Already using Synarii? Synarii ships a live AI receptionist and Petboost's is still in closed beta. Here is the honest comparison, including the three things they do that we do not.
An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you decide what's right for your Australian pet business.
Australian businesses have run on Petboost since 2022, including teams from Synarii
The short version
Synarii ships a live AI receptionist and takes payment by Stripe link, and Petboost's Grazi AI Booster is still closed beta. If an AI answering your messages is the problem you are solving, buy theirs. Check the message packs first: the headline $29 is quoted ex GST and carries no messages, so a solo groomer using Mia starts at $118.80 a month including GST, before any overage. Their $79 pack buys 500 messages. Our Power-Up packs run $15 for 100 to $79 for 1,000, bought on top of an allowance your plan already includes. Verified 17 September 2026.
Switching from Synarii?
Does Synarii take payments?
Yes, by Stripe payment link on the pick-up text.
They integrate Stripe, and the customer taps and pays by card or Google Wallet before collection. What is not published is card on file, pre-authorisation, or charging for a late cancellation or no-show. Those are the protections worth asking them about.
Is Synarii really $29 a month?
A solo groomer using Mia pays $118.80 including GST.
The plans are quoted ex GST ($29 is $31.90 with GST) and none of them includes a single message. The 500-message pack that makes the AI receptionist work is $86.90 on top, then $38.50 per extra 250 added automatically at the limit. Verified 17 September 2026.
Does Petboost have an AI receptionist?
Closed beta. Theirs is live and ours is not.
The Grazi AI Booster is published as a closed beta. What ships today is 24/7 self-service booking, automated reminders and two-way SMS from an Australian number. If an AI answering messages is the whole job, Synarii can do it now.
Is Petboost overkill for a one-person salon?
No. Most Petboost businesses are solo or small.
No per-seat charge, nothing gated behind a bigger plan, an SMS allowance in every Business plan, and the subscription is waived once you are taking $7,500+ a month in card payments. You turn on the parts you need and ignore the rest.
Can I move my data across?
Yes, once you have an export from them.
We migrate customers, pets, services, add-ons, team and hours, resources, settings, packages and credits, and load your forward calendar for you to check before go-live. Synarii does not publish export documentation, so ask them for your data first.
Why businesses choose Petboost
Purpose-built for Australian pet businesses. No compromises.
Protect the Table, Pen, or Van Space
Card on file, pre-authorisation 72 hours ahead, notice periods and charging for a no-show. A link paid at pick-up cannot do that.
AUD
No FX
The Price on the Page Is the Price
An SMS allowance in every Business plan. No separate pack to buy before the product works, and no bill that grows every time it talks to a customer.
Grooming
Daycare
Boarding
Walking
Training
All on one plan. No add-ons.
Right-Sized for One Person or Fifty
No per-seat charge and nothing gated behind a bigger plan. Add boarding, daycare, walking or puppy school if and when you want them.
Others
6+ clicks
Petboost
1-2 clicks
We Run One Too, Then Designed Inside 100 More
Our co-founders started Hound Health Bondi in 2018 and still run it. 100+ more salons informed the rest. We put the pieces together.
AI receptionist, calendar, CRM and Stripe payments for dog grooming and hair & beauty salons
Customers
Not published. No customer count, case studies or public reviews. They are launching region by region, and their sign-up asks for your country and state before letting you create an account.
Australian presence
Built for Australian salons and priced in AUD ex GST, and their product carries Australian-relevant features including card surcharging. No company name, ABN or phone number is published on their site; support is by email.
Pricing
Monthly subscription plus a required, metered message pack for the AI receptionist. Quoted ex GST on their site; shown here including GST so it compares like for like. Card payments run through their own Stripe integration.
P
Petboost
Built in Sydney
Australian
Founded
2022
Headquarters
Sydney, Australia
Focus
Multi-vertical pet services
Customers
Australian pet businesses, running since 2022
Australian presence
Native. Built in Sydney, with Australian data residency, same-timezone support and pricing in AUD.
