KareShift vs CareMaster
CareMaster is budget-friendly at ~A$9/user — but charges for admin seats. KareShift admins are always free. And the bigger your team, the more you save.
Try KareShift Free — 90 DaysNo credit card · No lock-in · 90-day trial
CareMaster ~A$9/user, ISO-certified AU hosting environment (as documented by CareMaster, Jul 2026). Cheaper for 1–4 users. For 5 workers plus an admin (6 CareMaster seats) KareShift Starter is cheaper; KareShift steps up at 5, 20 and 50 workers, so CareMaster can be cheaper again just above a step. CareMaster charges for admin/coordinator seats; KareShift doesn't. Feature depth differs — KareShift has full SCHADS, custom forms, and messaging.
Pricing comparison
Last verified: 28-Aug-2026
CareMaster
Per-user pricing — ~A$9/user/month
| Team size | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| 3 users | ~A$27/mo |
| 5 users | ~A$45/mo |
| 10 users | ~A$90/mo |
| 20 users | ~A$180/mo |
| 50 users | ~A$450/mo |
Source: public listings, Jul 2026. Note: CareMaster counts admins as users. Competitor pricing may change — we verify quarterly. Contact competitors directly for current rates.
KareShift
Predictable per-tier pricing — admins always free
| Plan | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Starter (up to 5) | A$49/mo + GST |
| Growth (up to 20) | A$99/mo + GST |
| Scale (50 included) | A$249/mo + GST |
Admins always free. No per-user charges. Same price for everyone — no hidden discounts, no sales negotiations.
Annual savings vs CareMaster at scale
3 users
CareMaster is cheaper
CareMaster: ~A$27/mo · KareShift: A$49/mo
20 users
Save A$81/mo (A$972/yr)
CareMaster: ~A$180/mo · KareShift: A$99/mo
50 users
Save A$201/mo (A$2,412/yr)
CareMaster: ~A$450/mo · KareShift: A$249/mo
CareMaster pricing from public listings (July 2026). KareShift prices exclude GST. At 10 users costs are similar (~A$90 vs A$99).
Feature-by-feature comparison
✗ indicates the feature was not present in publicly accessible documentation or website at time of verification. Verify directly with each vendor before making a purchasing decision.
| Feature | CareMaster | KareShift |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ~A$9/user/month | Per-tier A$49–A$249/month |
| Admin/coordinator seats | Charged as users (~A$9 each) | Always free |
| Free trial | Available | 90 days (no credit card) |
| Rostering | ✓ | ✓ All plans |
| GPS clock-in/out | ✓ (geofencing unknown) | ✓ + geofencing |
| SCHADS compliance | Basic | ✓ Full engine (7 allowances) |
| NDIS funding tracking | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | ✓ Included |
| Custom forms | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | ✓ Growth and Scale plans (conditional logic, PDF export, signature pad) |
| eMAR / Medication management | Not available as of Aug 2026 | ✓ Full eMAR — orders, rounds, PRN, controlled drugs, MAR chart, allergy alerts |
| Xero Payroll integration | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | ✓ Direct timesheet sync, employee mapping, earnings rate mapping (Scale plan) |
| Invoicing | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | ✓ Invoicing with credit notes, receipts, PDF export |
| Payroll CSV/XLSX/PDF export | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | ✓ Multi-country (AU/NZ/GB/CA with country-specific fields) |
| Two-factor authentication | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | ✓ TOTP + trusted devices + admin reset + audit trail |
| Countries supported | AU, NZ (as of Aug 2026) | AU, NZ, UK, CA — country-specific compliance, payroll, pricing |
| In-app messaging | Not documented | ✓ All plans (push notifications) |
| Native mobile apps | ✓ Worker + participant apps | PWA (installable on iPhone + Android) |
| Data hosting | ISO-certified AU hosting | AWS Sydney (care data) |
Honest assessment
Where CareMaster is stronger
- Cheapest option for very small teams (1–4 users)
- ISO-certified hosting environment
- Native apps for workers and participants
- Longer market presence and established reputation
Where KareShift is stronger
- Flat per-tier pricing: 5 workers plus an admin costs A$49/mo against ~A$54/mo for six CareMaster seats
- Admin and coordinator seats always free
- Full SCHADS engine (all 7 allowances calculated)
- eMAR — medication orders, rounds, PRN, controlled drugs, MAR chart, allergy alerts
- Invoicing engine with credit notes, receipts, and PDF export
- Xero Payroll integration — direct timesheet sync, employee mapping (Scale plan)
- Multi-country payroll export (AU/NZ/GB/CA)
- Two-factor authentication (TOTP + trusted devices + admin reset)
- Custom forms on Growth and Scale plans (conditional logic, PDF export, signature pad)
- In-app messaging with push notifications
- Shift pay preview — SCHADS-calculated cost of a shift before you assign it
- Cancellation policy automation — auto-charges late cancels / no-shows per your policy
- Open Shift Board — post unfilled shifts, eligible workers self-claim
- Visit confirmation — GPS + clock evidence and anomaly flags on every timesheet
- 90-day trial (no credit card required)
- Geofencing on clock-in/out
- 4 countries supported (AU, NZ, UK, CA)
Signs it's time to switch
- Admin seats costing A$9 each is adding up across coordinators and managers
- You want in-app messaging on every plan and custom forms from the A$99 Growth plan, without per-user fees
- Your team is growing past 5 users and the per-user bill is climbing
- You want a more modern interface with less friction
When to stay with CareMaster
Under 4 total users
At 1–4 users, CareMaster's ~A$9/user is genuinely the cheapest option. KareShift's A$49 per-tier minimum only wins from about 6 seats (for example 5 workers plus an admin).
ISO certification is required
If your compliance framework mandates ISO-certified hosting specifically, CareMaster's certification may satisfy that requirement directly.
Native participant app matters
CareMaster offers a dedicated native app for participants. KareShift is a PWA — installs to your home screen on iPhone and Android, no download from app stores needed.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Coordinators, managers, and admin staff don't count towards your worker limit. With CareMaster, every user — including admins — is counted at ~A$9/user. For a team with 3 coordinators and 10 workers, that's 13 users on CareMaster vs 10 on KareShift.
Yes. KareShift supports CSV imports for workers, participants, and schedules. Export your data from CareMaster and import into KareShift. Upload via the built-in import tool — we validate every row and show you a preview before saving.
At about 6 seats. For a team of 5 workers plus an admin, CareMaster at 6 users costs ~A$54/mo and KareShift Starter is A$49/mo (admins free). KareShift steps up at 5, 20 and 50 workers, so CareMaster can be cheaper again just above a step: at 21–27 users CareMaster (~A$189–243/mo) is below KareShift Scale (A$249/mo). At 20 users you save A$81/mo (A$972/yr).
Ready to see how much you'd save?
90 days free, up to 5 workers. Everything except Xero Payroll sync and payroll export, which need a paid plan. No credit card required.
Start Free Trial — 90 Days FreeQuestions? Email hello@kareshift.com