An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you decide what's right for your Australian pet business.
Savvy Pet is cheap to start and grooming-focused. Its payment system is country-blocked from Australia, so the payments feature on the higher plans doesn't work here. If you only want a calendar with reminders, their entry plan is fine. If you want to take payment inside the software, in Australia it can't.
Purpose-built for Australian pet businesses. No compromises.
Savvy Pay is blocked in Australia. Petboost has native AU Stripe. Take payments from day one.
Grooming, daycare, boarding, walking, training, courses, and packages. All in one platform.
All on one plan. No add-ons.
Online booking, customer portal, payments, and SMS included from day one. No feature gating.
One-tap SMS payment links for outstanding invoices. Automatic marking and receipts.
Double Fee Alert for Australian Businesses
Australian businesses pay A$71-96/month for features they cannot fully use. Payment processing is completely unavailable from Australia.
*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 | Savvy Pet | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| Payment Methods | ❌ "Savvy Pay" country-blocked from Australia (verified March 2026, pending re-confirmation). No online payment processing available to AU businesses. | Stripe AU (card-present, online, SMS payment links) |
| Card-Not-Present Rate | ❌ Unavailable in Australia (Savvy Pay blocked) | 1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee |
| Card-Present (Terminal) | ❌ Unavailable in Australia (Savvy Pay blocked) | 1.7% + $0.1 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee |
| SMS Payment Links | ❌ Not available | ✅ 1.2-1.4% Petboost + 1.7% + $0.3 Stripe |
| Monthly Subscription | A$35-96/month (but payment features inaccessible from AU) | $65/month (waived at $7,500+ in card payments) |
| SMS Functionality | Savvy Pet | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| SMS Bundling | ✅ Included in Advanced+ plans with monthly caps | ✅ Included with Business Pro, Flex & Max plans |
| Included SMS Credits | Basic: 0, Advanced: 150/mo, Extra/Salon: 350/mo | Generous monthly credits included |
| SMS Payment Links | ❌ Not available | ✅ One-tap payment via SMS |
| Australian Phone Number | ❌ Not confirmed. UK-based platform with +44 default | ✅ Australian number with Communications Booster |
| SMS Infrastructure | UK-based. AU delivery capability unconfirmed | Sinch Australia. Local infrastructure |
There are limited scenarios where Savvy Pet 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.
Savvy Pet vs Petboost
Self-service booking flow for pet owners
Both offer online booking; Petboost is passwordless and frictionless, Savvy Pet requires account setup but offers a native app
Online booking with customer portal (Extra+ plans). Dedicated customer mobile app available.
Passwordless phone login, progressive info collection, smart eligibility filtering, 24/7 booking in under 2 minutes, no app download
Pet information management
Both offer pet profiles; Petboost has a much larger structured attribute library
Customer and pet information, grooming notes, customisable pet flags
Full Petprint with 2,000+ pre-built attributes, vaccinations, care notes, family pets, emergency contacts, grooming preferences
Appointment calendar views
Savvy Pet has standard calendar views with external sync; Petboost offers more specialised operational views
Electronic calendar with per-groomer views. Gmail and iCal integration.
Mission Control: 7 view modes (List, Kanban, Pets, Stays, Team, Resources, Combined) + intelligence cards
Appointment creation and management
Both handle bookings well. Savvy Pet gates online booking to Extra plan (~A$86/month)
Appointment management with online booking (Extra+ plans)
Magic Availability Check + Quick Create dual modes
Automated reminders and notifications
Both include SMS. Savvy Pet caps at 150-350/month; Petboost includes generous monthly credits
Customisable SMS/email reminders. 150 SMS/month (Advanced), 350 SMS/month (Extra+). Overdue groom reminders.
AU-native SMS (+61), included in plan. 2-way inbox via Communications Booster add-on.
Multi-night boarding bookings
Savvy Pet is grooming-only; no boarding support
Purpose-built: 24-hour period billing, tiered pricing, visual occupancy, in-stay service add-ons
Daily daycare operations
Savvy Pet does not support daycare; Petboost has native daycare management
Session-based daycare with capacity management, check-in/check-out, recurring bookings
Walk management and tracking
Savvy Pet does not support dog walking; Petboost has native walking management with Magic Map
GPS check-in/checkout, Magic Map with photo location capture, route visualisation
Group training programs (puppy school, obedience)
Savvy Pet does not support training courses; Petboost has purpose-built course management
Native course system: templates, instances, enrolment, per-lesson attendance, age eligibility enforcement
Taking payments from customers
Savvy Pay is inaccessible from Australia. Australian businesses paying for Advanced+ plans (which include "Payments & Invoices") cannot use the payment features.
