CareIQ vs Brevity 2026 - Which NDIS Software is Right for You?

Brevity and CareIQ are both Australian-built platforms serving NDIS providers, but they target different segments of the market and take different approaches to features and pricing. This guide compares them honestly so you can decide which platform fits your organisation.

What Are the Key Differences Between CareIQ and Brevity?

CareIQ is an all-in-one platform combining participant management, multi-award payroll, AI behaviour analysis, team chat, voice calling, e-signatures, and a custom form builder. Brevity, part of the Evello group, focuses on NDIS client management with built-in price guide integration and is designed primarily for smaller provider teams. Brevity does not include AI features, integrated payroll, or built-in communication tools.

The fundamental difference is in platform scope. Brevity takes a focused approach to NDIS client management and does it well for small teams. CareIQ takes a broader approach, aiming to be the single platform that replaces multiple tools across your entire operation. For providers who are managing 3 or 4 separate software subscriptions today, the consolidation that CareIQ offers can be significant.

Brevity has been part of the Evello group, which has been consolidating its products in the disability and community services space. Providers considering Brevity should check the current product roadmap and long-term plans to understand how the platform will evolve.

How Does Pricing Compare Between CareIQ and Brevity?

Brevity uses a per-client pricing model where costs scale with the number of participants you support. CareIQ uses flat-rate pricing with no per-participant or per-staff fees. For providers experiencing growth, the pricing model difference becomes increasingly important as each new client adds to your Brevity costs but not to your CareIQ costs.

Per-client pricing can work well for very small providers with a stable participant base. However, if your organisation is growing or if you support participants with complex needs who require more documentation and coordination, the per-client model can become expensive quickly. CareIQ's flat rate means you can take on new participants without worrying about software cost increases.

CareIQ offers a 7-day free trial, giving your team time to properly evaluate every feature with real workflows. This is longer than most NDIS software trial periods, allowing you to assess the platform through at least one full billing cycle and reporting period.

Does Brevity Have AI Features Like CareIQ?

No. Brevity does not currently include AI-powered features. CareIQ includes CareIQ Assist, which provides AI behaviour analysis, helps generate support plans from clinical data, and creates custom forms from plain-text descriptions or uploaded PDFs. These are unique capabilities that no other NDIS platform currently offers, and they save significant clinical and administrative time.

The AI form builder in CareIQ is particularly valuable for smaller teams who do not have dedicated administrative staff to design forms. You can describe the form you need in plain language, or upload an existing PDF, and CareIQ Assist will create a digital, fillable version that integrates with participant records. For teams migrating from paper-based processes, this feature alone can justify the switch.

Behaviour analysis through CareIQ Assist identifies patterns across incident reports, shift notes, and behaviour logs that would be difficult to spot manually. For providers supporting participants with complex behavioural needs, this can meaningfully improve support quality and reduce critical incidents.

Which Platform Handles NDIS Price Guides and Claiming Better?

Both CareIQ and Brevity include NDIS price guide integration and support automated claiming. Brevity has built-in NDIS price guides as one of its core strengths, making it straightforward to set up services at the correct rates. CareIQ also includes price guide integration as part of its broader billing and claiming module.

For basic NDIS claiming, both platforms are capable. Where they differ is in what surrounds the claiming process. CareIQ connects claiming directly to rostering, timesheets, and payroll, so the entire chain from shift completion to staff payment to NDIS claim happens in one system. With Brevity, claiming works well on its own, but payroll and more complex operational workflows typically require separate tools.

How Do Communication and Collaboration Compare?

CareIQ includes built-in team chat and voice calling, allowing support workers, coordinators, and managers to communicate securely within the platform. Messages can be linked to participant records, keeping care-related conversations in context and auditable. Brevity does not include built-in communication features, so providers using Brevity typically rely on external tools like email, phone calls, or consumer messaging apps.

For small teams working from a single location, external communication tools may be adequate. As teams grow, particularly those with support workers in the field, having communication built into the care platform reduces the risk of sensitive information being shared over unsecured channels and ensures important messages are not lost in personal message threads.

What About Payroll and Award Compliance?

CareIQ includes multi-award payroll covering SCHADS Award, Nurses Award, and administrative staff awards. It handles penalty rates, overtime, allowances, and leave entitlements automatically. Brevity does not include payroll functionality. Providers using Brevity need a separate payroll system such as Xero, MYOB, or a dedicated payroll service to pay their staff.

For providers managing payroll across multiple awards, having it integrated with rostering and timesheets eliminates a significant source of manual work and errors. When shift data flows directly from the roster into payroll processing under the correct award conditions, you avoid the reconciliation headaches that come with exporting and importing data between systems.

Feature Comparison Table

When Is Brevity the Better Choice?

Brevity can be a good fit for very small NDIS providers who need straightforward client management and NDIS claiming without the complexity of a full-featured platform. If your team is small, your award structure is simple, and you already have payroll and communication tools that work well, Brevity's focused approach may be all you need.

Providers who value simplicity over breadth and whose operations centre primarily around participant records and NDIS claiming may find Brevity's interface more approachable. The built-in NDIS price guides make initial setup straightforward for teams who are new to dedicated NDIS software.

When Is CareIQ the Better Choice?

CareIQ is the stronger option for providers who want to consolidate multiple tools into one platform, need AI-powered capabilities, or are planning for growth. The flat-rate pricing model means your software costs will not increase as you add participants or staff, making it a better long-term investment for growing organisations.

CareIQ is particularly well suited for providers who:

• Support participants with complex behavioural needs and want AI analysis
• Need multi-award payroll without a separate system
• Want to replace WhatsApp or email with secure, built-in team communication
• Are growing and want pricing that stays flat as they scale
• Need custom forms built quickly from descriptions or existing paper forms
• Want e-signatures and a family portal in the same system

Switching from Brevity to CareIQ

Providers migrating from Brevity to CareIQ receive support with data transfer, including participant records, service details, and historical documentation. The 7-day free trial period is long enough to run both systems in parallel, ensuring your team is confident with the new platform before fully transitioning.

Because CareIQ covers more operational areas than Brevity, the switch often means you can also retire other tools you were using alongside Brevity, such as separate payroll software, communication apps, or form-building tools. This consolidation typically saves both time and total software costs.