Australian businesses have run on Petboost since 2022, including teams from Paw Partner
The short version
Paw Partner runs a photo timeline and social feed that we don't. Petboost puts the photos on per-appointment report cards instead. If a public feed for your customers is the thing you're buying, buy theirs. If you want Australian payments and SMS from +61 numbers, we're the better fit.
Why businesses choose Petboost
Purpose-built for Australian pet businesses. No compromises.
Built for Australian Businesses
AUD pricing, No FX Fees
AUD
No FX
1 system, 1 plan, multi-category
Grooming, daycare, boarding, walking, training. All included.
The USD subscription attracts your card's international transaction fee. Processing only differs if you take payments through Paw Partner, where an Australian cardholder on US Stripe carries the international card surcharge and currency conversion
P
Petboost
Built in Sydney
Australian
Founded
2022
Headquarters
Sydney, Australia
Focus
Multi-vertical pet services
Customers
Australian pet businesses, running since 2022
Where Petboost Shines
Built for Australian Businesses
US-based software simply can't match these Australian-specific advantages.
Passwordless phone login, progressive info collection, smart eligibility filtering, 24/7 booking in 38 seconds for a returning customer and 56 for a new one, no app download
Pet Profile Visibility (Owner)
What pet owners can see and manage about their pets
Both comprehensive; Petboost has 1,600+ pre-built attributes. Paw Partner notes/tags are internal-only (not visible to owners).
9 tabs (the Petprint, Owner, Wallet, Appointments, Timeline & Notes, Sales, Fields & Forms, Settings and Paperwork), plus Messages and Care & Grooming Templates when they apply
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 check-in/checkout and photo location capture with interactive visualisation
Petboost differentiator: pet owners see their pet's route on a map during mobile services
Different approaches; Petboost offers multiple operational views with intelligence cards
P
Paw Partner
Single dashboard with daily check-in/out management
P
Petboost
Mission Control: up to twelve views (Workflow, Pets, List, Run Sheet, Photos, Roster, Grid, Stays, Team Members or Resources, Services, Spotlight, Courses) + 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 programmes (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
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 certificate checks on top of record-keeping: online bookings need a current certificate, and your team sees No Vax or Expired on the appointment
P
Paw Partner
Vaccine records on pet card
P
Petboost
Certificate upload, expiry tracking, 30-day warnings, service-level requirements, and online bookings need a current certificate
Passwordless phone login, progressive info collection, smart eligibility filtering, 24/7 booking in 38 seconds for a returning customer and 56 for a new one, no app download
Pet Profile Visibility (Owner)
What pet owners can see and manage about their pets
Both comprehensive; Petboost has 1,600+ pre-built attributes. Paw Partner notes/tags are internal-only (not visible to owners).
9 tabs (the Petprint, Owner, Wallet, Appointments, Timeline & Notes, Sales, Fields & Forms, Settings and Paperwork), plus Messages and Care & Grooming Templates when they apply
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.
Photo Timeline: one-click upload, auto-tagging, push notifications, manager approval. Branded social feed with blogs, videos, promotions.
Journal/Report Cards: rich story-style cards with photos, business notes, team member attribution. Per-appointment detail.
Location Tracking (Magic Map)
GPS check-in/checkout and photo location capture with interactive visualisation
Petboost differentiator: pet owners see their pet's route on a map during mobile services
Different approaches; Petboost offers multiple operational views with intelligence cards
Single dashboard with daily check-in/out management
Mission Control: up to twelve views (Workflow, Pets, List, Run Sheet, Photos, Roster, Grid, Stays, Team Members or Resources, Services, Spotlight, Courses) + 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
Group or individual boarding, deposit management, stay reports, feeding/medication reports
Purpose-built: 24-hour period billing, tiered "stay longer save more" pricing, visual occupancy, in-stay service add-ons
Course Management
Group training programmes (puppy school, obedience)
Petboost has purpose-built course management; Paw Partner treats courses as appointments
Private or group classes, class rosters, send homework
Both handle resources; Paw Partner is kennel-focused, Petboost supports both location and mobile assets
Kennel/run assignment, playgroup management
Location Resources (kennels, rooms) + Asset Resources (vans, mobile units) with parallel capacity
Vaccination Tracking
Pet vaccination management and compliance
Petboost adds certificate checks on top of record-keeping: online bookings need a current certificate, and your team sees No Vax or Expired on the appointment
Vaccine records on pet card
Certificate upload, expiry tracking, 30-day warnings, service-level requirements, and online bookings need a current certificate
Paw Partner requires app download; Petboost works instantly from any browser
Native iOS/Android app available on App Store and Google Play
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)
QuickBooks integration (US only)
Stripe Bank Feeds to Xero (user-managed)
API
Programmatic access for custom integrations
Neither offers a public API
Multi-Location
Multiple business locations
Petboost supports multi-location via Enterprise; competitor still building
"Working on linking multiple locations" (not yet released)
Yes (Enterprise)
Last checked 7th 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:
Photo timeline/social feed
Considering
Report 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 clock
Focused elsewhere
Use dedicated payroll/rostering software (Xero, Deputy)
Staff task management
Focused elsewhere
Use dedicated task tools (Asana, Trello)
Feeding/medication/elimination reports
Considering
Facility-specific operations can be captured in appointment notes. Purpose-built reports for these are being considered.
