What Does a Virtual Receptionist Cost for Tradies in 2026?

It depends entirely on the model. AI call answering runs on flat monthly plans — ours are $199, $449 and $899 a month, all AUD and GST inclusive, depending on call volume. Human virtual receptionist services typically charge per call (commonly $3–$5 for basic message-taking) or per operator minute, so a quiet month might cost you $150 and a busy one $500 or more. Employing your own part-time receptionist is the expensive option: even 20 hours a week at award rates works out around $2,800 a month once you add 12% superannuation. For a trade business taking 100–500 calls a month, a flat-rate plan is usually the cheapest option — and the only one where the bill doesn’t jump when you get busy.

Only at very low call volumes. If you take 20 calls a month, a per-call service at roughly $3 a call costs about $60 — cheaper than any monthly plan. The economics flip quickly though. At 100 calls a month you’re paying $300 or more for basic message relay, which is already above our $199 Solo Tradie plan — and the AI books jobs and triages emergencies rather than just texting you a name and number. Per-call billing also punishes success: run a letterbox drop or a good Google Ads month and your answering bill doubles right when your cash is tied up in materials. Check the fine print too — per-minute increments, after-hours loadings and per-transfer fees all stack on top of the headline rate.

A lot more than the hourly rate. Office admin roles fall under the Clerks—Private Sector Award, and the national minimum wage alone is $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026 — an experienced receptionist will expect more. On top of wages you pay 12% superannuation, and permanent staff accrue four weeks of annual leave and ten days of paid personal/carer’s leave a year, which you either cover yourself or pay someone else to cover. Add workers compensation premiums, payroll software and the hours you spend recruiting and managing. A 20-hour-a-week part-timer at $29 an hour lands around $2,800 a month all-in — and the phone is still unattended nights, weekends and every time they’re off sick.

Six things to look for before you sign anything. One: setup or onboarding charges — some services bill $100+ just to load your greeting script. Two: minimum monthly spend, which turns a “pay per call” deal into a fixed bill anyway. Three: per-minute billing increments — a 65-second call rounded up to two minutes costs nearly double. Four: after-hours and weekend surcharges, which is exactly when tradies need cover most. Five: per-transfer or patch-through fees every time they connect a caller to your mobile. Six: lock-in terms with automatic renewal and scheduled price rises. Ask for a GST-inclusive total at your realistic monthly call volume, in writing, before you compare anything.

Not always — and it’s a common trap when comparing quotes. Plenty of answering services and virtual receptionist providers advertise ex-GST pricing, which makes them look 10% cheaper than they really are until the first invoice arrives. All AI for Tradies pricing — $199, $449 and $899 a month — is quoted in AUD with GST included, so the number on the website is the number on your bill. If your business is registered for GST you’ll claim the credit back on your BAS either way, but for a like-for-like comparison always ask every provider for the GST-inclusive figure at your expected call volume.

Put both on the same footing before you compare a single number. One: get the GST-inclusive figure from every provider — plenty quote ex-GST, which makes them look 10% cheaper until the invoice lands. Two: price it at your real monthly call volume, taken from your actual mobile call log rather than a guess. Three: model a busy month, not an average one — per-call billing bills you most in the month your ads worked, which is the opposite of what you want. Four: add the extras to the per-call rate, because they are where the quote moves — after-hours and weekend loadings, per-minute rounding, per-transfer or patch-through fees, and any minimum monthly spend. Five: check the minimum term and the notice period, since a cheap per-call rate on a 12-month lock-in isn’t cheaper than a month-to-month plan you can leave. Then compare that all-in figure against a flat plan at the same volume. If you only want nights and weekends covered, the setup for that is a separate question — see our guide to after-hours call answering for tradies.