For most clinics, hyperbaric is the broader fit, with more client demand, a larger research base, and pricing that suits memberships. HOCATT suits a specialist clinic with an audience already asking for it.
At a glance
- Entry cost. HOCATT and soft-shell hyperbaric sit in a similar entry band. Hard-shell hyperbaric sits in a higher band.
- Sessions and chair time. Clinics charge a similar price per session for both. HOCATT runs about 30 minutes, so it fits more clients into an hour, with a clean-down between steam sessions. Hyperbaric runs 60 to 90 minutes and builds packs, memberships and repeat visits.
- Client demand. Australians search for hyperbaric about 12 times as often as HOCATT, and interest in hyperbaric has roughly doubled since 2022.
- Research. Hyperbaric has a much larger published research base. HOCATT has two small pilot studies.
- Best fit. Hyperbaric suits most clinics and the broad wellness and recovery market. HOCATT suits a specialist clinic whose clients already ask for it.
- Next step. Build the numbers on your own hours, pricing and client mix. Hyperbaric HQ can help.
A clinic owner recently came to us with a simple question. She had room for one new modality and had narrowed it to two, a hyperbaric chamber or a HOCATT. Both offered a distinctive client experience. Both had passionate fans. She wanted to know which one made sense for her business.
We walked through it together. We covered price, client experience, what has been published, who each one suits and how each earns its place in a clinic. This guide is that conversation, written down.
Hyperbaric HQ implements and installs hyperbaric chambers for clinics, so we have a view. We have tried to be fair anyway, and where the published research is thin, including for some hyperbaric use, we say so.
What each one actually is
HOCATT is a seated steam cabinet. Your head stays outside while the cabinet combines ozone, carbon dioxide, far infrared heat, PEMF, microcurrent, light and oxygen breathing in one programmed session of about 30 minutes, according to the manufacturer.
A hyperbaric chamber raises the air pressure around you while you breathe concentrated oxygen. There are two very different categories.
- Medical hyperbaric means above 2.0 ATA on near 100% oxygen, in a hard-shell chamber. This is what hospitals run.
- Wellness hyperbaric means 2.0 ATA and below, usually between 1.3 and 2.0 ATA, with oxygen from a concentrator. This is what wellness clinics offer, and it is the category Hyperbaric HQ works in.
That distinction matters more than anything else in this guide. The two are different services, with different settings, different research and different rules.
What it costs to set up and what clinics charge
Entry costs are closer than many owners expect.
- HOCATT and soft-shell hyperbaric chambers sit in a similar entry price band.
- Hard-shell hyperbaric chambers sit in a higher band, several times the soft-shell entry point.
Session prices overlap too. HOCATT sessions run about 30 minutes, and clinics typically charge a similar per-session price to hyperbaric. Hyperbaric sessions are longer, usually 60 to 90 minutes, and clinics often price them in packs and memberships.
The real difference is chair time. HOCATT fits more clients into an hour, though each steam session needs a clean-down before the next. Hyperbaric sessions suit memberships and repeat visits rather than quick turnover.
Modelling the numbers. Published revenue data for either modality is still limited, and most figures you will see come from owners or manufacturers. The trends are clearer. Interest in hyperbaric in Australia has roughly doubled since 2022, while HOCATT has stayed low and flat (more on that below). The model worth trusting is the one built on your own hours, pricing and client mix, and Hyperbaric HQ can help you build it.
What your clients experience
HOCATT is seated, warm and sweaty. Because the head stays outside, it suits people who dislike enclosed spaces. You will need towels, a shower and cleaning time between clients, plus the ventilation the supplier specifies for the ozone.
Hyperbaric is lying down or reclining, quiet and unhurried. Clients rest, read or nap. They equalise their ears as the pressure changes, much like on a plane. Some people feel uneasy in an enclosed chamber, and panoramic windows and an intercom help.
For many clinics, that calm hour is the product. It is easy to book weekly and easy to offer as a membership.
What has been published
This is where the two separate most clearly, and where it pays to be careful.
Medical hyperbaric above 2.0 ATA is an established hospital service in Australia, run by hospital hyperbaric units. That is hospital medicine, and none of it carries over to a wellness setting.
Wellness hyperbaric at 2.0 ATA and below has a small, early body of research. The studies are growing.
HOCATT research is earlier again. We found two small pilot papers from one research group, without control groups.
The fair summary is simple. Neither should be offered to clients as a remedy for anything. Most wellness clients use hyperbaric for relaxation, recovery routines and general wellbeing, and that is how it should be described. Whichever you choose, keep your marketing to the experience, the routine and the setting, and leave health claims out of it.