Pricing
$65-240/mo plus a 1.2-1.4% booking fee on card payments. Subscription $0 once your card volume reaches $7,500 a month on Pro, or $20,000 on Max.
No lock-in, cancel anytime
Where Petboost Shines
Built for Australian Businesses
US-based software simply can't match these Australian-specific advantages.
Payment Processing
Payment Methods
Synarii
Stripe payment link by SMS, paid by card or Google Wallet. In-store payment at the desk still supported.
Petboost
Stripe AU: online, terminal, Tap to Pay on iPhone and SMS payment links
No physical terminal described. The customer pays a link on their own phone.
Stripe WisePOS E and Tap to Pay on iPhone, Stripe 1.7% + $0.10
Deposits & Pre-Authorisation
Not published. Their payment link is sent when the pet is nearly ready, so after the work rather than before it.
Deposits and a pre-authorisation hold 72 hours ahead
Card on File & No-Show Charging
Not published. Worth asking them directly.
Card on file, notice periods and charging for a late cancellation or no-show
Monthly Subscription
$29-$99/month AUD ex GST, plus $79/month for the 500-message pack the AI receptionist runs on
$65/month (waived at $7,500+ in card payments)
SMS Functionality
Messages Included in the Plan
Synarii
None, on any tier. Messages are a separate purchase and the AI receptionist does not work without them.
Petboost
A monthly allowance included with Business Pro, Flex & Max
What a Pack Costs
Synarii
$86.90 for 500 messages ($79 ex GST)
Petboost
Power-Up packs run $15 for 100 to $79 for 1,000, so the same $79 buys twice their volume, and only once you pass the allowance already in your plan. Credits are counted per segment, so a long message uses more than one.
What the Packs Buy
Synarii
500 messages for $79 ex GST, and it is the pack that switches the AI receptionist on
Petboost
Power-Up packs run $15 for 100 to $79 for 1,000, bought on top of the allowance already in your plan rather than instead of one
Overage
Synarii
$38.50 per extra 250 messages ($35 ex GST), "added automatically only if you reach your limit"
Petboost
Buy another Power-Up pack when you want one
What Consumes a Message
Synarii
Their pricing section states every Mia conversation, including bookings, reminders and follow-ups, uses messages. A single booking conversation is several messages, not one.
Petboost
Reminders, confirmations and payment alerts draw on the plan allowance
Australian Phone Number
Synarii
Not published
Petboost
Australian +61 number with Communications Booster
SMS Functionality
Synarii
Petboost
Messages Included in the Plan
None, on any tier. Messages are a separate purchase and the AI receptionist does not work without them.
A monthly allowance included with Business Pro, Flex & Max
What a Pack Costs
$86.90 for 500 messages ($79 ex GST)
Power-Up packs run $15 for 100 to $79 for 1,000, so the same $79 buys twice their volume, and only once you pass the allowance already in your plan. Credits are counted per segment, so a long message uses more than one.
What the Packs Buy
500 messages for $79 ex GST, and it is the pack that switches the AI receptionist on
Power-Up packs run $15 for 100 to $79 for 1,000, bought on top of the allowance already in your plan rather than instead of one
Overage
$38.50 per extra 250 messages ($35 ex GST), "added automatically only if you reach your limit"
Buy another Power-Up pack when you want one
What Consumes a Message
Their pricing section states every Mia conversation, including bookings, reminders and follow-ups, uses messages. A single booking conversation is several messages, not one.
Reminders, confirmations and payment alerts draw on the plan allowance
Australian Phone Number
Not published
Australian +61 number with Communications Booster
Support & Service
How the Product Was Designed
Synarii
Built by people running their own salon on it, so the product reflects how that salon works
Petboost
We run a pet business too. Hound Health Bondi has been open since 2018 and runs on Petboost: our co-founder Annika runs it, and Frazer is still on the floor there most weekends. On top of that, 100+ Australian pet businesses of different shapes, sizes and rhythms informed the design, and our product, design and engineering people are still inside businesses every week.
