Cashless Tipping for Dog Groomers in Australia

You've just finished a full groom — bath, dry, brush-out, nail trim, the lot — and the client is thrilled with how their dog looks. They reach for their wallet to leave a little something, then realise they've got no cash on them. Sound familiar? With fewer Australians carrying notes and coins, that "I'd tip you if I had cash" moment is happening more and more in grooming salons and mobile vans across the country.

Cashless tipping for dog groomers fixes that. Instead of relying on the few clients who still carry cash, you give every client an easy way to tip you by card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay — usually by scanning a QR code that takes a few seconds. This guide covers how it works, how to set it up, what's fair to expect, and how to keep it simple whether you work in a salon or run a mobile rig.

If you want the short version first, you can see how a salon and grooming tip page works and come back for the detail.

Last updated: June 2026.

Key takeaways

• Cashless tipping for dog groomers lets a client tip by scanning a QR code and paying with their phone or card — no cash and no app to download.
• It works for salon-based groomers and mobile groomers alike; you just display a code or share a link at checkout.
• Tipping isn't expected in Australia the way it is in the US, but clients increasingly want the option, especially after a great groom.
• Tips paid through a platform like PocketTip are paid out to your Australian bank account, so there's no cash to count or split.
• Tip income is still income — keep a record for tax time, and treat this as general info, not financial advice.

Table of contents

• What cashless tipping means for dog groomers
• Do you tip dog groomers in Australia?
• How to set up cashless tipping in 5 steps
• Salon groomers vs mobile groomers
• How to ask for tips without it feeling awkward
• Getting paid and keeping records
• Frequently asked questions

What cashless tipping means for dog groomers {#what-it-means}

Cashless tipping lets a client tip you by scanning a QR code or tapping a card — no cash and no app needed. They point their phone camera at your code, a tip page opens in their browser, they choose an amount, and they pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or a card. The whole thing takes about as long as saying goodbye to the dog.

For groomers, this matters because grooming is a hands-on, relationship-driven job. Clients come back to the same person who knows their anxious cavoodle or their matted old retriever. When someone's genuinely happy with the result, they often want to show it — and right now, a lack of cash is the only thing stopping them.

A couple of terms worth knowing. A QR-code tip page is your personal page that the code links to. Tap-to-tip is the same idea using a card tap instead of a scan. The payout cycle is how often the collected tips land in your bank account. None of it requires the client to install anything.

This is PocketTip's own area — we build cashless tip pages for Australian service workers — so the steps below reflect how the platform actually works, not a generic overview. You can see how cashless tipping works across different trades if you want the wider picture.

Do you tip dog groomers in Australia? {#do-you-tip}

Tipping dog groomers in Australia is optional and not expected the way it is in North America — but it's becoming more common, and it's always welcome. Unlike the US, Australian groomers are paid a proper wage or set their own prices, so a tip is a genuine bonus rather than a wage top-up.

When clients do tip, a common range is around 10% of the groom price, or a round figure like $5 to $20 for a standard groom. A bigger tip tends to show up after a tricky job: a heavily matted coat, a nervous or reactive dog, a senior pet needing extra patience, or a last-minute booking before a holiday.

If you're curious how this compares to other services, our guide on how much to tip in Australia breaks down typical amounts, and the piece on whether you tip hairdressers in Australia covers very similar territory — appointment-based, skill-driven, personal service.

The honest answer for clients: you don't have to tip your groomer, but if they did a great job and you'd like to, a cashless tip makes it easy. For groomers, the takeaway is simpler — give people the option and a fair share will take it.

How to set up cashless tipping in 5 steps {#how-to-set-up}

Setting up a pet groomer tip page takes a few minutes. Here's the sequence most groomers follow:

1. Create your tip page. Sign up and set up a personal page with your name or business name so clients know it's you.
2. Get your QR code and link. You'll receive a unique QR code to display and a shareable link you can drop into messages.
3. Display it where clients pay. Print the code for the front desk, the grooming table, or your mobile van window — anywhere the goodbye happens.
4. Share the link digitally. Add it to booking confirmations, invoices, your Instagram bio, and your text reminders.
5. Get paid to your bank. Tips clients leave are paid out to your Australian bank account on the platform's payout cycle.

Here's how those touchpoints compare for grabbing a tip:

You can browse example tip pages to see how other workers lay theirs out before you build your own.

Ready to give every happy client an easy way to say thanks? Create your dog grooming tip page — free to start, no contracts.

Salon groomers vs mobile groomers {#salon-vs-mobile}

The setup is the same for both, but where you display the code differs. Salon groomers have a fixed counter, so a small framed QR sign at the payment point does most of the work. You can also add it to the receipt or invoice you hand over.

Mobile and home-visit groomers don't have a counter, so the code needs to travel with you. A weatherproof sticker on the van window, a card clipped to your kit, or simply showing the code on your own phone all work well. Because mobile clients often pay by transfer or card already, a tap-to-tip or scan option fits naturally into how they're paying.

