How much does an AI receptionist cost?
In 2026 an AI receptionist costs between AUD $0.15 and $0.45 per minute all-in on programmable platforms (Retell, Vapi, Bland) once you add STT, LLM, TTS and a modest platform margin. For a typical Australian clinic at 800–1,500 inbound minutes per month, that's AUD $200–$700/month per site. Total cost of ownership at network scale typically runs 40–60% below a human answering service once integration and missed-revenue recapture are included. The honest unit-economics conversation is per-call-resolved, not per-minute.
Typical pricing in AUD, 2026
| Profile | Monthly minutes | Platform run-cost | One-off integration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single SMB clinic / business | 800–1,500 mins/mo | AUD $200–$700/mo | AUD $5k–$25k integration |
| 5-clinic network | 5k–8k mins/mo | AUD $1k–$3.5k/mo | AUD $20k–$50k integration |
| 10-clinic GP network | 10k–15k mins/mo | AUD $2k–$6k/mo | AUD $30k–$80k integration |
| 30+ site enterprise | 40k–80k+ mins/mo | AUD $7k–$25k/mo (or managed quote) | AUD $80k–$250k or bundled |
Ranges reflect the platform spread (Retell / Vapi / Bland) plus typical AU integration depth into Best Practice, Medical Director, Cliniko, Halaxy and Genie. Telephony carrier charges sit on top at AUD $0.02–$0.06/min.
The honest metric is per-call-resolved
Per-minute pricing is the wrong frame. A 4-minute AI call that books the appointment first time costs less to your network than a 90-second human call that triggers two callbacks. The metric finance actually cares about is fully-loaded cost per call resolved — including the missed calls you currently lose at peak times and after hours.
Run the calculation: (missed calls/month × average revenue per booking) + (after-hours capture × conversion rate × revenue per booking) + (reception capacity redeployed × hourly cost) — minus platform run-cost and amortised integration. Most ANZ clinics we deploy for hit payback inside 90 days. Use the ROI calculator for your specific numbers.
AI vs human virtual receptionist pricing
Human VR services in Australia typically charge AUD $1.50–$3.50 per call or AUD $300–$1,500/month per plan tier — and don't integrate with your PMS. Total cost of ownership for a multi-site network runs 40–60% higher than AI once integration value and missed-call recapture are factored in. The bigger structural difference is the cost curve: human VR is linear with volume; AI is sublinear.
See the full comparison at AI receptionist vs human receptionist.
FAQ
How much does an AI receptionist cost?
In 2026 an AI receptionist costs between AUD $0.15 and $0.45 per minute all-in on programmable platforms (Retell, Vapi, Bland) once you add STT, LLM, TTS and a modest platform margin. For a typical Australian clinic at 800–1,500 inbound minutes per month, that's AUD $200–$700/month per site. Total cost of ownership at network scale typically runs 40–60% below a human answering service once integration and missed-revenue recapture are included. The honest unit-economics conversation is per-call-resolved, not per-minute.
What's the per-minute price?
Programmable platforms (Retell, Vapi, Bland) sit in the AUD $0.15–$0.45/min range all-in once you account for speech-to-text, LLM inference, text-to-speech and platform margin. Bland is typically the lowest floor at high volume; Retell and Vapi are within ~15% of each other at sub-100k minutes/month. Enterprise managed platforms (Sierra, PolyAI, Parloa) quote engagement-style — 6-figure annual floor for a 30+ site network.
What does it cost per month for a single clinic?
For a single GP or dental clinic at 800–1,500 inbound minutes/month, expect AUD $200–$700/month in platform run-cost. Add a one-off integration fee (AUD $5k–$25k depending on PMS depth, number of workflows, and whether you're using a partner) and ongoing run-state governance if you're in a regulated workload.
What does it cost for a multi-site network?
Per-site economics improve as the network scales — the integration is built once and reused. For a 10-clinic GP network at 12,000 minutes/month, expect platform run-cost in the AUD $2k–$6k/month range, plus AUD $30k–$80k one-off network integration depending on PMS complexity (Best Practice / Medical Director / Cliniko / Halaxy / Genie). Model your specific volume in our ROI calculator.
How does it compare to a human virtual receptionist?
Human VR services in Australia (OfficeHQ, OracleCMS, ReceptionHQ) typically charge AUD $1.50–$3.50 per call or AUD $300–$1,500/month per plan tier. Total cost of ownership for a multi-site network usually runs 40–60% above an AI receptionist once you add missed-call recapture and PMS integration value. The bigger structural difference is the cost curve: human VR is linear with volume; AI is sublinear.
What about integration and setup fees?
One-off integration fees on programmable platforms range from AUD $5k for a simple Calendly / HubSpot setup to AUD $50k+ for deep PMS write-back across a multi-site network. The honest variable is PMS complexity and number of automated workflows, not vendor margin. Enterprise managed platforms bundle implementation into the engagement fee.
Are there hidden costs?
Three to plan for: (1) telephony — number provisioning and per-minute carrier charges, typically AUD $0.02–$0.06/min on top of platform cost; (2) run-state governance for regulated workloads — monthly compliance attestation, quarterly model reviews, incident-response retainer; (3) re-tuning when your business changes — new services, new locations, new compliance requirements.
How do I model the ROI?
Per-call-resolved is the honest metric, not per-minute. Run the calculation: (missed calls/month × average revenue per booking) + (after-hours capture × conversion rate × revenue per booking) + (reception capacity redeployed × hourly cost). Most ANZ clinics we deploy for hit payback inside 90 days. Use our /roi calculator for your specific numbers.
Is the cheapest platform the best choice?
Almost never. For high-volume outbound (>1M mins/year) Bland's per-minute floor compounds and becomes the right answer. For everything else, the deciding factor is ergonomics, integration depth, or compliance posture — not per-minute pricing. See our /compare/best-ai-voice-agent ranking.
Model the numbers for your network
The ROI calculator runs the per-call-resolved math against your call profile and missed-call rate. Two minutes, no email gate.