Petboost Logo
🇦🇺Petboostvs.Paw Partner

Already using Paw Partner?
Paw Partner is built for US kennels. Petboost is built for Australian pet businesses.

An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you decide what's right for your Australian pet business.

P
W
B
Australian businesses switched from Paw Partner this year

The Facts at a Glance

P

Paw Partner

pawpartner.com
Founded
2018
Headquarters
Bellingham, Washington State, USA
Focus
Facility-based pet services: boarding, daycare, grooming, training
Est. Customers
~500-2,000 (55 verified reviews on Capterra)
Pricing
Monthly subscription ($44.99-99.99 USD/month) + paid add-ons for SMS and branded app

Double Fee Alert for Australian Businesses

  • $99.99 USD/month subscription (plus FX fees for Australian cards) + $10.99 USD/month SMS add-on
  • US-based payment processing: ~2.9% + intl fees (vs Petboost 1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee)

Australian businesses pay USD subscription with FX fees AND inflated US payment processing rates

🇦🇺 Australian
P

Petboost

Built in Sydney
Founded
2022
Headquarters
Sydney, Australia
Focus
Multi-vertical pet services
AU Presence
Native (built in Sydney)
Pricing
$65-240/mo + 1.2-1.4%
or $0 with card volume*

*Subscription waived as a bonus reward: Pro at $7,500+/mo, Max at $20,000+/mo in card payments

No lock-in • Cancel anytime

Consider Paw Partner only if

There are limited scenarios where Paw Partner may suit you better:

  • US-based boarding/daycare facilities with physical kennel runs and high daily dog counts
  • Businesses where photo sharing with pet parents is the absolute top priority
  • Facilities needing detailed staff task management, time clocks, and feeding/medication/elimination tracking
  • Operations wanting a native branded app in the App Store/Google Play ($99.99/mo extra)
  • Kennels needing playgroup management with friend/foe dog tracking
  • US-based businesses comfortable with QuickBooks and US timezone support
🇦🇺 Recommended

Petboost?

Purpose-built for Australian pet businesses with a design-first approach our customers rave about:

  • Australian pet businesses wanting local support and same-timezone help
  • Multi-service operators (grooming + walking + daycare + training + boarding)
  • Businesses wanting to avoid USD subscription fees with FX conversion charges
  • Owners who value granular automation control with 5+ Pro Automation settings per service
  • Businesses wanting intelligent reporting with 50+ InsightCards, forecasting, and geographic intelligence
  • Solo operators or small teams looking for simple, modern software with no app download friction

From large daycares to solo groomers, businesses Australia-wide

Where Each Platform Excels

An honest look at how each platform handles key functionality.

Feature Comparison

Paw Partner vs Petboost

Pet Owner Booking Experience

Self-service booking flow for pet owners

Petboost is frictionless and browser-based; Paw Partner requires app download or web signup

P
Paw Partner

Native iOS/Android app + website portal. Requires app download or account creation.

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Passwordless phone login, progressive info collection, smart eligibility filtering, 24/7 booking in under 2 minutes, no app download

Pet Profile Visibility (Owner)

What pet owners can see and manage about their pets

Both comprehensive; Petboost has 2,000+ pre-built attributes. Paw Partner notes/tags are internal-only (not visible to owners).

P
Paw Partner

Preferred vet, vaccine records, weight tracking, feeding/medication instructions, notes and tags

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Full pet profile with vaccinations, care notes, family pets, emergency contacts, grooming preferences, and Petprint ID

Pet Attributes Library

Pre-built tags for allergies, grooming prefs, behavioural traits

Petboost has comprehensive library with customer self-service selection; Paw Partner tags are staff-only

P
Paw Partner

Basic notes and tags (internal only)

P
Petboost🇦🇺

2,000+ pre-built attributes with 8+ categories

Pet & Owner Profiles

Comprehensive profile hub with tabs for appointments, packages, sales, settings & paperwork

Both offer pet and owner profiles; Petboost provides an integrated view across 9 tabs

P
Paw Partner

Contact info, account credit, balance, prepaid packages, emergency contacts

P
Petboost🇦🇺

9 organised tabs (Petprint, Appointments, Packages, Sales, Wallet, Grooming Preferences, Vaccinations, Settings & Overrides, Paperwork)

Photo Sharing & Report Cards

Sharing pet photos and service updates with owners

Paw Partner's Timeline is their standout feature (broader social platform). Petboost Report Cards are per-appointment focused. Different approaches, both strong.

