Childcare fees calculator.
Use this childcare fees calculator to see what you'd really pay after the Child Care Subsidy. Most families don't pay the listed daily rate; once CCS is applied, the actual out-of-pocket fee (the “gap fee”) is much lower. Adjust the centre, income, days, and hours to get a rough estimate.
If you have a second child aged 5 or under in approved care and your family income is under $370,727 (2026-27), a higher subsidy rate (up to 95%) applies to the younger sibling. The room and fee shown above will represent the younger sibling for this calculation.
How this is worked out
This estimate uses the Australian Government's Child Care Subsidy rules for the 2026-27 financial year (effective 6 July 2026). Your CCS rate is calculated from your combined family adjusted taxable income:
- Earning under $88,520: 90% subsidy
- Reduces by 1% for every $5,000 above that
- Hits 0% at $538,520 and above
The subsidy applies to the lower of the centre's hourly fee or the government's hourly rate cap of $15.19 (centre-based care under school age, 2026-27).
Second child higher rate: If you have a second child aged 5 or under in approved care and your family income is under $370,727 (2026-27), the higher rate uses its own income test (separate from the standard rate). For 2026-27 it goes down step by step:
- Income up to $146,437: 95% subsidy
- $146,437 to $191,437: goes down from 95% to 80% (1% for each $3,000)
- $191,437 to $270,727: stays at 80%
- $270,727 to $360,727: goes down from 80% to 50% (1% for each $3,000)
- $360,727 to $370,727 (2026-27): stays at 50%
- Above $370,727 (2026-27): the standard rate applies
5% withholding: Centrelink keeps back 5% of your subsidy during the year, in case your income estimate was too low (this is the standard default rate). The figures above include this withholding, so they reflect what you'll actually pay each fortnight. If your estimate was right, you get it back at tax time.
Activity test and the 3-Day Guarantee: From 5 January 2026, CCS-eligible families can get at least 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight (about 3 days per week), regardless of work or study activity. Some families can access up to 100 hours per fortnight, including families with more hours of work or study, an approved exemption, or an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child in care. For 4 or 5 days per week of care, this distinction matters: if your fortnightly hours of care exceed your subsidised cap, the hours above are charged at the full fee.
This is an estimate only. Centrelink will give you your exact rate after you lodge a claim through myGov. We're happy to go through your own numbers with you on a tour.
How is the Child Care Subsidy calculated?
Services Australia works out a CCS percentage from your family income. For 2026-27 it starts at 90% for family incomes up to $88,520 and reduces by 1 percentage point for every $5,000 above that, reaching 0% at $538,520. If you have a younger child aged 5 or under also in care, the younger child can attract a higher rate under a separate income test.
Your subsidy for each day is your CCS percentage applied to the capped portion of the fee: the subsidy is calculated on the lower of your hourly session fee and the hourly rate cap ($15.19 for centre-based day care in 2026-27), multiplied by the hours in the session. Centrelink also withholds 5% of the subsidy as a buffer against overpayment, which is reconciled after tax time. Whatever the subsidy doesn't cover is your gap fee, and that's the number this calculator estimates.
Since 5 January 2026 the 3 Day Guarantee gives every CCS-eligible family at least 72 subsidised hours a fortnight, and 100 hours where parents have 48 or more activity hours a fortnight or the child is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child. That's why the calculator asks about your hours.
What this calculator includes
The estimate uses the real session fees and session lengths at our four centres, the 2026-27 income test, the hourly rate cap, the higher rate for a second child aged 5 or under, and the 5% withholding. It works the same way whether you deal with Centrelink through myGov in NSW or anywhere else in Australia; the CCS rules are national, and the fees here are simply our own.
If you want the detail behind the numbers, we've written a plain-English guide to how the Child Care Subsidy works, a closer look at the hourly rate cap, an explainer on the 3 Day Guarantee, and step-by-step instructions for claiming CCS and confirming your enrolment in myGov.
The result is an estimate, not a quote. Your exact entitlement is set by Services Australia once your claim and activity details are assessed. For a precise figure for your family, get in touch and we'll walk you through it.