Best Online Appointment Scheduling Software in Australia (2026 Guide)
Compare ten booking platforms for Australian appointment businesses, with current prices, payment fees, limits and links to every official source.
When I first wrote about appointment software, I treated every calendar tool as if it solved the same problem. It does not. A consultant needs simple meeting links. A salon needs staff, rooms, deposits and no-show fees. A clinic may need treatment notes and stronger privacy controls.
Australian businesses also need to look past a cheap headline. Is the price in AUD? Is GST extra? How much does each card payment cost? Are SMS reminders included? A free calendar can become expensive when payments, staff and messages are added.
My short answer: Square Appointments is the strongest starting point for a general Australian appointment business. Acuity is excellent for solo professionals and teams that need forms and separate calendars. Timely or Fresha make more sense for salons. Cliniko is built for allied health. Calendly is best for meetings, not a front desk.
Prices and features were checked on 22 July 2026. Every important figure links to an official vendor source. Prices can change, and GST, card processing, SMS, foreign exchange, marketplace fees and add-ons may cost extra.
Best picks by business type
Start with the workflow closest to yours, then use the full comparison to check pricing and limits.
Compare appointment scheduling software in Australia
Swipe sideways to compare all five columns →
| Software | Advertised starting price | Trial or free entry | Best for | Useful number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square Appointments | A$0; Plus A$40 per location | Free plan; 30-day paid trial | Australian service businesses using Square | Unlimited calendars |
| Acuity | US$20 monthly | 7 days, no card | Solo professionals and appointment teams | 1, 6 or 36 calendars |
| Timely | US$26 per staff member | Demo or signup | Hair and beauty businesses | 100 SMS per staff on Build |
| Fresha | US$19.95 for a one-person business | 7 days | Beauty and wellness appointments | 2.79% + $0.20 online payments |
| Cliniko | US$45 for one practitioner | 30 days | Allied health clinics | US$95 for 2 to 5 practitioners |
| Setmore | Free; Pro US$12 per user monthly | Free plan | Budget-conscious small teams | 4 users and 200 bookings on Free |
| SimplyBook.me | Free; Basic €13.90 monthly | 14 days, no card | Businesses needing configurable features | 50 bookings on Free |
| Calendly | Free; Standard US$10 per seat on annual billing | 14 days | Consultants, coaches and sales meetings | 1 calendar on Free, 6 on Standard |
| CoreBookings | A$59 per month + GST | Free trial available | Australian businesses mixing privates and classes | 3 monthly plans |
| Bookamat | Free for up to 10 active clients | 14 days, no card | Teachers and hybrid studios | Pay by active clients |
Appointment scheduling is not the same as class booking
An appointment usually reserves one staff member, room or service for one client. You need buffers, forms, deposits, recurring appointments and a clear cancellation policy.
A class has shared capacity. It may need a waitlist, attendance, 5 or 10-class passes, memberships and late-cancellation rules. If classes are your main business, compare the best yoga studio software and apps or the deeper guide to yoga studio management software in Australia.
Some businesses are hybrid. A Pilates studio may run group reformer classes and private physio appointments. The guide to Pilates and physio booking software explains that crossover in more detail.
What Australian appointment businesses should check
- Total cost in AUD. Include GST, exchange rates, staff seats, locations, card processing, SMS, marketplace fees and add-ons.
- Staff and resource calendars. A salon may need a stylist, room and chair available at the same time. A simple meeting link cannot always do that.
- Deposits and cancellation rules. Test prepayment, cards on file, late cancellation and no-show charges from booking to refund.
- Intake and consent forms. Check whether clients can complete the right form before the appointment and whether staff can find it quickly.
- Payment and point of sale. If you sell products at reception, compare the appointment calendar with your point-of-sale workflow.
- Data export and support. Export clients, future bookings and sales before committing. Ask one real support question during the trial.