P
Paw Partner

Photo Timeline: one-click upload, auto-tagging, push notifications, manager approval. Branded social feed with blogs, videos, promotions.

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Journal/Report Cards: rich story-style cards with photos, business notes, team member attribution. Per-appointment detail.

Location Tracking (Magic Map)

GPS-based appointment tracking with interactive visualisation

Petboost differentiator: pet owners see their pet's journey on a map during mobile services

P
Paw Partner
P
Petboost🇦🇺

Magic Map: interactive Mapbox map showing check-in, check-out, photo locations with timeline

Booking Engine

Online appointment scheduling

Petboost offers AI-assisted scheduling plus manual override; Paw Partner uses a reservation calendar approach

P
Paw Partner

Reservation calendar with overlap alerts and quick reservation feature

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Magic Schedule + Quick Force dual modes

Booking Views

Ways to view and manage daily operations

Different approaches; Petboost offers multiple operational views with real-time intelligence cards

P
Paw Partner

Single dashboard with daily check-in/out management

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Mission Control: 7 view modes (List, Kanban, Pets, Stays, Team, Resources, Combined) + intelligence cards

Stay/Boarding Management

Multi-night boarding bookings

Both handle boarding; Paw Partner has more facility-specific reports, Petboost uses 24-hour period billing rather than calendar-night billing

P
Paw Partner

Group or individual boarding, deposit management, stay reports, feeding/medication reports

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Purpose-built: 24-hour period billing, tiered "stay longer save more" pricing, visual occupancy, in-stay service add-ons

Course Management

Group training programs (puppy school, obedience)

Petboost has purpose-built course management; Paw Partner treats courses as appointments

P
Paw Partner

Private or group classes, class rosters, send homework

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Native course system: templates, instances, enrolment, per-lesson attendance, age eligibility enforcement

Payment Processing (Card-Present)

In-person terminal payments

Petboost lower rates with native AU Stripe; Paw Partner rates not publicly disclosed

P
Paw Partner

Custom quote (Stripe-based, ~2.7% + $0.05 USD + intl fees for AU cards)

P
Petboost🇦🇺

1.7% + $0.1 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee

Payment Processing (Online)

Card-not-present payments

Significant savings for Australian businesses with Petboost native AU processing

P
Paw Partner

Custom quote (Stripe-based, ~2.9% + $0.30 USD + 1% intl + 1.5% cross-border for AU cards)

P
Petboost🇦🇺

1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee

SMS Payment Links

One-tap payment links via SMS

Petboost differentiator: one-tap payment links via SMS for outstanding invoices

P
Paw Partner
P
Petboost🇦🇺

Card on File

Saved cards for repeat payments

Both support saved cards

P
Paw Partner
P
Petboost🇦🇺

Pre-Authorisation

Automatically hold funds before appointments

Petboost differentiator: reduces no-show and payment risk

P
Paw Partner
P
Petboost🇦🇺

Auto pre-hold funds 72 hours before appointment (Pro Automation)

SMS/Notifications

Appointment reminders and alerts

Petboost SMS included; Paw Partner SMS is a paid add-on with a 700-text monthly cap

P
Paw Partner

Twilio add-on ($10.99 USD/mo, 700 texts/mo, $0.02/text overage)

P
Petboost🇦🇺

AU-native SMS (+61), included in plan

Package Management

Prepaid package credits

Petboost has richer package experience with visual tracking and auto top-up

P
Paw Partner

Purchase via app/web, view credits

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Self-service 24/7 purchase, coffee-card visual tracking, multi-pet sharing, auto top-up

Pro Automations

Configurable lifecycle automation per service

Petboost offers granular lifecycle automation; Paw Partner automation is facility-focused (feeding/medication)

P
Paw Partner

Some automation for feeding schedules, medications

P
Petboost🇦🇺

5+ settings: Pre-Hold, Auto-Start, Auto-Complete, Auto-Finalise, Auto-Pay, Instant Confirm. Per-service overrides.

