Pet Grooming Business Startup Software That Sets You Up Right From Day One
You know how to groom. Now you need the business side to work just as well.
Starting a Grooming Business Means Figuring Out Everything at Once
You’ve been grooming for years — maybe at a corporate salon, maybe as someone’s employee — and you’re finally going out on your own. You know dogs. You know the craft. What you don’t know is how to set up pricing for every size and coat type, how to track your expenses for taxes, or which software won’t eat up your startup budget before you’ve even opened the doors.
There’s a reason so many groomers hesitate at this step. You’re not just grooming anymore. You’re figuring out what to charge a Great Dane versus a Yorkie versus a matted doodle. You’re trying to understand Schedule C deductions and quarterly tax estimates. You’re setting up appointment systems, payment processing, and client communications — all while trying to actually book your first clients.
Most grooming software assumes you already have this figured out. They hand you a blank calendar and a settings page with fifty options and say “good luck.” Some charge $105 or more per month before you’ve even earned your first dollar. Others lock essential features behind higher tiers, so the affordable plan can’t actually run your business.
When you’re just starting out, you need software that helps you set things up, not software that gives you another problem to solve.
BarkBook Walks You Through It, Step by Step
Five-Step Guided Onboarding
When you sign up, BarkBook walks you through a setup checklist: enter your business information, add your grooming services, connect payment processing, configure compensation, and turn on notifications. Each step links directly to the right page. You see your completion percentage as you go. No guessing where to start or what you missed.
Pre-Built Pricing That Makes Sense
The size-and-coat pricing matrix lets you set a different price and duration for every combination of pet size (Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large) and coat length (Short, Medium, Long, Double). That’s 16 price points per service, covering everything from a Chihuahua bath to a full groom on a Newfoundland.
Quick-fill shortcuts let you copy a price across an entire row or column with one click. When you book an appointment, the system automatically picks the right price based on the pet’s profile. No more mental math at the front desk.
Expense Tracking Ready for Your First Tax Return
BarkBook comes with 13 pre-built expense categories already mapped to IRS Schedule C line items — rent, supplies, insurance, vehicle expenses, and more. They’re set up automatically when you create your account.
Track expenses month by month: recurring costs like rent auto-populate so you just confirm with one click, variable costs like supplies show a 3-month rolling average to help you estimate. When tax time comes, you’re not scrambling through a shoebox of receipts.
Payment Processing Without the Fee Shock
Connect your Stripe account with a guided setup process and start accepting credit cards immediately. Payments go directly to your bank account. The platform fee is $1 flat or 1% over $100 — dramatically lower than the 2.7–2.9% processing fees other grooming software charges.
When every dollar matters, low fees make a real difference.
Automatic Reminders From Day One
The moment you book your first appointment, BarkBook handles the rest. Confirmation sent. Day-before reminder sent. Ready-for-pickup notification sent when you finish the groom. Thank-you message sent after checkout. Your clients think you have a receptionist. You don’t need one.
Your Dashboard Is Your Command Center
When you open BarkBook each morning, the daily dashboard shows you everything: today’s appointment count, who’s coming in, what services they’re getting, and the status of each one. Update statuses with quick-action buttons. Navigate to the full schedule, create a new appointment, or look up a household. On your phone, a mobile-optimized bottom navigation bar gives you quick access to the essentials.
The setup guide stays visible on your dashboard until you’re comfortable, tracking your progress through each step. Dismiss it when you’re ready.
Start at $39/Month and Grow From There
The Solo plan gives you everything for $39 a month — scheduling, payments, notifications, expense tracking, tax reports, client management, all of it. When you hire your first employee, upgrade to Shop at $79/month for up to 5 groomers. When your team grows beyond that, Studio at $129/month gives you unlimited employees.
Every plan includes every feature. You’ll never outgrow your plan’s capabilities — just its headcount.
| Plan | Price | Groomers | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | $39/mo | 1 | All features included |
| Shop | $79/mo | Up to 5 | All features included |
| Studio | $129/mo | Unlimited | All features included |
What You Get on Day One
- Guided onboarding wizard that walks you through setup in five steps
- Size-and-coat pricing matrix with 16 price points per service
- 13 pre-built expense categories mapped to Schedule C line items
- Monthly expense tracker with auto-populated recurring costs
- Visual scheduling calendar with Day, Week, Month, and Agenda views
- Smart booking with automatic pricing based on pet size and coat
- Credit card processing with $1 flat or 1% platform fee through Stripe Connect
- Automatic SMS and email reminders, confirmations, and notifications
- Daily dashboard that shows your whole day at a glance
- 14-day free trial with full access to everything
Start Your 14-Day Free Trial
You’ve already made the hard decision to go out on your own. The easy part is picking software that’s actually built to help you get there. No credit card required.