Everything you need to open and run a café in Australia
Calculators that do the maths, a checklist for your state, and plain-English guides to costs, licences, pricing and staff. Free, no sign-up, written for Australian cafés.
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Free, no sign-upNothing you type leaves your deviceReviewed 28 October 2026
Free tools
Calculators that do the maths for you
Start from realistic Australian figures, swap in your own, and see the answer, the chart and what it means. Share a link, print it or download the spreadsheet.
Free toolCafé startup cost calculatorAdd up fit-out, equipment, licences and working capital to see what opening will really cost.Free toolCafé startup cost calculatorAdd up fit-out, equipment, licences and working capital to see what opening will really cost.Open the toolFree toolBreak-even and profit calculatorHow many customers a day you need to cover your costs, and what you keep after that.Free toolBreak-even and profit calculatorHow many customers a day you need to cover your costs, and what you keep after that.Open the toolFree toolCoffee cost and price calculatorThe true cost of every cup, from beans to lids, and the price that hits your margin.Free toolCoffee cost and price calculatorThe true cost of every cup, from beans to lids, and the price that hits your margin.Open the toolFree toolRecipe and menu costing calculatorCost any dish ingredient by ingredient and see its food cost and the price to charge.Free toolRecipe and menu costing calculatorCost any dish ingredient by ingredient and see its food cost and the price to charge.Open the toolFree toolEspresso and brew ratio calculatorDose, yield and ratio for espresso, batch brew and cold brew. Handy for training staff.Free toolEspresso and brew ratio calculatorDose, yield and ratio for espresso, batch brew and cold brew. Handy for training staff.Open the toolFree toolStaff wage cost calculatorBuild a weekly roster and see the real cost with weekend rates, casual loading and super.Free toolStaff wage cost calculatorBuild a weekly roster and see the real cost with weekend rates, casual loading and super.Open the toolFree toolCafé opening checklistEvery registration, permit and task before opening day, for your state. Ticks save as you go.Free toolCafé opening checklistEvery registration, permit and task before opening day, for your state. Ticks save as you go.Open the toolFree toolLoyalty card makerDesign a printed stamp card with your logo, colours and reward, and download it ready to print.Free toolLoyalty card makerDesign a printed stamp card with your logo, colours and reward, and download it ready to print.Open the toolFree toolLoyalty program calculatorWhat a loyalty card costs you in free coffees, and what it brings back in repeat visits.Free toolLoyalty program calculatorWhat a loyalty card costs you in free coffees, and what it brings back in repeat visits.Open the tool
Start here
How to start a café in Australia
From first idea to opening day: the honest odds, location, startup costs, break-even, leases, council rules, fit-out, staff and the first three months.
22 minute read · 15 steps and sections · 25 sources
Read the guide- 01Is a café right for you?
- 02The timeline at a glance
- 03Step 1: Concept and target customer
- 04Step 2: Find the location
- 05Step 3: Run the numbers
- 06Step 4: Choose a structure and register
- 07Step 5: Negotiate the lease
- 08Step 6: Council approvals and food registration
- And 7 more, through to your first three months
Guides and tools, in order
Opening a café, step by step
Seven stages, from the first sums to your first regulars. Each has a guide to read and a tool to work it out.
- 01
Plan your café
Work out the concept, the location and whether the numbers stack up.
- Guide · 22 min readHow to start a café in AustraliaThe complete step-by-step guide, from the first idea to opening day.Guide · 22 min readHow to start a café in AustraliaThe complete step-by-step guide, from the first idea to opening day.Read the guide
- Guide · 13 min readHow to write a café business planWhat goes in each section, the numbers a bank asks for, and a template to fill in.Guide · 13 min readHow to write a café business planWhat goes in each section, the numbers a bank asks for, and a template to fill in.Read the guide
- Guide · 14 min readBuying an existing caféWhat to check before you buy a café business, and how it compares with starting fresh.Guide · 14 min readBuying an existing caféWhat to check before you buy a café business, and how it compares with starting fresh.Read the guide
- 02
Costs and money
What it costs to open, how long until you break even, and what to charge.
- Guide · 16 min readHow much does it cost to open a café?Real Australian cost ranges for fit-out, equipment, licences and the cash you need in reserve.Guide · 16 min readHow much does it cost to open a café?Real Australian cost ranges for fit-out, equipment, licences and the cash you need in reserve.Read the guide
- Free toolCafé startup cost calculatorAdd up fit-out, equipment, licences and working capital to see what opening will really cost.Free toolCafé startup cost calculatorAdd up fit-out, equipment, licences and working capital to see what opening will really cost.Open the tool
- Free toolBreak-even and profit calculatorHow many customers a day you need to cover your costs, and what you keep after that.Free toolBreak-even and profit calculatorHow many customers a day you need to cover your costs, and what you keep after that.Open the tool
- 03
Licences and rules
Registrations, permits and food safety, state by state.
