Software comparison
Nookal vs Zanda: neither one is Cliniko, so how do they differ?
Nookal charges a flat AUD $49 (Essentials) or $59 (Professional) a practitioner a month, plus GST, so cost scales in a straight line with headcount. Zanda charges $59 AUD for the first practitioner and $29 AUD for each extra, ex GST, working out cheaper than Nookal Essentials past 2 practitioners. Figures checked 25 September 2026.
Last checked 25 Sep 2026 against the sources listed at the end of this page.
Nookal
Pick Nookal if you are a solo practitioner where its flat per-head rate is close to Zanda's own price, or you run several sites and want built-in multi-location staff and schedule management.
Zanda
Pick Zanda if you plan to grow past 2 or 3 practitioners, where its lower per-head add-on rate overtakes Nookal's flat fee, or you want Medicare claiming included free with no per-claim charge.
What it costs
Both bill in AUD. Nookal's price is ex GST with GST calculated separately on its pricing page; Zanda's Australian pricing page also excludes GST.. Prices captured 25 Sep 2026 from Nookal and Zanda.
| Plan | 1 practitioner | 5 practitioners | 10 practitioners | How we worked it out | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nookal | Essentials, monthly, AUD, ex GST | $49 | $245 | $490 | Flat AUD$49 per practitioner. 1 x $49 = $49; 5 x $49 = $245; 10 x $49 = $490. |
| Zanda | Growth, monthly, AUD, ex GST | $59 | $175 | $320 | $59 for the first practitioner plus $29 for each additional one. 5 practitioners = $59 + 4 x $29 = $175; 10 practitioners = $59 + 9 x $29 = $320. |
Feature by feature
| Nookal | Zanda | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat rate per practitioner, no volume discount. | One base fee for the first practitioner plus a fixed per-head add-on for every extra practitioner. |
| Cost at 10 practitioners (entry tier) | $490 AUD a month, ex GST (Essentials). | $320 AUD a month, ex GST. |
| NDIS bulk claiming | Listed as an integration on the features page, without bulk upload or session pack detail. | NDIS Bulk Upload report generator producing a portal-ready CSV, plus session packs tracking hours and fund balances. |
| Multi-location management | Described on Nookal's features page as designed for multi-location clinics managing staff, schedules and data across sites. | Not described as a dedicated feature on Zanda's pricing page. |
| SMS | From 7 cents a message. | 15 cents a message. |
| Medicare claiming | Listed as an integration; a per-claim fee applies on Essentials. | Included free, per Zanda's pricing page. |
Declared bias and what this page is for
FFP Digital builds websites and online booking and tracking setups for physio and allied health clinics, and we work with whichever practice software a clinic already runs. Neither Nookal nor Zanda pays us for this page and we are not a reseller for either. Both are priced per practitioner rather than in Cliniko's flat bands, so this page compares two straight-line pricing models against each other instead of against a third tool.
Two per-head rates that cross over
Nookal Essentials is a flat AUD $49 a practitioner a month, plus GST calculated separately, with no discount for extra headcount: 5 practitioners costs 5 times as much as 1. Zanda's Growth plan works differently: $59 AUD covers the first practitioner, then $29 AUD for each additional one, ex GST. Doing the arithmetic: at 1 practitioner Nookal Essentials is cheaper ($49 against $59), but by 5 practitioners the order flips (Nookal Essentials is $245 against Zanda's $175), and at 10 practitioners the gap widens further (Nookal Essentials $490 against Zanda's $320). Zanda's base fee for the first seat costs more, but its lower per-head add-on rate overtakes Nookal as a clinic grows.
NDIS features, where the two are not equivalent
Zanda's NDIS feature page describes an NDIS Bulk Upload report generator that produces a CSV file for the PRODA or myplace portal, session packs that track approved sessions, hours and fund balances with expiry dates, and grouped statements for plan-managed clients. That page does not describe support coordination or a dedicated participant budget dashboard. Nookal's features page lists NDIS as one of its claiming integrations alongside Medicare Australia, DVA, HICAPS and Healthcode, without the bulk upload or session pack detail that Zanda's NDIS page sets out, so a clinic with a heavy NDIS caseload should check each tool's current NDIS documentation directly rather than assume parity.
Multi-location and add-ons
Nookal's features page states the platform is designed to support multi-location clinics, managing staff, schedules and data across sites, with its Enterprise tier adding multi-account management and API access. Zanda's pricing page does not describe a dedicated multi-location management feature in the same terms, though its Growth plan is not limited by location count. On messaging, Nookal's SMS starts from 7 cents a message against Zanda's 15 cents, while Zanda includes Medicare claiming free and prices e-Prescribing and its AI Scribe add-on separately, features not listed on Nookal's pricing page.
Common complaints and catches
Nookal
- A flat per-practitioner rate means the bill grows in a straight line with no volume discount
- GST is calculated separately on top of the listed price
Zanda
- The base fee for the first practitioner is higher than Nookal Essentials, so a solo practitioner may pay more up front
- SMS costs more per message than Nookal's rate
Switching between them
Patient records, appointments and billable items typically move by CSV export and import; check Nookal's or Zanda's help centre for the exact fields each accepts before you start. Reconnect Medicare, DVA and NDIS claiming integrations, and rebuild your online booking embed on your website before switching off the old account.
FFP Digital is a ServiceM8 developer and builds for Cliniko clinics. We have tried to be fair; prices are the vendors' own published figures on the date shown.
Sources
- Nookal Essentials is AUD $49 a month per practitioner and Professional is AUD $59 a month per practitioner, both flat rates with GST calculated separately; Enterprise is by quote. Nookal, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- Nookal lists integrations with Medicare Australia, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, NDIS, HICAPS and Healthcode for claiming, and states its platform is designed to support multi-location clinics managing staff, schedules and data across sites; SMS is listed from $0.07 per outbound message. Nookal, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- Zanda's Growth plan (Australia) is $59 AUD a month for the first practitioner and $29 AUD a month for each additional practitioner, excluding GST, with unlimited appointments. Zanda, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- Zanda's Australian pricing page lists SMS at $0.15 a message, e-Prescribing at $35 or $65 a practitioner a month, BizzyAI Scribe at $1 per transcription hour, and Medicare claiming included free. Zanda, checked 25 Sep 2026.
- Zanda's NDIS feature page describes an NDIS Bulk Upload report generator producing a CSV file for the PRODA or myplace portal, session packs tracking approved sessions, hours and fund balances with expiry dates, and grouped statements for plan-managed clients; it does not describe support coordination or a participant budget dashboard. Zanda, checked 25 Sep 2026.