ShiftCare is a care management platform for NDIS and aged care providers, and it says it serves more than 8,000 care providers. Many are happy on it. Others look elsewhere for practical reasons: a five staff minimum, features that move between plan tiers, a seven day trial, add-ons that change the bill, or a wish for a roster that is drafted whole and reviewed by a manager rather than filled one shift at a time.
This guide covers six options, with dated prices, a cost example for a team of 10, and a section most comparison pages skip: who builds the roster, and who approves it.
The short version
- BondiByte: best for growing providers who want the roster built for them.
- Brevity: best for providers who prefer to pay per client and want SIL and plan management modules.
- Astalty: best for sole traders and small providers who want no minimum seats and a longer trial.
- CareMaster: best for providers who want published per-user tiers and are happy to start with a demo.
- Flowlogic: best for providers who want automated claim generation with PRODA integration and a quoted price.
- Lumary: best for larger disability providers already working in Salesforce.
Why providers look for a ShiftCare alternative
First, what ShiftCare does well. Every plan includes built-in NDIS price limits, Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks Online connections, an offline staff app, GPS clock-in and two-factor authentication. The seven day trial needs no card.
The reasons people look elsewhere come from ShiftCare's own pricing page, checked on 15 October 2026. Prices are in Australian dollars, excluding GST, per user per month, billed annually or monthly: Basic $8 or $9, Professional $13 or $15, Premium $20 or $25. Enterprise starts from 250 staff and is not priced. Annual plans are paid up front.
Features depend on the tier. Professional adds Signals that recommend and draft fixes, vacant shifts offered to nearby qualified staff, bulk invoicing and NDIS claim file uploads. Premium adds Signals that act on your behalf, shift cost and margin, direct NDIA claims with PRODA, the Family Portal and care plans.
There is a five staff minimum on Basic, Professional and Premium, and everyone with a login counts as a user. The trial is seven days, which is tight for loading a real fortnight. Add-ons change the bill: HR is $2 per user, Certifications $3 per user, Support at Home $5 per client (Premium and above), and SMS 10 cents each.
What to look for in an NDIS software alternative
- How rostering is built and approved. Does it fill single shifts, draft a whole period, or both? Does a manager review before staff see anything?
- Which features sit on which plan. Check that claiming, rostering and reporting are in the plan you are pricing.
- The pricing basis. Per staff member, per user and per client behave very differently as you grow.
- SIL support. Look for house teams, sleepovers and roster settings separate from community work.
- Audit readiness. Can you gather evidence against the NDIS Practice Standards and invite an auditor to see only what they need?
- Trial length and testing with your own roster. A trial helps only if you can run a real fortnight through it before it ends.
The alternatives
Pricing is as published on each vendor's public pages on 15 October 2026. Prices change, so confirm with the vendor.
1. BondiByte
- Best for: growing providers, including SIL houses, community support and support coordination, who want the roster built for them and every feature on one plan.
- Pricing: for a team of 10, the Starter plan works out at about $9.90 per staff member a month. The same features are on every plan, and staff numbers are an allowance, never a cap. Tax treatment is confirmed at onboarding.
- Free trial: 28 days.
- Strengths: Smart Rostering is switched on site by site and drafts the whole roster for review, with reasons on every recommendation. SIL homes have primary, secondary and relief teams, and sleepover timesheets arrive as three components. The Audit Centre gives a live readiness score by domain, with evidence mapped to the NDIS Practice Standards and scoped auditor invites. Service agreements auto-fill more than 30 details, use e-signature and NDIS catalogue line items, and lock the signed copy. Invoices are drafted from rostered shifts, with a bulk payment request CSV in the NDIS layout. Timesheets are drafted from the roster and approved by managers, with a Xero Payroll connection and MYOB-ready and Employment Hero-ready exports. Support Coordination covers caseloads, billable case notes, plan budgets and burn, goals, tasks and referrals. You can build your own reports, forms and charts. AI is optional and a person always reviews. BondiByte Robotics Pty Ltd is Australian, hosted on Microsoft Azure with Australian data residency.
- Watch-outs: BondiByte prepares claim-ready data; it does not lodge claims with the NDIA directly.
