# AI phone receptionists in New Zealand.

URL: https://levystreet.com/compare/ai-receptionists-nz/
Updated: 2026-10-19

AI receptionists in NZ compared for October 2026: who sells them, published monthly and per-minute prices, GST, where call data is kept, and how to choose.

## Short answer

AI phone receptionists for New Zealand businesses are offered by Levy Street (Wellington, custom voice agents), Talkify (Christchurch), Automate AI (Wellington), Waboom (Auckland), Tamaki AI (Auckland), FirstVoice, KiwiAgent and Voyager, among others. Choose a subscription when you need calls answered, messages taken and calendar bookings made; choose a custom build when the agent must follow rules or reach systems that subscription integrations do not cover.

- Paid entry plans ran from NZ$49 to NZ$350 a month on 20 October 2026, before extra minutes.
- Published per-minute rates ran from 10c to $1, so price your own monthly call minutes.
- GST differs: some list prices plus GST, one charges none, and others do not say.
- Test any receptionist on your suburbs, Māori place names and callers' accents before signing.
- Levy Street builds custom voice agents, not subscriptions; simple call answering usually suits a subscription.

An AI receptionist answers your phone, works out what the caller wants, and takes a message, books a slot or transfers the call. Most sold in New Zealand are monthly subscriptions configured by the provider; a few firms build custom voice agents. All but one provider below say they are New Zealand companies; Jodie is in London. If customers mostly write, see our guide to [customer support AI providers](/compare/ai-chatbot-companies-nz/).


Levy Street wrote this guide and is one of the providers in it, listed first because this is our site. Every other provider's details come from its own website, checked on 20 October 2026. No provider paid to be included. If something here is wrong or out of date, [tell us](/contact/) and we will fix it.


## New Zealand AI receptionist providers compared

Levy Street first, then alphabetical; prices as listed on 20 October 2026.

| Provider | Based in | What it says it offers | Published proof | Prices published | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Levy Street | Wellington | Custom voice agents tied to your systems | No voice case study yet | No | Rules or systems subscriptions do not cover |
| Automate AI | Wellington | 24/7 voice agent with booking and CRM updates | Named case study | Yes, from NZ$70 a month + GST | Low entry cost |
| Bizzy Boss | Rolleston, Canterbury | Done-for-you receptionist for tradies | None published | Yes, NZ$147 a month + GST, plus usage | Trades |
| Ez-AI | Auckland | Custom receptionist; phone where volume justifies it | Anonymised projects | Yes, NZ$3,000–12,000 + GST a build | Starting with chat and email |
| FirstVoice AI | New Zealand (city not stated) | Managed receptionist, bookings, lead call-backs | Anonymised results | Yes, from NZ$297 a month | Owners who want it managed |
| Jodie | London, UK | Flat-rate receptionist, unlimited minutes | Says 2,000+ businesses use it | Yes, from NZ$99 a month + GST | Not yet open to NZ sign-ups |
| KiwiAgent | New Zealand (city not stated) | Call answering, booking and transfers | None published | Yes, free tier, then from NZ$49 a month + GST | Low call volumes |
| PB Tech (PB Aura) | Manukau, Auckland | Managed inbound and outbound voice agent | None published | No | A managed service |
| Talkify | Christchurch | Inbound and outbound phone agents | Public demo line | Yes, NZ$129 a month for 3 months, then NZ$199 | Many integrations |
| Tamaki AI | Auckland | Hand-built receptionist in English, Mandarin and Korean | None published | Yes, from NZ$350 a month, no GST | Mandarin and Korean callers |
| Voyager (VAIA) | New Zealand (city not stated) | Receptionist, message and booking agents | Named customer testimonials | Yes, from NZ$49 a month + GST per agent | Voyager Voice customers |
| Waboom | Auckland | 24/7 receptionist in NZ voices; outbound agents | Client logos and case studies | Yes, 95c to 77c a minute + NZ$130 a month, + GST | Variable call volume |

## What 200 minutes a month costs

Assumptions: 200 inbound minutes (about 65 three-minute calls), entry plans, prices as listed on 20 October 2026, before setup and call-forwarding charges. Jodie Basic has no booking or transfers, and Tamaki AI Lite does not list booking.