Payment fees deserve real arithmetic. If an Australian business processes A$10,000 of card-present payments through Square at 1.6%, the processing fee is A$160 before any other charges. The subscription may be free, but taking payment is not. See Square's official Australian pricing and processing rates.
1. Square Appointments: best all-round Australian option
Square Appointments combines bookings, payments, customer records and point of sale. The Australian Free plan costs A$0 for one location. Plus costs A$40 per location each month and Premium costs A$90, with a 30-day trial of paid plans.
All plans include unlimited staff calendars, mobile apps, reminders, a booking website, card on file and prepayments. Plus adds multiple locations, class booking, waitlists, Google Calendar sync and cancellation fees. Premium adds resource management and advanced staff tools.
Where Square is strong
- Australian pricing and no-cost single-location entry
- Unlimited calendars on every plan
- Integrated POS, invoices, gift cards and hardware
- Published rates of 1.6% in person and 2.2% online or manually entered
What to check
The free plan excludes multiple locations, waitlists, class booking and Google Calendar sync. Payment processing can be the largest ongoing cost. Compare the full feature table on the official Square Appointments pricing page.
2. Acuity Scheduling: best for solo professionals and teams
Acuity is built around client self-scheduling. It handles forms, time zones, reminders and payment integrations without requiring the broader Square sales system.
Monthly plans are US$20 for Starter, US$34 for Standard and US$61 for Premium. Annual billing reduces those advertised monthly equivalents to US$16, US$27 and US$49. The plans include 1, 6 and 36 calendars, with a 7-day trial.
Where Acuity is strong
- Stripe, Square and PayPal payment integrations
- Client intake forms and automatic time-zone conversion
- Packages, subscriptions, gift certificates and SMS on Standard and above
- Useful separation of staff or location calendars
What to check
Australian businesses are billed in USD, and packages or memberships require Standard or Premium. Acuity can accept group bookings, but it is appointment-first. Confirm current limits on the official Acuity pricing page.
3. Timely: best for hair and beauty businesses
Timely is made for hair and beauty professionals, with appointments, client records, reminders, marketing, deposits and TimelyPay. It is not the time-tracking product at timely.com; the official salon platform is at gettimely.com.
Build costs US$26 per staff member each month, Elevate US$39 and Innovate US$47. The plans include 100, 200 and 350 SMS messages per staff member respectively, with excess SMS listed at 20 cents.
For Australia, Timely publishes domestic online payment fees of 1.75% + A$0.30 and international fees of 2.9% + A$0.30. Australian GST may also apply to subscription invoices.
Where Timely is strong
- Salon-specific scheduling and client experience
- SMS allowance published for each plan
- Australian TimelyPay rates and next-business-day payouts
- Deposits, cancellation charges, gift vouchers and marketing
What to check
Pricing is per staff member in USD, so team growth and exchange rates affect the bill. Read Timely's official plan comparison and Australian payment rates.
4. Fresha: best for beauty marketplace discovery
Fresha combines salon and wellness scheduling with payments, point of sale, messaging and a consumer marketplace. The company now uses subscriptions calculated by bookable team members rather than the older fully free model.
Fresha's official 2026 software comparison lists US$19.95 monthly for a one-person business and US$14.95 per bookable team member for teams. Its terms provide a 7-day trial when a subscription becomes payable.
The official pricing page lists online payments at 2.79% + $0.20 and in-person payments at 2.29% + $0.20, plus $0.10 for tap-to-pay authorisation. Rates exclude local sales taxes.
Where Fresha is strong
- Beauty and wellness marketplace
- Unlimited bookings without a per-appointment booking fee
- Integrated payments, no-show fees and point of sale
- Subscription scales with bookable staff
What to check
Marketplace acquisition, payments and team seats can all affect the total. Confirm the currency shown for your account and model the fees using your own sales. Use Fresha's official pricing and payment table.
5. Cliniko: best for allied health clinics
Cliniko is practice management software for allied health rather than a generic booking page. It adds patient records, treatment notes, practitioner management, online bookings and clinic reporting.
