Calling a 1300 number from an Australian landline is charged at a local call rate, which is included in most standard landline plans — making it effectively free for the caller. From a mobile, it depends on your plan: most postpaid plans from major Australian carriers include calls to 1300 numbers at no extra charge, but some prepaid plans apply per-minute or per-call rates.
The short answer is that the vast majority of Australian callers will pay nothing extra to reach a 1300 number. But the detail matters — particularly for business owners weighing whether a 1300 number creates any friction for inbound callers.
How 1300 Numbers Work: The Shared-Cost Model
1300 numbers operate on a shared-cost arrangement, which is different from a standard geographic number and different again from a 1800 number.
Under the shared-cost model:
- The caller pays the local call rate (from a landline) or the rate applicable under their mobile plan
- The business pays an answering fee — a per-minute charge for each call received — to their 1300 number provider
This cost-sharing is the defining characteristic of 1300 numbers. The caller is not making a free call (in the technical sense), but in practice the cost to the caller is minimal or zero depending on their plan.
This is distinct from 1800 numbers, where the business absorbs the entire cost of the call. Calls to 1800 numbers are genuinely free from any Australian phone — landline or mobile — at no charge to the caller. If eliminating all possible call cost for the caller is the priority, a 1800 number achieves that. For most businesses, however, the real-world difference is negligible, and we cover that comparison further below.
For a full breakdown of what businesses pay to run a 1300 number, see How Much Does a 1300 Number Cost?
Calling a 1300 Number from a Landline
From an Australian fixed-line phone, calls to 1300 numbers are charged at the local call rate. The standard local call rate in Australia is around 25–30 cents per call (untimed), though most modern landline plans bundle local calls as part of a monthly fee — meaning the call costs the caller nothing beyond what they already pay for their plan.
In practical terms: if your customers are calling from a home or office landline on a bundled plan, they will not see any additional charge for calling your 1300 number.
Geographic Call Routing
One of the core features of a 1300 number is geographic routing. When someone calls from a landline, the number can be configured to route the call based on the caller's location — directing calls from Sydney to a Sydney office, calls from Melbourne to a Melbourne team, and so on. This is possible because landline calls carry geographic origin data.
This makes 1300 numbers genuinely useful for businesses with multiple locations or a distributed workforce, not just a cosmetic upgrade from a local number. You can learn more about how this works on the Pickle 1300 Numbers page.
Calling a 1300 Number from a Mobile
This is where most of the confusion arises, and it is worth being precise.
Most Postpaid Plans Include 1300 Calls
The major Australian carriers — Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone — include calls to 1300 numbers within the standard call allowance on their postpaid mobile plans. Telstra's postpaid plans, for example, explicitly include calls to most 13xx and 18xx numbers as part of unlimited Australian calls. Optus and Vodafone follow a similar structure on their standard month-to-month and contract plans.
For the majority of Australian mobile users — those on a postpaid plan from a major carrier or a mainstream MVNO — calling a 1300 number costs nothing extra.
Prepaid Plans Can Be Different
Prepaid mobile plans are less consistent. Some prepaid plans charge a per-minute rate for calls to 1300 numbers, or deduct from a call credit balance rather than treating them as included calls. The rate and treatment varies by carrier and by the specific prepaid recharge amount.
Callers on prepaid plans who want to be certain should check their plan's critical information summary or contact their carrier directly before making a long call to a 1300 number.
1300 Calls Do Not Use Mobile Data
A common misconception is that calling a 1300 number from a mobile uses data. It does not. 1300 numbers are standard voice calls routed over the carrier's voice network — they have no impact on a caller's data allowance.
The Practical Takeaway for Business Owners
Because there is no single published rate across all carriers and plans, you cannot guarantee that every caller will pay nothing. What you can say with confidence is that for the large majority of your customers — those on standard postpaid plans — calling your 1300 number will cost them nothing beyond their existing plan. The minority on some prepaid plans may incur a small charge, but this is broadly the same situation they would face calling any non-mobile, non-geographic number.
Calling a 1300 Number from Overseas
1300 numbers are Australian domestic numbers and are not reliably accessible from overseas. This is one of the more important limitations to understand.
Some international callers can reach a 1300 number by dialling Australia's country code (+61) and then the 1300 number, but whether the call connects depends entirely on the overseas carrier's routing configuration. Many international carriers do not route calls to Australian 1300 numbers at all. Even when a connection is technically possible, international call charges from the caller's end apply — and these can be significant.
For businesses that need to be reachable from overseas — whether from clients in New Zealand, the UK, the US, or elsewhere — a standard Australian geographic number (02, 03, 07, 08) or a dedicated international DID is the appropriate solution. Geographic numbers are universally routable internationally. A 1300 number is not a substitute for international accessibility.
