ShiftCare vs CareMaster: Comparing NDIS Rostering and Compliance Software
Both platforms are Australian-built for NDIS and aged care, with similar feature sets. The key differences are in payroll handling, security certifications, and how each approaches participant engagement.
Two Australian-built platforms in the same space
ShiftCare and CareMaster are both Australian-built, cloud-based platforms targeting NDIS and aged care providers. They cover similar ground: rostering, invoicing, compliance, carer mobile apps, and participant management. The differences are in the detail — payroll capability, security posture, and the way each platform approaches the support worker and participant experience.
Pricing
ShiftCare publishes its pricing. Plans start at approximately $9/user/month for the standard plan, with a premium plan at around $25/user/month. A 5-user minimum applies.
CareMaster also charges per user per month across three tiers: a starter package for small providers (minimum 5 users), a standard licence for growing providers (5 to 50 users), and a premium licence for larger providers (50+ users). Specific per-user rates are not prominently published — a demo is typically required to get a formal quote.
Verdict: ShiftCare is more transparent on pricing and easier to evaluate without a sales conversation. Both have a 5-user minimum.
Rostering and scheduling
ShiftCare has a drag-and-drop scheduling board with recurring shifts, group rosters, availability management, and NDIS shift type support.
CareMaster offers intelligent NDIS-compatible scheduling with qualification matching and SCHADS award awareness built into the rostering engine. The payroll integration means rosters feed directly through to pay calculations without manual re-entry.
Verdict: CareMaster has an advantage if payroll accuracy and SCHADS automation matter — its rostering is more tightly coupled to the payroll engine. ShiftCare's scheduler has a slightly cleaner interface for pure coordination work.
Mobile app
ShiftCare has iOS and Android apps for support workers covering shifts, check-in/out, progress notes, and document access.
CareMaster includes a support worker app and a participant app across all pricing tiers. The participant app gives clients 24/7 service request capability, plan monitoring, goal tracking, and document access — a more capable participant-facing experience than ShiftCare's family/client portal.
Verdict: CareMaster's participant app is notably stronger. ShiftCare's worker app is comparable in quality.
NDIS-specific features
ShiftCare covers NDIS price guide integration, bulk invoicing, PRODA/PACE submission, fund tracking, and self-managed/plan-managed support. The client/family portal allows families to view schedules and communicate with the provider.
CareMaster covers bulk claims, PRODA export, and NDIS invoicing, and additionally includes built-in award interpretation software — the system automatically calculates SCHADS pay rates, penalty rates, and overtime from the moment a support worker clocks in, without requiring a separate payroll add-on.
Verdict: CareMaster's built-in payroll award interpretation is a material advantage for providers who currently handle SCHADS calculations manually or via a separate system.
Compliance and reporting
ShiftCare tracks qualifications, certifications, and incidents. Standard reporting covers shifts, billing, and client activity.
CareMaster holds ISO 27001 Information Security accreditation — a formal independent certification that ShiftCare does not currently hold. All data is hosted in Australia with daily backups as standard. The platform includes direct messaging with conversation history for team communication audit trails.
Verdict: CareMaster has a stronger formal security posture (ISO 27001). Both platforms provide adequate compliance reporting for NDIS audit purposes.
API access and integrations
ShiftCare offers API access and integrates with Xero and MYOB.
CareMaster integrates with Xero, MYOB, and popular payroll platforms. API access details are best confirmed directly.
Verdict: Comparable integration coverage for standard accounting and payroll connections.
On-premise vs cloud
Both platforms are cloud-only, hosted in Australia.
Support and onboarding
ShiftCare supports self-onboarding with documentation and videos, and is generally faster to get running without dedicated implementation support.
CareMaster provides a 30-day free trial — one of the more generous evaluation periods in this category — and includes training packages as part of its onboarding process.
Verdict: CareMaster's 30-day trial is a meaningful advantage for providers who want to evaluate the platform thoroughly before committing. ShiftCare's 7-day trial is shorter.
Pros and cons
ShiftCare pros: Transparent pricing, faster self-onboarding, strong family/client portal, NDIS price guide auto-updates.
ShiftCare cons: No built-in payroll award interpretation, does not hold ISO 27001 certification, 5-user minimum.
CareMaster pros: ISO 27001 certified, built-in SCHADS award interpretation, capable participant app included in all tiers, 30-day free trial, Australian data hosting with daily backups.
CareMaster cons: Less transparent pricing (demo required), participant app adds complexity some smaller providers may not need.
Which should you choose?
Choose ShiftCare if you want to evaluate quickly without a sales process, or if NDIS billing and invoicing is your primary focus.
Choose CareMaster if payroll accuracy (SCHADS award interpretation), ISO 27001 security certification, and a strong participant app are priorities — particularly for mid-to-large providers.
If the main pain is rostering efficiency and carer-side communication rather than payroll, Teiro is a modern alternative worth considering. Its scheduling board, carer mobile app, and communications hub are built specifically for care coordinators who spend most of their day managing the operational side. Book a demo to see how it fits your team's workflow.