Nookal vs Zanda (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Zanda: it is third in our ranking of therapy and clinic software, and it grades higher too, 2.6 against 2.0.
Checked Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Zanda grades higher on value for money, features and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Nookal
Practice management for allied health clinics, priced per practitioner
Zanda
Browser-based practice software for allied health and therapy clinics
Which one is for you
Pick Nookal if
- Fits if you run a physio or allied health clinic in Australia, New Zealand or the UK
- Makes sense if you have many admin staff, since their logins are free
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you work alone, as one practitioner is $87 a month
- Skip it if you need US insurance claiming, because the listed claim links are mostly elsewhere
- Tight if you want the patient portal or secure messaging, since they are add-ons on Professional
- Watch out: texts start at $0.05 each, JAN AI is $25 per practitioner a month, and the page shows Australian dollars first
Pick Zanda if
- Fits if you're a solo practitioner who wants unlimited clients for $19 a month
- Works for allied health and mental health clinics juggling several practitioners and rooms
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a phone app, as Zanda runs only in the browser
- Tight if you stay on Starter: one practitioner, one location and 1,000 appointments; more needs Growth at $49
- Watch out: texts need a dedicated number at $4.99 a month with 35 credits, then 9¢ an SMS
- Pricey if you scribe every session: 4 AI Scribe sessions a month are free, then AI Pro is $19 a user, Telehealth Pro $9
- Watch out: claims carry a $50 enrollment fee, 15¢ a claim and 10¢ an ERA, and Stripe takes 2.9% + 30¢ plus 50¢
How we grade them
| 2.0GPANookalFair | 2.6GPAZandaGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CEssentials is $87 a month for one practitioner on US pricing, above the $59.90 dearer-quarter line but under the $95 dearest-tenth line. | BStarter is $19 a month for one practitioner with unlimited clients and 1,000 appointments, inside this category's cheaper quarter ($25). Five practitioners on Growth come to $125, or $25 each. Texts, AI Pro and Telehealth Pro are extra. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 30-day free trial with no card and no lock-in. No free plan. | CA 14-day trial with no card needed, and no free plan, so you're paying from week three. |
| Features | CBooking, notes, invoicing and claiming. Claiming is mostly Australia, New Zealand and the UK, and portal and messaging are paid add-ons. | BScheduling with waitlists and rooms, a booking portal, note templates, body charts, scored forms, invoicing, US claims through a clearing house, telehealth and BizzyAI writing. AI scribing stops at 4 sessions a month without AI Pro. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Forms, notes templates and claiming need setting up. | CNo App Store rating on record. Rooms, locations, note templates, forms and the clearing house enrollment all need setting up first. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with Stripe, Square, PayPal, Mailchimp and Physitrack links. | BIt runs in the browser on computers, tablets and phones, with Stripe, Zoom, Xero, Mailchimp, Google Calendar and Outlook. There are no native apps for any device. |
| Best for | allied health clinics that bill per practitioner | allied health and therapy clinics in the browser |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Nookal and Zanda. How we grade
Price against what you get
Nookal starts at $87 a month and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Zanda starts at $19 a month and scores 2.7.
Zanda scores higher and starts $68 a month lower. Of the other therapy and clinic software on the chart, 23 score higher than Nookal for less, and none scores higher than Zanda for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Nookal also covers invoicing and reports.
- Zanda also covers transcription and telehealth.
At a glance
| Nookal | Zanda | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $87 per month for 1 practitioner (Essentials) | $19 per month (Starter, one practitioner) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card, no lock-in contract | 14-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Nookal | Zanda Health Pty Ltd |
| Price read from | nookal.com | zandahealth.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Nookal
- The pricing page shows Australian dollars by default; the US figures here come from price data the page loads for US and Canadian visitors.
- Reminders, claims and add-ons are charged on top: texts from $0.05 each in US dollars, JAN AI $25 per practitioner a month on Professional.