Playgroup friend/foe management
Considering
Pet attributes capture behavioural traits but not explicit friend/foe pairing
Native branded app
Focused elsewhere
Full-screen PWA with add-to-home-screen provides native-app feel without app store complexity
Built-in email marketing campaigns
Considering
Use dedicated email marketing tools (Mailchimp, Klaviyo)
Two-way SMS messaging
Available
Available as Communications Booster add-on with dedicated Australian number and 2-way inbox
Tips
Considering
Not currently supported
Feature
Status
Our Approach
Photo timeline/social feed
Considering
Report 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 clock
Focused elsewhere
Use dedicated payroll/rostering software (Xero, Deputy)
Staff task management
Focused elsewhere
Use dedicated task tools (Asana, Trello)
Feeding/medication/elimination reports
Considering
Facility-specific operations can be captured in appointment notes. Purpose-built reports for these are being considered.
Playgroup friend/foe management
Considering
If any of these are dealbreakers today, Paw Partner 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
Paw Partner
Petboost
Annual Subscription
~$1,821-1,880 AUD (~$99.99 USD/mo x 12 + FX)
$780/year (waived at $7,500+/mo)
Subscription FX/Foreign Tx Fees (~10%)
~$182-188 AUD
$0 (AU-based)
SMS Add-on
~$200 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)
Monthly allowance by plan, then $15 for 100 to $79 for 1,000 Power-Up Packs
Payment Processing (Card-Present 20% on $500K GMV)
The subscription and rates above, applied to your volume
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 Stripe 1.7% + $0.30 through Petboost; Petboost booking fee 1.2-1.4%). With Petboost, you pay $65/month (waived at $7,500+ in card payments), a booking fee on card payments (1.2% to 1.4% by plan), and Stripe's Australian rate as a separate Stripe charge.
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.
Calculate your potential savings
Enter your business numbers and compare total costs including international card and currency conversion fees.
Cost Comparison Calculator
See exactly what you save with Petboost
Start from a business like yours
$2K$50K$100K
11020
Paw Partner
Grooming/Training
Subscription$63/mo($44.99 USD)
Payment processing$332/mo
Int'l card fee (+1.5%)+$150/mo
Currency conversion (+1%)+$100/mo
Total$645/mo
Grooming or training only
Save $305/mo
Petboost
Business Pro
Subscription$0 (waived)
Stripe processing (AU 1.7% + $0.30)$200/mo
Booking fee (1.4%)$140/mo(build into pricing)
Staff fees$0 (unlimited)
Foreign card fees$0 (AU Stripe)
Total$340/mo
If the booking fee is built into pricing: $200/mo
Annual savings: $3,664
Compared to Paw Partner Grooming/Training at 100 transactions/month
Paw Partner pricing from their pricing page. Verified 2026-09-07. USD converted to AUD at current exchange rates.
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.
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
Past bookings stay in Paw Partner for reference. We load your upcoming appointments from your go-live date, and you confirm the calendar before you switch.
Medium
Package Balances
Migrated by our team. We 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.
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: Stripe's Australian rates instead of US international rates
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: 7th September 2026 | Pricing and features sourced from pawpartner.com
Exchange rate: AUD figures converted at 1 USD = $1.4 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.
GST: every price on this page is what you actually pay. Where a competitor quotes before GST, we have added the 10%. Where a competitor prices in another currency, the local tax treatment is theirs to set, so check it before you compare.
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.
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
Businesses wanting to avoid USD subscription fees with FX conversion charges
Owners who value granular automation control with automation settings you can override 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
Pet attributes capture behavioural traits but not explicit friend/foe pairing
Native branded app
Focused elsewhere
Full-screen PWA with add-to-home-screen provides native-app feel without app store complexity
Built-in email marketing campaigns
Considering
Use dedicated email marketing tools (Mailchimp, Klaviyo)
Two-way SMS messaging
Available
Available as Communications Booster add-on with dedicated Australian number and 2-way inbox
Tips
Considering
Not currently supported
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 want SMS sent from Australian +61 numbers, 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 want your monthly fee to disappear once you are busy, not grow
You want granular Automatic Actions (5+ settings per service, not all-or-nothing)
You want intelligent reporting with 50+ InsightCards, forecasting, and geographic intelligence
You need GPS check-in/checkout and photo 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 programmes
From large daycares to solo groomers, businesses Australia-wide