1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee via AU Stripe
One-tap payment links via SMS
Petboost differentiator: one-tap payment links via SMS for outstanding invoices
Saved cards for repeat payments
Savvy Pay is inaccessible from Australia, so stored cards do not function for AU businesses
Automatically hold funds before appointments
Petboost differentiator: reduces no-show and payment risk
Auto pre-hold funds 72 hours before appointment (Pro Automation)
Charge clients for missed appointments
Savvy Pay is inaccessible from Australia. No-show charging requires payment processing, which is not available to AU businesses.
Digital forms, signatures, and documents
Both support digital forms. Savvy Pet has a strong form/contract builder with auto-send.
Fully customisable forms and contracts with auto-send on appointment creation. Integrated T&Cs.
Digital agreements with e-signatures, customisable per service
Self-service portal for pet owners
Both offer customer portals. Savvy Pet gates portal to Extra plan (~A$86/month). Petboost includes on all plans.
Customer portal with booking and account access (Extra+ plans)
Passwordless phone login, 24/7 booking and package purchases, comprehensive pet profiles
Team roles, scheduling, and permissions
Both handle staff management; Petboost has deeper analytics and capacity management tools
Staff rota, permission management, calendar view by groomer (Extra+ plans)
4 roles with permission matrix, capacity management, working hours, leave management, service eligibility, revenue per hour analytics
Multiple business locations
Both support multi-location; Petboost via Enterprise
Yes (Enterprise)
Business analytics and intelligence
Both offer reporting; Petboost adds InsightCards, forecasting, and geographic intelligence
Analytics and reports (Advanced+ plans)
10+ tabs, 50+ InsightCards with actionable recommendations, forecasting, geographic intelligence, email summaries
Prepaid package credits
Savvy Pet does not offer prepaid packages; Petboost has a rich self-service package experience
Self-service 24/7 purchase, coffee-card visual tracking, multi-pet sharing, auto top-up
Pet vaccination management and compliance
Savvy Pet does not appear to offer vaccination tracking with compliance enforcement; Petboost has automated compliance checking and booking blocking
Certificate upload, expiry tracking, 30-day warnings, service-level enforcement, automatic booking blocking
Mobile access
Savvy Pet has dedicated native apps; Petboost uses a PWA approach. Both work on mobile.
Native iOS and Android apps for both groomers and pet owners
Progressive web app with passwordless login, offline-capable, add-to-home-screen, no app store friction
External calendar integration
Savvy Pet integrates with Gmail and iCal; Petboost does not currently offer external calendar sync
Configurable lifecycle automation per service
Petboost offers granular lifecycle automation per service; Savvy Pet has message-level automation
Auto-reminders, auto-confirmations, overdue groom reminders
5+ settings: Pre-Hold, Auto-Start, Auto-Complete, Auto-Finalise, Auto-Pay, Instant Confirm. Per-service overrides.