2. Brevity
- Best for: providers across NDIS, plan management, support coordination, allied health and SIL who would rather pay per client than per staff member.
- Pricing: per client per month, excluding GST. Lite is $44.90 a month ($4.49 per client), Business is $64.90 a month ($6.49 per client), Enterprise is price on application, and Plan Management is $3.99 per client. Business and Enterprise have a setup fee.
- Free trial: Lite has one; the length is not stated.
- Strengths: NDIS bulk claims and the Price Guide are on all plans. A September 2026 Brevity article describes AI Recommendations that assess workers on qualifications, preferences, continuity, travel, utilisation and availability.
- Watch-outs: SIL and plan management modules and Group Rostering are on Business, which has a setup fee. Per-client pricing suits some providers and costs more for others.
3. Astalty
- Best for: sole traders through to large providers who want no minimum seats and a longer trial with a money-back guarantee.
- Pricing: $64 per standard user and $30 per support worker per month, GST inclusive. eSignatures are $1 each, and two-way SMS is $15 a month per number plus 10 cents each.
- Free trial: 14 days, no card, plus a three month money-back guarantee.
- Strengths: SCHADS award alerts, NDIA bulk upload, bulk invoicing, Xero integration, incident management and a support coordination Task Board. It matches workers to shifts on availability, skills and participant preferences.
- Watch-outs: on AI, Astalty says "We're still researching." Standard users cost more than twice a support worker, so office-heavy teams should do the sums.
4. CareMaster
- Best for: providers who want published per-user tiers, staff and participant apps on every tier, and data hosted in Australia.
- Pricing: per user per month, excluding GST. Essential is $16 (minimum 5 users), Standard $26 (5 to 50 users), Premium $36 (50 or more), and Enterprise (200 or more) is by contacting sales. Add-ons per month: Payroll Award Interpretation (SCHADS) $155, Platform Hosting $135 and DSS DEX reporting $155.
- Free trial: none stated; demo only.
- Strengths: clear tiers, and an AI Roster Optimiser that it says automates routine scheduling tasks to reduce admin load and improve reliability.
- Watch-outs: the add-ons are priced separately and add up. Whether a person approves the optimiser's output is not stated, and SIL is not mentioned on its pricing page.
5. Flowlogic
- Best for: providers across NDIS, aged care, Support at Home and plan management who want automated claim generation with PRODA integration.
- Pricing: not published; quoted by size.
- Free trial: offered; the length is not stated.
- Strengths: Smart Rostering with award warnings, bulk shift editing, automated NDIS claim generation, PRODA integration, compliance dashboards and a staff app on iOS and Android.
- Watch-outs: you cannot compare cost without a quote. Implementation takes a few weeks, and 8 to 12 for larger providers. SIL is not mentioned on its pages.
6. Lumary
- Best for: enterprise and SME disability providers (SIL, SDA, support coordination), aged care and allied health, particularly those already on Salesforce.
- Pricing: not stated; demo only.
- Free trial: none stated.
- Strengths: built on Salesforce, with a stated focus on disability services. It describes rosters with real-time cost visibility, award interpretation and payroll integration.
- Watch-outs: no public pricing, so a budget conversation starts with a demo.
Who builds the roster, and who approves it
Software can help with rostering in two quite different ways. One is automatic filling or matching of single shifts, usually after a cancellation or vacancy. The other is drafting a whole period from a pattern and putting it in front of a manager before anyone sees it. They are different jobs, and a product can do one without the other. Here is what each vendor says.
ShiftCare. Its AI page describes SmartMatch, which ranks by approved pay rates to protect margins. A Vacant Visit Agent automatically detects cancelled visits, identifies suitable staff and fills shifts within your SLA, and an AI Job Board automatically approves suitable staff based on pre-configured rules. The page says some capabilities are live and others are on the roadmap. That is strong for filling gaps. The page does not describe a manager reviewing a drafted whole roster before it goes out.
Brevity. A September 2026 article says "the planner remains in control of the final worker assignment". Astalty matches workers to shifts and says it is still researching AI. CareMaster has an AI Roster Optimiser that automates routine scheduling tasks; whether a person approves the result is not stated. Flowlogic and Lumary describe rostering tools, and neither states how a draft is approved.