| Plan | Monthly fee | Included | Extra minutes | At 200 minutes | GST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KiwiAgent Starter | NZ$49 | 100 min | NZ$0.49 | NZ$98 | Plus GST |
| Automate AI Starter | NZ$70 | 100 min | NZ$0.35 | NZ$105 | Plus GST |
| Jodie Basic (waitlist) | NZ$99 | Unlimited, fair use | None | NZ$99 | Plus GST |
| Talkify Broadcast | NZ$129, then NZ$199 | 200 min | NZ$0.10, then NZ$0.20 | NZ$129, then NZ$199 | Not stated for monthly plans |
| Bizzy Boss | NZ$147 | Usage billed | About NZ$0.25 | About NZ$197 | Plus GST |
| FirstVoice Starter | NZ$297 | 200 min | NZ$0.65 | NZ$297 | Not stated |
| Waboom pay as you go | NZ$130 platform | Prepaid credit | NZ$0.95 | NZ$320 | Plus GST |
| Tamaki AI Lite | NZ$350 | 150 min | NZ$0.69 | NZ$384.50 | None charged |

Setup fees: Automate AI NZ$295 plus GST, Tamaki AI NZ$300, Bizzy Boss NZ$250; Talkify, FirstVoice and Jodie list none. At very low volume, Talkify's pay as you go (NZ$10 a month, then $1 a minute) can beat any bundle.

## Provider profiles

### Levy Street

Levy Street, a Wellington AI engineering company, does not sell a subscription receptionist. It builds [custom voice agents](/services/ai-voice-agents/) that book into your real system, are tested on New Zealand accents and Māori place names, and pass callers to a person on request. It has published no voice case study; its closest public work is the audio pipeline behind [Singing Coach AI](/portfolio/singing-coach-ai/).

### Automate AI

Wellington-based Automate AI sells a [voice agent](https://automateai.co.nz/solutions/voice-agents/) from NZ$70 a month plus GST and publishes a [Retro Bowl](https://automateai.co.nz/about/case-studies/retro-bowl-voice-agent/) case study.

### Bizzy Boss

Canterbury's Bizzy Boss Solutions sets up an [AI receptionist for tradies](https://bizzyboss.co.nz/ai-receptionist) that answers calls and books jobs; its [pricing](https://bizzyboss.co.nz/pricing) is labelled introductory, ending 30 September.

### Ez-AI

Auckland's Ez-AI builds [AI receptionists](https://www.ez-ai.nz/ai-receptionist-nz) that start on website chat and email and add the phone "where the call volume justifies it".

### FirstVoice AI

FirstVoice AI, a service of Digital Waves Limited, sets up and manages [AI receptionists](https://www.firstvoice.co.nz/pricing) and says recordings and transcripts are stored in New Zealand by default.

### Jodie

Jodie AI Limited is registered in England and Wales and run from London. Its [New Zealand plans](https://heyjodie.com/en-nz/ai-receptionist-service/) offer unlimited minutes under fair use, but it was not taking new New Zealand customers.

### KiwiAgent

KiwiAgent.ai calls itself a New Zealand-based voice agent platform founded in 2026, using ElevenLabs and Deepgram, with 30 free minutes a month before [paid plans](https://www.kiwiagent.ai/pricing).

### PB Tech

PB Tech, a New Zealand-owned computer reseller with its head office in Manukau, Auckland, offers [PB Aura](https://www.pbtech.co.nz/events/PB-Aura-AI-Voice-agent-August-2026) as a managed inbound and outbound voice agent.

### Talkify

Talkify Limited, built in Christchurch, sells [phone agents](https://talkify.nz/ai-phone-agent) that answer and make calls, with web chat and mobile apps, and says +64 calls are handled in New Zealand data centres.

### Tamaki AI

Tamaki AI, "Auckland-built", hand-builds [receptionists](https://tamakiai.co.nz/pricing) that answer in English, Mandarin and Korean, and says it adds no GST because it is under the GST threshold.

### Voyager

Voyager, a 100% New Zealand-owned telecommunications provider, sells [VAIA voice agents](https://voyager.nz/ai) that currently work with its Voyager Voice business phone system.

