An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you decide what's right for your Australian pet business.
Calendly is a scheduling link, and a very good one. Its own site lists the markets it serves as sales, marketing, customer success, recruiting, education, technology, financial services and professional services. It books one person into one slot. A pet business books three dogs, two services and a kennel, so Petboost models the owner, the pets and the resources instead.
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 | Calendly | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| Processing | Your own Stripe or PayPal account, connected to Calendly | 1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee (AU Stripe) |
| Monthly Subscription | $0 to $20 USD per seat per month | $65/month (waived at $7,500+ in card payments) |
| Deposits and Cancellation Fees | Payment at booking | Deposits, pre-authorisation and cancellation fees |
| SMS Functionality | Calendly | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| SMS Reminders | Available on paid plans | 500 on Business Pro, more on Flex and Max |
| 2-Way Messaging | Not part of the product | ✅ Communications Booster with a dedicated AU number |
| SMS Payment Links | Not part of the product | ✅ One-tap payment via SMS |
There are limited scenarios where Calendly 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.
Calendly vs Petboost
A record on the animal
Calendly schedules invitees, by its own description
One owner, several animals
One invitee per booking
Native owner to pets to service model
Expiry dates and gates
Stations, kennels, yards
Host availability
Per-resource limits enforced at booking
Taking money
Calendly collects; it does not run the payment lifecycle
Stripe and PayPal collection at booking
Card on file, deposits, pre-auth, SMS payment links
Overnight care
Subscription billing
Australian businesses carry the conversion
USD
AUD
Puppy school and classes
Petboost gates enrolment on age and vaccination
Group events
Templates, enrolment, attendance per lesson
Feature Comparison Calendly vs Petboost | C Calendly | P PetboostAustralian-Built |
|---|---|---|
Pet ProfilesA record on the animal Calendly schedules invitees, by its own description | ||
Multi-Pet HouseholdsOne owner, several animals | One invitee per booking | Native owner to pets to service model |
Vaccination TrackingExpiry dates and gates | ||
Resource CapacityStations, kennels, yards | Host availability | Per-resource limits enforced at booking |
PaymentsTaking money Calendly collects; it does not run the payment lifecycle | Stripe and PayPal collection at booking | Card on file, deposits, pre-auth, SMS payment links |
Boarding and Multi-Day StaysOvernight care | ||
CurrencySubscription billing Australian businesses carry the conversion | USD | AUD |
Group CoursesPuppy school and classes Petboost gates enrolment on age and vaccination | Group events | 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
That is Calendly's market, not ours
| Feature | Status | Our Approach |
|---|---|---|
| General business meeting scheduling | Focused elsewhere | We build for pet services only |
| CRM and sales-pipeline routing | Focused elsewhere | That is Calendly's market, not ours |
If any of these are dealbreakers today, Calendly 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 | Calendly | Petboost |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Subscription (one seat, Standard) | About US$120, billed in US dollars | $780/year (waived at $7,500+/mo) |
| What the subscription buys | Scheduling only | Scheduling, pet records, payments, reminders, forms, capacity and reporting |
| Payment Processing | Your own Stripe or PayPal rates, separately | 1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee |
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 Calendly.
Customer Data
Calendly holds invitees rather than a client book, so most of the record is rebuilt
Pets
Usually captured in booking questions, so they need unpicking
Services and Staff
Rebuilt from your event types
Timeline
Most businesses on Calendly move across quickly
If you're using a Stripe WisePOS-E terminal with Calendly, you can bring it across to Petboost. No new equipment needed.
We're here to help. We provide migration assistance for businesses switching from Calendly.
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: 19th August 2026 | Pricing and features sourced from calendly.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.
Calendly® is a registered trademark of its respective owners. This comparison is based on publicly available information and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Calendly.
From large daycares to solo groomers, businesses Australia-wide
From large daycares to solo groomers, businesses Australia-wide
