A pet grooming subscription charges a monthly fee for a scheduled groom, typically every four to eight weeks, with perks like nail trims between visits, priority booking and product discounts. Price it by breed size and coat, because grooming time drives cost. Dog walkers can sell weekly walk plans, and pet retailers can add food and treat deliveries. Avoid anything that looks like pet insurance.
Key takeaways
- Price grooming memberships by size and coat type. A toy poodle and a husky are different businesses.
- Greencross Vets sells a 12-month wellness membership for A$660, showing pet owners will pay for routine care on a plan.
- A subscription alone isn't a moat. Anyone can sell dog biscuits monthly. Relationship, convenience and data are what keep members.
- A plan that pays for accidents or illness starts to look like insurance, which is regulated. Stick to routine services.
In the first chapter of The Subscription Playbook, I make a point using dog biscuits.
Just because you start selling dog biscuits on a subscription basis instead of ad hoc doesn't mean I can't do the same thing. I could find a dog biscuit supplier, set up a template website overnight, and we're in competition.
A subscription is a great start. It isn't enough on its own.
That's worth remembering in the pet industry, because pet businesses are full of natural subscriptions. Dogs need grooming every few weeks. They need walking every day. They eat the same food on a predictable schedule for their whole lives. Owners are emotionally invested and, by and large, happy to spend.
So the question isn't whether a pet business can sell subscriptions. It's how to sell one that's profitable and hard to copy.
What do pet subscriptions look like in 2026?
The best evidence comes from vets, who have quietly become subscription businesses.
In Australia, Greencross Vets' Healthy Pets Plus is a 12-month membership costing A$660 for puppy, kitten or adult plans, or A$696 for seniors, payable fortnightly, monthly or annually. Greencross promotes unlimited vet consultations, free vaccinations and microchipping, and 10% off vet services and products, with benefits redeemable across its clinics and Petbarn stores. CHOICE found plans like this typically cost about A$50 to A$60 a month, and cautioned owners to check whether they'd use the inclusions. The vet wellness plans case study covers the detail, and the vet clinics playbook shows how clinics price them.
At the other end, Lassie, a Swedish prevention-first pet insurer, announced €100 million in annual recurring revenue in May 2026. Its app gives owners courses and health tasks, and rewards completed tasks with points that lower the premium. That's a lesson any pet business can use: reward the behavior that keeps the pet healthy and the member engaged.
And of course there are boxes. In the book I mention BarkBox, which sends curated dog treats and toys every month.
Which subscription models fit pet services?
Here's how the book's eight subscription models map onto pet businesses.
| Model | How it looks | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Bundled Services | A full groom each cycle, plus nail trims and tidies in between | Groomers |
| Minimum Commitment | Weekly walk plans on set days, or a 12-month grooming plan at a lower rate | Walkers, groomers |
| Member Benefits | Priority booking, member pricing on products, free nail trims | Groomers, pet stores |
| Consumables | Food, treats, litter, flea and worm treatments on auto-delivery | Pet stores, online retailers |
| Subscription Boxes | Curated monthly treats and toys | Online pet brands |
| Insurance | Avoid it, unless you're a licensed insurer | Not for most pet businesses |
The consumables model is the easiest win for a pet store. The bundled services model is the foundation for a groomer.
What does a 3-tier grooming membership look like?
Here's an illustrative offer for a small-breed dog at an Australian salon or mobile groomer. Prices include GST. Add a size loading, for example 30% for medium and 60% for large or double-coated breeds.
| Tidy Pup | Groom Club | Spa Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price (small dog, illustrative) | A$45 | A$99 | A$149 |
| Included | A monthly nail trim plus face, feet and hygiene tidy | A full groom every four weeks | A full groom every four weeks, plus a nail trim and tidy two weeks later |
| Extras | 10% off products | Teeth brushing, 10% off products | Teeth brushing, de-shed or coat treatment, 15% off products |
| Booking | Standard | Priority booking | First pick of times, reminder texts |
| Casual value | A$55 | A$110 | A$175 |
| Term | Month to month | Month to month or 12 months | 12 months |
For dog walkers, a simple ladder works: three walks a week, five walks a week, and five walks plus weekend check-ins, billed weekly or monthly.
Price your grooming plan by size
Enter grooming time, wages and product costs for each size band, and the free Subscription Price Calculator gives you a monthly price that still makes money.
How do you work out if a grooming plan is profitable?
Grooming is a time business. Every minute on the table costs you wages.
Worked example: Groom Club for a small dog at A$99 a month
Price excluding GST: A$90.00.
Monthly costs: - Groomer time, 1.5 hours at a loaded A$40 an hour: A$60.00 - Shampoo, conditioner and consumables: A$5.00 - Card and billing fees at about 2%: A$1.98
Member contribution: A$23.02 a month, or A$276.24 a year.
Casual client at A$110 a groom (A$100 excluding GST), every seven weeks: contribution A$32.80 a visit (A$100 less A$60, A$5 and A$2.20). At about 7.4 visits a year: A$242.72 a year.
The member makes you less per groom, but more per year, because the dog comes in every four weeks instead of seven. Shorter gaps also mean a dog in better condition, so each groom is less likely to run over time.
Monthly contribution = (Price ÷ 1.1) − groomer time cost − consumables − payment fees
If the member isn't worth more than the casual client on a full-usage basis, your price is too low or your size bands are wrong. Don't fix it by hoping members skip appointments.
