How Much Does Booking Software Cost in Australia? (2026 Price Guide, No Hidden Fees)
In Australia, booking software costs anything from $0 to around $400 a month. Free plans exist (Square Appointments, SimplyBook.me, Zoho Bookings), most salon and appointment systems cost about $30 to $80 per staff member a month, and all-in-one studio platforms cost more. The monthly fee is rarely the whole bill: card fees, SMS charges, new-client commissions and setup can add more than the plan itself. InstantBookingPro is $59, $79 or $119 a month including GST, set up for you for a one-off $149 (introductory offer), with no card, SMS or commission fees. Prices were checked on vendors’ own pages on 19 October 2026.
“How much does it cost?” sounds like a simple question until you open a few pricing pages. Some prices are per staff member, some per location. Some include GST and some don’t. Some are in US dollars. And the fees that matter most are often a line or two below the plan price. This guide breaks the real cost into its parts, gives current AUD price ranges and works through examples, so you can compare like with like.
The six parts of a booking software bill
- The plan fee A monthly or yearly subscription. Yearly billing is usually cheaper: SimplyBook.me advertises about 17% off, InstantBookingPro 15%.
- Per-staff or per-location pricing Many systems charge for each staff member (Timely, Fresha’s Team plan, Zoho Bookings) or each location (Square, Mindbody), so the bill grows as you hire.
- Card processing fees If customers pay through the system, expect roughly 1.3% to 2.2% per transaction, sometimes plus a fixed fee of up to 30c.
- SMS and messaging Some plans include a monthly SMS allowance. Beyond it, texts are typically charged at about 6c to 20c each.
- New-client commissions Marketplace-style platforms can charge a share of a new client’s first booking. Fresha’s is 20%, minimum A$8, for clients who find you through its marketplace.
- Setup and onboarding Most DIY tools are free to set up if you do the work yourself. Done-for-you setup is a one-off fee.
Booking software prices in Australia (October 2026)
| System | Published price | Basis | GST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square Appointments | Free; Plus $40; Premium $90 a month | Per location | Not stated |
| SimplyBook.me | Free; A$14 / A$28 / A$80 a month | Per account, with booking and staff caps | Not stated |
| Zoho Bookings | Free; A$12.41 / A$18.61 a month | Per user | Included |
| Fresha | A$44.95 a month (Independent); A$29.95 per team member (Team) | Per team member on Team | Excluded |
| Timely | $42 / $65 / $79 a month | Per staff member | Excluded |
| Cliniko (health) | From $45 a month | By number of practitioners | Excluded |
| Mindbody (fitness) | A$89 / A$279 / A$369 a month | Per location | Not stated |
| InstantBookingPro | $59 / $79 / $119 a month, plus $149 one-off setup | Flat plan price | Included |
US-priced tools such as Setmore (Pro US$12 per user a month), Acuity Scheduling (from US$20 a month) and Calendly (from US$12 per seat a month) will vary with the exchange rate. For a side-by-side look at features as well as price, see our comparison of the best online booking systems in Australia.
Worked examples: what you’d actually pay
These examples use the published prices above. They’re illustrations, not quotes: your card fees depend on your takings, and some systems include features (such as payments or SMS) that others don’t.
A salon with 3 stylists
| Monthly software cost | Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Fresha (Team) | 3 × A$29.95 = A$89.85 ex GST (A$98.84 incl. GST) | Card fees if you take payments; 20% (minimum A$8) on each new marketplace client; texts beyond the free allowance |
| Timely (Build) | 3 × $42 = $126 ex GST ($138.60 incl. GST) | Card fees if you take payments; SMS allowance included |
| Square Appointments (Plus) | $40 for one location | Card fees: 1.6% in person, 2.2% online |
| InstantBookingPro (Scale) | $79 incl. GST | $149 one-off setup. No payments or SMS, so no card or SMS fees |
What a new-client commission can add
Say a new client finds you on a marketplace and books a $60 cut. A 20% commission is $12. If the service were $30, the A$8 minimum would apply instead. Ten new marketplace clients a month at $60 adds $120. Clients who book through your own link don’t attract this fee on Fresha, which is one reason to put your own booking link everywhere customers look. Our step-by-step guide shows how to add a Book now button to Instagram and Google.
What card fees can add
If you take $5,000 a month in online card payments through a system charging 1.59% + 28c, across 100 transactions, the fees come to about $79.50 plus $28, or $107.50 a month. If customers pay you in the shop as they do today, a booking system that doesn’t process payments adds no card fees.
Tip: To compare fairly, convert everything to the same basis: monthly, including GST, for your actual number of staff, plus your expected card, SMS and commission fees. A cheaper headline price can cost more once your team grows.
Is there free booking software?
Yes. Square Appointments has a free plan for a single location, SimplyBook.me is free for up to 50 bookings a month, Zoho Bookings is free for one user and Setmore is free for up to four users. Free plans earn their money elsewhere, usually through card fees, paid add-ons or limits that push you onto a paid plan as you grow. They suit businesses happy to set up and maintain the system themselves.
What is the cheapest booking system?
On sticker price, the free plans above. On total cost, it depends on your staff numbers, how customers pay and where new clients come from. A free plan with 2.2% online card fees on $5,000 a month costs $110 a month in fees. A $79 flat plan with no card fees costs $79. Work it out for your own numbers before choosing.
What InstantBookingPro costs, line by line
| Plan | Monthly (incl. GST) | Yearly (incl. GST, 15% off) | First payment (monthly plan) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch: solo providers | $59 | $601.80 | $208 ($59 + $149 setup) |
| Scale: multiple staff | $79 | $805.80 | $228 ($79 + $149 setup) |
| Elite: advanced reporting | $119 | $1,213.80 | $268 ($119 + $149 setup) |
- Included: your branded booking page, set up for you; services with durations and prices; staff calendars with their own hours, breaks and leave; no double bookings; an admin console with a day timeline, customer lookup and reports.
- Scale adds multiple staff calendars, staff-based availability, and staff calendars and assignment set up to suit your business. Elite adds advanced reporting, staff performance insights and priority onboarding.
- No hidden fees: no per-booking fees, no commissions and no card or SMS charges. The system doesn’t take payments or send SMS, so there’s nothing to charge for. Appointment reminders aren’t part of the system at the moment.
- Cancel any time: cancelling stops the next renewal and you keep the period you’ve paid for (see our Terms and Conditions).
See how it’s set up for salons and barbers and car washes and detailers, or try the live booking demo.
A flat price, set up for you. Send us your services and hours and we’ll have your booking page live, typically within 24 hours. From $59 a month including GST.
Frequently asked questions
How much does booking software cost in Australia?
Is there free booking software?
How much does Fresha charge per month?
Does Fresha take a percentage, and what is the new client fee?
How much do booking platforms charge per transaction?
Are there setup fees?
Prices checked on each vendor’s pricing page on 19 October 2026 and shown as published (AUD unless marked US$). Prices change, so confirm the current price with the vendor before signing up.
Get instant online bookings
We build and launch your branded booking system for you — typically live within 24 hours.