- Guide · 13 min readCafé licences and permits by stateFood business registration, food safety supervisors, signage, outdoor dining and more.Guide · 13 min readCafé licences and permits by stateFood business registration, food safety supervisors, signage, outdoor dining and more.Read the guide
- Free toolCafé opening checklistEvery registration, permit and task before opening day, for your state. Ticks save as you go.Free toolCafé opening checklistEvery registration, permit and task before opening day, for your state. Ticks save as you go.Open the tool
- 04
Fit-out and equipment
Coffee machines, grinders and the gear you actually need.
- Guide · 15 min readCafé equipment guideChoosing an espresso machine and grinder, buying new or used, and what else you need.Guide · 15 min readCafé equipment guideChoosing an espresso machine and grinder, buying new or used, and what else you need.Read the guide
- Free toolEspresso and brew ratio calculatorDose, yield and ratio for espresso, batch brew and cold brew. Handy for training staff.Free toolEspresso and brew ratio calculatorDose, yield and ratio for espresso, batch brew and cold brew. Handy for training staff.Open the tool
- 05
Menu and pricing
Cost every recipe and price it so each sale makes money.
- Guide · 17 min readHow to price your café menuFood cost targets, coffee margins and how to price without scaring off regulars.Guide · 17 min readHow to price your café menuFood cost targets, coffee margins and how to price without scaring off regulars.Read the guide
- Free toolCoffee cost and price calculatorThe true cost of every cup, from beans to lids, and the price that hits your margin.Free toolCoffee cost and price calculatorThe true cost of every cup, from beans to lids, and the price that hits your margin.Open the tool
- Free toolRecipe and menu costing calculatorCost any dish ingredient by ingredient and see its food cost and the price to charge.Free toolRecipe and menu costing calculatorCost any dish ingredient by ingredient and see its food cost and the price to charge.Open the tool
- 06
Staff and wages
Hiring, rostering and what a team really costs.
- Guide · 15 min readHiring and paying café staffAwards, casual loading, super and rosters, explained for a first-time employer.Guide · 15 min readHiring and paying café staffAwards, casual loading, super and rosters, explained for a first-time employer.Read the guide
- Free toolStaff wage cost calculatorBuild a weekly roster and see the real cost with weekend rates, casual loading and super.Free toolStaff wage cost calculatorBuild a weekly roster and see the real cost with weekend rates, casual loading and super.Open the tool
- 07
Open and grow
Your first customers, then turning them into regulars.
- Guide · 14 min readYour first 100 regularsA practical plan for opening week and the months after, to turn first visits into habits.Guide · 14 min readYour first 100 regularsA practical plan for opening week and the months after, to turn first visits into habits.Read the guide
- Free toolLoyalty card makerDesign a printed stamp card with your logo, colours and reward, and download it ready to print.Free toolLoyalty card makerDesign a printed stamp card with your logo, colours and reward, and download it ready to print.Open the tool
- Free toolLoyalty program calculatorWhat a loyalty card costs you in free coffees, and what it brings back in repeat visits.Free toolLoyalty program calculatorWhat a loyalty card costs you in free coffees, and what it brings back in repeat visits.Open the tool
About these resources
Honest numbers, with the sources shown
Every figure comes from somewhere you can check: the ATO, Fair Work, business.gov.au, state food authorities and councils first, then suppliers and industry guides. Where something varies by state or council, we say so rather than guess.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Every calculator, checklist and guide here is free to use, with no sign-up and no email address needed. They're made by Back Again, which sells a digital loyalty card for cafés; these resources are how we help people before they ever need us.
No. The calculators do their maths in your browser. Your numbers are kept in the page's web address so you can bookmark or share them, and the opening checklist remembers your ticks on your own device. Nothing is sent to us.
Every page shows when it was last reviewed, and the current review was 28 October 2026. Award wages, ASIC fees and super rules change each July, and the ATO publishes new benchmarks each year, so we re-check them then. Each guide lists its sources, official ones first, so you can check anything yourself.
It's general information for Australian cafés, written to be practical and specific. It isn't legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ between states and councils, so use these to get your numbers and questions straight, then confirm the big decisions with your council, an accountant or a lawyer.