per bookable team member. If marketplace exposure is what you're buying, buy theirs. If you want pet records, we don't take a cut of your new clients.
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
*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 | Fresha | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Fee | A$44.95 (Independent) or A$29.95 per bookable team member | $65/mo (or $0 at $7,500+/mo) |
| Marketplace Commission | 20% on new marketplace clients (min A$8) | 0% |
| Payment Processing | 2.29% + $0.20 (in-person) / 2.79% + $0.20 (online) | 1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee |
| SMS Functionality | Fresha | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| SMS Included in Plan | 20 free SMS/mo on all plans. Additional SMS pay-per-use | 500 credits/mo on Business Pro, 1,000 on Max. No per-message fees within limit |
| Per-Message Cost | A$0.06/msg transactional, A$0.15/msg marketing. Costs add up fast beyond 20 free | Credit packs from $15 for 100 to $79 for 1,000 for extra. No per-message fees within plan |
| Pricing Currency | AUD (A$44.95/mo Independent plan) | AUD. No conversion fees |
| 2-Way Messaging | Supported via in-app chat and WhatsApp. SMS replies not confirmed as 2-way | Full 2-way SMS inbox with Communications Booster. Threaded conversations, client context panel |
| Dedicated AU Phone Number | Not confirmed. Fresha uses Twilio but no evidence of dedicated AU number allocation | Your own Australian phone number with Communications Booster |
| SMS Infrastructure | Twilio. International routing from UK/US headquarters | Sinch Australia. Local routing, lower latency |
| WhatsApp / RCS | WhatsApp and RCS messaging supported in some markets | SMS-focused. Australian mobile numbers receive SMS natively |
| Marketing SMS | A$0.15/msg marketing SMS. 2.5x the transactional rate | Transactional SMS included. Export segments for marketing via your preferred platform |
| Marketplace Dependency | No subscription fee. Revenue model based on 20% marketplace commission and per-message SMS fees | Transparent subscription. 0% commission. SMS included in plan |
There are limited scenarios where Fresha may suit you better:
Purpose-built for Australian pet businesses with a design-first approach our customers rave about:
From large daycares to solo groomers, businesses Australia-wide
An honest look at how each platform handles key functionality.
Fresha vs Petboost
Pet-specific data storage
Fresha is for humans, not pets
Comprehensive profile hub with tabs for appointments, packages, sales, settings & paperwork
Fresha designed for beauty/wellness; no pet-specific profile management
Human client profiles only
8 organised tabs with per-customer policy overrides & collaborative management
Multiple pets per owner
Petboost purpose-built
Appointment scheduling
Different focus
Generic appointments
Pet-aware scheduling
Customer discovery
Fresha helps find customers
Platform fees on bookings
Petboost no commission
20% on marketplace
0%
Transaction fees
Fresha rates vary by payment method
2.29% + $0.20 (in-person) / 2.79% + $0.20 (online)
1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee (AU)
Prepaid packages
Petboost more advanced
Basic
Full self-service
Training courses
Petboost has courses
Structured time blocks with per-session controls
Petboost offers per-session capacity, service restrictions, and pet eligibility
Basic time slots
Schedules & Sessions
Text notifications
Different model
Pay-per-use
Digital forms with e-signatures and auto-send
Petboost forms are purpose-built for pet businesses with auto-send on booking creation
Basic client forms
Built-in form builder with sections, e-signatures, auto-send on booking, and response tracking
Feature Comparison Fresha vs Petboost | F Fresha | P PetboostAustralian-Built |
|---|---|---|
Pet ProfilesPet-specific data storage Fresha is for humans, not pets | ||
Pet & Owner ProfilesComprehensive profile hub with tabs for appointments, packages, sales, settings & paperwork Fresha designed for beauty/wellness; no pet-specific profile management | Human client profiles only | 8 organised tabs with per-customer policy overrides & collaborative management |
Owner/Pet LinkingMultiple pets per owner Petboost purpose-built | ❌ N/A | ✅ Automatic |
Booking EngineAppointment scheduling Different focus | Generic appointments | Pet-aware scheduling |
MarketplaceCustomer discovery Fresha helps find customers | ||
CommissionPlatform fees on bookings Petboost no commission | 20% on marketplace | 0% |
Payment ProcessingTransaction fees Fresha rates vary by payment method | 2.29% + $0.20 (in-person) / 2.79% + $0.20 (online) | 1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee (AU) |
Package CreditsPrepaid packages Petboost more advanced | Basic | Full self-service |
Course ManagementTraining courses Petboost has courses | ||
Session-Based SchedulingStructured time blocks with per-session controls Petboost offers per-session capacity, service restrictions, and pet eligibility | Basic time slots | Schedules & Sessions |
SMSText notifications Different model | Pay-per-use | ✅ Included |
Custom Fields & Intake FormsDigital forms with e-signatures and auto-send Petboost forms are purpose-built for pet businesses with auto-send on booking creation | Basic client forms | 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 help run your business, not find customers
We're pet-specific only
| Feature | Status | Our Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplace/directory | Focused elsewhere | We help run your business, not find customers |
| Beauty/wellness features | Focused elsewhere | We're pet-specific only |
If any of these are dealbreakers today, Fresha 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 | Fresha | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| Software | ~$539 AUD (Independent, 1 member) | $780/year (waived at $7,500+/mo) |
| Marketplace Commission (30% via marketplace on $200K) | $12,000 AUD | $0 (no marketplace) |
| Payment Processing ($200K) | ~$5,180 AUD | ~$4,000 (1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee) |
| Petboost Booking Fee (on $200K GMV) | N/A (included above) | ~$2,800 (1.2-1.4%) |
| SMS (estimate) | ~$500 AUD | Included |
| Total Annual (incl. transaction fees) | ~$18,219 AUD | ~$6,800 |
What You Keep Instead of Paying in Fees
~$11,419/year
Based on $500K GMV, 80% online transactions
* For illustrative purposes only, based on industry averages. Your actual savings may vary.
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
Single calendar. 20% commission on marketplace bookings (min $8).
If platform fee built into pricing: $0/mo
Annual savings: $2,783
Compared to Fresha Independent at 100 transactions/month
Fresha pricing from their pricing page. Verified 2026-08-17.
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 Fresha.
Losing Marketplace
You'll need to drive your own customer acquisition
Customer Data
Export available from Fresha
Timeline
2-3 weeks typical
If you're using a Stripe WisePOS-E terminal with Fresha, you can bring it across to Petboost. No new equipment needed.
We're here to help. We provide migration assistance for businesses switching from Fresha.
Contact us for a migration assessmentFrom large daycares to solo groomers, businesses Australia-wide
Still 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.fresha.com
Found an error? Let us know and we'll correct it promptly.
Fresha® is a registered trademark of its respective owners. This comparison is based on publicly available information and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Fresha.
