An AI receptionist in Australia typically costs between $99 and $699 a month, plus a one-off setup fee of $0 to about $1,000. Self-serve tools start at about $99 to $149 a month, managed services run about $200 to $500 a month with $400 to $1,000 setup, and premium or enterprise plans run from $500 to $1,299 a month or more. For comparison, a part-time human receptionist costs about $35,000 a year once on-costs are added.
Short answer: budget roughly $1,200 to $8,000 a year for an AI receptionist, depending on call volume and how much it does. Before you sign, check per-minute or per-call overage, phone number fees, setup, integrations and whether GST is included. Figures come from Australian vendor guides checked in October 2026 and are indicative only.
What are the AI receptionist price tiers in Australia?
| Tier | Monthly | Setup | Call costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-serve tools | $99 to $149 | Usually $0 | Extra |
| Managed services | $200 to $500 | $400 to $1,000 | Usually extra |
| Premium and enterprise | $500 to $1,299 | $1,000 and up | Sometimes bundled |
Source: Basic Solutions, "AI receptionist cost in Australia", 21 July 2026. Basic Solutions sells an AI receptionist service, so treat this as a vendor view of the market.
What do named Australian providers charge?
These are published entry prices, not like-for-like quotes. Plans differ in what they include, so compare the whole bill.
| Provider | Monthly | Setup | Included and extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hey Jodie | From A$99, taxes added at checkout | Not stated | Not stated |
| TalkMate Starter | $299 | $299 | 300 calls, then $0.45 per extra call |
| Deskie | $99 for the first 12 months, then $149 | Not stated | 60 answered calls |
| Kaylo Solo | $99 | None | 100 minutes, then $0.80 a minute |
| Valory | $149, $299 or $499; enterprise from $1,299 | From $990 | Not stated |
| Sophiie | Quote only | Quote only | Reported at around $300 a month with setup near $800 |
| Basic Solutions | $99 | $499 | Number about $10 a month, answered calls about $0.40 a minute, prices ex GST |
Sources: Valory's AI receptionist comparison (updated 5 October 2026, pricing checked 16 September 2026) for Hey Jodie, TalkMate, Deskie, Kaylo and Valory. TalkMate's site also showed a banner saying setup was included at the check date. The Sophiie figure and Basic Solutions' own pricing come from the Basic Solutions guide. Valory and Basic Solutions are both providers. Prices change often, so confirm on each provider's site.
What about developer voice platforms?
If you're technical, you can build your own agent on a developer platform and pay per minute. Vapi lists a platform fee of $0.05 a minute, with transcription, AI model, voice and telephony charged at cost on top, and phone numbers at $2 a month. Retell lists $0.055 a minute for its voice infrastructure, and its own example totals about $0.11 a minute before telephony. Both are US platforms. The software is cheap; the real cost is your time to build, test and maintain it. The set-up guide walks through what that involves.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than an answering service or a human?
| Option | Monthly | Yearly | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI receptionist | $99 to $699 (enterprise $1,299 and up) | About $1,200 to $8,000 | Answers 24/7, but only within what you've set up |
| Live answering service | $300 to $2,500 | About $3,600 to $30,000 | Real people; check their hours and what they can do beyond taking messages |
| Part-time receptionist | $2,500 to $3,500 | About $35,000 with on-costs | Judgement and relationships, but limited hours and leave to cover |
Source: Basic Solutions guide (July 2026). Answering service yearly figures are 12 times the monthly range. An AI receptionist doesn't replace a good human for complex or sensitive calls. It's best at volume, after-hours and overflow.
What hidden costs should you check?
- Overage. Basic Solutions says overage is often $1.25 to $2.50 a minute once included minutes run out. Its example: a $149 plan with 300 minutes, plus 200 extra minutes at $2, comes to $549 for the month.
- Per call or per minute. Per-call pricing (TalkMate's $0.45 an extra call) suits long calls; per-minute pricing (Kaylo's $0.80 a minute) suits short ones.
- Phone numbers. A dedicated number can add a monthly fee, and your carrier may charge for forwarded calls.
- Setup. From $0 to $1,000 or more. Ask exactly what it covers.
- Integrations and SMS. Calendar, CRM and text messages can be extra.
- Introductory pricing. Deskie's $99 rises to $149 after 12 months, for example.
- GST. Some prices exclude GST or add tax at checkout. Valory's guide recommends confirming currency and GST, then pricing the whole service including cancellation terms.
To estimate minutes, multiply your monthly calls by the average call length. For example, 150 calls at 3 minutes each is 450 minutes. On a plan with 300 included minutes and $2 overage, that's another $300 a month.
Will an AI receptionist pay for itself?
Work it out with your own numbers. Here's an illustrative example only, with assumptions stated, for a trade business that misses calls while on the tools.
| Assumption | Value |
|---|---|
| Missed calls a month | 30 |
| Share that would have become a booked job | 20% (6 jobs) |
| Average gross profit per job | $250 |
| Profit currently at risk each month | 6 × $250 = $1,500 |
| AI receptionist cost | $300 a month + $600 setup spread over 12 months = $350 a month |
| Break-even | $350 ÷ $250 = 1.4 extra jobs a month |
In this example the service pays for itself if it wins about two extra jobs a month. Be conservative: some missed callers ring back anyway, so count profit rather than revenue and track real bookings for the first two months. If you miss only a handful of calls, a missed-call text-back may be enough, and it costs far less.
Frequently asked questions
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than a human receptionist?
Usually, yes. Vendor guides put AI receptionists at roughly $1,200 to $8,000 a year, against about $35,000 a year for a part-time receptionist with on-costs. A human still handles complex, sensitive or relationship calls better.
Do AI receptionist prices include GST?
Not always. Some Australian providers publish prices excluding GST, and some add tax at checkout. Confirm the currency and GST before you compare plans.
Do I pay per call or per minute?
It depends on the provider. Some plans include a set number of calls and charge per extra call; others include minutes and charge per extra minute. Estimate your monthly calls and average call length to see which suits you.
What's the cheapest way to stop missing calls?
A missed-call text-back that sends a booking link, or voicemail-to-text, often costs far less than a full AI receptionist and may be enough if you miss only a few calls a week.
What does WEAF AI charge?
WEAF AI starts with a 60-minute online strategy session for $50, credited toward any build, with a written plan within 48 hours. Builds are quoted at a fixed price after the session, and you own what's built.
Want help running the numbers? In a 60-minute session we'll look at your call volume, compare your options, including the cheap ones, and you'll get a written plan within 48 hours. $50, credited toward any build. Book a session
Related: how AI voice agents work, how to set one up, all guides, about Adnan Khan, home.