Australian businesses have run on Petboost since 2022, including teams from RunLoyal
The short version
RunLoyal will build you a branded app in the app stores, which we don't do. It charges a setup fee and puts SMS, memberships and kiosk behind paid add-ons, so the real bill lands well above the headline. If a branded app is what you're buying, buy theirs. If you want SMS, memberships and kiosk in the box, they're already in ours.
Why businesses choose Petboost
Purpose-built for Australian pet businesses. No compromises.
No Setup Fee
No setup fee, and your subscription is waived at $7,500+/month in card payments.
AUD
No FX
Australian Card Rates
Stripe's Australian rate (1.7% + $0.30) and our 1.2-1.4% booking fee as separate lines, against ~5.4% on US Stripe.
Grooming
Daycare
Boarding
Walking
Training
All on one plan. No add-ons.
Included on Every Business Plan
SMS allowance, memberships, packages, courses and staff access. Two-way SMS is the optional Communications Booster.
Others
6+ clicks
Petboost
1-2 clicks
All Species Welcome
Not just dogs. Groom, walk, board, and train every pet type with full multi-species support.
$119-339 USD/month subscription + $25-99/month per add-on + $499 setup fee (plus FX fees for Australian cards)
US Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 base + 1.5% intl card + 1% FX = ~5.4% (vs Stripe 1.7% + $0.30 through Petboost; Petboost booking fee 1.2-1.4%)
The USD subscription, the add-on fees and the one-off setup fee apply whatever you do about payments, and the subscription attracts your card's international transaction fee. Processing only differs if you take payments through RunLoyal
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.
Both sell products in-app. RunLoyal's Loyal Cart is a $25/month add-on; Petboost includes products and has no stock control
R
RunLoyal
Loyal Cart ($25/month add-on)
P
Petboost
Products on invoices and in-store, no stock control
Review Management
Automated review requests
RunLoyal automates the sending. External Reviews no longer carries a standalone price and is only listed inside the Growth ($140/mo) and Pro ($239/mo) bundles. Petboost's requests are sent per appointment by a person
R
RunLoyal
External Reviews add-on (Growth or Pro bundle)
P
Petboost
Manual review requests, included: by text with Communications Booster, or copied into an email
Visual Facility Map
Drag-and-drop kennel/room map
RunLoyal has visual kennel management
R
RunLoyal
Available
P
Petboost
Considering
Multi-Location
Multiple business locations
Both support multi-location; Petboost via Enterprise
R
RunLoyal
Per-location pricing
P
Petboost
Yes (Enterprise)
Reporting
Business analytics and insights
Different strengths; Petboost more prescriptive with domain-specific insights
RunLoyal charges for Mailchimp; Petboost connects to Xero via Stripe Bank Feeds
R
RunLoyal
Mailchimp ($25/month + $199 setup)
P
Petboost
Xero-ready via Stripe Bank Feeds, Stripe, more coming
Dynamic Pricing
Occupancy-based pricing adjustments
RunLoyal adjusts by occupancy as a $39/month add-on. Petboost Dynamic Pricing is included and prices by date instead: public holidays, weekdays, date ranges such as school holidays, and per-pet rates
R
RunLoyal
Occupancy Based Pricing ($39/month add-on)
P
Petboost
Holiday, weekday, date-range and per-pet rates
Feature comparison
RunLoyal vs Petboost
R
RunLoyal
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
P
Petboost
Australian-built
Monthly Subscription
Base software cost
RunLoyal's subscription is per location in USD; Petboost's is in AUD and waived at $7,500+/month in card payments
$119-339 USD/month per location
$65/month (waived at $7,500+ in card payments)
Setup Fee
One-time onboarding cost
RunLoyal requires a mandatory setup fee
$499 USD (required)
$0
Appointment Limits
Monthly appointment caps per tier
RunLoyal appointment limits require higher tiers as businesses grow
500-5,000 per month (varies by tier)
No appointment cap (an overage fee applies past your plan's allowance)
Staff App Licences
Mobile staff app access
RunLoyal limits staff mobile access per plan tier
1-10 licences per tier; additional $10/month each
Unlimited staff access
Booking Engine
Appointment scheduling system
Both strong; Petboost has AI-assisted scheduling
Calendar with drag-and-drop, colour coding
Magic Schedule + Quick Force dual modes
Payment Processing (AU)
Card payment rates for Australian businesses
Significant savings for Australian businesses with Petboost
Both sell products in-app. RunLoyal's Loyal Cart is a $25/month add-on; Petboost includes products and has no stock control
Loyal Cart ($25/month add-on)
Products on invoices and in-store, no stock control
Review Management
Automated review requests
RunLoyal automates the sending. External Reviews no longer carries a standalone price and is only listed inside the Growth ($140/mo) and Pro ($239/mo) bundles. Petboost's requests are sent per appointment by a person
External Reviews add-on (Growth or Pro bundle)
Manual review requests, included: by text with Communications Booster, or copied into an email
Visual Facility Map
Drag-and-drop kennel/room map
RunLoyal has visual kennel management
Available
Considering
Multi-Location
Multiple business locations
Both support multi-location; Petboost via Enterprise
Per-location pricing
Yes (Enterprise)
Reporting
Business analytics and insights
Different strengths; Petboost more prescriptive with domain-specific insights
RunLoyal charges for Mailchimp; Petboost connects to Xero via Stripe Bank Feeds
Mailchimp ($25/month + $199 setup)
Xero-ready via Stripe Bank Feeds, Stripe, more coming
Dynamic Pricing
Occupancy-based pricing adjustments
RunLoyal adjusts by occupancy as a $39/month add-on. Petboost Dynamic Pricing is included and prices by date instead: public holidays, weekdays, date ranges such as school holidays, and per-pet rates
Occupancy Based Pricing ($39/month add-on)
Holiday, weekday, date-range and per-pet rates
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:
Native iOS/Android apps
Considering
Progressive web app (add to home screen) works well; native apps add complexity
Kiosk check-in/out
Available
Self-service kiosk mode lets customers check in on a tablet at the front desk, with a passcode to exit kiosk mode
Camera integration
Focused elsewhere
Use dedicated camera systems
Built-in phone system (VoIP)
Focused elsewhere
Use dedicated phone systems
AI-written report cards
Focused elsewhere
Petboost Report Cards carry session notes, a photo gallery, who the pet played with, a star rating and a rebook prompt, texted with Communications Booster (or on Enterprise) or downloaded as a PDF. They are built from the notes and photos your team adds, not written by AI.
