One price for the whole business
$499 a year including GST. Unlimited workers and clients. Adding a worker changes nothing.
Sparks Provider vs CareMaster
A CareMaster alternative for small NDIS providers
Sparks Provider is a CareMaster alternative for small NDIS providers: $499 a year including GST for the whole business with unlimited workers and clients, where CareMaster charges per user from $16 a month plus GST with a five-user minimum and a 12-month term (prices checked 14 November 2026).
7 days freeNo card$499 for unlimited workers and clients
One price for the whole team, or a per-user suite with award payroll?
CareMaster is a broad NDIS and aged care suite with rostering, a worker app, a participant app and optional SCHADS award interpretation. Sparks Provider keeps the weekly work of a small support provider in one place: rosters, notes, timesheets, invoices, NDIA claim files and Xero.
CareMaster does more. The question is whether your team needs that depth, and what it costs as you add people. This page uses CareMaster's own published prices.
Annual cost, including GST
What each team size pays a year.
| Team | Sparks Provider | CareMaster Essential | CareMaster Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 people (owner + 2 workers) | $499 | $1,056 (pays for 5) | $1,716 (pays for 5) |
| 6 people (owner + 5 workers) | $499 | $1,267.20 | $2,059.20 |
| 16 people (owner + 15 workers) | $499 | $3,379.20 | $5,491.20 |
| 31 people (owner + 30 workers) | $499 | $6,547.20 | $10,639.20 |
Annual AUD including GST, checked 14 November 2026. CareMaster figures are 12 months at the published monthly rate per user, with its five-user minimum, plus 10% GST. They leave out the onboarding package, award interpretation ($2,046 a year including GST if you add it) and other add-ons. CareMaster does not state which plan includes its Xero link, so both are shown. Sparks Provider's optional SMS pack is separate. This compares subscription prices, not identical products. See your own team size on the pricing page.
Sources, read 14 November 2026: CareMaster pricing, CareMaster terms, CareMaster licences.
Direct comparison
The questions that decide the value.
$499 for everyone versus a per-user price with a five-user minimum.
| What mattersDecision | Whole-business priceSparks Provider | Compare withCareMaster |
|---|---|---|
| 01Annual price | Sparks Provider $499 incl. GST. One price for the entire business. | CareMaster From $1,056 incl. GST on Essential at the five-user minimum. |
| 02What makes the price go up? | Sparks Provider Nothing when you add clients or workers. | CareMaster Every user, including admins. |
| 03Minimum term | Sparks Provider Billed annually. 7-day free trial first, no card. | CareMaster 12-month minimum licence. No downgrades during the term. |
| 04Trial | Sparks Provider Yes. 7 days, the full product, no card. | CareMaster No trial found. Book a demo. |
| 05Onboarding cost | Sparks Provider None. | CareMaster An onboarding package may be required. Price not published. |
| 06SCHADS award interpretation | Sparks Provider Not included. Xero does pay. | CareMaster Available as an add-on at $155 a month. |
| 07NDIS invoicing and claim file | Sparks Provider Invoices from your price guide and the NDIA bulk claim file included. | CareMaster NDIS export listed from Essential. |
| 08Suits | Sparks Provider Small providers who want the core week without a per-user bill. | CareMaster Providers who want award payroll, aged care and a participant app in one suite. |
What CareMaster does that Sparks Provider doesn't
Where CareMaster goes further.
CareMaster is a serious, long-standing suite. These are real advantages if you need them.
- SCHADS award interpretationA paid add-on that works out award pay. Sparks Provider does not calculate pay or hold pay rates. It sends approved hours to Xero.
- A roster optimiserCareMaster promotes matching workers to shifts automatically. Sparks Provider's roster is built by you.
- A participant appParticipants can view and request supports and see funding.
- Aged careSupport at Home, home care statements and DEX reporting.
