A vet wellness plan is a membership, not insurance. The owner pays a fixed monthly, fortnightly or annual fee that covers routine care such as check-ups, vaccinations and parasite prevention, plus a discount on other services. In Australia, Greencross Vets charges A$660 a year for its Healthy Pets Plus adult plan. The clinic gets predictable revenue and more frequent visits.
Key takeaways
- Greencross Healthy Pets Plus costs A$660 a year (A$696 for seniors), payable fortnightly, monthly or annually.
- Banfield says members save at least 30% on average versus paying per service, if they use everything included.
- CHOICE found plans typically cost about A$50 to A$60 a month and warns owners to check they'll use the inclusions.
- The plan works because it includes the visits that surface treatment needs, and because it's sold as peace of mind, not insurance.
Every pet owner knows the feeling.
You walk out of the vet with a healthy dog, a tired arm from holding the lead, and a bill that's somehow bigger than you expected. Consultation. Vaccination. Worming. "While we're here, let's check those ears."
None of it was a surprise. All of it was predictable. And yet it still landed as a lump.
That's exactly the kind of spending a subscription fixes. And vet clinics have worked it out. Through pet wellness plans, a lot of vets have quietly turned themselves into subscription businesses.
What did the vets actually do?
They took the visits owners already make every year and put them in one fee.
In the US, Banfield Pet Hospital's Optimum Wellness Plans are year-long preventive-care packages. They bundle two comprehensive exams a year, routine vaccinations, exam fees and diagnostic testing. Banfield says members save at least 30% on average compared with paying for each service separately, as long as they use all the services included.
In Australia, Greencross Vets' Healthy Pets Plus is a 12-month membership. Greencross promotes unlimited vet consultations, free vaccinations and microchipping, and 10% off vet services and products. Members can use their benefits across Greencross clinics, partner hospitals in its emergency network, and Petbarn stores.
Here are the numbers, as at October 2026:
| Plan | Price | How it's paid | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greencross Healthy Pets Plus (Puppy & Kitten, Adult) | A$660 a year | Fortnightly, monthly or annually | Unlimited consults, vaccinations, microchipping, 10% off services and products |
| Greencross Healthy Pets Plus (Senior) | A$696 a year | Fortnightly, monthly or annually | As above, senior plan |
| Banfield Optimum Wellness Plan (US) | Varies by plan | Year-long plan | Two exams a year, routine vaccinations, exam fees, diagnostics |
| Typical plan, per CHOICE (AU) | About A$50 to A$60 a month | Usually monthly | Varies by provider |
Look at the payment options. A$660 a year is a decision. A$25 a fortnight is a coffee and a bit. Same money, very different feeling.
Why does a wellness plan work for the clinic?
In The Subscription Playbook I described the insurance model in one line: we pay for peace of mind.
A wellness plan is a cousin of that model. It isn't insurance (and the clinic needs to say so). But it sells the same feeling. The owner knows the routine stuff is handled. They stop doing mental math every time the dog scratches an ear.
For the clinic, three things happen.
Revenue becomes predictable. Fees arrive every fortnight or month, whatever the appointment book looks like.
Pets come in more often. When the consult is already paid for, owners book it. More visits means problems get caught early, and early problems turn into treatment. That treatment is where the clinic earns, and the member discount makes the owner more likely to say yes.
Owners stop shopping around. If you've paid for a year with one clinic, you're not ringing three others for a vaccination quote.
That's a bundled services model and an insurance-style model stacked on top of each other, with a member discount (straight from the member benefits model) as the glue.
My take
The clever bit isn't the discount. It's what's included. Vets put the visits that create treatment opportunities inside the fee. Every check-up is a chance to find the next piece of work. If your plan includes the wrong things, like services nobody uses, it's just a discount scheme with a monthly bill attached.
Are pet wellness plans worth it for owners?
This is where you have to be honest, because your customers will be.
Consumer group CHOICE reviewed these plans and found they typically cost about A$50 to A$60 a month. It cautioned owners to check whether they'd actually use the inclusions. Some owners on forums argue pet insurance is better value.
Both points are fair. A healthy young cat that visits once a year may not get A$660 of value. A puppy that needs a course of vaccinations, microchipping and a few "is this normal?" visits probably will.
The clinic's job is to make the plan an obvious win for the right owners and not push it on the wrong ones. Members who feel tricked don't renew. And from 1 July 2027, Australia's subscription trap laws will require clear key terms at sign-up, ongoing notices and an easy way to cancel for anything that keeps billing until the customer stops it. A wellness plan billed fortnightly is likely to fit that description (general information as at October 2026; check your terms with a lawyer).
