AI Receptionist Cost in Australia: What You’ll Pay and Whether It’s Worth It
Last updated: 10 November 2026
The monthly price on a website is only half the story. What an AI receptionist really costs you depends on how many calls it takes, how long people stay on the line, how many texts go out, and whether you want it ringing customers back as well. We’ll go through each one, put award wages next to them, and do the sums for three real-world sorts of business.
Quick Answer
How much does an AI receptionist cost in Australia? Expect to pay from about $149/mo ex GST for a small business taking 30 to 40 calls a month, rising with call volume and length. That compares with roughly $5,431 a month for a full-time receptionist on the Clerks Award minimum plus super. Outbound calls and extra texts cost extra.
The four things that set the price
1. Voice minutes
This is the big one. Each plan includes a block of talk time. A physio clinic with two-minute booking calls burns through far less than a builder whose callers spend six minutes describing a back deck. Count minutes, not just calls.
2. Text messages
Booking confirmations to callers and summaries to you are usually sent by SMS. Each plan includes a set number; past that, each message is charged at a small per-text rate.
3. Outbound calling
Having the AI ring customers (follow-ups, reminders, reactivation) is metered separately. With us it’s prepaid at $0.60 a minute and never comes out of your plan.
4. Integrations
Booking into Google Calendar is included. Pushing details straight into practice software, a CRM or a job system takes custom work, so it’s quoted on request. Until then the AI sends you the details.
What a person, an answering service and an AI each cost you
A human receptionist. Most receptionists are covered by the Clerks – Private Sector Award. From 1 July 2026, the minimum full-time weekly rate for a Level 2 clerk in their first year is $1119.10 (Clerks Award, clause 16). That’s $58,193 a year. Add the 12% Super Guarantee (ATO) and you reach about $65,176, or $5,431 a month. That’s the legal floor for 38 hours a week, before leave cover, workers comp, payroll tax where it applies, or the cost of hiring.
An answering service. Human answering services usually charge a monthly base plus a fee per call or per minute. Published prices vary a lot, and many only take a message. Get quotes using your real monthly call count. Our answering service cost guide goes into the models in more detail.
An AI receptionist. A monthly plan sized by minutes, answering every hour of every day, and able to take several calls at once. It books, answers questions and texts you a summary, but it can’t greet someone at the counter or sort the mail.
| Receptionist (award minimum) | Answering service | AI receptionist | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | About $5,431 incl. super | Base fee plus per call or minute; quote-based | From $149/mo ex GST |
| Hours covered | 38 a week | Depends on the package | 24/7 |
| Calls at once | One | Depends on staff on shift | Several |
| Books into your calendar | Yes | Sometimes | Yes (Google Calendar) |
Doing the sums for three different businesses
Each example assumes an average call of 2.5 minutes and picks the smallest plan whose included minutes cover the month. Your own call length could be shorter or longer, which is why we look at your real calls on the demo.
A sole-trader landscaper: about 35 calls a month
Calls are mostly quote requests while on the tools. 35 calls × 2.5 minutes = 87.5 minutes. That fits the Starter plan, which includes 100 minutes for $149/mo. If a busy month runs over, extra minutes are $0.85 each, capped at $150.
A two-chair physio clinic: about 95 calls a month
Calls are bookings, reschedules and new patients. 95 calls × 2.5 minutes = 237.5 minutes. That fits the Business plan, which includes 250 minutes for $299/mo. If a busy month runs over, extra minutes are $0.65 each, capped at $200.
A busy plumbing business with four vans: about 260 calls a month
Calls are call-outs, quotes and after-hours emergencies. 260 calls × 2.5 minutes = 650 minutes. That fits the Growth plan, which includes 700 minutes for $499/mo. If a busy month runs over, extra minutes are $0.45 each, capped at $800.
All prices in AUD, excluding GST. Your Australian phone number and call charges are included.
Every plan, allowance and usage rate is listed on our pricing page.
Is an AI receptionist worth it?
Skip the hype and do one sum. Look at last month’s missed calls, guess how many were new work, and multiply by what an average job is worth to you. If that number is bigger than the plan, it’s worth trying. If you missed two calls all month, it probably isn’t.
It tends to pay off when:
- you physically can’t answer during the day (on the tools, with patients, in meetings)
- new customers ring around and book whoever picks up first
- after-hours and weekend calls are real enquiries, not wrong numbers
- you’d otherwise be hiring someone mainly to answer the phone
It’s a poor fit when callers mostly need complex advice, when you already answer almost every call, or when nearly all your work comes through referrals by email.
A dog groomer in Mawson Lakes runs the numbers
Illustrative example based on common patterns
Leanne runs a mobile dog-grooming van in Mawson Lakes, north of Adelaide. She was weighing up a part-time admin person for phones and bookings. Her phone log showed about 40 calls a month, a third of them missed while she had a dog on the table.
At 2 to 3 minutes a call, that’s around 100 minutes. Even a few hours a week of paid admin would have cost her more each month than the smallest plan. So she skipped the hire. Now the poodle on the table gets her full attention, and the people she used to miss get booked into the gaps in her week.
Related guides
AI receptionist cost: common questions
Want the number for your business?
Bring a rough idea of how many calls you get. On the demo we’ll work out your minutes, tell you honestly which plan fits (or whether you need one at all), and let you hear the AI take a call like yours.
No obligation · month to month
Questions first? Call 0417 460 236.