Session-Based Scheduling

Structured time blocks with per-session controls

Petboost offers per-session capacity, service restrictions, and pet eligibility

P
Paw Partner

Group reservations

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Schedules & Sessions

Recurring Appointments

Recurring booking series

Petboost has comprehensive recurring appointment management

P
Paw Partner

Unknown/limited

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Full series management: daily/weekly/monthly patterns, extend/shorten, individual instance control

Resource Capacity

Per-resource capacity limits (kennels, rooms, vehicles)

Both handle resources; Paw Partner is kennel-focused, Petboost supports both location and mobile assets

P
Paw Partner

Kennel/run assignment, playgroup management

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Location Resources (kennels, rooms) + Asset Resources (vans, mobile units) with parallel capacity

Vaccination Tracking

Pet vaccination management and compliance

Petboost adds automated compliance checking and booking blocking on top of record-keeping

P
Paw Partner

Vaccine records on pet card

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Certificate upload, expiry tracking, 30-day warnings, service-level enforcement, automatic booking blocking

Self-Service Cancellation

Pet owners can cancel and policies auto-applied

Petboost automates cancellation policies; reduces admin burden

P
Paw Partner

Unknown/manual process

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Configurable policies per service, automatic fee calculation and charging, fee status tracking

Staff Management

Team roles, scheduling, and tracking

Paw Partner stronger on time clocks and task management; Petboost stronger on roles, permissions, and analytics

P
Paw Partner

Time clock, task lists, staff scheduling, commission tracking, staff app

P
Petboost🇦🇺

4 roles with permission matrix, capacity management, working hours, leave management, service eligibility, revenue per hour analytics

Reporting

Business analytics and intelligence

Both offer reporting; Petboost adds InsightCards, forecasting, and geographic intelligence (Map tab)

P
Paw Partner

Reservations, occupancy, sales, income reports. Occupancy forecasting.

P
Petboost🇦🇺

10+ tabs, 50+ InsightCards with actionable recommendations, forecasting, geographic intelligence, email summaries

Mobile App

Mobile access for pet parents

Paw Partner requires app download; Petboost works instantly from any browser

P
Paw Partner

Native iOS/Android app available on App Store and Google Play

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Progressive web app with passwordless login, offline-capable, add-to-home-screen, no app store friction

Accounting Integration

Syncing financials with accounting software

Paw Partner QuickBooks is US-only; Petboost supports Xero via Stripe Bank Feeds (Australian standard)

P
Paw Partner

QuickBooks integration (US only)

P
Petboost🇦🇺

Stripe Bank Feeds to Xero (user-managed)

API

Programmatic access for custom integrations

Neither offers a public API

P
Paw Partner
P
Petboost🇦🇺

Multi-Location

Multiple business locations

Neither fully supports multi-location today

P
Paw Partner
🚧 "Working on linking multiple locations" (not yet released)
P
Petboost🇦🇺
🚧 Coming 2026

Last updated: January 2026 • Based on publicly available information

Our Focused Approach

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:

FeatureStatusOur Approach
Photo timeline/social feedConsideringReport Cards provide per-appointment journals with photos. A broader social timeline format (blogs, videos, promotions) is not planned. Our approach is per-appointment detail rather than social feed.
Staff time clockFocused elsewhereUse dedicated payroll/rostering software (Xero, Deputy)
Staff task managementFocused elsewhereUse dedicated task tools (Asana, Trello)
Feeding/medication/elimination reportsConsideringFacility-specific operations can be captured in appointment notes. Purpose-built reports for these are being considered.
Playgroup friend/foe managementConsideringPet attributes capture behavioural traits but not explicit friend/foe pairing
Native branded appFocused elsewhereFull-screen PWA with add-to-home-screen provides native-app feel without app store complexity
Built-in email marketing campaignsConsideringUse dedicated email marketing tools (Mailchimp, Klaviyo)
Two-way SMS messagingFY26Currently building two-way messaging capability
TipsConsideringNot currently supported
Multi-location managementFY26Single-location focus first to nail the core experience

If any of these are dealbreakers today, Paw Partner may be better suited for your current needs.

🇦🇺Where Petboost Shines

Built for Australian Businesses

US-based software simply can't match these Australian-specific advantages.

