The short answer: In 2026, AI receptionists in Australia cost from under $50 to around $600 a month, depending on how many calls or minutes you need and what’s included. That compares with roughly $73,000 a year to employ a full-time receptionist, or $25 to more than $900 a month for a human answering service.
Missed calls are missed jobs, so most small businesses eventually ask the same question: should I hire someone, pay an answering service, or let AI pick up? Here’s what each option really costs, based on published Australian prices as at October 2026.
Option 1: Hiring a receptionist
According to SEEK, the average receptionist salary in Australia sits between $60,000 and $70,000, with a median of $65,000. Add the 12% superannuation guarantee and you’re at about $72,800 a year, or roughly $6,000 a month, before leave cover, recruitment, workers’ compensation and a desk and computer.
A great receptionist does far more than answer the phone, especially at a busy front counter. But one person covers around 38 hours a week, so evenings, weekends, lunch breaks and sick days still go unanswered unless you pay for cover.
Option 2: A human answering service
Answering services use real people to take your calls and pass on messages. Most charge per call or per minute, so the bill rises in busy months. Here are some published Australian plans:
| Provider | Published plans (ex GST) | What to note |
|---|---|---|
| OfficeHQ | From $25 a month for basic message-taking. Its 50-call plan is $185 a month | Call transfers and booking are on higher plans |
| Business 1300 | $48 a month for 15 calls, up to $405 a month for 150 calls | Extra calls cost $2.70 to $3.20 each |
| Alltel | $210 a month for 100 minutes, up to $950 for 500 minutes | $2.50 per extra minute, plus a $150 to $500 setup fee |
Answering services are a good fit if you want a human voice and take a modest number of calls. The catch is that most take a message rather than doing the work, so you still have to call back, book the job and follow up.
Option 3: An AI receptionist
An AI receptionist answers every call instantly, 24/7, using a natural-sounding voice. Depending on the product, it can answer questions, take details, book appointments and send you a summary. Published Australian prices vary widely:
| Provider | Published price | What to note |
|---|---|---|
| AI Answering Service | $48 a month including GST, for 200 calls | Focused on core answering, with optional add-ons |
| Hey Jodie | A$99 a month, flat | Answering-focused |
| Frontly | From $149 a month ex GST. Its 200-minute plan is $349 a month on an annual plan | $0.50 per extra minute, and month-to-month costs 20% more |
| Sophiie | Not published | Reported at around $300 a month, plus a $400 to $800 setup fee |
All prices were taken from each provider’s website or published reports in October 2026 and can change, so check before you buy.
What’s often not in the headline price
- Overage charges. Per-minute or per-call fees once you go past your allowance.
- Setup fees. Some providers charge hundreds of dollars to get started.
- GST. Many prices are listed ex GST, so add 10%.
- Month-to-month premiums. Some plans cost more without an annual commitment.
- Phone numbers and texts. Business numbers and SMS are sometimes billed separately.
- What happens after the call. Booking, follow-up texts and a customer record are often extra, or not offered at all.
The four options side by side
| Option | Typical monthly cost | Hours covered | After the call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time receptionist | About $6,000 (salary and super) | Business hours | Depends on the person |
| Human answering service | $25 to $950+ ex GST, by calls or minutes | Business hours, or 24/7 on some plans | A message is passed on |
| Answering-only AI | About $50 to $600 | 24/7 | A summary or transcript, with booking on some plans |
| AI receptionist plus CRM (My New Admin) | $297 including GST, with unlimited users | 24/7 | Booked, saved to your CRM and followed up automatically |
Is a cheaper AI receptionist enough?
If you only need calls answered and messages taken, an answering-only AI tool can be the cheapest option, and that’s worth knowing. The bigger question is what happens next. If you still have to call every customer back, enter their details, send the quote and chase it, you’ve only solved half the problem.
That’s why My New Admin includes the AI receptionist as part of a full CRM. When the AI answers, the caller is saved to your CRM, the appointment goes straight into your calendar, and follow-ups, reminders and review requests happen automatically.
What My New Admin costs
My New Admin is one plan at $297 a month including GST, with unlimited users. It includes the AI receptionist and website chat, a monthly usage credit that covers AI, calls and texts, plus the CRM, online booking, quotes and invoices, SMS and email marketing and Google review requests. See our pricing page for exactly what’s included.
Hear it for yourself. Call Steve, our AI receptionist, and see how he’d handle your customers. Then try My New Admin free for 14 days.
How to choose
- Count your calls. Check how many calls you get a month and how long they last, so you can compare per-call, per-minute and flat plans properly.
- Decide on hours. If after-hours and weekend calls matter, make sure they’re covered without extra fees.
- Check what happens after the call. Can it book into your calendar, update your CRM and text the customer?
- Read the fine print. Setup fees, contracts, GST and overage rates all change the real price.
- Test it first. Call the demo line or start a trial before you commit.
Not sure how many enquiries you’re missing? Our free tech-stack audit will show you. For more on following up the leads you capture, read our guide to lead management.
Frequently asked questions
Most AI receptionists in Australia cost from under $50 to around $600 a month in 2026, depending on call volume, the minutes included and features like booking and follow-up.
Yes, by a wide margin. Based on SEEK’s median salary plus super, a full-time receptionist costs around $73,000 a year, while most AI receptionists cost a few hundred dollars a month or less and work 24/7.
Usually, especially if you get a lot of calls. Answering services typically charge per call or per minute, so costs rise in busy months, while many AI receptionists include a set number of calls or minutes for a flat fee.
Many can, but not all. Check whether it connects to your calendar and CRM or only takes messages. My New Admin’s AI receptionist books straight into your calendar and saves every caller to your CRM.
They may, and it’s best to be upfront about it. Modern AI voices sound natural, and most callers care more about getting a quick, helpful answer than about who picks up.