An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you decide what's right for your Australian pet business.
Timely is salon software, and it's good salon software. Its own site calls it "salon software made simple", built for hair, beauty and barbering. It bills per bookable staff member, so a four-groomer salon pays four times over. If you run a hair salon alongside the grooming, buy theirs. If your clients arrive on four legs, Petboost holds a record per pet, the vaccination expiry and the coat notes.
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 | Timely | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| Processing | TimelyPay, at the rates Timely publishes | 1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee (AU Stripe) |
| Monthly Subscription | From A$42 per bookable staff member | $65/month (waived at $7,500+ in card payments) |
| SMS Functionality | Timely | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| SMS Included | 100 to 350 credits per month depending on plan | 500 on Business Pro, more on Flex and Max |
| Extra SMS | Purchased as additional credits | $15 for 100 to $79 for 1,000 |
| 2-Way Messaging | Two-way messaging available on higher plans | ✅ Communications Booster with a dedicated AU number |
There are limited scenarios where Timely 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.
Timely vs Petboost
A record on the animal
Breed, coat, weight, vaccination expiry, service history
One owner, several animals
Timely is built around one client per appointment
Client record only
Native owner to pets to service model
Expiry dates and gates
Petboost blocks or warns on an expired vaccination
What adding staff costs
The gap widens with every hire
Per bookable staff member
Unlimited team members, no per-seat fee
Subscription billing
Neither charges a conversion on the subscription
AUD
AUD
Stations, kennels, yards
A salon books a chair; a pet business books a room and a yard
Staff calendars
Per-resource limits enforced at booking
Overnight care
Timely is an appointment product, by its own description
Puppy school and classes
Petboost gates enrolment on age and vaccination
Class bookings
Templates, enrolment, attendance per lesson
Feature Comparison Timely vs Petboost | T Timely | P PetboostAustralian-Built |
|---|---|---|
Pet ProfilesA record on the animal Breed, coat, weight, vaccination expiry, service history | ||
Multi-Pet HouseholdsOne owner, several animals Timely is built around one client per appointment | Client record only | Native owner to pets to service model |
Vaccination TrackingExpiry dates and gates Petboost blocks or warns on an expired vaccination | ||
Team PricingWhat adding staff costs The gap widens with every hire | Per bookable staff member | Unlimited team members, no per-seat fee |
CurrencySubscription billing Neither charges a conversion on the subscription | AUD | AUD |
Capacity ManagementStations, kennels, yards A salon books a chair; a pet business books a room and a yard | Staff calendars | Per-resource limits enforced at booking |
Boarding and Multi-Day StaysOvernight care Timely is an appointment product, by its own description | ||
Group CoursesPuppy school and classes Petboost gates enrolment on age and vaccination | Class bookings | Templates, enrolment, attendance per lesson |
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 build for pet services only
We send bookings to your own page rather than a marketplace we own
| Feature | Status | Our Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Hair and beauty workflows | Focused elsewhere | We build for pet services only |
| Consumer marketplace app | Focused elsewhere | We send bookings to your own page rather than a marketplace we own |
If any of these are dealbreakers today, Timely 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 | Timely | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Subscription (solo operator) | From about A$504 (Build, one bookable staff member) | $780/year (waived at $7,500+/mo) |
| Annual Subscription (four bookable staff) | From about A$2,016 (Build) to A$3,792 (Innovate) | $780/year (waived at $7,500+/mo) regardless of team size |
| Adding a fifth groomer | Another A$42 to A$79 per month | $0 |
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 Timely.
Customer Data
Export clients from Timely, we import them
Pets
Pets usually live in note fields on the client record, so they need unpicking into real pet records
Services and Staff
Rebuilt from your Timely service menu
Timeline
Data across in about 24 hours, schedule set up by you
If you're using a Stripe WisePOS-E terminal with Timely, you can bring it across to Petboost. No new equipment needed.
We're here to help. We provide migration assistance for businesses switching from Timely.
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: 19th August 2026 | Pricing and features sourced from www.gettimely.com
Found an error? Let us know and we'll correct it promptly.
Timely® is a registered trademark of its respective owners. This comparison is based on publicly available information and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Timely.
