Stop leaving money on the table.
Most service business owners haven't raised their prices in over a year. Not because their value hasn't grown — but because the fear of losing clients feels bigger than the reward of earning more.
This calculator kills that fear with maths.
Put in your numbers. See exactly how much more you could be making. And find out how many clients you can afford to lose before a price rise costs you anything at all. The answer will probably surprise you.
What this could mean for your business
A personal trainer with 15 clients at $150 a session raises prices by 15%. Even if 2 clients walk, they're earning $450 more every month. That's $5,400 a year — for one decision made in an afternoon.
Run your own numbers. Then decide.
Worked example — see how this plays out
Sarah's bookkeeping practice — 15 clients @ $400/month
Even losing 2 clients
+$840/mo
Sarah can lose up to 3 clients (20%) and still earn more than today. She tested the new rate on 2 new enquiries first — both said yes. She then sent a personal note to existing clients with a 30-day loyalty window at the old rate. She lost zero clients.
Break-even at different price raises
How many clients can you afford to lose and still earn the same as today?
| Price raise | New price | Max clients you can lose |
|---|
The key lessons on raising prices
The Business Academy — what we teach every member
01
Do the maths before fear makes the decision
Before you decide whether to raise prices, calculate your break-even churn rate — the percentage of clients you can lose and still earn the same revenue. For a 15% price rise, that number is around 13%. For 20%, it's around 17%. The maths almost always says you can afford this.
02
Test on new clients first
Don't announce a price rise to your whole client base before testing it. Quietly charge the new rate to your next 2 or 3 new enquiries. If they say yes without pushing back, the market has already told you the new price is acceptable. This also gives you the confidence and proof to go to your existing clients.
03
Raise prices at least once a year
Staying at the same price year after year is not a neutral act. Your costs go up. Your skills improve. Your experience deepens. Small annual increases of 10% are far easier for clients to absorb than one large jump after three years of undercharging.
04
Pair it with something new
The best time to raise prices is within 90 days of launching something new — a new service, a new package, an upgraded process, or a new program. Frame it as new era pricing. Clients accept price rises far more easily when they can see what's changed.
05
Communicate it personally
Tell existing clients before the new price goes live. Show them the value you've already delivered. Explain what you're investing in next. Give loyal clients a window of 14 to 30 days to lock in the current rate. A personal, well-framed message turns a potentially awkward conversation into a loyalty moment.
06
If the raise is 50% or more, call them
Large increases deserve a real conversation. Acknowledge the jump directly, explain what's driven it, and give clients time to adjust. Most will stay. The ones who do will respect you more for being direct.
Disclaimer
This calculator is provided for educational purposes only. All outputs are estimates based on the numbers you enter and do not constitute financial or business advice. Results will vary depending on your industry, client relationships and market conditions. The Business Academy Australia accepts no liability for decisions made based on the outputs of this tool. We recommend consulting with a qualified business advisor before making significant pricing changes.