Support Timezone
Synarii
Not published
Petboost
AEST (Sydney), Australian team
Phone Support
Synarii
No phone number published
Petboost
1800 291 005
Regional Availability
Synarii
Launching region by region, with a waitlist where it is not open yet
Petboost
Available across Australia
Published Contact
Synarii
support@synarii.com, published in their privacy notice. No phone number.
Petboost
Phone, email, in-app chat and a published help centre
Migration Help
Synarii
Not described
Petboost
Hands-on migration: customers, pets, services, team, packages, credits and your forward calendar
Public Reviews
Synarii
None found as at 16 September 2026
Petboost
Public reviews and named Australian customer showcases
Support & Service
Synarii
Petboost
How the Product Was Designed
Built by people running their own salon on it, so the product reflects how that salon works
We run a pet business too. Hound Health Bondi has been open since 2018 and runs on Petboost: our co-founder Annika runs it, and Frazer is still on the floor there most weekends. On top of that, 100+ Australian pet businesses of different shapes, sizes and rhythms informed the design, and our product, design and engineering people are still inside businesses every week.
Support Timezone
Not published
AEST (Sydney), Australian team
Phone Support
No phone number published
1800 291 005
Regional Availability
Launching region by region, with a waitlist where it is not open yet
Available across Australia
Published Contact
support@synarii.com, published in their privacy notice. No phone number.
Phone, email, in-app chat and a published help centre
Migration Help
Not described
Hands-on migration: customers, pets, services, team, packages, credits and your forward calendar
Public Reviews
None found as at 16 September 2026
Public reviews and named Australian customer showcases
Contracts & Lock-In
Free Trial
Synarii
1 week, no credit card. 2 weeks with a referral code.
Petboost
21 days free
Per-Seat Charges
Synarii
Priced by staff count: 1, 5 or 50 staff per plan tier
Petboost
No per-seat charge
Location Limit
Synarii
Up to 5 locations on Empire, one shared bill
Petboost
Multi-location and enterprise paths with no published cap
Volume Waiver
Synarii
None published
Petboost
Subscription waived once you take $7,500+/month in card payments
Contracts & Lock-In
Synarii
Petboost
Free Trial
1 week, no credit card. 2 weeks with a referral code.
21 days free
Per-Seat Charges
Priced by staff count: 1, 5 or 50 staff per plan tier
No per-seat charge
Location Limit
Up to 5 locations on Empire, one shared bill
Multi-location and enterprise paths with no published cap
Volume Waiver
None published
Subscription waived once you take $7,500+/month in card payments
Consider Synarii only if
There are limited scenarios where Synarii may suit you better:
Grooming or beauty salons whose single biggest problem is answering messages and missed enquiries
Salon owners who want a live AI receptionist today rather than waiting for one
Appointment-only salons that want the customer to pay a link before pick-up rather than queue at the desk
Teams where different staff genuinely work at different speeds and the calendar needs to reflect it
Solo operators wanting a low subscription entry point at $29/month ex GST
Recommended
Petboost?
Purpose-built for Australian pet businesses with a design-first approach our customers rave about:
Solo groomers and small salons who want the real monthly cost to be the price on the page, with an SMS allowance already in it
Businesses that need protection against late cancellations and no-shows, not just a way to be paid
Multi-service operators running grooming plus daycare, boarding, walking, training or courses
Businesses selling packages, memberships or prepaid credits
Anyone who wants the monthly subscription to disappear as card volume grows rather than grow with message usage
Businesses that need vaccination certificates enforced at the point of booking
Salons where some dogs take longer than others, and the booking should say so
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
Synarii vs Petboost
AI Receptionist
AI that answers customer enquiries and books for you
Synarii is ahead of us here today. Their AI is shipped and ours is closed beta.
S
Synarii
Mia, live. Answers by SMS and web form, books, reschedules, cancels, reminds and follows up. Requires a message pack ($79/month for 500 messages).
P
Petboost
Grazi AI Booster: closed beta, not generally available. Shipped today: 24/7 self-service booking, automated reminders and two-way SMS via the Communications Booster.
