Best AI Receptionists for Australian Small Businesses (2026)

If you run a trade business or a small service operation, you already know the problem: you’re on the tools, under a sink, or with a client, and your phone rings. You miss it. That caller rings someone else. Industry figures suggest Australian sole traders miss somewhere between 30 and 60 per cent of their calls while working, and that number is consistent across the sector.

AI receptionists are one answer to that. They pick up, qualify the caller, book jobs, take messages, and hand off to you when it matters. A few years ago these were expensive, clunky, and built for big companies. In 2026, there are six tools worth looking at for Australian small businesses, and several of them are built right here.

Before you read the list, it is worth checking out Do AI Receptionists Make Sense for Australian Small Businesses? if you are not sure whether this category is for you. This post assumes you have decided to look at options and want to compare what is out there.

The 6 Best AI Receptionists for Australian Small Businesses

1. Hooroo.ai

Hooroo.ai is the only tool on this list that bundles an AI receptionist together with full job management: quotes, scheduling, and invoicing in a single subscription. It handles calls, SMS, and web chat (all three channels), which makes it the strongest omnichannel option here. It suits tradies and field service businesses who are tired of paying for separate tools that do not talk to each other. Pricing is clear: Pro is $149 per month (or $1,430 per year), Complete is $249 per month (or $2,390 per year), and Enterprise pricing requires a conversation. There is a 7-day free trial, and all prices include GST. The catch is that Hooroo.ai was founded in 2025, so it has a smaller track record than the established players. That said, it ships a solid REST API and an MCP server, which matters if you connect tools together. Read our full Hooroo.ai profile.

2. Chime Labs

Chime Labs is a Sydney-based AI receptionist built specifically for tradies. It raised $900k in pre-seed funding in 2026 and is focused on the Australian market from the ground up. It is voice-only at this stage, which suits businesses where phone calls are the main channel and adding web chat is not a priority. Being AU-built means the team understands how Australian trade businesses actually operate: the lingo, the booking patterns, the customer expectations. Pricing is in the profile, so check there rather than relying on any numbers quoted elsewhere. Read our full Chime Labs profile.

3. Chaty.ai

Chaty.ai is built on the Gold Coast and designed specifically for tourism operators and hospitality venues. That focus shows in the product: it handles multilingual conversations, which is essential when your guests are coming from Japan, Germany, or China, and it understands the rhythm of holiday bookings, venue enquiries, and tour scheduling. It handles web chat and calls. If you run a tour company, a holiday let, a restaurant, or a Gold Coast-based venue, Chaty.ai is worth a close look before anything else on this list. Pricing is in the profile. Read our full Chaty.ai profile.

4. Vertical AI

Vertical AI is a Perth-based voice agent platform aimed at small and medium businesses that want more than a basic call-answering service. The emphasis is on customisable workflows and API integrations, which puts it in a different category to the simpler tools on this list. If your business connects a lot of systems together, or you need the AI to do something more specific than take a message and book an appointment, Vertical AI is worth investigating. It is voice-only. Pricing is in the profile. Read our full Vertical AI profile.

5. Hey Jodie

Hey Jodie has the lowest entry price of the six tools here at $99 per month, includes unlimited minutes, and claims a 10-minute setup time. That makes it the obvious starting point for solo operators and budget-conscious businesses who need phone cover without a long commitment or a complicated onboarding process. There is a dedicated iOS and Android app. Plans go up to $199 per month (Professional) and $399 per month (Premium), with no lock-in contracts and GST added at checkout. The current catch is that it handles phone calls only. SMS and web chat are on the roadmap but not available yet. One other note: there is a pricing discrepancy flagged in our review, so verify the current rates at heyjodie.com before signing up. Read our full Hey Jodie profile.

6. Valory AI

Valory AI is the only fully managed option here. You do not set it up yourself: Valory’s team designs, launches, and maintains the AI agent for you. That suits professional services firms, clinics, and accounting practices where the person running the business does not have the time or interest in configuring software. It handles inbound calls and SMS on all plans, with outbound calling added from the Premium tier. Pricing: Intro is $149 per month, Core is $299 per month, Premium is $499 per month, and Enterprise starts at $1,299 per month. There is also a mandatory $990 setup fee, and overage charges apply on lower plans (the Intro plan caps at 100 minutes). The 30-day satisfaction guarantee is a reasonable way to try it without full commitment. Read our full Valory AI profile.

Which Industry? Quick Reference

How to Choose

Three questions that should get most people to the right answer:

1. Do you need job management built in? If yes, Hooroo.ai is the only tool on this list that includes it. Stop there. If no, keep going.

2. Do you want someone else to set it up and run it for you? If yes, Valory AI is the answer. It is the only fully managed option here. If no, keep going.

3. What is your budget and industry? Under $100 per month: Hey Jodie. Budget of $150 per month or more and you need calls, SMS, and web chat: Hooroo.ai or Chime Labs. Running a tourism or hospitality venue: Chaty.ai. You need custom workflows and API integration: Vertical AI.

What About Custom Builds?

None of the six tools above is a good fit for every situation. If you need a fully custom-built AI receptionist or automation workflow rather than an off-the-shelf product, Aivy (aivy.com.au) is an Australian automation agency worth talking to. They take on custom builds, which typically run 6 to 12 weeks and are priced as projects rather than monthly subscriptions.

Sources

• Hooroo.ai
• Chime Labs
• Chaty.ai
• Vertical AI
• Hey Jodie
• Valory AI
• Do AI Receptionists Make Sense for Australian Small Businesses? (SmallBizAI.au)

More tools for Australian small businesses: Tradies Hub →

More Australian AI company profiles: Australian AI Companies →

Part of our Australian AI Companies guide.

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