- Registers and more accounting linksMedication, vehicle and property registers, and MYOB and QuickBooks links as well as Xero. Sparks Provider makes MYOB and QuickBooks import files instead.
- ISO 27001 and a widely rated worker appCareMaster says it holds ISO 27001 accreditation. Its worker app is rated 4.6 from 4,414 ratings on the Australian App Store (14 November 2026).
Where Sparks Provider is different
Less software can be the right answer.
No lock-in before you have tried it
Seven days free with the full product and no card. No demo, no onboarding fee.
The working week in one path
Roster, worker app, shift notes, timesheets, invoices from your NDIS price guide, the NDIA bulk claim file and Xero.
The real Sparks Provider product
Built by someone who runs two providers
Kim Matthews built it for her own teams and uses it in both businesses.
- You have up to about 30 staff and deliver direct supports.
- You want one known annual price that does not move with headcount.
- Rosters, notes, timesheets, NDIS invoices, claim files and Xero are the core of your week.
Who each product suits
Choose for the operation you actually run.
Sparks Provider may suit you when
- You have up to about 30 staff and deliver direct supports.
- You want one known annual price that does not move with headcount.
- Rosters, notes, timesheets, NDIS invoices, claim files and Xero are the core of your week.
- You want to try it today without a demo, before you pay for a year.
CareMaster is the better choice when
- You want SCHADS award interpretation inside your rostering and payroll software.
- You deliver aged care as well as NDIS supports and need Support at Home or DEX reporting.
- Participants need their own app to view and request supports.
- You want MYOB or QuickBooks connected directly, or need vehicle, property or medication registers.
Coming from CareMaster?
How to switch from CareMaster.
Keep CareMaster running.
Start the 7-day trial and check the fit with one made-up participant and worker.
Bring your records.
Choose CareMaster on Switch to Sparks, follow the export steps on screen, drop the file and check the columns Sparks picked. Staff and shifts go in the spreadsheet templates, checked before an agreed import. The team helps if you get stuck.
Review before you rely on it.
Check the matches and anything flagged. Check your CareMaster term end date too: its terms set a 12-month minimum and 30 days' notice.
Straight answers
Before you choose.
No vague promises. Just the details you need to choose well.
How much does CareMaster cost?
CareMaster publishes three per-user plans before GST: Essential $16, Standard $26 and Premium $36 a month, with a minimum of 5 users on Essential. Five users on Essential is $1,056 a year including GST. SCHADS award interpretation is $155 a month extra. Checked 14 November 2026 on CareMaster's pricing page.
Is there a CareMaster alternative for a small NDIS provider?
Yes. Sparks Provider is $499 a year including GST for the whole business, with unlimited workers and clients, a 7-day free trial and no card. It covers rosters, a worker app, shift notes, timesheets, NDIS invoicing, the NDIA bulk claim file and Xero.
Does CareMaster have a free trial?
We found no free trial on CareMaster's site on 14 November 2026. It offers a demo. Sparks Provider has a 7-day free trial with no card.
Is CareMaster a lock-in contract?
CareMaster's terms set a minimum 12-month licence, then monthly, with 30 days' notice to cancel and no downgrades during the term. Read the current terms on CareMaster's site before you sign.
Does Sparks Provider do SCHADS award interpretation like CareMaster?
No. Sparks Provider does not calculate pay, hold pay rates or interpret awards. It sends approved hours to Xero, and Xero does the pay. If award interpretation inside your care software is a must, CareMaster is the better choice.
Can I move my data from CareMaster to Sparks Provider?
Yes. Choose CareMaster on Switch to Sparks and match the columns of its participants export. Other records come in with our spreadsheet templates, checked before an agreed import. The team helps. Review the matches before you rely on them.
Small on purpose
Try the smaller system before you sign a 12-month licence.
Seven days free, no card, then $499 a year including GST.
Sparks Provider is not affiliated with CareMaster. Product names are used only to help providers compare their options.