Payment Processing
Taking money from customers inside the software
Both take card payments through Stripe. Their published route is an SMS payment link the customer pays themselves; Petboost adds a counter terminal and Tap to Pay on iPhone.
S
Synarii
Stripe integration. A salon running Synarii announced in August 2026 that their "15-minute heads up" SMS now carries a secure payment link the owner taps and pays on their phone, by card or Google Wallet.
P
Petboost
Stripe AU 1.7% + $0.30; Petboost booking fee 1.2-1.4%. Online, terminal, Tap to Pay on iPhone and SMS payment links.
Card on File
Saved cards for repeat payments
A payment link is paid by the customer at the time. A card on file is what lets the business charge later without them.
S
Synarii
Not published. We could not confirm from outside whether Synarii stores a card for later use. Worth asking them directly.
P
Petboost
Card on file, used for pre-authorisation, auto-pay and no-show charging
Pre-Authorisation
Hold funds on the card before the appointment
This is the protection that decides whether an empty slot costs you money. Ask them directly.
S
Synarii
Not published. Their payment route is a link sent when the pet is nearly ready, which is after the work is done rather than before it.
P
Petboost
Pre-hold funds: a hold on the card on file 72 hours before the appointment
Cancellation & No-Show Charging
Recovering the cost of a missed or late-cancelled appointment
Reducing no-shows and recovering the cost of one are different jobs. Both platforms do the first; ask Synarii about the second.
S
Synarii
Not published. Synarii markets automatic reminders to reduce no-shows; whether they can charge for one is not stated.
P
Petboost
Cancellation policy with notice periods, a card on file and charging for a no-show or late cancellation
SMS Payment Links
Collect a balance by text
Both send a payment link by text. Theirs is tied to the pick-up notification; ours can be sent against any outstanding invoice.
S
Synarii
A secure Stripe payment link on the "15-minute heads up" SMS, payable by card or Google Wallet
P
Petboost
SMS payment links for outstanding invoices, marked paid automatically when the customer pays
Booking Through an AI Assistant
A pet owner books your salon from inside ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini
Synarii differentiator, and not mentioned anywhere on their main marketing page. They are further into agentic booking than we are.
S
Synarii
Live. Their AI Booking privacy notice describes owners booking a participating salon through their own AI assistant, confirmed by a reply-YES text.
P
Petboost
Petboost runs a public MCP server. A consumer-facing booking channel through third-party AI assistants is not live.
Card Surcharging
Passing the card fee on to the customer
Both handle surcharging.
S
Synarii
Their application includes a surcharge module
P
Petboost
Supported, with the Australian surcharging rules in mind ahead of the 1 January 2027 reforms
Booking Length That Reflects Reality
The same service taking a different amount of time depending on who, or which dog
Two sides of the same problem. Their multiplier says a junior is slower than a senior. Ours says a matted, anxious fourteen-year-old takes longer than a placid poodle, whoever is holding the clippers. Petboost also caps capacity per team member, per resource and per shift.
S
Synarii
Per-staff. The Staff Speed Multiplier sets a pace per team member and adjusts booking durations by who is doing the work.
P
Petboost
Per-dog. Any pet attribute (anxious, senior, matted, hard to handle) can carry a duration adjustment in minutes, up or down, which is applied to the booking automatically. The same attribute can also carry a surcharge and cap how many of those dogs are in at once.
Capacity Control
How many pets a person, room or shift can take at once
Pace and capacity solve overlapping problems. Petboost does both.
S
Synarii
Pace per staff member, which spaces bookings out. A separate capacity cap is not described.
P
Petboost
Capacity per team member, per resource and per shift, a separate same-household capacity, and per-attribute caps so you can limit how many difficult or high-needs dogs are in at the same time
Automatic Rebooking Reminders
An automatic nudge when a regular is due back
Both ship automatic recall. Theirs is one interval applied to everyone; Petboost can take each pet's own cadence, so a fortnightly daycare dog and a twelve-week doodle are not nudged on the same clock.
