Who wrote this: LeadGenie makes an AI receptionist, so we’re not neutral. We’ve kept to facts each provider publishes on its own website, checked on 09/10/2026, linked every source, and said where a price isn’t published. Prices and plans change, so check each provider’s site before you buy.
An AI receptionist answers your business phone, works out what the caller needs, and books the job or takes a message. Australia now has a handful of them, from low-cost tools you set up yourself to services that build and run everything for you. Here’s how seven of them compare on price, minutes, set-up and who does the work.
How we compared them
- The published price in AUD, and whether GST is included.
- Minutes or calls included, and what you pay beyond them.
- Set-up: the fee, and whether you do it or they do.
- Booking: which calendars and job software it books into.
- What happens when a caller asks for a person: a transfer or a message.
- Whether it tells callers it’s an AI.
- Contract terms.
Side by side: features and AUD prices
From $99 a month plus GST (AUD): Essential includes 100 minutes, then $0.25 a minute, and books into Google Calendar. Pro at $399 is uncapped and books into job software including ServiceM8, Simpro, Fergus, Jobber and AroFlo. No lock-in contract. Sydney NSW. Chime Labs pricing
From A$99 a month, taxes added at checkout. Basic A$99, Professional A$199, Premium A$399, unlimited minutes. Its Basic plan doesn’t include bookings, call transfers or team members. Self-serve set-up in under 10 minutes, keeps your existing number by forwarding, 7-day trial. Based in London, UK. Hey Jodie pricing
From $49 a month plus GST (AUD) for 60 minutes, then 50c a minute; Solo $149 (200 minutes), Starter $299 (600), Growth $899 (1,500). Every plan includes 24/7 answering, warm call transfer, a local number and Google Calendar booking. ServiceM8 and simPRO connections are a quoted add-on. Brisbane QLD. Johnni pricing
A$499 a month ex GST on Growth (locked in for 12 months), plus a one-time A$1,999 set-up fee. Calls A$0.03 a minute; texts A$0.11 sent and A$0.02 received. Unlimited calls and messages, fair use applies. Australian mobile number included, or divert your own. Books into your calendar; a caller who asks for a person gets a message taken and a call-back requested, not a transfer. Says it’s AI on every call. Built and tested with you, live 10 to 14 business days from the onboarding call. Typed enquiries only: Starter A$199 a month plus A$999 set-up. Pro from A$799. Month to month. Parramatta NSW. LeadGenie pricing
From $249 a month plus GST (AUD) for 600 minutes, then $0.49 a minute; Pro $499. Google Calendar booking, warm transfer to a person, a dedicated number or forwarding. Free set-up, 7-day trial. Sydney NSW. Nexwin pricing
Price not published on its website; demo or sign-up. Lists 24/7 answering, call transfers, SMS, website chat and integrations including ServiceM8, simPRO, Google Calendar, Outlook and Xero. Says it can be live in minutes by forwarding your number. Gold Coast QLD. sophiie.ai
From $149 a month (AUD, GST not stated) for 100 minutes, then $0.90 a minute; Core $299, Premium $499. Set-up fee from $990. Done for you: they design, set up and maintain it. Brisbane QLD. Valory pricing
Where a provider shows a crossed-out earlier price, we’ve only listed the current one. We’ve left out tools we couldn’t confirm serve Australian businesses, and services that only send a text back after a missed call. For a closer look at three of them, read Sophiie, Hey Jodie or LeadGenie compared. Want it built and run for you? See what Growth includes.
Which suits tradies
Tradies usually need three things: the job booked into the software they already use, urgent calls flagged to them straight away, and quotes only from their own prices. On their own websites, Sophiie lists ServiceM8 and simPRO integrations, Chime Labs’ Pro plan books into ServiceM8, Simpro, Fergus, Jobber and AroFlo, and Johnni offers those connections as a quoted add-on.