For a detailed look at this topic, see our article on calling a 1300 number from overseas.
Can Callers Text a 1300 Number?
Standard 1300 numbers cannot receive SMS. The 1300 number format is designed for inbound voice calls only; SMS is not supported by the underlying infrastructure.
If your business needs SMS capability alongside call routing — for example, allowing customers to send a message after hours, or enabling two-way text communication — the solution is a virtual mobile number in the 04xx format, provisioned alongside your 1300 number. The 1300 number continues to handle all inbound voice calls, while the virtual mobile number manages SMS send and receive.
Pickle offers virtual mobile numbers that can send and receive SMS, integrated with your existing 1300 number setup. This gives your business a single inbound voice solution without sacrificing text accessibility.
What the Business Pays
While callers pay little or nothing, the business running a 1300 number does have ongoing costs. These fall into two categories:
Monthly service fee — A fixed cost to maintain the 1300 number and access the associated features (call routing, time-of-day rules, overflow handling, call recording, and so on).
Answering fee — A per-minute charge applied to each inbound call received. This is the business's share of the shared-cost arrangement. The rate per minute varies by provider and plan.
Pickle's 1300 number plans include an answering fee allowance at each tier, so businesses with predictable call volumes can manage costs clearly. Per-minute rates apply once the included allowance is used. For a full breakdown of pricing, see How Much Does a 1300 Number Cost?
1300 vs 1800: Which Is Better for Caller Cost?
1800 numbers are genuinely toll-free from any Australian phone. Callers pay nothing regardless of whether they are on a landline, a postpaid mobile, or a prepaid plan. The business absorbs the full cost of each call.
For businesses where minimising any possible friction for the caller is a top priority — such as a consumer helpline, a financial services business, or any operation serving price-sensitive customers who might hesitate before calling — a 1800 number removes the question entirely.
For most businesses, however, the practical difference is minimal. The overwhelming majority of Australian callers are on postpaid mobile plans that include 1300 calls, and landline callers on bundled plans pay nothing extra either. The 1300 number's geographic routing capability and its lower answering fee structure compared to 1800 often make it the more commercially appropriate choice.
For a side-by-side comparison, see 1300 vs 1800 Numbers: What's the Difference?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do 1300 calls count toward my mobile plan's call allowance?
A: On most postpaid plans from Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone, calls to 1300 numbers are included within the plan's unlimited Australian call allowance and do not count separately or attract an additional charge. On some prepaid plans, 1300 calls may be treated differently and deducted from call credits. Check your plan's critical information summary to confirm.
Q: Is it cheaper for my customers to call a 1300 or a mobile number?
A: For most callers, the cost is identical — both are included in standard postpaid plans at no extra charge. For callers on plans that do charge for non-geographic numbers, a 1300 number may be slightly more expensive than calling a geographic landline, but the difference is typically small. The more meaningful consideration is that a 1300 number signals a professional, nationally accessible business, which can increase call confidence rather than reduce it.
Q: Can I call a 1300 number from New Zealand?
A: Potentially, but not reliably. Some New Zealand callers can reach Australian 1300 numbers by dialling 0061 followed by the 1300 number, but not all New Zealand carriers route calls to Australian 1300 numbers. Standard international call charges from the New Zealand end would apply. If regular inbound calls from New Zealand are part of your business model, a geographic Australian number or a dedicated international DID is a more dependable solution.
Q: Why does my 1300 number show a charge on my business invoice?
A: This is the answering fee — the per-minute charge your 1300 number provider applies for each inbound call received. It is the business's portion of the shared-cost arrangement. The caller pays the local call rate (or nothing, under their mobile plan), and you pay the answering fee. Your Pickle invoice will itemise these charges alongside your monthly service fee.
Q: Are 1300 numbers free on Telstra mobile plans?
A: Yes. Telstra's standard postpaid mobile plans include calls to most 13xx numbers (which includes 1300 numbers) within the plan's unlimited Australian calls. Callers on Telstra postpaid plans will not be charged separately for calling a 1300 number. Telstra prepaid plans may have different terms — callers should check their specific recharge plan details.
Ready to Set Up a 1300 Number for Your Business?
If you are evaluating whether a 1300 number is the right fit, the caller cost question is one of the easier ones to resolve — for most of your customers, it costs nothing to call. The more useful questions are around how you want inbound calls routed, what call management features you need, and how a 1300 number fits within your broader phone system.
Pickle provides 1300 numbers for Australian businesses with flexible call routing, time-of-day management, and no lock-in contracts. To find out more or choose a number, visit the Pickle 1300 Numbers page.
Call us on 1300 688 588 or email [email protected]