S
Synarii
8-Week Rebook System: a clock per client, automatic message at 8 weeks or your configured interval
P
Petboost
Rebooking reminders per pet. Petboost can learn each pet's own visit rhythm from its history rather than using one number for everyone, or you can set a fixed interval. Controls at business, service and pet level, a minimum gap between reminders, a retry cap, and your own message template.
Consent Before Marketing Messages
Whether the software checks the customer agreed to be messaged
Australian marketing messages need the customer's consent. Ask any platform sending automated rebooking nudges on your behalf how it records that consent, because the obligation sits with you, not the software.
S
Synarii
Not published
P
Petboost
Rebooking reminders have their own yes or no, separate from marketing consent. Every customer is asked at their first booking; anyone who chooses No thanks, or who replies STOP, is skipped, and the skip is counted rather than sent silently.
Calendar & Scheduling
The daily diary
Both are solid. Petboost has more specialised operational views; Synarii's is a clean single calendar.
S
Synarii
Smart Calendar: colour-coded, a column per staff member, drag and drop, aware of opening hours, rosters and block sizes
P
Petboost
Mission Control: up to twelve views plus Coming & Going, Attention Required and an hourly graph of the day
Pet Profiles
Pet information management
Both hold a real pet record. Petboost has a much larger structured attribute library.
S
Synarii
Owner and pet records with breed, size, health notes, service history and grooming preferences, searchable by name, phone, pet name or breed
P
Petboost
Full Petprint with 1,600+ pre-built attributes, vaccinations, care notes, family pets, emergency contacts, grooming preferences
Stay/Boarding Management
Multi-night boarding
Not described in Synarii's published feature set.
S
Synarii
P
Petboost
Purpose-built: 24-hour period billing, tiered pricing, visual occupancy, in-stay service add-ons
Daycare Management
Capacity-based day bookings
Not described in Synarii's published feature set.
S
Synarii
P
Petboost
Session-based daycare with capacity management, check-in/check-out, recurring bookings
Dog Walking
Walk management and tracking
Synarii's two verticals are dog grooming and hair & beauty.
S
Synarii
P
Petboost
GPS check-in/checkout, Magic Map with photo location capture, route visualisation
Course Management
Group training programmes (puppy school, obedience)
Synarii prices by staff count; Petboost does not charge per seat.
S
Synarii
Capped by plan: 1, 5 or 50 staff. Up to 5 locations on Empire.
P
Petboost
No published staff cap; multi-location and enterprise paths available
Feature comparison
Synarii vs Petboost
S
Synarii
Not published (prices in AUD, ex GST)
P
Petboost
Australian-built
AI Receptionist
AI that answers customer enquiries and books for you
Synarii is ahead of us here today. Their AI is shipped and ours is closed beta.
Mia, live. Answers by SMS and web form, books, reschedules, cancels, reminds and follows up. Requires a message pack ($79/month for 500 messages).
Grazi AI Booster: closed beta, not generally available. Shipped today: 24/7 self-service booking, automated reminders and two-way SMS via the Communications Booster.
Payment Processing
Taking money from customers inside the software
Both take card payments through Stripe. Their published route is an SMS payment link the customer pays themselves; Petboost adds a counter terminal and Tap to Pay on iPhone.
Stripe integration. A salon running Synarii announced in August 2026 that their "15-minute heads up" SMS now carries a secure payment link the owner taps and pays on their phone, by card or Google Wallet.
Stripe AU 1.7% + $0.30; Petboost booking fee 1.2-1.4%. Online, terminal, Tap to Pay on iPhone and SMS payment links.
Card on File
Saved cards for repeat payments
A payment link is paid by the customer at the time. A card on file is what lets the business charge later without them.
Not published. We could not confirm from outside whether Synarii stores a card for later use. Worth asking them directly.
Card on file, used for pre-authorisation, auto-pay and no-show charging
Pre-Authorisation
Hold funds on the card before the appointment
This is the protection that decides whether an empty slot costs you money. Ask them directly.
Not published. Their payment route is a link sent when the pet is nearly ready, which is after the work is done rather than before it.
