Account Executive

Halaxy vs Cliniko vs Zanda vs Splose - which practice management system is right for your psychology and allied health practice? If you're a psychology or allied health practice owner trying to choose a practice management system (PMS), you've probably already discovered that the options are overwhelming - and the advice online isn't always written for the Australian market. This guide breaks down the four most widely used PMS platforms among Australian psychology and allied health practices: Halaxy, Cliniko, Zanda (formerly Power Diary) and Splose. Timewellspent'll cover what each system does well, where it falls short, and which type of practice it suits best. One thing to note before Timewellspent start: no PMS is perfect for every practice. The right choice depends on your discipline, your billing mix, your team size and how you work. If you're unsure, a free PMS audit can help you figure out which system - or which configuration - is going to work hardest for your practice. A quick overview of the four systems. All four platforms are used by Australian psychology and allied health practices. All four handle appointment scheduling, client records and invoicing at a basic level. The differences start to matter when you look at billing complexity, NDIS capability, team size, and how much setup and customisation each system requires. Halaxy Halaxy is an Australian-built platform and one of the most widely used PMS in the country for psychology and allied health. It was built with the Australian billing environment in mind, which means Medicare, DVA and private health fund claiming are genuinely integrated - not bolted on as an afterthought. Best for: Solo practitioners and small-to-medium psychology and allied health practices with complex billing requirements, including Medicare Better Access, DVA, WorkCover and private health. Strengths: * Australian-built and Australian-focused - Medicare, DVA and private health billing are core features, not add-ons * Free base tier available, which makes it accessible for practitioners just starting out * Strong automation for appointment reminders, invoicing and claiming * Active Australian user community and regular updates * NDIS basic billing available, though Splose is more advanced for complex NDIS needs Things to be aware of: * The interface can feel cluttered, especially for new users - setup and configuration matter a lot * Some features require a paid plan to unlock * Getting the most out of Halaxy takes time and proper configuration; most practices Timewellspent work with are only using a fraction of what the system can do Who chooses Halaxy: Psychology practices, psychiatry, OTs, physios, speech pathologists and dietitians with a mix of Medicare, DVA and private billing. Also popular with practices wanting a free starting tier before scaling. Cliniko Cliniko is a New Zealand-based platform with a strong Australian user base, particularly among allied health practices. It's known for being clean, intuitive and relatively easy to learn - which makes it a popular choice for larger teams where multiple practitioners need to use the system with minimal training. Best for: Medium-to-large allied health practices and group clinics with multiple practitioners, particularly those who prioritise ease of use and team-wide adoption. Strengths: * Clean, uncluttered interface that most practitioners find easy to navigate * Strong scheduling and calendar management for multi-practitioner clinics * Good client communication tools including online bookings and automated reminders * Well-regarded customer support * Regular product updates Things to be aware of: * Medicare and DVA claiming requires integration with a third-party app (it is not natively built into Cliniko the way it is in Halaxy) * NDIS billing requires additional configuration and third-party tools * Monthly pricing is per-practitioner, which can add up for growing clinics * Not as deeply configured for the Australian billing environment out of the box Who chooses Cliniko: Group allied health clinics, physiotherapy and occupational therapy practices with multiple practitioners, and practices where ease of onboarding is a priority. Zanda (formerly Power Diary) If you've been in the industry for a while, you'll know this platform as Power Diary. It rebranded to Zanda in 2023 and has continued to develop its feature set. It remains a widely used platform among psychology and allied health practices, particularly those who were already on Power Diary and have migrated to Zanda. Best for: Practices already on Power Diary who have migrated to Zanda, and practices that want strong telehealth features built into the platform. Strengths: * Built-in telehealth functionality - video sessions can be run directly within the platform * Strong scheduling tools with detailed calendar management * Good client portal for online bookings and forms * Familiar to practices that were on Power Diary - the migration path is well-established * Australian-based support team Things to be aware of: * The Power Diary to Zanda migration, while well-supported, still requires careful setup to ensure no data is lost and billing configurations are correct * Medicare and DVA claiming requires third-party integration similar to Cliniko * Some users find the interface busier than Cliniko * Pricing has changed post-rebrand and is worth reviewing carefully for your practice size Who chooses Zanda: Practices migrating from Power Diary, psychology and allied health practices that use telehealth regularly, and practices that want a well-rounded general-purpose platform with strong scheduling. Splose Splose is the newest of the four platforms and was built specifically for Australian allied health practices with a strong focus on NDIS. If a significant part of your billing is NDIS funding, Splose is worth serious consideration. Best for: NDIS-registered providers and allied health practices with a high volume of NDIS billing, particularly OTs, speech pathologists and support coordinators. Strengths: * Purpose-built for NDIS billing - PRODA integration and NDIS claiming are central features, not additions * Clean, modern interface that is generally well-regarded by new users * Strong progress note and goal-tracking functionality suited to NDIS work * Growing quickly with regular feature releases * Strong community among NDIS-focused allied health practitioners Things to be aware of: * Newer platform, so some features that more established systems have are still in development * Less suited to practices where NDIS is a minor part of the billing mix - the platform is optimised for NDIS * Medicare and private health billing is available but not as deeply developed as in Halaxy * Fewer integrations currently available compared to Halaxy or Cliniko Who chooses Splose: OTs, speech pathologists, support coordinators, psychologist and allied health practices where NDIS billing makes up a significant portion of the workload. How to choose the right system for your practice Here's a simple way to think about it: * If Medicare and DVA billing accuracy is your top priority and you want an Australian-built system with a free starting tier - look at Halaxy. * If you run a group clinic with multiple practitioners and need something that's easy for your whole team to use without extensive training - look at Cliniko. * If you're already on Power Diary or you run regular telehealth sessions and want a smooth migration or a strong video platform - look at Zanda. * If NDIS billing makes up a significant part of your work and you want a system built specifically for that environment - look at Splose. * And if you're already on one of these systems but feel like you're not getting full value from it - that's a configuration issue, not a system issue. Most psychology and allied health practices Timewellspent work with are only using a fraction of what their PMS can do. That's usually fixable without switching platforms. Not sure which system is right for your practice - or whether your current setup is working as hard as it should? Timewellspent offer a free 30-minute PMS audit for psychology and allied health practices. Timewellspent'll look at how your system is currently configured, identify what's being underused, and give you a clear picture of what could be improved - regardless of which platform you're on. Timewellspent work with Halaxy, Cliniko, Zanda and Splose across psychology and allied health practices nationally. Its team handles setup, configuration, training, billing integration and ongoing support - so you can focus on your clients, not your admin system. Time Well Spent provides virtual reception, practice management and AHPRA-compliant marketing services for psychology and allied health practices across Australia. Learn more about its [virtual reception services] and [allied health marketing support].