- The patient portal, secure messaging and single sign-on are paid add-ons on Professional and above.
- Claiming integrations the pages list are mostly for Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Zanda
- Starter covers one practitioner and 1,000 appointments, with one physical location; unlimited appointments and more locations need Growth.
- Text messages need a dedicated number at $4.99 a month, which includes 35 credits; each further SMS costs $0.09.
- Card payments go through Stripe at 2.9% + 30¢ for domestic cards, plus a 50¢ Stripe Connect fee listed on the pricing page.
- There are no native mobile apps; Zanda runs in the browser on computers, tablets and phones.
Key features
Nookal
- Scheduling and online booking
- Multi-practitioner calendar and online appointment booking. Professional adds automated recalls and waitlist management.
- Patient records and notes
- Patient records, clinical notes and intake forms on every plan, with customizable intake and consent forms on Professional.
- Invoicing and claiming
- Invoicing and payment processing, plus claiming for Medicare Australia, DVA, New Zealand's ACC and UK insurers through Healthcode. Per-claim fees apply.
- Reporting
- Basic reporting on Essentials; advanced reports and KPI dashboards on Professional.
- JAN AI assistant
- An optional AI assistant for notes, letters and practice numbers, sold per practitioner who uses it.
Zanda
- Scheduling and client portal
- A calendar with waitlists, rooms and recurring appointments, and a portal where clients book, pay, fill in forms, share files and join telehealth calls.
- Notes, forms and body charts
- Session note templates and body charts, plus online forms for intake, consent and scored assessments. Note templates can be customized on Growth.
- BizzyAI
- Every plan includes unlimited AI writing, 4 AI Scribe appointments a month and insights across a client's last 3 sessions. AI Pro, $19 per user a month, removes the scribe cap.
- Telehealth
- Built-in HIPAA-compliant video with a free option, Telehealth Pro with unlimited calls at $9 per practitioner a month, or your own Zoom account.
- US insurance claims
- An integrated clearing house with a $50 enrollment fee, $0.15 per claim and $0.10 per ERA. Preparing claims, CMS-1500 forms and eligibility requests are free.
- Practice operations manual
- 100+ policy and procedure templates for writing down how the practice runs, with AI tools for the manual on Growth.
Plans
Nookal
Essentials$87
per month for 1 practitioner, billed monthly
For 1 to 12 practitioners: $248 a month at 6. Booking, notes, invoicing, intake forms, basic reports. Read from the page's US price data.
Professional$98
per month for 1 practitioner, billed monthly
Any team size: $265 a month at 6 practitioners. Adds KPI dashboards, recalls, waitlist, two-way SMS and invoice automation.
EnterpriseCustom
For multi-site groups and larger organizations. Adds API access, a dedicated account manager and priority support.
Zanda
Starter$19
per month for 1 practitioner and 1,000 appointments
Unlimited clients, 1 free admin user, 100 GB storage, reminders, intake forms, progress notes, billing and the booking portal. $9.50 for the first 6 months.
Growth$49
per month, plus $19 per additional practitioner
Unlimited appointments, admin users and storage, multiple locations, rooms, advanced waitlist, custom note templates, team messaging and full reports.
Ways to pay less
Nookal
No public discounts listed.
Zanda
- Other savings
50% off the first 6 months for October starts
Practices that start in October pay half for 6 months: Starter $9.50 a month, and Growth $24.50 plus $9.50 per extra practitioner, then the regular price.
- Other savings
No subscription fees until November
An end-of-summer offer on the US pricing page waives subscription fees until November and adds 500 free SMS credits.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Nookal or Zanda?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Zanda is cheaper to start with: $19 a month, against $87 a month for Nookal. Nookal starts at $87 per month for 1 practitioner (Essentials), and Zanda starts at $19 per month (Starter, one practitioner).
Which has a free plan, Nookal or Zanda?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Nookal nor Zanda has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.