The 30-day trial includes all features. Pricing is US$45 per month for one practitioner, US$95 for 2 to 5, US$145 for 6 to 8 and up to US$395 for 26 to 200 practitioners. SMS credits cost 10 cents per message.
Where Cliniko is strong
- Allied health records and clinical workflows
- Simple practitioner-count pricing
- Round-the-clock chat and email support
- Xero, Mailchimp and other connected apps
What to check
Prices are in USD, and specialist compliance needs still require your own assessment. A Pilates or physiotherapy business should compare Cliniko with the practical workflow in our physio and Pilates guide. Verify prices on the official Cliniko pricing page.
6. Setmore: best free option for a small team
Setmore's free plan supports up to 4 users and 200 appointments per month. It includes booking pages, email reminders, payments and team calendars. Pro adds unlimited appointments, SMS reminders, recurring appointments, two-way calendar sync and removes Setmore branding.
Web pricing for Pro is US$12 per user monthly or US$5 per user per month on annual billing. Setmore describes a 30-day money-back period rather than a conventional free paid trial.
Where Setmore is strong
- Four staff profiles on the free plan
- Square, Stripe, PayPal and LawPay options
- Booking website and iOS, Android and desktop apps
- 24/7 support advertised on both plans
What to check
The free plan has a 200-appointment monthly limit and excludes SMS, recurring appointments and two-way sync. Pricing can differ when subscriptions are bought through mobile app stores. See Setmore's official pricing comparison.
7. SimplyBook.me: best for configurable booking features
SimplyBook.me charges per business, with limits on providers, bookings and custom features. This can suit teams that need options such as forms, memberships, payments, point of sale or industry-specific settings.
The free plan includes 1 provider, 50 bookings per month and 1 custom feature. Basic costs €13.90 monthly or €11.90 on annual billing, with 5 providers and 100 bookings. Standard is €29.90 monthly with 500 bookings, and Premium is €59.90 with 2,000.
A 14-day trial provides premium features without a credit card.
Where SimplyBook.me is strong
- Free entry and no per-user pricing
- Feature selection for different service industries
- Plans scale providers and booking allowances
- No platform transaction fee advertised for the core plans
What to check
Prices are in euros, and useful custom features are limited by plan. List every required feature before choosing a tier. Check the limits on the official SimplyBook.me pricing page.
8. Calendly: best for coaches, consultants and sales meetings
Calendly is designed to remove email back-and-forth when arranging meetings. It works well for consultants, coaches, recruiters and sales teams, especially when video calls and connected calendars matter more than point of sale.
The free plan includes 1 event type and 1 connected calendar. Standard costs US$10 per seat per month on annual billing and connects up to 6 calendars. Teams costs US$16 per seat and adds round-robin distribution. The paid trial lasts 14 days.
Where Calendly is strong
- Simple meeting links and time-zone handling
- Video conferencing and calendar integrations
- Stripe and PayPal on Standard
- Round-robin scheduling for sales or support teams
What to check
Calendly is not a salon, clinic or studio management system. It lacks a full reception POS and industry-specific records. Review the official Calendly plan and calendar limits.
9. CoreBookings: best for Australian businesses mixing appointments and classes
CoreBookings, formerly KRIYA, is built in Sydney for yoga, Pilates, dance, art and boutique fitness businesses. It is a better fit when private appointments sit beside group classes, courses, workshops, passes and memberships.
Monthly plans are A$59, A$99 and A$149 + GST. CoreBookings includes Stripe payments, attendance, client records, automated emails and reporting, with Australian support.
Where CoreBookings is strong
- Australian product, AUD pricing and local support
- Private sessions beside classes, passes and workshops
- Free client app for iOS and Android
- Useful for art classes and martial arts businesses with mixed booking types
What to check
CoreBookings is not clinic software and is not designed for a salon chair workflow. Use it where classes and appointment-like private sessions overlap. Explore the CoreBookings product, customer stories and current plans.
