October 1, 2025

TL;DR Per-user pricing models for NDIS software create significant obstacles for providers looking to expand. Each new hire leads to increasing software costs, discouraging providers from growing their teams and limiting their business potential. This “growth tax” can result in thousands of dollars in additional software fees, making it harder for providers to meet the rising demand for services. Vertex360 offers a participant-based pricing model, enabling guilt-free hiring and business expansion without escalating software costs. By eliminating these barriers, providers can scale efficiently and focus on delivering better care for participants. The Hidden Cost of Scaling Your NDIS Business NDIS providers face a constant challenge: balancing the need to grow their workforce with the financial realities of running a sustainable business. As demand for disability services continues to increase across Australia, providers must hire additional support workers, coordinators, and administrative staff to meet participant needs. However, many providers discover a hidden obstacle that silently undermines their growth plans: per-user pricing models for NDIS management software. These pricing structures create what industry experts call a “growth tax”—a penalty that increases your operational costs every time you hire someone new. For NDIS providers planning to expand their services, these rising software costs can discourage hiring and slow business growth, ultimately limiting your ability to serve more participants. <p>Understanding the difference between pricing models is crucial for making informed software decisions. Read our detailed comparison of ShiftCare vs Vertex360 pricing models to see exactly how per-user and participant-based approaches affect your bottom line. The financial impact is substantial. As your team grows from 3 staff members to 20, per-user pricing can add $7,600+ in cumulative software costs over five years—money that could instead fund better wages, improved participant services, or business development. How Per-User Pricing Creates a $10,000+ Annual Growth Penalty The mechanics of per-user pricing are straightforward but problematic: every time you hire a new team member, your monthly software bill increases. This pricing model forces you to make tough decisions—not based on business needs or participant demand, but on the rising cost of your management software. The Real-World Impact Consider ShiftCare, one of the popular NDIS software solutions. While their entry price appears affordable at $12 per user per month, the costs escalate quickly: ShiftCare Cost Trajectory: 3 staff members: $36/month ($432/year) 5 staff members: $60/month ($720/year) 10 staff members: $120/month ($1,440/year) 15 staff members: $180/month ($2,160/year) 20 staff members: $240/month ($2,880/year) For enterprise-focused solutions like SupportAbility, the impact is even more severe. While they hide their pricing behind “contact us” forms, industry estimates place their costs at $50-150 per user per month: SupportAbility Estimated Costs: 5 staff members: $250-750/month ($3,000-9,000/year) 10 staff members: $500-1,500/month ($6,000-18,000/year) 15 staff members: $750-2,250/month ($9,000-27,000/year) This “growth tax” leads to several adverse outcomes: Staffing Decisions Based on Software Costs: Providers delay or forgo hiring additional staff because each new team member adds permanent monthly expenses—even before considering wages, training, or equipment costs. Business Expansion Stagnation: As teams grow, the per-user pricing structure makes it increasingly difficult to scale operations effectively. What starts as $36/month becomes $240/month as you grow to 20 staff—an increase of $2,448 annually. Profitability Pressures: Rather than investing in business growth, providers keep teams artificially small to control software expenses. This limits both profitability and the number of participants you can serve. Budget Unpredictability: Unlike participant-based revenue which is predictable through NDIS funding, per-user software costs create budget uncertainty every time you need to hire. Real Provider Scenarios: How Scaling Costs Affect Hiring Decisions Let’s examine three realistic scenarios where NDIS providers face difficult choices due to per-user pricing: Scenario A: Solo Provider Growing to Small Team (1→5 Staff) Meet Sarah: Sarah runs a support coordination service in Melbourne. She currently works solo but has a waiting list of 15 participants requesting her services. To meet this demand, she needs to hire 4 additional support coordinators. Current Situation: Staff: 1 (Sarah) Participants: 8 Current software cost (ShiftCare): $12/month Growth Plan: Staff needed: 5 (Sarah + 4 coordinators) Potential participants: 40 Projected software cost (ShiftCare): $60/month Financial Impact: Monthly increase: $48 Annual increase: $576 3-year cumulative cost: $1,728 Sarah’s Decision: While $576/year seems manageable, Sarah also calculates that hiring 4 coordinators means $180,000+ in annual wages. The software increase, though smaller, represents another fixed cost that will never decrease—even if she reduces her team temporarily. She decides to hire only 2 coordinators initially, limiting her growth and keeping 25 participants on her waiting list. Scenario B: Small Team Scaling to Medium Provider (5→15 Staff) Meet David: David operates a disability services provider in Brisbane offering personal care and therapy services. His current team of 5 staff members serves 35 participants, but demand in his region has increased significantly. Current Situation: Staff: 5 Participants: 35 Current software cost (ShiftCare): $60/month ($720/year) Growth Plan: Staff needed: 15 (to cover new service areas) Potential participants: 100 Projected software cost (ShiftCare): $180/month ($2,160/year) Financial Impact: Monthly increase: $120 Annual increase: $1,440 5-year cumulative cost: $7,200 additional If Using SupportAbility (estimated $50/user): Current cost: $250/month ($3,000/year) Projected cost: $750/month ($9,000/year) Annual increase: $6,000 5-year cumulative cost: $30,000 additional David’s Decision: David realizes that his software costs will triple just to accommodate necessary hiring. With margins already tight in the NDIS sector, he questions whether regional expansion is financially viable. He decides to grow more slowly, hiring only 5 additional staff over two years instead of 10 immediately—limiting his ability to serve his community. Scenario C: Medium Provider Avoiding the Enterprise Trap (15→30 Staff) Meet Jennifer: Jennifer runs an established NDIS provider in Sydney with 15 staff members serving 80 participants. She’s planning regional expansion that would require doubling her workforce. Current Situation: Staff: 15 Participants: 80 Current software cost (ShiftCare): $180/month ($2,160/year) Growth Plan: Staff needed: 30 (for regional offices) Potential participants: 180 Projected software cost (ShiftCare): $360/month ($4,320/year) Financial Impact: Monthly increase: $180 Annual increase: $2,160 Just first year cost difference: $2,160 If Using SupportAbility (estimated $75/user average): Current cost: $1,125/month ($13,500/year) Projected cost: $2,250/month ($27,000/year)