Payment Processing

Card-Present Rate

Paw PartnerCustom quote (~2.7% + $0.05 USD + intl fees)
Petboost🇦🇺
1.7% + $0.1 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee

Card-Not-Present Rate

Paw PartnerCustom quote (~2.9% + $0.30 USD + 1% intl + 1.5% cross-border)
Petboost🇦🇺
1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee

SMS Payment Links

Paw Partner❌ Not available
Petboost🇦🇺
✅ 1.2-1.4% Petboost + 1.7% + $0.3 Stripe

Monthly Subscription

Paw Partner$99.99 USD/month (~$155 AUD) + FX fees
Petboost🇦🇺
$65/month (waived at $7,500+ in card payments)

SMS Add-on

Paw Partner$10.99 USD/month + FX fees (700 texts, $0.02/text overage)
Petboost🇦🇺
Included in plan

SMS Functionality

Appointment Reminders

Paw Partner✅ Supported (requires SMS add-on)
Petboost🇦🇺
✅ Native AU support, included

Payment Alerts

Paw Partner✅ Available (requires SMS add-on)
Petboost🇦🇺
✅ Available

SMS Payment Links

Paw Partner❌ Not available
Petboost🇦🇺
✅ One-tap payment via SMS

Confirmation Messages

Paw Partner✅ Available (requires SMS add-on)
Petboost🇦🇺
✅ Available

Monthly SMS Cap

Paw Partner700 texts/mo ($0.02/text overage)
Petboost🇦🇺
Generous limits included + SMS Power-Up Packs

AU Number Compatibility

Paw PartnerUnknown (Twilio-based, likely US numbers)
Petboost🇦🇺
Native +61 support

Real Cost Comparison

Based on typical Australian pet business transaction volumes.

* For illustrative purposes only, based on industry averages. Your actual costs may vary.

Cost TypePaw Partner
Petboost🇦🇺
Annual Subscription~$1,860-1,920 AUD (~$99.99 USD/mo x 12 + FX)$780/year (waived at $7,500+/mo)
Subscription FX/Foreign Tx Fees (~10%)~$186-192 AUD$0 (AU-based)
SMS Add-on~$204 AUD ($10.99 USD/mo x 12 + FX)$0 (included in plan)
SMS Overage (likely)~$120-360 AUD (if exceeding 700/mo cap at $0.02/text)$0 (generous limits + Power-Up Packs $15/500)
Payment Processing (Card-Present 20%)~$3,050 AUD (~2.7% + $0.05 USD + intl fees)~$2,030 (1.7% + $0.1 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee)
Payment Processing (Online 80%)~$14,800 AUD (~2.9% + $0.30 USD + 1% intl + 1.5% cross-border)~$7,160 (1.7% + $0.3 + 1.2-1.4% booking fee)
Petboost Booking Fee (on $500K GMV)N/A~$7,000 (1.2-1.4%)
Total Annual Cost (incl. transaction fees)~$20,220-20,724 AUD~$16,190

You may be paying twice with Paw Partner

$99.99 USD/month subscription (plus FX fees for Australian cards) + $10.99 USD/month SMS add-on, plus us-based payment processing: ~2.9% + intl fees (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 You Keep Instead of Paying in Fees

~$4,030-4,534/year

Based on $500K GMV, 80% online transactions

That's real money back in your pocket

* For illustrative purposes only, based on industry averages. Your actual savings may vary.

Which plan is right for you?

Enter your numbers and see

Business Pro starts at -/month with 0 appointments included. Business Max at -/month gives you unlimited appointments.

How much customers pay you via card

$1k$25k$50k

Appointments you expect each month

500 (Pro)2,5005,000

Reminders and notifications sent

00 (Pro)0 (Max)2,000

💡 Consider Business Max

At 100 bookings/month, Pro would cost $15/month (including $0 in overage fees). Max costs $15/month, which is $0/month more but includes unlimited appointments.

Business Pro

Business Pro

Progress to Pro Status$10,000 / $0

Hit -/month in card payments and your monthly fee is waived

Monthly fee$0
Appointments (100/month)100 over limit
Overage fee (100 × -)$0
Team members$0
SMS (300 messages)1 pack needed
SMS Power-Up Packs ($15 × 500)$15
Petboost fee (-)~$0
Stripe processing~$0
Your Total Cost~$15

Generous SMS Limits

Pro includes 0 SMS/month, Max includes 0. Most businesses never hit these limits. You've set 300 SMS/month. You'll need 1 SMS Power-Up Pack ($15).

When to Upgrade

At your current revenue, Business Max becomes better value at appointments/month. You're at 100. Pro includes $0 in overage fees, but is still $0 cheaper than Max.

Your Savings

Save $666+ per month compared to typical competitors.