Retail POS/inventory
Focused elsewhere
Petboost sells products as retail line items you add to an appointment invoice or sell in-store. What we do not do is stock control: no stock levels, reorder points or cost of goods. Use dedicated retail software (Square, Shopify) for stock.
Staff payroll/timesheets
Focused elsewhere
Use dedicated payroll software (Xero, MYOB)
Visual kennel/room map
Considering
Focus on service delivery first
Occupancy-based dynamic pricing
Focused elsewhere
Petboost Dynamic Pricing prices by date, not by occupancy: public holidays, weekdays, date ranges such as school holidays, and per-pet rates.
Feature
Status
Our Approach
Native iOS/Android apps
Considering
Progressive web app (add to home screen) works well; native apps add complexity
Kiosk check-in/out
Available
Self-service kiosk mode lets customers check in on a tablet at the front desk, with a passcode to exit kiosk mode
Camera integration
Focused elsewhere
Use dedicated camera systems
Built-in phone system (VoIP)
Focused elsewhere
Use dedicated phone systems
AI-written report cards
Focused elsewhere
Petboost Report Cards carry session notes, a photo gallery, who the pet played with, a star rating and a rebook prompt, texted with Communications Booster (or on Enterprise) or downloaded as a PDF. They are built from the notes and photos your team adds, not written by AI.
Retail POS/inventory
Focused elsewhere
Petboost sells products as retail line items you add to an appointment invoice or sell in-store. What we do not do is stock control: no stock levels, reorder points or cost of goods. Use dedicated retail software (Square, Shopify) for stock.
Staff payroll/timesheets
Focused elsewhere
Use dedicated payroll software (Xero, MYOB)
Visual kennel/room map
Considering
Focus on service delivery first
Occupancy-based dynamic pricing
Focused elsewhere
Petboost Dynamic Pricing prices by date, not by occupancy: public holidays, weekdays, date ranges such as school holidays, and per-pet rates.
If any of these are dealbreakers today, RunLoyal 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
RunLoyal
Petboost
Annual Subscription (Sprint + typical add-ons)
~$6,535-9,122 AUD (~$4,668-6,516 USD)
$780/year (waived at $7,500+/mo)
Setup Fee (Year 1)
~$699 AUD ($499 USD)
$0
Subscription FX/Foreign Tx Fees (~10%)
~$654-912 AUD
$0 (AU-based)
Payment Processing (Online 80% on $300K GMV)
~$12,960 AUD (5.4% + $0.30 USD)
Stripe 1.7% + $0.30
Payment Processing (Card-Present 20%)
~$3,240 AUD
Stripe 1.7% + $0.10
Petboost Booking Fee
N/A
1.2-1.4% on card payments
Total Annual Cost
~$24,088-26,933 AUD
The subscription and rates above, applied to your volume
You may be paying twice with RunLoyal
$119-339 USD/month subscription + $25-99/month per add-on + $499 setup fee (plus FX fees for Australian cards), plus US Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 base + 1.5% intl card + 1% FX = ~5.4% (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
RunLoyal
Jog
Subscription$168/mo($119 USD)
Payment processing$332/mo
Int'l card fee (+1.5%)+$150/mo
Currency conversion (+1%)+$100/mo
Total$750/mo
Up to 500 appointments/month. 1 staff app licence. SMS is $29/mo add-on.
Save $410/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: $4,924
Compared to RunLoyal Jog at 100 transactions/month
RunLoyal 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.
You want native branded apps in the App Store and Google Play
Kiosk check-in and camera feeds are important to your business model
AI-generated report cards (Scout AI) would save significant staff time
You need an integrated phone system (LoyalVoice)
Budget for $409-583+ USD/month + processing is manageable
Recommended
Petboost?
You're an Australian business wanting local support
Payment processing costs matter to your bottom line
You want no setup fee and a subscription waived at $7,500+/month in card payments
You want memberships, packages and courses on your plan rather than as paid add-ons
You value granular automation control
You serve multiple pet species (not dog-only)
SMS payment links and Australian SMS are important
You want unlimited staff and no appointment cap (an overage fee applies past your plan's allowance)
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: 7th September 2026 | Pricing and features sourced from www.runloyal.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.
RunLoyal® is a registered trademark of its respective owners. This comparison is based on publicly available information and is not affiliated with or endorsed by RunLoyal.
Petboost vs RunLoyal | AU Pet Business Comparison | Petboost