Test each size band in the Subscription Price Calculator, then model the shift from casual to members with the Subscription vs One-off Profit Calculator.
Subscription Price CalculatorWork out a profitable monthly price after costs, GST and fees.Open the free tool →How do you launch a pet membership?
- Find your regulars. Which dogs come in at least every eight weeks? What do their owners book?
- Time your grooms by size and coat. Use real averages from your booking system, not guesses.
- Set size bands and loadings before you publish a single price.
- Write clear terms: what's included, matting and handling fees, missed appointments, how to pause and cancel.
- Offer it at pickup, when the owner is looking at a clean, happy dog.
- Add a reason to engage between visits. Lassie rewards owners for health tasks in its app. A groomer can send coat-care tips and a reminder before the next visit.
- Track visits per member and cancellations every month with the churn calculator.
What are the pitfalls?
One price for every dog. It's the most common mistake. A large double-coated breed can take twice the time of a small dog.
Over-servicing. "Unlimited baths" sounds lovely until a client books a bath every Saturday. Cap the visits.
The copycat problem. If your only edge is "we do it monthly," the dog biscuit problem applies. Your moat is the relationship with the dog and owner, convenience (mobile grooming, pickup), and the history you keep on each pet. The moats guide explains how to deepen it.
Selling insurance by accident. A plan that promises to pay for vet bills or accidents is moving into insurance territory. Keep your plan to your own services and discounts.
Seasonal swings. Grooming demand spikes before Christmas and in spring. Members booked on a fixed cycle smooth that out, but only if you protect their slots in peak season.
What do Australian pet businesses need to know?
As at October 2026, keep these in mind. It's general information, so get advice on your own terms.
Subscription rules from 1 July 2027. Grooming, walking and auto-delivery plans that renew or continue automatically are likely to be subscription contracts under the Unfair Trading Practices Act 2026. Disclose the key terms upfront, send prescribed reminders, and make canceling easy, online if owners can join online. The subscription trap laws guide has the detail.
Insurance is regulated. Pet insurance is a financial product. Don't call a wellness or grooming plan "insurance" or "cover," and don't promise to pay for illness or accidents.
GST. Grooming and walking are taxable services for GST-registered businesses, and most pet food sold by retailers is taxable too. Prices to consumers must include GST. The GST on subscriptions guide covers timing for prepaid plans.
The accountant's angle: predictable revenue in a seasonal business
Pet businesses are emotional purchases with very practical cash flow problems. December is frantic. February is quiet.
A base of 250 grooming members paying an average of A$99 a month is close to A$25,000 a month of revenue you can count on, which makes it easier to keep good groomers employed all year. A list of members on written plans, with visit history and payment records, is also far more valuable to a buyer than a booking diary full of casual clients who might follow the groomer down the road.
Free Subscription Profit Review
Australian business owners can book a free 30-minute review with a BPAG Accountants adviser. An honest conversation about:
- whether a subscription model could work for your business
- how recurring revenue could cover your fixed costs each month
- how it could lift what your business is worth
No cost, no obligation. General information only until we understand your situation.
What to do next
Pull your booking report for the last six months and sort clients by how often they visit. Anyone coming in every eight weeks or less is a membership candidate.
Then set your size bands, price one tier properly and offer it to your top 30 regulars at pickup.
If you're a vet or work alongside one, the vet wellness plan playbook shows how clinics structure preventive care plans. For more industries, see all industry playbooks.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a dog grooming membership include a groom?
Match it to the coat. Many curly or long-coated breeds need a full groom every four to six weeks, while short-coated dogs might need a bath and tidy every six to eight weeks. A simple approach is to bill monthly and include one visit per cycle, with nail trims or face-and-feet tidies in between on the higher tiers.
What should a dog walking subscription look like?
Sell weekly plans rather than single walks: for example, three or five walks a week on set days, billed weekly or monthly. Include a photo or GPS update after each walk, and set clear rules for public holidays and canceled walks. Group walks have better margins than solo walks, but limit group sizes to what you can safely handle.
Can a pet retailer sell food on subscription?
Yes. Food, treats, litter and flea and worm treatments are classic consumables, because pets go through them on a predictable schedule. Offer auto-delivery at a small discount, let customers change the frequency online, and remind them before each shipment. This is the consumables model from the book, the same one behind my peppermint tea subscription.
How do I handle dogs that are difficult or matted?
Write it into the terms. A membership price assumes a dog in maintained condition. Charge a dematting or handling fee where extra time is needed, and say so at sign-up. Regular members are less likely to need it, because their dogs never get badly matted, which is one of the benefits you can sell.
Is a pet wellness plan the same as pet insurance?
No. A wellness plan covers routine, predictable care, such as check-ups and vaccinations, plus discounts. Insurance pays for unpredictable events, such as accidents and illness. Consumer group CHOICE has cautioned owners to check whether they'd actually use a plan's inclusions. If you run a plan, say clearly what it doesn't cover.
General information only, current as at October 2026. It isn't legal, tax or financial advice and doesn't consider your circumstances. Speak to a qualified adviser before acting.
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
- CHOICE: Are pet wellness plans worth it? (Greencross vs Best for Pet vs Thriving Pets)
- Dealroom: Lassie reaches €100M ARR (28 May 2026)
- The Subscription Playbook (Robert Coorey, 2022), Chapters 1 and 2: the dog biscuit copycat and BarkBox
- Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Act 2026 (No. 64, 2026)
Facts and prices checked 27 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.