Who walks through the door for each
Hyperbaric appeals to a broad group. Think active people and athletes building recovery routines, longevity-minded clients, and people who have simply read about it. That breadth is its commercial strength.
HOCATT appeals to a narrower, highly motivated group, usually clients already drawn to integrative and heat-based sessions. In the right clinic, that is a loyal audience. In a general clinic, it can be a harder sell.
How popular is each one?
Search data gives a useful read on demand. We pulled Google search volumes for Australia in October 2026, from Google Ads data via DataForSEO over the 12 months to September 2026.
Australians search for hyperbaric terms about 12 times as often as HOCATT terms, at 10,560 against 870 average monthly searches.
Hyperbaric terms get about 12 times the searches of HOCATT terms in Australia. Google Ads data via DataForSEO.
“Hyperbaric chamber” alone draws about 8,100 searches a month in Australia. “HOCATT” draws about 590.
Over five years of Google Trends data for Australia, interest in hyperbaric has roughly doubled since 2022. HOCATT is low and flat. On the same scale it stays near zero, peaking at a yearly average of 2 out of 100 in 2025, when hyperbaric averaged 28.4.
Interest in hyperbaric has roughly doubled since 2022, while HOCATT stays low and flat. Google Trends via DataForSEO, pulled 15 October 2026. 2021 and 2026 are part years.
Searches for “hocatt near me” rose from about 50 to 260 a month over the past year, so there is some local interest. It is a niche, and one that suits a clinic with the right audience.
Market data on HOCATT itself is still thin.
Side by side
| Hyperbaric | HOCATT | |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase (indicative) | Soft-shell in the entry band, hard-shell in a higher band | Entry band, similar to soft-shell |
| Session length | 60 to 90 min | About 30 min |
| Typical session price | Similar per session, often sold in packs and memberships | Similar per session for a shorter session |
| Client experience | Calm, lying or reclining, ear equalising | Warm, sweaty, seated, head outside |
| Published research | Established in hospitals above 2.0 ATA, early at 2.0 ATA and below | Two small pilot studies |
| Search demand (AU) | About 10,560 searches a month | About 870 searches a month |
| Best fit | Most clinics, broad wellness and recovery market | Specialist integrative clinics |
| Watch out for | Chair time, claim discipline, wellness and medical confusion | Early research, ozone ventilation, niche demand |
Pros and cons for your clinic
Hyperbaric pros. Broad and growing demand, a recognised name, calm sessions that suit memberships, and local installation and support.
Hyperbaric cons. Longer sessions mean fewer clients per hour. Research at wellness pressures is early. Hard-shell chambers sit in a higher price band, and some clients find enclosed spaces uncomfortable.
HOCATT pros. Short sessions, a multi-technology story, head-out comfort and strong pull with integrative-minded clients.
HOCATT cons. Very early research, ozone handling and ventilation, a narrower market, and revenue figures that come mainly from the manufacturer.
So which should you choose?
For most Australian clinics, hyperbaric is growing in use. Demand is far larger, the data is easier to tell honestly, and the session format builds the kind of repeat visits that keep a clinic steady.
HOCATT can make sense if your clinic already serves a dedicated integrative audience and you are comfortable explaining that the research is early.
A few questions to ask yourself before you decide.
- Who are my current clients, and what do they already ask for?
- How many chair hours can I realistically fill each week?
- Can I describe this service honestly, as an experience and a routine?
- What local installation, support and servicing will I get?
Frequently asked questions
Is wellness hyperbaric the same as medical hyperbaric? No. Medical hyperbaric means above 2.0 ATA on near 100% oxygen, in a hospital. Wellness hyperbaric is 2.0 ATA and below, usually 1.3 to 2.0 ATA. The research and the rules differ between them.
Is HOCATT backed by research? There are two small pilot studies from one group. They are early and uncontrolled, so they do not establish clear outcomes.
Which costs more to set up? They overlap. HOCATT and soft-shell hyperbaric sit in a similar entry band. Hard-shell chambers sit in a higher band.
How long is a session? A HOCATT session runs about 30 minutes. A hyperbaric session usually runs 60 to 90 minutes.
Which is more popular in Australia? On search data, hyperbaric leads by a wide margin, with about 12 times the monthly searches of HOCATT.
Talk it through with us
If you are weighing up a new modality, we are happy to talk through your numbers, your space and your clients. Hyperbaric HQ implements and installs hyperbaric set-ups for clinics, and we will tell you honestly if a chamber is not the right fit. Get in touch with Hyperbaric HQ.