LeadGenie books into your calendar and answers web chat, Facebook, Instagram and email as well as the phone. Connecting job software such as ServiceM8 is a custom workflow on Pro, from A$799 a month, built for you. If ServiceM8 or Simpro booking is a must-have from day one, ask each provider to show it working on a demo. AI for tradies
Which suits after-hours calls
After hours, the question is volume. Plans with a minute allowance, such as Johnni, Valory, Nexwin and Chime Labs’ Essential plan, charge per minute beyond it, which can add up after a storm or a public holiday. Hey Jodie lists unlimited minutes from A$99, but its Basic plan doesn’t book appointments or transfer calls.
LeadGenie’s Growth plan answers unlimited calls, fair use applies. Calls are billed at A$0.03 a minute and texts at A$0.11 sent and A$0.02 received; most businesses spend about A$30 to A$70 a month on those (an estimate). Whatever you choose, count last month’s after-hours calls before comparing prices.
Self-serve or set up for you
Hey Jodie, Sophiie and Johnni can be switched on quickly by forwarding your number and letting the tool read your website. That suits a simple business with a few common questions. Valory and LeadGenie design, build, test and maintain it for you, which costs more up front (Valory from $990, LeadGenie A$1,999 on Growth) and suits businesses with more job types, pricing rules or safety questions. Built for you or do it yourself?
Alternatives to an AI receptionist
- A phone answering service takes a message for about A$2.45 to A$3.99 a call, and suits low call volumes or calls that need a person to improvise. Answering service or AI receptionist?
- Missed call text back texts the caller within seconds when you miss a call. Missed call text back
- Hiring a receptionist costs about A$6,000 a month all in and covers business hours. AI receptionist or hiring?
How to choose
- Ask each provider for a live demo, and try to trip it up with a real question from your business.
- Check the price at your call volume, including set-up fees, per-minute charges and GST.
- Ask how it books, and into which calendar or job software.
- Ask what happens when a caller wants a person, or has an emergency.
- Check that it tells callers it’s an AI. Some providers don’t say.
Want to see LeadGenie handle an enquiry like yours? Book a free demo, or read how it works on the AI receptionist page. Not ready to compare yet? Check how fast you reply now, free.
Questions about AI receptionists in Australia
Which AI receptionist suits tradies in Australia?
It depends on your job software and how many calls you get. If you run ServiceM8 or Simpro, shortlist tools that list those integrations on their own sites, such as Sophiie and Chime Labs Pro, and ask Johnni about its quoted add-on. If you want it built and run for you, with web chat and social messages answered too, LeadGenie’s Growth plan is A$499 a month plus A$1,999 set-up, ex GST, and job software connects on Pro. Ask each provider for a demo before you decide.
How much does an AI receptionist cost in Australia?
Published prices we checked on 09/10/2026 range from $49 a month plus GST for 60 minutes (Johnni) to A$499 a month and more for plans that are built and run for you. Set-up fees run from nothing to A$1,999 on LeadGenie Growth, or from A$2,499 on LeadGenie Pro, and per-minute charges apply on many plans once the allowance is used.
Do AI receptionists tell callers they're AI?
Not all of them say. LeadGenie’s tells every caller it’s an AI in its first sentence, and that can’t be switched off. Ask any provider you’re considering how it handles disclosure, and check you’re comfortable with the answer.
Can I keep my existing phone number?
Yes, with most providers. You forward calls from your existing number to the AI, either all calls or only the ones you miss. With LeadGenie that’s on Growth, or use the Australian mobile number it includes. How to set up call forwarding
What happens when a caller asks for a person?
It varies. Johnni and Nexwin list warm call transfer, Sophiie lists call transfers, and Hey Jodie’s Basic plan doesn’t include them. On LeadGenie Growth, the AI takes a message and requests a call-back; it doesn’t put the call through. If live transfers matter most to you, one of the others may suit you better.
Are these Australian companies?
Sophiie (Gold Coast), Johnni (Brisbane), Chime Labs (Sydney), Valory (Brisbane), Nexwin (Sydney) and LeadGenie (Parramatta) are Australian. Hey Jodie is based in London and sells to Australian businesses in AUD. LeadGenie’s customer data is hosted in the United States. Privacy policy