Pre-hold funds: a hold on the card on file 72 hours before the appointment
Cancellation & No-Show Charging
Recovering the cost of a missed or late-cancelled appointment
Reducing no-shows and recovering the cost of one are different jobs. Both platforms do the first; ask Synarii about the second.
Not published. Synarii markets automatic reminders to reduce no-shows; whether they can charge for one is not stated.
Cancellation policy with notice periods, a card on file and charging for a no-show or late cancellation
SMS Payment Links
Collect a balance by text
Both send a payment link by text. Theirs is tied to the pick-up notification; ours can be sent against any outstanding invoice.
A secure Stripe payment link on the "15-minute heads up" SMS, payable by card or Google Wallet
SMS payment links for outstanding invoices, marked paid automatically when the customer pays
Booking Through an AI Assistant
A pet owner books your salon from inside ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini
Synarii differentiator, and not mentioned anywhere on their main marketing page. They are further into agentic booking than we are.
Live. Their AI Booking privacy notice describes owners booking a participating salon through their own AI assistant, confirmed by a reply-YES text.
Petboost runs a public MCP server. A consumer-facing booking channel through third-party AI assistants is not live.
Card Surcharging
Passing the card fee on to the customer
Both handle surcharging.
Their application includes a surcharge module
Supported, with the Australian surcharging rules in mind ahead of the 1 January 2027 reforms
Booking Length That Reflects Reality
The same service taking a different amount of time depending on who, or which dog
Two sides of the same problem. Their multiplier says a junior is slower than a senior. Ours says a matted, anxious fourteen-year-old takes longer than a placid poodle, whoever is holding the clippers. Petboost also caps capacity per team member, per resource and per shift.
Per-staff. The Staff Speed Multiplier sets a pace per team member and adjusts booking durations by who is doing the work.
Per-dog. Any pet attribute (anxious, senior, matted, hard to handle) can carry a duration adjustment in minutes, up or down, which is applied to the booking automatically. The same attribute can also carry a surcharge and cap how many of those dogs are in at once.
Capacity Control
How many pets a person, room or shift can take at once
Pace and capacity solve overlapping problems. Petboost does both.
Pace per staff member, which spaces bookings out. A separate capacity cap is not described.
Capacity per team member, per resource and per shift, a separate same-household capacity, and per-attribute caps so you can limit how many difficult or high-needs dogs are in at the same time
Automatic Rebooking Reminders
An automatic nudge when a regular is due back
Both ship automatic recall. Theirs is one interval applied to everyone; Petboost can take each pet's own cadence, so a fortnightly daycare dog and a twelve-week doodle are not nudged on the same clock.
8-Week Rebook System: a clock per client, automatic message at 8 weeks or your configured interval
Rebooking reminders per pet. Petboost can learn each pet's own visit rhythm from its history rather than using one number for everyone, or you can set a fixed interval. Controls at business, service and pet level, a minimum gap between reminders, a retry cap, and your own message template.
Consent Before Marketing Messages
Whether the software checks the customer agreed to be messaged
Australian marketing messages need the customer's consent. Ask any platform sending automated rebooking nudges on your behalf how it records that consent, because the obligation sits with you, not the software.
Not published
Rebooking reminders have their own yes or no, separate from marketing consent. Every customer is asked at their first booking; anyone who chooses No thanks, or who replies STOP, is skipped, and the skip is counted rather than sent silently.
Calendar & Scheduling
The daily diary
Both are solid. Petboost has more specialised operational views; Synarii's is a clean single calendar.
Smart Calendar: colour-coded, a column per staff member, drag and drop, aware of opening hours, rosters and block sizes
Mission Control: up to twelve views plus Coming & Going, Attention Required and an hourly graph of the day
Pet Profiles
Pet information management
Both hold a real pet record. Petboost has a much larger structured attribute library.
Owner and pet records with breed, size, health notes, service history and grooming preferences, searchable by name, phone, pet name or breed
Full Petprint with 1,600+ pre-built attributes, vaccinations, care notes, family pets, emergency contacts, grooming preferences
Stay/Boarding Management
Multi-night boarding
Not described in Synarii's published feature set.