Thinking about a wellness plan for your clinic?
A BPAG adviser can talk through whether a care plan suits your practice in a free 30-minute Subscription Profit Review.
What does a plan look like for an independent clinic?
You don't need 200 clinics and a pet store chain. Here's an illustrative three-tier structure a single practice could test. The prices are examples, not recommendations.
| Essentials | Complete | Senior Care | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illustrative price | A$39 a month | A$59 a month | A$69 a month |
| Consultations | 2 a year | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Vaccinations | Annual | Annual plus boosters | Annual |
| Parasite prevention | Included | Included | |
| Senior blood test | 1 a year | ||
| Discount on other services | 5% | 10% | 10% |
A quick worked example
Say your clinic signs up 300 members at an average A$55 a month. That's A$16,500 a month, or A$198,000 a year, landing before anyone walks in. Prices include GST, so about A$18,000 of that goes to the ATO, leaving about A$180,000. Now subtract the cost of delivering the included services. If that's 45% of the net fee, the plans contribute roughly A$99,000 a year before you count a single dollar of extra treatment. (These are illustrative numbers. Run your own.)
Before you set your price, work out what the included services actually cost you to deliver, and what an average member will use. The subscription price calculator does that sum after GST and payment fees.
What can you steal from the vets?
You don't have to be a vet. Any business with predictable, repeat services can do this: physios, dentists, mechanics, groomers, pool cleaners.
- Bundle your routine annual services into one fee. Inspections, check-ups, tune-ups. Things customers already buy.
- Offer fortnightly or monthly payments, not just annual. Small payments sell. Annual payments help your cash flow, so offer both and let customers choose.
- Include the visits that lead to bigger work. That's where your return comes from.
- Explain what's covered and what isn't. In writing, at sign-up. It cuts complaints and regulatory risk.
- Remind members to use their plan. Book the next visit before they leave. Unused plans don't renew.
- Track member revenue separately. Plan fees, plus the extra treatment members buy. That second number is the real test.
There's more on structure and pricing in the vet clinics industry guide and in how to price a membership.
What to do next
Write down every service a typical customer buys from you in a year. Circle the ones that are predictable. That's your plan.
Then check whether the model fits before you build it.
Subscription Model SelectorAnswer 8 questions and find the subscription model that fits.Open the free tool →If you'd like to see what a plan would do to your cash flow and margins, a BPAG adviser can run the numbers with you.
Frequently asked questions
Is a pet wellness plan the same as pet insurance?
No. A wellness plan pays for routine, predictable care like check-ups, vaccinations and parasite prevention, usually with a discount on other services. Pet insurance pays out for unexpected illness or accidents. Many owners have both. Clinics should say clearly that their plan isn't insurance, because owners who confuse the two are the ones who complain when a big bill isn't covered.
How much does a vet wellness plan cost in Australia?
As at October 2026, Greencross Vets' Healthy Pets Plus costs A$660 a year for puppy, kitten and adult plans and A$696 for seniors, paid fortnightly, monthly or annually. CHOICE found plans across providers typically cost about A$50 to A$60 a month. Independent clinics set their own prices based on what they include.
Can a small independent vet clinic run a wellness plan?
Yes. The model doesn't need a national chain. You need a clear list of included services, a recurring payment system with direct debit or card billing, a way to track what each member has used, and staff who can explain it in two sentences. Start with one plan for adult dogs and cats before adding tiers.
Do vets charge GST on wellness plans?
Veterinary services are generally subject to GST in Australia, so a plan fee normally includes GST, and the clinic remits one-eleventh of each payment. How and when GST applies to a prepaid annual plan can depend on the details, so check your setup with your accountant before you launch.
What happens to unused services in a wellness plan?
That depends on the plan's terms. Most plans run for 12 months and inclusions don't roll over, which is why CHOICE tells owners to check they'll actually use them. From a clinic's point of view, it's better to remind members to book their included visits. A member who never visits is a member who won't renew.
Talk it through with a BPAG adviser
Free for Australian business owners: a 30-minute Subscription Profit Review on whether a subscription suits your business.
Robert Coorey, MBA
Robert is the author of The Subscription Playbook and Feed a Starving Crowd and a Director at BPAG Accountants in Sydney. More about Robert.
Sources
- Banfield Pet Hospital, Optimum Wellness Plans (accessed Oct 2026)
- Banfield, Optimum Wellness Plans explained (2024)
- Greencross Vets, Healthy Pets Plus (accessed Oct 2026)
- Greencross Vets Facebook, Healthy Pets Plus member benefits post
- CHOICE, Are pet wellness plans worth it?
Facts and prices checked 27 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.