The first question most business owners ask about AI phone answering is the same: what does it cost?
It's the right question, but it requires a slightly longer answer than a single number — because the cost depends on call volume, and the value depends on what you're currently spending to handle calls (or losing because you're not).
This guide covers what AI receptionist services actually cost in Australia in 2026, what's typically included, and how to work out whether it makes financial sense for your business.
How AI receptionist pricing works
Most AI phone answering services in Australia are priced on a subscription model with a monthly minute allowance. You pay a base rate for a certain number of call minutes per month, and an overage rate if you exceed it.
This is different from hiring a receptionist, which is a flat hourly cost regardless of how busy the phone is. It's also different from a traditional answering service, which typically charges per call or per message.
The minute-based model means the pricing scales with your actual usage. A sole trader taking 50 calls a month pays significantly less than a multi-location practice handling 500.
Turnless pricing (2026)
Turnless charges in AUD with GST included. There are four tiers:
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Minutes included | Overage | |---|---|---|---|---| | Starter | $169/mo | $1,690/yr | 250 min | $0.40/min | | Growth | $279/mo | $2,790/yr | 500 min | $0.35/min | | Pro | $369/mo | $3,690/yr | 900 min | $0.30/min | | Scale | $579/mo | $5,790/yr | 1,500 min | $0.28/min |
Annual plans work out to 10 monthly payments — effectively two months free.
All plans include the AI voice receptionist, SMS notifications, call transcripts, customer profiles, and the dashboard. There are no setup fees. The 14-day free trial requires no credit card.
How many minutes does my business need?
The average inbound call to a trade or professional services business runs 2-4 minutes. For health and beauty businesses, it's similar — initial bookings and routine rebooking sit in that range, with more complex enquiries occasionally running longer.
A rough guide:
- Under 100 calls/month: Starter plan comfortably covers this
- 100-200 calls/month: Growth plan
- 200-400 calls/month: Pro plan
- 400+ calls/month: Scale plan, or contact for a custom quote
You can check your current call volume through your phone provider or Telstra/Optus account. If you don't know exactly, err on the lower side — you can see your usage in the dashboard and upgrade if needed.
What's included that you might not expect
Beyond answering calls, Turnless includes:
SMS confirmations and reminders. After every call that results in a booking or job, the customer receives an SMS confirmation. Appointment reminders go out automatically before scheduled appointments.
Call transcripts and summaries. Every call is recorded and transcribed. You can read exactly what was said, search by customer name or topic, and review how enquiries were handled.
Customer profiles. Turnless builds a profile for every caller — their name, address, call history, jobs or appointments, and notes. Over time, returning callers are recognised and greeted by name.
Integration with your existing software. Turnless connects to Cliniko, Nookal, ServiceM8, simPRO, Google Calendar, and Xero. Bookings and jobs land in your existing systems without double entry.
The management line (Field businesses). For trade businesses, Helm is a separate phone number the owner calls to dispatch jobs, get briefed on the day, and manage the team — all by voice.
Comparing the cost to a human receptionist
A part-time receptionist in Australia working 20 hours a week costs roughly $25-35 per hour including superannuation, leave entitlements, and on-costs — call it $2,000-$3,000 per month.
That receptionist is available during business hours, not after hours. They take lunch. They take sick days. They have good days and bad days in terms of how calls are handled.
An AI receptionist at $169-$579 per month is available 24/7, every day of the year, and handles every call consistently. It doesn't call in sick on Monday. It doesn't have a difficult conversation with a patient and let it affect the next call.
This doesn't mean AI replaces every receptionist. For businesses with complex front-desk needs — clinical intake, insurance processing, patient relationship management — human staff remain essential. But for the specific task of answering calls and taking bookings, the economics favour AI significantly.
The hidden cost: missed calls
The cost of AI answering is visible. The cost of not having it is harder to see.
Australian small businesses miss an estimated 20-30% of inbound calls on average. For a business generating $300,000 annually, that's $60,000-$90,000 in potential revenue that rang and didn't get answered.
Not every missed call is a lost job. Some callers try back. Some leave voicemails. But industry data consistently shows that a meaningful portion of callers — particularly for urgent needs — move on to the next provider rather than waiting for a callback.
At $169/month, recovering one additional job per month that previously went unanswered covers the cost of the Starter plan at most price points.
Is there a long-term contract?
No. Turnless is month-to-month on the monthly billing option. You can cancel at any time.
Annual plans are discounted but committed for 12 months. Most businesses that trial for 14 days and find the system working for them choose annual billing for the cost saving.
What the free trial covers
The 14-day free trial is a full product trial — not a demo, not a limited version. Your AI receptionist answers real calls, creates real bookings, and sends real SMS confirmations to real customers during the trial.
You'll configure your AI during setup (about 45 minutes for most businesses) and then run it live. At the end of 14 days, you'll have a clear picture of call volume, conversion, and whether it's working for your business.
No credit card is required to start.
The right question to ask
The question isn't "what does AI answering cost?" It's "what is a missed call worth to my business?"
If the average job or appointment in your business is worth $200, and you're missing 30 calls a month, that's $6,000 in potential monthly revenue. At $279/month for the Growth plan, the return is not ambiguous.
The harder cases are businesses with very low average transaction values or very low call volume. For those, the trial is the right place to start — run it for 14 days on real calls and see what the numbers actually look like.
Turnless offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. Start here and have your AI receptionist answering calls today.