Built-in customer referral system
Petboost has a referral system; Savvy Pet does not
Recurring booking series
Both support recurring/rebooking workflows
Rebooking options with appointment management
Full series management: daily/weekly/monthly patterns, extend/shorten, individual instance control
Feature Comparison Savvy Pet vs Petboost | S Savvy Pet | P PetboostAustralian-Built |
|---|---|---|
Pet Owner Booking ExperienceSelf-service booking flow for pet owners Both offer online booking; Petboost is passwordless and frictionless, Savvy Pet requires account setup but offers a native app | Online booking with customer portal (Extra+ plans). Dedicated customer mobile app available. | Passwordless phone login, progressive info collection, smart eligibility filtering, 24/7 booking in under 2 minutes, no app download |
Pet ProfilesPet information management Both offer pet profiles; Petboost has a much larger structured attribute library | Customer and pet information, grooming notes, customisable pet flags | Full Petprint with 2,000+ pre-built attributes, vaccinations, care notes, family pets, emergency contacts, grooming preferences |
Calendar & SchedulingAppointment calendar views Savvy Pet has standard calendar views with external sync; Petboost offers more specialised operational views | Electronic calendar with per-groomer views. Gmail and iCal integration. | Mission Control: 7 view modes (List, Kanban, Pets, Stays, Team, Resources, Combined) + intelligence cards |
Booking EngineAppointment creation and management Both handle bookings well. Savvy Pet gates online booking to Extra plan (~A$86/month) | Appointment management with online booking (Extra+ plans) | Magic Availability Check + Quick Create dual modes |
SMS & RemindersAutomated reminders and notifications Both include SMS. Savvy Pet caps at 150-350/month; Petboost includes generous monthly credits | Customisable SMS/email reminders. 150 SMS/month (Advanced), 350 SMS/month (Extra+). Overdue groom reminders. | AU-native SMS (+61), included in plan. 2-way inbox via Communications Booster add-on. |
Stay/Boarding ManagementMulti-night boarding bookings Savvy Pet is grooming-only; no boarding support | Purpose-built: 24-hour period billing, tiered pricing, visual occupancy, in-stay service add-ons | |
Daycare ManagementDaily daycare operations Savvy Pet does not support daycare; Petboost has native daycare management | Session-based daycare with capacity management, check-in/check-out, recurring bookings | |
Dog WalkingWalk management and tracking Savvy Pet does not support dog walking; Petboost has native walking management with Magic Map | GPS check-in/checkout, Magic Map with photo location capture, route visualisation | |
Course ManagementGroup training programs (puppy school, obedience) Savvy Pet does not support training courses; Petboost has purpose-built course management | Native course system: templates, instances, enrolment, per-lesson attendance, age eligibility enforcement | |
Payment ProcessingTaking payments from customers Savvy Pay is inaccessible from Australia. Australian businesses paying for Advanced+ plans (which include "Payments & Invoices") cannot use the payment features. | ❌ Country-blocked from Australia. "Savvy Pay" returns "Country Blocked: Access to this page is forbidden" when accessed from AU (verified March 2026, pending re-confirmation). | 1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee via AU Stripe |
SMS Payment LinksOne-tap payment links via SMS Petboost differentiator: one-tap payment links via SMS for outstanding invoices | ||
Card on FileSaved cards for repeat payments Savvy Pay is inaccessible from Australia, so stored cards do not function for AU businesses | ❌ Not available in Australia (Savvy Pay country-blocked) | |
Pre-AuthorisationAutomatically hold funds before appointments Petboost differentiator: reduces no-show and payment risk | Auto pre-hold funds 72 hours before appointment (Pro Automation) | |
No-Show ChargingCharge clients for missed appointments Savvy Pay is inaccessible from Australia. No-show charging requires payment processing, which is not available to AU businesses. | ❌ Not available in Australia (Savvy Pay country-blocked) | |
Forms & ContractsDigital forms, signatures, and documents Both support digital forms. Savvy Pet has a strong form/contract builder with auto-send. | Fully customisable forms and contracts with auto-send on appointment creation. Integrated T&Cs. | Digital agreements with e-signatures, customisable per service |
Customer PortalSelf-service portal for pet owners Both offer customer portals. Savvy Pet gates portal to Extra plan (~A$86/month). Petboost includes on all plans. | Customer portal with booking and account access (Extra+ plans) | Passwordless phone login, 24/7 booking and package purchases, comprehensive pet profiles |
Staff ManagementTeam roles, scheduling, and permissions Both handle staff management; Petboost has deeper analytics and capacity management tools | Staff rota, permission management, calendar view by groomer (Extra+ plans) | 4 roles with permission matrix, capacity management, working hours, leave management, service eligibility, revenue per hour analytics |
Multi-LocationMultiple business locations Both support multi-location; Petboost via Enterprise | ✅ Salon plan (~A$96/month) | Yes (Enterprise) |