Purpose-built: 24-hour period billing, tiered pricing, visual occupancy, in-stay service add-ons
Daycare Management
Capacity-based day bookings
Not described in Synarii's published feature set.
Session-based daycare with capacity management, check-in/check-out, recurring bookings
Dog Walking
Walk management and tracking
Synarii's two verticals are dog grooming and hair & beauty.
GPS check-in/checkout, Magic Map with photo location capture, route visualisation
Course Management
Group training programmes (puppy school, obedience)
Synarii prices by staff count; Petboost does not charge per seat.
Capped by plan: 1, 5 or 50 staff. Up to 5 locations on Empire.
No published staff cap; multi-location and enterprise paths available
Last checked 17th September 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:
AI receptionist (Grazi AI Booster)
Coming
Published as a closed beta and not generally available. Synarii ships a live AI receptionist today. If that is the capability you are buying, theirs works now and ours does not.
A pace setting per team member
Considering
Petboost adjusts booking length by the pet, through attribute duration deltas, and caps capacity per team member, resource and shift. It does not have a single pace dial per person the way Synarii does. Most salons we talk to find the dog is the bigger variable, but if your juniors are consistently slower across every breed, theirs maps to that more directly.
Automatic waitlist matching on cancellation
Considering
Petboost handles cancellations and reschedules but does not automatically match a freed slot to a waitlisted client.
Booking through a third-party AI assistant
Considering
Synarii has a live channel letting a pet owner book a participating salon from inside ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. Petboost runs a public MCP server but does not offer that consumer-facing booking channel.
Hair and beauty salons
Focused elsewhere
Petboost is built for pet businesses. Synarii serves hair and beauty as a second vertical; if that is your business, we are not the right software.
Feature
Status
Our Approach
AI receptionist (Grazi AI Booster)
Coming
Published as a closed beta and not generally available. Synarii ships a live AI receptionist today. If that is the capability you are buying, theirs works now and ours does not.
A pace setting per team member
Considering
Petboost adjusts booking length by the pet, through attribute duration deltas, and caps capacity per team member, resource and shift. It does not have a single pace dial per person the way Synarii does. Most salons we talk to find the dog is the bigger variable, but if your juniors are consistently slower across every breed, theirs maps to that more directly.
Automatic waitlist matching on cancellation
Considering
Petboost handles cancellations and reschedules but does not automatically match a freed slot to a waitlisted client.
Booking through a third-party AI assistant
Considering
Synarii has a live channel letting a pet owner book a participating salon from inside ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. Petboost runs a public MCP server but does not offer that consumer-facing booking channel.
Hair and beauty salons
Focused elsewhere
Petboost is built for pet businesses. Synarii serves hair and beauty as a second vertical; if that is your business, we are not the right software.
If any of these are dealbreakers today, Synarii may be better suited for your current needs.
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 Type
Synarii
Petboost
Solo groomer, headline price
$31.90/month ($29 as quoted, ex GST)
$65/mo (waived at $7,500+ in card payments)
Solo groomer, with the AI receptionist actually working
$118.80/month including GST. The plan carries no messages, so the $86.90 pack is what turns Mia on. That is 3.7 times the $31.90 headline, comparing both including GST.
$65/mo (waived at $7,500+ in card payments), with an SMS allowance already in the plan
Solo groomer, a busy month at around 1,000 messages
$195.80/month including GST: the plan, the pack, and two automatic 250-message top-ups at $38.50 each
$65/mo (waived at $7,500+ in card payments) plus a Power-Up pack if you want one ($15 for 100 to $79 for 1,000)
Annual, solo groomer using the AI receptionist
$1,425.60/year including GST, before any overage
$780/year (waived at $7,500+/mo)
5-staff salon using the AI receptionist
$162.80/month including GST ($75.90 plan + $86.90 pack), before overage
$65/mo (waived at $7,500+ in card payments)
Payment Processing
Stripe, through their integration. Their card rates and any platform fee on top are not published.