Quick Plan Comparison

Business Pro
  • -/month (waived at -+ card payment volume)
  • 0 appointments included
  • -/appointment after 0
  • 0 SMS/month included
  • - transaction fee
Business Max
  • -/month (waived at -+ card payment volume)
  • Unlimited appointments
  • • No per-appointment overage fees
  • 0 SMS/month included
  • - transaction fee

Both plans include SMS Power-Up Packs at $15 for 500 additional SMS if needed.

* Estimates based on 100 transactions averaging $100 each, 100 appointments, and 300 SMS. Actual costs vary based on transaction volume, average ticket size, appointments, and SMS usage.

From solo operators to
multi-van fleets

Petboost fits your business. Whether you're a one-person mobile groomer or running a large facility with multiple staff and spaces.

Solo Superstars

One-person operations with streamlined scheduling and automated payments.

  • 1-tap booking management
  • Automated invoicing & receipts
  • After-hours self-service booking
  • SMS reminders on autopilot

Growing Teams

3-10 staff with resource management, shared calendars, and team coordination.

  • Multi-staff scheduling
  • Per-resource capacity limits
  • Team permissions & roles
  • Shared customer database

Large Operations

Dog walking van fleets, multi-space facilities, and high-volume businesses.

  • Fleet/van management
  • Multi-space capacity tracking
  • Volume pricing available
  • Advanced automation rules
Multi-facility 'Super Admin'
coming Q2 2026 for multi-site businesses • Ask about multi-site

Making the Switch

It's easier than you think. Here's what to expect if you decide to move from Paw Partner.

Migration Complexity

Customer Data

Paw Partner provides data templates for export. No API, so CSV/template-based migration. Petboost provides import assistance.

Easy

Pet Profiles & Vaccinations

Pet details, vaccination records exportable via templates. Petboost maps to Petprint ID.

Easy

Booking History

Paw Partner confirms existing appointments cannot be imported. Fresh start for scheduling.

Medium

Package Balances

Manual reconciliation recommended. Set up matching packages in Petboost and add credits.

Medium

Timeline

1-2 weeks typical. Paw Partner offers free data migration using their templates.

Easy

Keep Your Existing Hardware

If you're using a Stripe WisePOS-E terminal with Paw Partner, you can bring it across to Petboost. No new equipment needed.

We're here to help. We provide migration assistance for businesses switching from Paw Partner.

Contact us for a migration assessment

Which Is Right for Your Business?

Paw Partner may suit you if:

  • You're a US-based facility (boarding/daycare) with physical kennel runs and high daily dog counts
  • Photo sharing with pet parents via a social timeline is your absolute top priority
  • You need detailed staff task management, time clocks, and facility operations tools (feeding, medication, elimination tracking)
  • You want a native branded app in the App Store/Google Play ($99.99/mo extra)
  • You need playgroup management with friend/foe dog tracking
  • You're comfortable with US-based support and US timezone
  • QuickBooks Online (US) is your accounting platform
  • You need built-in email marketing campaign tools
🇦🇺 Recommended

Petboost?

  • You're an Australian pet business wanting local support and same-timezone help
  • Payment processing costs matter: save ~$4,000+/year with AU Stripe rates vs US international rates
  • You're a multi-service operator (grooming + walking + daycare + training + boarding)
  • You want to avoid paying USD subscription fees with FX conversion charges every month
  • You need native Australian SMS (+61 numbers) that actually work, included in your plan
  • You want accounting integration with Xero (via Stripe Bank Feeds)
  • You prefer a modern PWA that works instantly from any device, no app download friction for pet parents
  • You value the option to waive your monthly subscription through card payment volume
  • You want granular Pro Automations (5+ settings per service, not all-or-nothing)
  • You want intelligent reporting with 50+ InsightCards, forecasting, and geographic intelligence
  • You need GPS location tracking for mobile services (Magic Map)
  • You want rich Report Cards that pet owners view in their portal
  • You need native course management for training programs

From 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.

Paw Partner vs Petboost FAQs

Common questions about switching and comparing these platforms.

Explore Petboost by Service Type

Purpose-built features for every type of pet business.

Ready to see Petboost in action?

Start your 14-day free trial, then activate Business Pro for 30 days with 0% Petboost fees. Only pay Stripe processing fees.

Last verified: 13th February 2026 | Pricing and features sourced from pawpartner.com

Found an error? Let us know and we'll correct it promptly.

Paw Partner® is a registered trademark of its respective owners. This comparison is based on publicly available information and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Paw Partner.