If you're a sole trader rather than a salon employee, a personal cashless tipping page keeps everything under your own name and bank account. Either way, the client experience is identical: scan, choose, pay, done.

How to ask for tips without it feeling awkward {#how-to-ask}

The easiest way to invite a tip is to make it visible, not verbal. A clear sign that says "Loved the groom? You can tip here" does the asking for you, so you never have to put a client on the spot. Most groomers find a small printed prompt converts far better than saying anything out loud.

Timing helps too. The best moment is right at handover, when the dog looks its best and the client is happiest. A simple "All done — the tip option's on the sign there if you'd like, no worries either way" keeps it light and pressure-free.

It's the same low-key approach groomers' neighbours in the trade use — our guide for massage therapists' cashless tipping walks through the same "let the sign ask" idea for another appointment-based service. The golden rule: never make a tip feel expected. Make it easy, make it optional, and let the quality of your work do the convincing.

Getting paid and keeping records {#getting-paid}

Tips collected through a cashless platform are paid out to your nominated Australian bank account, so there's nothing to count at the end of the day. Payouts work with the major banks — CommBank, Westpac, NAB, ANZ, Bendigo, ING, and Macquarie among them — and arrive on the platform's regular payout cycle rather than instantly, because card payments need to settle first.

One thing to keep in mind: tip income is still income. The Australian Taxation Office treats tips as assessable income whether they come as cash or by card, so it's worth keeping a simple running record. The upside of cashless tips is that they're automatically logged, which makes EOFY far less of a headache than counting a shoebox of notes.

This is general information, not financial advice — check with a registered tax agent or the ATO about your own situation. For pricing and what it costs to use the platform, see the pricing page. PocketTip is free to start with no contracts, and these notes reflect how our own payout flow works rather than any one bank's terms.

Frequently asked questions {#faqs}

Q: Do you tip dog groomers in Australia?

A: Tipping dog groomers in Australia is optional and not expected the way it is in the United States, but it's increasingly common and always appreciated. Australian groomers are paid a wage or set their own prices, so a tip is a genuine thank-you rather than a top-up. When clients do tip, around 10% of the groom price or a round $5 to $20 is typical, often more after a difficult or matted coat, a nervous dog, or extra patience with a senior pet. With cashless tipping, clients who'd like to leave something can do it even when they're not carrying cash — they just scan and pay.

Q: How does cashless tipping for dog groomers actually work?

A: A client scans your QR code or taps a card, a tip page opens in their phone browser, they pick an amount, and they pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or card. No app download is needed on their end. The tip is then paid out to your Australian bank account on the platform's payout cycle. You can see how cashless tipping works step by step. The whole thing is built so a client can finish tipping in the few seconds it takes to say goodbye to their dog.

Q: Do my clients need an app to tip me?

A: No. The biggest advantage of a pet groomer tip page is that the client never downloads anything. They use the camera already on their phone to scan your QR code, which opens your tip page in their normal browser. From there they pay the way they'd pay for anything else online. This is what makes it practical for one-off and walk-in clients who'd never bother installing an app just to leave a tip.

Q: Can mobile dog groomers use cashless tipping too?

A: Yes, and it suits mobile groomers well. Because you don't have a fixed counter, you display your QR code on a van sticker, a card in your kit, or your own phone screen at handover. You can also send the link in your booking confirmation text. A personal tip page keeps it tied to your own name and bank account, which is ideal if you're a sole trader rather than working under a salon.

Q: How much do clients usually tip dog groomers?

A: There's no fixed rule in Australia, but a common guide is around 10% of the groom price, or a round figure like $5, $10, or $20 for a standard appointment. Clients tend to tip more for difficult grooms, anxious or reactive dogs, senior pets, or squeezing in an urgent booking. You can pre-set suggested amounts on your tip page so clients have an easy starting point. Our how much to tip in Australia guide has more on typical ranges across services.

Q: Is tipping income taxable for groomers?

A: Yes. The ATO treats tips as assessable income whether they're paid in cash or digitally, so they should be included when you report your earnings. A benefit of cashless tipping is that every tip is logged automatically, so you're not relying on memory or a tin of coins at tax time. Keep your records and speak to a registered tax agent for advice specific to you — this is general information only, not financial advice.

Q: What does it cost to set up a tip page?

A: PocketTip is free to start with no contracts. Exact plan and fee detail lives on the pricing page, so check there for the current breakdown. The setup itself — creating your page, getting your QR code, and sharing your link — takes only a few minutes, and you can display the code in your salon or on your van straight away.

Final tips for groomers getting started

Cashless tipping for dog groomers isn't about pressuring clients — it's about removing the one barrier that stops happy clients from saying thanks: not carrying cash. Set up your page, put your QR code where the goodbye happens, add the link to your booking messages, and let your work do the rest.

Keep it low-key, keep a record for tax, and treat tips as the bonus they are. The clients who love what you do for their dogs will appreciate the easy option.

Start earning tips without the cash hassle. Create your tip page — free to start, no contracts, and your clients just scan and tip.