The short answer
Most AI receptionists sold to Australian trade and service businesses cost about $49 to $399 a month in 2026, and entry plans for a handful of calls start at about $19. The monthly price usually covers a set number of minutes or calls, often 100 to 400 minutes. After that, extra minutes can cost up to $1.50 each, and some plans add setup, SMS and phone number fees. So work out the cost on the calls you actually get, and check what happens after the call. LeadAI’s Growth plan gives you five AI staff, including an AI receptionist with unlimited inbound calls (fair use), for $950 a quarter plus GST. That’s about $317 a month, or $253 a month paid yearly.
What AI receptionists cost in Australia in 2026
| Type | Typical price a month | What’s usually included | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry plans | About $19 to $99 | A small allowance: from about 10 calls up to around 200 minutes | Hard caps. At least one plan stops answering when the minutes run out. |
| Plans for a busy business | About $149 to $399 | 100 to 400 minutes, booking into a calendar, text summaries | Extra minutes up to $1.50 each, SMS fees, a setup fee |
| Built into job software | About $49 to $199, on top of the software | Answering and messages. Some send every booking to you to approve first. | You also need that job software subscription |
| “Whole office” AI for trades | About $149 to $349 | Calls, plus some quote, invoice and review follow-up | Minute caps. Check whether follow-up is a call, a text or an email. |
| LeadAI Starter (1 AI receptionist) | $200 to $250 | 250 inbound conversations a month | Costs more than most entry plans |
| LeadAI Growth (5 AI staff) | $253 to $317 | Unlimited inbound calls (fair use), 6 to 8 outbound hours, follow-up of enquiries, quotes and invoices, review requests, a personal assistant | Outbound hours are capped |
How AI receptionists are priced
- A monthly plan with a minute cap. The most common model. Plans include about 100 to 800 minutes, then you pay for each extra minute or buy a top-up.
- A monthly plan with a call cap. You get a set number of calls or conversations, from about 10 to 250 a month.
- A build fee plus a per-minute rate. Common with custom setups. You pay once to have it built, then for every minute it answers.
- An add-on to job software. A phone plan inside software you already pay for. It’s cheap, but only if you use that software.
Worked example: 120 calls a month
Plans are priced in minutes, but you think in calls. Here’s what 120 calls a month costs if each call averages 3 minutes, which is 360 minutes a month. Your phone bill shows your own average.
| Plan | How it adds up | Total a month |
|---|---|---|
| $149 plan, 100 minutes, then $1.50 a minute | $149 + 260 extra minutes × $1.50 | $539 |
| $199 plan, 200 minutes, then $1.50 a minute | $199 + 160 extra minutes × $1.50 | $439 |
| $399 plan, 400 minutes | All 360 minutes included | $399 |
| LeadAI Starter, 250 conversations | 120 calls are inside the 250 | $200 to $250 |
| LeadAI Growth, unlimited inbound (fair use) | All calls included, plus four more AI staff | $253 to $317 |
The cheapest plan on paper isn’t always the cheapest in a busy month. A wet week, a heatwave or a storm can double your calls, and a minute-capped plan charges for every one of them.
What the money buys: answering is only the start
An AI receptionist stops the missed call. That matters: Hiya’s 2026 State of the Call report found 86% of calls from unknown numbers go unanswered, so ringing a missed caller back often doesn’t work.
But most of the money in a trade business is won or lost after the call. It’s in the quote that’s never followed up, the deposit that’s never chased and the invoice that sits 30 days overdue. When you compare prices, compare what happens after the call too.
Questions to ask before you sign up
- How many minutes or calls are included, and what does each extra one cost?
- What happens when I run out: does it keep answering?
- Is there a setup fee, and who does the setup, you or me?
- Are the prices with or without GST?
- Is there a lock-in contract or an exit fee?
- Does it book jobs into my calendar, or does every booking wait for me?
- Does it follow anything up after the call, and is that by phone, text or email?
- Where are call recordings and customer details stored?
- Can I ring it first and hear it for myself?
What LeadAI costs, and when it isn’t the cheapest option
If you get a handful of calls a week and only want them answered, a cheaper entry plan may suit you better. LeadAI Starter, one AI receptionist with 250 inbound conversations a month, is $750 a quarter or $2,400 a year plus GST. That’s $200 to $250 a month, more than most entry-level AI receptionists.
LeadAI is built for the business that wants the work after the call done too. Growth is five AI staff for $950 a quarter or $3,040 a year plus GST, about $253 to $317 a month. Anna answers every call and text, with unlimited inbound calls (fair use). Emily follows up new enquiries and the quotes you’ve sent. Carol chases deposits and overdue invoices. Jenny asks for reviews and referrals. And SAM is a personal assistant you talk to.
We set your AI staff up around your business, so there’s no dashboard for you to learn, and there’s no lock-in contract. Past the included use, calls are $0.35 a minute inbound and $0.55 a minute outbound, billed per second. You can ring Emily, one of our AI staff, on 0468 199 598 and hear her before you decide.
Questions people ask
- How much does an AI receptionist cost per month in Australia?
- Most cost about $49 to $399 a month in 2026. Entry plans start at about $19 a month for a small number of calls. Extra minutes, setup, SMS and phone numbers can add to that.
- Is an AI receptionist cheaper than hiring a receptionist?
- Yes, by a long way. A full-time receptionist at the Clerks Award Level 2 minimum costs an estimated $66,500 a year with super, leave loading and workers comp, about $5,545 a month, for 38 hours a week. Most AI receptionists cost under $400 a month and answer 24/7.
- Do AI receptionists charge per call or per minute?
- Most plans include a set number of minutes, usually 100 to 400, and charge for each minute past that, from about 8c to $1.50. Some cap the number of calls instead. LeadAI Growth includes unlimited inbound calls (fair use).
- Is there a free AI receptionist?
- Not one worth running a business on. Some products offer a free trial of 7 to 14 days, and the cheapest paid plans cover only around 10 calls a month. LeadAI has no free trial, but you can ring Emily on 0468 199 598 any time and hear how she handles a call.
- What’s the cheapest AI receptionist in Australia?
- Entry plans start at about $19 a month, but they cover very few calls. Work out the cost on the calls you actually get and what you need done after them. At 120 calls a month, a cheap minute-capped plan can cost more than a dearer plan with more minutes.
- Does LeadAI charge per minute?
- Growth and up include unlimited inbound calls (fair use) and set outbound hours each month. Starter includes 250 inbound conversations a month. Past that, calls are $0.35 a minute inbound and $0.55 a minute outbound, billed per second.
Sources
More guides
- Receptionist, answering service, VA or AI: what each really costs in Australia in 2026
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- How to choose AI for a trade business: 10 questions to ask before you buy
Ten questions to ask any AI receptionist or AI staff provider, what a good answer sounds like, and how to test it before you pay.
- What is AI staff? AI staff vs an AI receptionist vs an AI agent
Plain definitions of AI staff, AI receptionists, chatbots and AI agents, side by side, with what each does and what it costs.
- What a missed call costs a tradie, and how to stop missing them
What the research says about slow replies, how to work out what your missed calls cost, and four ways to stop missing them.