Best Physiotherapy Booking Software Australia (2026)
The best physiotherapy booking software depends on whether you claim Medicare, DVA or health funds through your software. Cliniko and Nookal offer claiming and per-discipline clinical documentation, while Bella Booking provides simpler appointment scheduling, online booking, payment collection, and SOAP notes your team fills in, for physios whose clients pay them directly.
What physiotherapists need from booking software
Physio practices have specific requirements that differ from general appointment-based businesses. Here's what most physiotherapists look for:
- Appointment scheduling with initial assessment vs follow-up appointment types
- Client records with treatment history and notes
- Online booking so clients can self-schedule
- Automated SMS and email reminders to reduce no-shows
- SOAP notes and clinical documentation templates
- Medicare and HICAPS billing integration
- Treatment plan tracking and progress notes
- Digital consent forms and intake questionnaires
What Bella does and doesn't do for physiotherapy
Bella Booking is an appointment scheduling and business management platform. Here's an honest breakdown of what it covers and what it doesn't:
What Bella provides
Appointment scheduling with service variants (initial vs follow-up with different durations and pricing), client CRM with notes and history, digital forms for consent and intake questionnaires with e-signatures, a SOAP note template (or your own note form) that your team fills in from the appointment and the client never sees, online booking, automated SMS and email reminders, Stripe payment processing, itemised receipts that carry each practitioner's registration or provider number for health fund rebates, prepaid packages for session bundles, processing time between appointments, service add-ons, and gift cards.
What Bella does NOT provide
Medicare, DVA or HICAPS claiming, and telehealth. Bella is not clinical practice management: if you claim through your software, choose a clinical system. Referral letters, outcome questionnaires and home exercise sheets can be kept as files and forms on the client record, without dedicated tools for them.
If you claim Medicare or health funds through your software, look at Cliniko, Nookal, or Jane App. If clients pay you directly and you want scheduling, payments, client management and your notes in one simpler system, Bella is simpler and more affordable.
When Bella makes sense for a physio practice
Bella works well for physiotherapists whose clients pay them directly and who want scheduling, payments and their notes in one place - or who keep a clinical system and need a reliable scheduling and payments layer. This includes:
- Solo practitioners who want simple online booking and payment collection
- Practices that already have a clinical system but need better scheduling and client-facing booking
- Physios who don't bulk-bill and primarily collect private payments via Stripe
- Mobile physiotherapists who want clients to book and pay online
- Practices focused on wellness, Pilates-based physio, or exercise prescription classes
Comparison: clinical vs scheduling-focused software
| Feature | Cliniko / Nookal | Bella Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment scheduling | Yes | Yes |
| Online booking | Yes | Yes |
| Automated reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Client records and notes | Clinical-grade | CRM with dated timeline notes you can lock, photos and files |
| Digital consent forms | Yes | Yes (with e-signatures) |
| SOAP notes templates | Yes | SOAP note template, or your own note form |
| Medicare/HICAPS billing | Yes | No |
| Treatment plan tracking | Yes | Yes (client-visible treatment plans, Professional plan) |
| Stripe payments | Varies | Yes (built-in) |
| Prepaid packages | Limited | Yes |
| Service variants (initial vs return) | Some | Yes (client eligibility-based) |
| Starting price | From A$49/month exc GST (Nookal) | From $25/month (free trial available) |
Key features for physio scheduling
Initial vs follow-up appointments
Bella's service variants with client eligibility let you create separate appointment types for initial assessments (longer, higher-priced) and follow-up sessions (shorter, lower-priced). The system automatically shows the correct option based on whether the client is new or returning.
Digital intake forms
Create custom digital forms for client intake questionnaires, consent forms, and health declarations. These are sent automatically before the first appointment and stored against the client record with e-signatures.
Prepaid session packages
Sell bundles of sessions (e.g., 5 or 10 physiotherapy sessions at a discounted rate). Clients purchase upfront and redeem sessions as they book, which improves cash flow and commitment to treatment plans.
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