10. Bookamat: best for teachers growing from private sessions
Bookamat supports appointments, classes, packs, memberships, waitlists, payments and multi-location businesses. It suits an independent teacher who starts with private sessions and adds a timetable later.
The full platform is free for businesses with 10 or fewer active clients. Bookamat then uses local, pay-as-you-grow pricing based on plan and active-client count. It advertises a 14-day trial with no credit card and says more than 200 studios use the product.
Where Bookamat is strong
- Free entry for no more than 10 active clients
- All features and unlimited locations on paid plans
- Stripe, Square and Paystack, subject to country availability
- Appointments and classes in the same product
What to check
Calculate the price using your active-client count and confirm the Australian processing fee. If you are a new teacher planning both private and group work, read our booking system setup guide. See the official Bookamat pricing.
Which appointment platform fits your business?
- General Australian service business: Start with Square Appointments, especially if you already use Square payments or POS.
- Consultant, coach or tutor: Compare Acuity and Calendly.
- Hair, beauty or wellness salon: Compare Timely and Fresha using your actual staff count and payment volume.
- Allied health clinic: Start with Cliniko rather than a generic meeting link.
- Small team needing a free calendar: Setmore includes up to 4 users and 200 monthly bookings.
- Business mixing privates and classes: Compare CoreBookings and Bookamat.
A simple 7-day appointment software test
- Create a 60-minute service with a 15-minute buffer.
- Add two staff members with different working hours.
- Book from a phone and complete the client intake form.
- Take a deposit, then cancel and process the correct refund.
- Reschedule across a public holiday or time-zone change.
- Send a reminder and check the SMS cost or allowance.
- Export clients, future appointments, payments and staff schedules.
Time the common tasks and contact support once. A polished booking page is not enough if reception cannot move an appointment or find a deposit when the phone is ringing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best appointment scheduling software for a small Australian business?
Square Appointments is a strong starting point for an appointment-only Australian business because it has a free single-location plan, AUD pricing and integrated payments. Setmore is another useful free option. If you also run group classes, compare CoreBookings or Bookamat.
How much does appointment scheduling software cost?
The products in this guide range from free plans to per-user, per-practitioner or per-location subscriptions. A small paid plan may start around A$40, US$10 or EUR13.90 per month, but payment processing, SMS, GST, extra staff and marketplace fees can cost more than the subscription.
Can appointment software charge deposits and no-show fees?
Many products can take deposits, prepayments or keep a card on file, but the feature may require a paid plan or integrated payment processor. Test the complete cancellation and no-show workflow before choosing.
Is GST included in appointment software pricing?
It depends on the supplier. Australian pricing pages may display prices before or after GST, while overseas software may add Australian GST to the invoice. Check the official pricing notes and ask your accountant how the subscription should be recorded.
What is the difference between appointment scheduling and class booking software?
Appointment scheduling assigns one client or a small group to a staff member, room or service for a set time. Class software manages shared capacity, passes, attendance and waitlists. Hybrid businesses should test both workflows.
Is general appointment software suitable for allied health?
A calendar alone is not enough for many clinics. Allied health businesses may need clinical notes, privacy controls, treatment plans and practitioner reporting. A clinic product such as Cliniko is usually more appropriate than a general meeting scheduler.
My recommendation
For a straightforward Australian appointment business, I would begin with Square Appointments. The free plan, AUD pricing and published payment rates make the first comparison easy. Acuity is my next choice when forms and staff calendars matter more than a full POS.
Choose the specialist product when your industry needs it. Timely and Fresha understand salon workflows. Cliniko understands allied health. Calendly understands meetings. CoreBookings and Bookamat understand businesses that combine private sessions with classes.
Run the same seven-day test in two systems, then compare the annual subscription, payments, SMS and staff costs. For a hybrid class and appointment business, book a CoreBookings demo or start a free trial.