AI receptionist pricing in Australia is confusing because providers use different models and many will not publish a number. Here is a straight breakdown, current as of 2026.
The two pricing models
Per-minute. This is what most underlying voice AI platforms charge. Rates typically run $0.11–$0.14 per minute of connected call time, with lower rates unlocked by paying a monthly platform fee. Add-ons such as custom voices, knowledge base lookups and call recording generally push real production costs toward the upper end of that range. Warm transfers to a human are usually billed separately again.
Per-minute looks cheap at low volume and becomes unpredictable at high volume — which is exactly the wrong way around for a trade business whose busiest weeks are storms and heatwaves.
Flat monthly. A set fee regardless of call volume. Predictable, and the reason we price this way: a heatwave week should not produce a surprise bill.
Setup costs
Expect $500–$2,000 for a properly configured AI receptionist. That covers voice selection, conversation scripting, training it on your services and pricing, escalation rules, calendar and CRM integration, and testing before it goes live.
Providers advertising “no setup fee” usually mean a generic bot you configure yourself. That is fine if you have the time and inclination; most tradies do not.
Ongoing management
$100–$500 per month for monitoring, refinement and updates as your business changes. We bundle this into our monthly packages rather than charging separately.
Total realistic cost
For a typical Australian small business, budget $300–$1,500 per month all-in, depending on whether you want just missed-call recovery or a full phone receptionist with follow-up and review automation.
Our pricing: Starter $500 setup + $300/month. Growth $2,000 setup + $800/month, which includes the full AI phone receptionist. Enterprise $5,000 setup + $1,500/month.
Hidden costs to ask any provider about
Transfer charges. When the AI hands a call to your mobile, is that billed on top of the call minutes?
Failed and short calls. Many platforms charge a minimum fee even for calls that fail or last a few seconds.
Add-on rates. Custom voice, knowledge base lookup and call recording often carry their own per-minute charges.
SMS costs. Usually separate, typically $0.06–$0.10 per message in Australia.
Overage rates once you exceed an included call allowance.
Platform fees that only pay for themselves above a certain volume.
Lock-in periods and exit fees.
How it compares to hiring
A Perth receptionist costs $55,000–$65,000 annually including on-costs, for 38 hours a week. An AI receptionist at $800 a month is $9,600 a year for 168 hours a week. That is not an argument that AI is better at everything — it is not — but the coverage-per-dollar difference is large.
Is it worth it for your business?
Run the numbers before anyone sells you anything. If you are recovering less than the monthly fee in missed-call revenue, it is not worth it yet, and any honest provider will tell you so.
→ Missed-call revenue calculator | Our pricing | Free Revenue Leak Audit