How BondiByte does it
Smart Rostering is switched on site by site and works in a fixed order, so you can predict it.
Hard blocks first. Critical conflicts are blocked first: leave, inactive status, double-booking, blocked time and full shifts all stop an assignment outright.
Five suitability checks: availability, requirements, site team, hours cap and compliance. Expired evidence does not count.
Eleven ranking factors: availability and no clash, what the site and shift require, primary, secondary or relief team, continuity, fatigue, fair spread, weekday and weekend balance, registered interest, preferred hours and recent cancellation history. Cost counts only if you choose the cost-aware setting.
The whole period is drafted. By default, shifts are created from the pattern about three weeks before the period and a draft roster is generated. A manager reviews it, then publishes. Review before publish is the default, and auto-publish stays off unless you turn it on, site by site. Every recommendation shows its reasons, and when a shift cannot be filled, BondiByte shows why. A SIL house and a community roster can run different settings.
Filling a cancelled shift automatically helps on the day. An approval-first, whole-period roster helps you plan fair, compliant weeks well ahead, with a person accountable for what goes out. Ask each vendor which one you are buying.
What it costs for a team of 10
This is an illustration, not a quote. ShiftCare counts everyone with a login, so a manager on top of 10 staff is an eleventh user. Brevity prices per client, so we use 20 clients. All figures were checked on 15 October 2026.
| Product | Plan or basis | Monthly cost for a team of 10 | GST basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| BondiByte | Starter plan, per staff member, every feature included | About $9.90 per staff member a month | Tax treatment confirmed at onboarding |
| ShiftCare | Professional, per user | $130 (annual) to $150 (monthly) | Excluding GST |
| ShiftCare | Premium, per user | $200 (annual) to $250 (monthly) | Excluding GST |
| Brevity | Lite, per client, 20 clients | About $89.80 | Excluding GST |
| Brevity | Business, per client, 20 clients | About $129.80 plus a setup fee | Excluding GST |
| Astalty | 10 support workers at $30 plus 1 standard user at $64 | $364 (about $331 excluding GST) | GST inclusive |
| CareMaster | Essential, per user, 10 users | $160, before add-ons | Excluding GST |
| Flowlogic | Quoted by size | Not public | Ask the vendor |
| Lumary | Not stated | Not public | Ask the vendor |
Compare features per dollar for the plan you would actually need: ShiftCare's lower tiers leave out direct NDIA claiming and margin reporting, and CareMaster's add-ons are extra. On BondiByte, the plan you price is the plan with everything in it.
Side by side
This table uses only what each vendor publishes. "Ask the vendor" means we did not find it. Flowlogic and Lumary are left out because most of their detail is not public.
| Feature | BondiByte | ShiftCare | Brevity | Astalty | CareMaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing basis | Per staff member; numbers are an allowance, never a cap | Per user, 5 staff minimum | Per client | Per standard user and per support worker | Per user, 5 user minimum on Essential |
| Free trial | 28 days | 7 days, no card | Lite has one; length not stated | 14 days, no card, plus 3 month money-back guarantee | Demo only |
| Whole roster drafted from a pattern | Yes, about three weeks ahead by default | Ask the vendor | Ask the vendor | Ask the vendor | Ask the vendor |
| Automatic filling or matching of single shifts | Recommendations with reasons on every shift | Yes; some features on the roadmap | AI Recommendations, per a September 2026 article | Matches workers to shifts on availability, skills and participant preferences | AI Roster Optimiser |
| Human approval before publishing | Yes by default; auto-publish off unless turned on per site | Some features approve by pre-configured rules | Planner stays in control of final assignment | Ask the vendor | Not stated |
| SIL | Yes, with primary, secondary and relief teams | SIL rostering listed; plan not stated | SIL module on Business | Ask the vendor | Not mentioned on pricing page |
| Support coordination | Yes | Ask the vendor | Support Coordinator App on Lite and Business | Task Board | Ask the vendor |
| NDIS claiming | Invoices and bulk payment request CSV in the NDIS layout | Claim file uploads on Professional; direct NDIA claims with PRODA on Premium | NDIS bulk claims on all plans | NDIA bulk upload and bulk invoicing | Ask the vendor |
| Every feature on every plan | Yes | No, by tier | No, some modules on Business only | Ask the vendor | No, some are paid add-ons |
Which should you choose?