ReportingBusiness analytics and intelligence Both offer reporting; Petboost adds InsightCards, forecasting, and geographic intelligence | Analytics and reports (Advanced+ plans) | 10+ tabs, 50+ InsightCards with actionable recommendations, forecasting, geographic intelligence, email summaries |
Package ManagementPrepaid package credits Savvy Pet does not offer prepaid packages; Petboost has a rich self-service package experience | Self-service 24/7 purchase, coffee-card visual tracking, multi-pet sharing, auto top-up | |
Vaccination TrackingPet vaccination management and compliance Savvy Pet does not appear to offer vaccination tracking with compliance enforcement; Petboost has automated compliance checking and booking blocking | Certificate upload, expiry tracking, 30-day warnings, service-level enforcement, automatic booking blocking | |
Mobile AppMobile access Savvy Pet has dedicated native apps; Petboost uses a PWA approach. Both work on mobile. | Native iOS and Android apps for both groomers and pet owners | Progressive web app with passwordless login, offline-capable, add-to-home-screen, no app store friction |
Calendar SyncExternal calendar integration Savvy Pet integrates with Gmail and iCal; Petboost does not currently offer external calendar sync | ✅ Gmail and iCal integration (Advanced+) | |
Automatic ActionsConfigurable lifecycle automation per service Petboost offers granular lifecycle automation per service; Savvy Pet has message-level automation | Auto-reminders, auto-confirmations, overdue groom reminders | 5+ settings: Pre-Hold, Auto-Start, Auto-Complete, Auto-Finalise, Auto-Pay, Instant Confirm. Per-service overrides. |
Referral ProgramBuilt-in customer referral system Petboost has a referral system; Savvy Pet does not | ||
Recurring AppointmentsRecurring booking series Both support recurring/rebooking workflows | Rebooking options with appointment management | Full series management: daily/weekly/monthly patterns, extend/shorten, individual instance control |
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:
Petboost uses a progressive web app (PWA) approach. Works on all devices without app store download.
External calendar sync not currently available.
Petboost follows Australian Privacy Act. GDPR compliance relevant primarily for UK/EU businesses.
Petboost uses Stripe for payments with native AU rates. PayPal integration not planned.
| Feature | Status | Our Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Native mobile app (business) | Focused elsewhere | Petboost uses a progressive web app (PWA) approach. Works on all devices without app store download. |
| Gmail/iCal integration | Considering | External calendar sync not currently available. |
| GDPR-specific compliance tools | Focused elsewhere | Petboost follows Australian Privacy Act. GDPR compliance relevant primarily for UK/EU businesses. |
| PayPal integration | Focused elsewhere | Petboost uses Stripe for payments with native AU rates. PayPal integration not planned. |
If any of these are dealbreakers today, Savvy Pet 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 | Savvy Pet | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Subscription (Advanced/Extra) | A$852-1,032/year (A$71-86/mo x 12) | $780/year (waived at $7,500+/mo) |
| Payment Processing (Online, on $500K GMV) | ❌ Unavailable. Savvy Pay is country-blocked from Australia. AU businesses cannot process payments through Savvy Pet. | ~$9,190 (1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee) |
| Petboost Booking Fee (on $500K GMV) | N/A | ~$7,000 (1.2-1.4%) |
| What AU businesses actually get | A$852-1,032/year for an online calendar with reminders, forms, and reports. No payment processing. | Full platform: booking, payments, SMS payment links, boarding, daycare, walking, training, courses, packages, vaccination compliance, 50+ InsightCards |
You may be paying twice with Savvy Pet
A$35-96/month subscription (AUD pricing displayed), plus ❌ "savvy pay" payment system is country-blocked from australia (verified march 2026, pending re-confirmation). au businesses pay for plans advertising "payments & invoices" but cannot access payment processing.. 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.
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 Savvy Pet.
Customer Data
Client profiles can typically be exported. Petboost provides import assistance via CSV.
Pet Profiles
Pet details can be migrated. Petboost maps to Petprint ID with 2,000+ attributes.
Booking History
Historical bookings typically not migrated. Fresh start for scheduling.
Forms & Contracts
Custom forms and contracts would need to be recreated in Petboost.
Timeline
1-2 weeks typical for grooming businesses.
If you're using a Stripe WisePOS-E terminal with Savvy Pet, you can bring it across to Petboost. No new equipment needed.
We're here to help. We provide migration assistance for businesses switching from Savvy Pet.
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.
Start your 14-day free trial, then activate Business Pro for 21 days with 0% booking fees. Only pay Stripe processing fees.
Last verified: 10th August 2026 | Pricing and features sourced from savvy.pet
Found an error? Let us know and we'll correct it promptly.
Savvy Pet® is a registered trademark of its respective owners. This comparison is based on publicly available information and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Savvy Pet.
From large daycares to solo groomers, businesses Australia-wide
From large daycares to solo groomers, businesses Australia-wide