Stripe 1.7% + $0.30 charged separately by Stripe, plus the Petboost booking fee 1.2-1.4%
Petboost Booking Fee
N/A
1.2-1.4% on card payments
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.
Business Pro starts at $65/month with 450 appointments included. Business Max at $240/month gives you unlimited appointments.
Total customer payments (all methods)
$1k$25k$50k
Appointments you expect each month
50450 (Pro)2,5005,000
Reminders and notifications sent
0500 (Pro)1,000 (Max)2,000
What percentage of payments go through card on file?
$2,000 cash/EFTPOS
80%card on file
$8,000 card
All cash/EFTPOSAll card on file
Business Pro
Subscription waived
Subscription waived. Your $65/month fee is $0.
Monthly fee$65$0
Appointments (100/month)Within limit
Team members$0
SMS (300 messages)Within 500 limit
Booking fee (1.4% on card payments)~$112
Stripe processing (card payments)~$160
Your Total Cost~$272
Hidden Costs of Non-Card Payments
$408/mo
20 of your 100 appointments are paid without card on file
Your card-on-file fee: $28/mo→Saves: $408/mo
$1 in fees saves $15 in hidden costs
Annual impact: $4,892/year in recoverable losses
Generous SMS Limits
Business Pro includes 500 SMS/month. Most businesses never hit these limits. You've set 300 SMS/month. You're well within your limit!
When to Upgrade
At your current revenue, Business Max becomes better value at 1,000 appointments/month. You're at 100.
Your Savings
Save $569+ per month compared to typical competitors.
Quick Plan Comparison
Business Pro
• $65/month (waived at $7,500+ card payment volume)
• 450 appointments included
• $0.40/appointment after 450
• 500 SMS/month included
• 1.4% booking fee on card payments
Business Flex
• $135/month (waived at $13,500+ card payment volume)
• 650 appointments included
• $0.50/appointment after 650
• 700 SMS/month included
• 1.4% booking fee on card payments
Business Max
• $240/month (waived at $20,000+ card payment volume)
• Unlimited appointments
• No per-appointment overage fees
• 1,000 SMS/month included
• 1.2% booking fee on card payments
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.
From solo operators to multi-location groups
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.
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
Multi-space daycare and boarding, high-volume salons, and busy multi-service businesses.
Bulk operations & admin
Multi-space capacity tracking
Volume pricing available
Advanced automation rules
Petboost Enterprise
Multi-location groups and franchises running every site from one HQ dashboard.
An AI answering your messages is the specific problem you are solving, and you need it working now rather than later
You run a hair and beauty salon, or a salon alongside your grooming business
You want pet owners to be able to book you from inside ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, which they have live and we do not
You would rather buy from a single working salon than from a team that designs across many of them
Your calendar problem is that your juniors are slower than your seniors across the board, rather than that some dogs take longer than others
You want automatic rebooking nudges running per client without setting them up
You are a solo operator and the $29/month ex GST entry price is what matters most
Recommended
Petboost?
You need a card on file, pre-authorisation and the ability to charge for a late cancellation or no-show
You want a card terminal at the counter as well as payment links
You sell packages, memberships or prepaid credits
You run, or plan to run, boarding, daycare, walking, training or puppy school alongside grooming
You need online bookings to require a current vaccination certificate
You want your subscription to fall to $0 as card volume grows rather than a message bill that grows with use
You are a solo groomer or a small salon and want the price on the page to be the price you pay
You want software shaped by how a hundred different salons work, from a team that also runs one
You want an SMS allowance in the plan rather than buying the messages that make the product work
You want an Australian company with a published address, a phone number and support in your own timezone
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.
Honest about change
The little bit of pain is generally 4 to 6 weeks. Then it clicks.
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.
Last verified: 17th September 2026 | Pricing and features sourced from www.synarii.com
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Synarii® is a registered trademark of its respective owners. This comparison is based on publicly available information and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Synarii.
Petboost vs Synarii | AU Pet Business Comparison | Petboost