### Waboom

Waboom AI, an Auckland agency, sells a [24/7 receptionist](https://www.waboom.ai/ai-voice-agents/nz/inbound) in New Zealand voices on prepaid credit, with an option to keep calls and data in Australia.

## Subscription or custom voice agent

A subscription is the better choice for most small businesses that miss calls, including many who ask us. The provider configures it, most say they go live within two weeks, and several book directly into Google Calendar, Outlook, [ServiceM8](/integrations/servicem8/) or Cliniko. Levy Street builds custom voice agents, so weigh our view accordingly: custom earns its cost when routing goes beyond a settings page, the agent must act in a system no subscription connects to, you need your own testing and data controls, or volume is at contact-centre scale. A [short assessment](/contact/?topic=assessment) can show which side you are on.

Before signing with anyone, including us:


- Ring the demo line with your hardest street, suburb and surname, and ask it to read them back.
- Get the monthly cost at your real minutes, with GST, setup and forwarding charges.
- Confirm it books into your actual calendar or job system.
- Check callers can reach a person on request, including after hours.
- Ask where recordings and transcripts are stored and processed, and for how long.


## Where AI receptionists go wrong

- **Misheard names and addresses.** Reading details back is the fix; Talkify says it [reads every address back](https://talkify.nz/place-names) before booking. Our guide to [voice agent quality evaluation](/engineering/voice-agent-quality-evaluation/) shows how to test.
- **Bill shock.** Extra minutes add up in busy weeks, and your phone company may charge for forwarded calls.
- **No way out.** Callers asking for a person, or reporting an emergency, must reach one; check your plan includes transfers.
- **An AI passing as human.** The [Fair Trading Act 1986](https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/121/en/latest/) prohibits misleading conduct in trade. Say at the start that an AI is answering.

## Recording, consent and privacy in New Zealand

This is general information, not legal advice.

- **Tell callers.** IPP 3 of the [Privacy Act 2020](https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/31/en/latest/) requires reasonable steps so people know their information is being collected and why. The Privacy Commissioner says recording someone without telling them [may breach the Act](https://www.privacy.org.nz/resources-and-learning/knowledge-base/view/31/), depending on the circumstances, and lists a pre-recorded message among the ["just-in-time" notices](https://www.privacy.org.nz/responsibilities/poupou-matatapu-doing-privacy-well/transparency/) suited to phone calls.
- **Copies on request.** People can ask for a [copy of a recording](https://www.privacy.org.nz/resources-and-learning/knowledge-base/view/324/) a business made of them.
- **Where the audio goes.** Talkify says +64 call data stays in New Zealand, FirstVoice stores it here by default, Waboom offers an Australia-only option, and Jodie processes recordings in Ireland and the United States. A provider using data for its own purposes offshore brings in [IPP 12](https://www.privacy.org.nz/privacy-principles/12/).
- **Voice biometrics.** Identifying callers by voiceprint brings in the [Biometric Processing Privacy Code](https://www.privacy.org.nz/privacy-principles/codes-of-practice/biometric-processing-privacy-code/).

## Questions people ask

### Which providers offer AI phone receptionists for New Zealand small businesses?

As listed on their own websites on 20 October 2026: Talkify (Christchurch), Waboom and Tamaki AI (Auckland), Automate AI (Wellington), FirstVoice, KiwiAgent, Bizzy Boss (Canterbury, for tradies) and Voyager, which works with its own business phone system. PB Tech sells PB Aura as a managed service. Levy Street (Wellington) and Ez-AI (Auckland) build custom voice agents rather than selling subscriptions. Jodie, a London company, lists New Zealand plans but had a waitlist.

### Can an AI receptionist understand New Zealand accents and te reo Māori place names?

Some providers address this directly. Talkify says it writes Māori place names with macrons, reads every address back before booking, and handles 32 languages including te reo Māori. Waboom says it sets how your agent says Māori place names, and Voyager, KiwiAgent and Waboom offer New Zealand voices. Claims are not results: ring each demo line, give it your hardest street and suburb names, ask it to read them back, and try again with background noise.