- BondiByte: choose it if you want the roster drafted for you and reviewed by a manager, SIL and community settings, support coordination, audit evidence, and every feature on every plan.
- ShiftCare: stay if its tiers suit you, you need direct NDIA claims with PRODA on Premium, or you value its shift-filling tools and accounting connections.
- Brevity: choose it if per-client pricing fits your client mix and you want SIL and plan management modules.
- Astalty: choose it if you are a sole trader or small team who wants no minimum seats and a money-back guarantee.
- CareMaster: choose it if you want published per-user tiers and are happy to start from a demo and budget for add-ons.
- Flowlogic: choose it if automated claim generation with PRODA integration is your priority and you are happy to get a quote.
- Lumary: choose it if you are a larger disability provider already working in Salesforce.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best ShiftCare alternatives for NDIS providers in 2026?
The options we cover are BondiByte, Brevity, Astalty, CareMaster, Flowlogic and Lumary. The best one depends on your size, pricing preference and how you want rostering handled. BondiByte suits growing providers who want the roster drafted for them.
How much does ShiftCare cost?
On 15 October 2026, ShiftCare listed Basic at $8 or $9, Professional at $13 or $15 and Premium at $20 or $25 per user per month, excluding GST, billed annually or monthly. There is a five staff minimum, annual plans are paid up front, and add-ons such as HR at $2 per user are extra.
Which ShiftCare plan do I need for NDIS claiming and PRODA?
Professional adds bulk invoicing and NDIS claim file uploads. Direct NDIA claims with PRODA are listed on Premium. If direct lodging matters, check each alternative: Flowlogic lists PRODA integration, Brevity lists NDIS bulk claims on all plans, and Astalty lists NDIA bulk upload.
Which NDIS software has a free trial longer than 7 days?
BondiByte offers 28 days. Astalty offers 14 days with no card, plus a three month money-back guarantee. Brevity's Lite plan and Flowlogic offer trials without stating the length, and CareMaster and Lumary are demo only.
Does any NDIS software build the roster automatically, and does a person approve it?
Yes, with differences. BondiByte drafts the whole period from the pattern about three weeks ahead by default, and a manager reviews before publishing, with auto-publish off unless turned on per site. ShiftCare has features that fill shifts and approve staff by pre-configured rules. Brevity says the planner stays in control of the final assignment. For CareMaster, Flowlogic and Lumary, approval is not stated, so ask.
Which NDIS software is best for SIL providers?
BondiByte, Brevity and Lumary describe SIL support. BondiByte has primary, secondary and relief teams for each home. Brevity has a SIL module on Business, and Lumary lists SIL and SDA. ShiftCare lists SIL rostering without saying which plan includes it, so ask, and ask Astalty how it handles SIL. CareMaster and Flowlogic do not mention SIL on their pages.
Which NDIS software is best for support coordinators?
BondiByte includes caseloads, billable case notes, plan budgets and burn, goals, tasks and referrals. Brevity has a Support Coordinator App, Astalty a support coordination Task Board, and Lumary lists support coordination.
What should a small provider choose, and what should a larger provider choose?
A small provider should weigh minimums and trials: Astalty has no minimum seats, ShiftCare and CareMaster Essential start at five, and BondiByte has a 28 day trial with every feature included. A larger provider should look at Enterprise arrangements: ShiftCare from 250 staff, CareMaster at 200 or more, and Brevity, Flowlogic and Lumary on application or by quote.
Try it with your own fortnight
The only reliable way to compare rostering is to load your own roster. BondiByte has a 28 day free trial, long enough to run a real fortnight and review the draft. Watch the Smart Rostering video on this page to see it switched on for a SIL house, then run your own fortnight through it. Do the same with each product on your shortlist.
How we compared
Every competitor fact in this guide comes from that vendor's public pages, checked on 15 October 2026. Prices change, so confirm them with the vendor. "Ask the vendor" means we did not find it, not that the feature is missing. BondiByte details come from bondibyterobotics.com.au.