1 · The friction
Sound familiar?
What clinic owners weigh up when the software renewal email arrives.
“Why are we paying in US dollars?”
Cliniko lists its prices in USD, so the bill moves with the exchange rate.
Source: SoftwareHQ AU, Mar 2026
“The extras keep adding up”
Text messages and claims are billed on top of the subscription on all three.
Source: Pabau; splose pricing page
“Do we pay for reception too?”
Nookal and splose don't charge for admin and reception staff.
Source: Nookal plan guide; splose pricing page
“We'd switch, but everything runs on it”
Fear of a messy move keeps many clinics on software they've stopped liking.
Source: Get Active Physiotherapy audit
2 · The numbers
What three practitioners actually cost
US$95
Cliniko for 2 to 5 practitioners, per month
Toolradar, Oct 2026
A$147
Nookal Essentials for 3 practitioners, per month ex GST
APIs.io pricing read, Jul 2026
A$96
splose for 3 practitioners, per month
splose.com, Nov 2026
10¢
Per text message on Cliniko and splose
Pabau review; splose pricing page
On list price there's not much in it. Claims, add-ons and the cost of moving matter more than the headline number.
3 · Side by side
The comparison
| For a 3-physio clinic | Cliniko | Nookal | splose |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Flat price per band of practitioners | Per practitioner, per month | Per practitioner, per month |
| 3 practitioners, list price | US$95 / month (2–5 band) | A$147 / month (Essentials, ex GST) | A$96 / month |
| Admin and reception | Priced by practitioner count | Admin staff free | Non-practitioner roles free |
| Text messages | 10¢ each, prepaid | Billed per message | 10¢ each |
| Claims | Check current options | Built-in Medicare claiming, from 10¢ a claim | HICAPS digital claims for NDIS only |
| API access | Documented REST API | Professional plan and up (A$59) | Included |
| Reported gaps | Group sessions, thin reporting | API not on entry plan | AI add-on costs A$27 per user extra |
List prices as published by each vendor or price trackers, Jul–Nov 2026. Cliniko bills in US dollars. Check current pricing before you decide.
4 · The decision
Which one fits your clinic?
Stay on Cliniko if
Your team finds it easy and likes it.
You run mostly one-on-one sessions.
Your frustrations are about setup, not missing features.
Look at Nookal or splose if
You process lots of Medicare claims (Nookal).
NDIS work and budget are your priorities (splose).
Paying in USD is a real problem for you.
Before you switch
Data entered after your export doesn't move across automatically.
Some files, letters and notes may need exporting by hand.
Budget a quiet day for the cut-over.
5 · From our work
How Get Active Physiotherapy approached the decision
Challenge
Unhappy with Cliniko, but the whole clinic ran on it and switching felt risky.
Action
Audit the setup and booking flow first, to find what was really causing the friction before choosing new software.
Result
Fix first
The clinic is fixing setup, booking and tracking first, and will review a switch with real data.
6 · Quick answers
Questions clinics ask us
Which is cheapest for three physios?
On list price, splose (A$96 a month), then Cliniko (US$95, which is more in AUD), then Nookal Essentials (A$147 ex GST).
Can I try them first?
Yes. All three offer a free trial, so run real appointments for a week before you commit.
How long does switching take?
Usually about a week: a day to audit and check the setup, a day to migrate, then a few days of monitoring.