### Do we need consent to record AI receptionist calls in New Zealand?

This is general information, not legal advice. The Privacy Commissioner says recording someone without telling them may breach the Privacy Act depending on the circumstances, and that when an organisation records, the collection rules apply and it might be unfair not to tell people. Tell callers at the start that an AI is answering and the call is recorded; the Commissioner names a pre-recorded message as one form of notice. Callers can also ask for a copy of their recording.

### Is an AI receptionist cheaper per minute or on a monthly plan?

It depends on your minutes. At 200 minutes a month, published prices on 20 October 2026 worked out at about NZ$98 plus GST on KiwiAgent Starter, NZ$105 plus GST on Automate AI, NZ$199 on Talkify after its founding rate, NZ$297 on FirstVoice Starter and NZ$320 plus GST on Waboom's pay-as-you-go credit. Pay as you go suits low or erratic volume; a bundle suits steady volume. Add setup fees and your phone company's forwarding charges.

### Should we buy a subscription AI receptionist or have a voice agent built?

Buy a subscription if you mainly need calls answered, messages taken and bookings made in a common calendar or job system; several New Zealand services list direct booking into Google Calendar, Outlook, ServiceM8 or Cliniko and say they go live within two weeks. Have one built when the agent must follow complex routing, act in systems no subscription connects to, or meet your own testing and data rules. Levy Street builds the second kind, so weigh our view with that in mind.


## Sources

- [AI Voice Agents for NZ Businesses](https://automateai.co.nz/solutions/voice-agents/)
- [Retro Bowl case study](https://automateai.co.nz/about/case-studies/retro-bowl-voice-agent/)
- [AI Receptionist](https://bizzyboss.co.nz/ai-receptionist)
- [Pricing](https://bizzyboss.co.nz/pricing)
- [AI Receptionist for New Zealand Businesses](https://www.ez-ai.nz/ai-receptionist-nz)
- [FirstVoice AI home page](https://www.firstvoice.co.nz/)
- [FirstVoice pricing](https://www.firstvoice.co.nz/pricing)
- [About FirstVoice AI](https://www.firstvoice.co.nz/about)
- [AI Receptionist NZ With Unlimited Minutes](https://heyjodie.com/en-nz/ai-receptionist-service/)
- [KiwiAgent.ai home page](https://www.kiwiagent.ai/)
- [KiwiAgent.ai pricing](https://www.kiwiagent.ai/pricing)
- [PB Aura AI Voice Agent Lunch and Learn](https://www.pbtech.co.nz/events/PB-Aura-AI-Voice-agent-August-2026)
- [About PB Tech](https://www.pbtech.co.nz/about)
- [AI Phone Agent](https://talkify.nz/ai-phone-agent)
- [Place names](https://talkify.nz/place-names)
- [Pricing](https://talkify.nz/pricing)
- [Talkify home page](https://talkify.nz/)
- [Tamaki AI home page](https://tamakiai.co.nz/)
- [Tamaki AI pricing](https://tamakiai.co.nz/pricing)
- [VAIA voice AI agents](https://voyager.nz/ai)
- [Meet VAIA: Our Voice AI Agents Built for New Zealand Businesses](https://voyager.nz/blog/voyager-launches-vaia-a-voice-ai-agent-built-for-new-zealand-businesses)
- [AI receptionist, New Zealand inbound](https://www.waboom.ai/ai-voice-agents/nz/inbound)
- [AI agency New Zealand](https://www.waboom.ai/ai-agency/nz)
- [Can I record someone without telling them?](https://www.privacy.org.nz/resources-and-learning/knowledge-base/view/31/)
- [Can I record a meeting with my boss or employee?](https://www.privacy.org.nz/resources-and-learning/knowledge-base/view/324/)
- [Transparency (Poupou Matatapu)](https://www.privacy.org.nz/responsibilities/poupou-matatapu-doing-privacy-well/transparency/)
- [Principle 12: Disclosure outside New Zealand](https://www.privacy.org.nz/privacy-principles/12/)
- [Biometric Processing Privacy Code](https://www.privacy.org.nz/privacy-principles/codes-of-practice/biometric-processing-privacy-code/)
- [Privacy Act 2020](https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/31/en/latest/)
- [Fair Trading Act 1986](https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/121/en/latest/)

Published by Levy Street (https://levystreet.com), Wellington, New Zealand.