1800 Numbers, Explained Honestly

An 1800 number is Australia's toll-free business number: the person calling you pays nothing from a fixed line, your business covers the call, and the number itself can ring any phone you already answer. If you're weighing one up, search live availability and you'll see real numbers with real prices in seconds — the rest of this page explains what they cost, how they differ from 1300, and how to get one.

The rules behind 1800 numbers aren't a provider secret, either. Smartnumbers are licensed through the ACMA smartnumbers system, the same public system that governs 1300 numbers. This guide covers the caller side, the business side, and every step from search to a connected line.

Why choose a 1800 number?

1800 numbers are widely recognised across Australia and let your prospects call you for free. With a toll-free number, you create a greater impression of reliability and lower the barrier for customers to get in touch.

If your goal is a business-facing line — sales, support or a single public contact point — read our 1800 business phone number guide, which goes deeper on the commercial side.

What an 1800 number costs your business

There are two layers to the price, and honest providers separate them:

The number itself. Premium "smartnumber" combinations — the memorable ones, like Phonewords or repeated digits — carry a one-off ACMA allocation charge based on memorability, from $250 for standard patterns up to $20,000 for the most sought-after Phonewords (ACMA, Allocation Charge Determination 2025). Ordinary number combinations don't carry that premium.

Running it. Call routing starts at $10/month on a 12-month rolling agreement. The 1800 numbers currently listed in our search tool range from $40 to $350 a month, with the price shown on every result — see our pricing for plan details.

One nuance worth knowing on the caller side: calls are free from Australian fixed lines, and free from most mobiles too — but a small minority of mobile or VoIP providers still charge or restrict 1800 dialling. The business always pays for the calls it receives either way. Any provider telling you calls are free from every device in Australia is overselling it.

1800 vs 1300 — which is right for you?

The choice between 1800 and 1300 numbers often comes down to how you want to be perceived:

Short answer to "is 1300 or 1800 free?": for the caller, 1800 is the free one. For the business, 1300 is usually the cheaper one. In terms of Phonewords, 1800 numbers have a bigger range and wider availability of competitive words, which means more options to match your brand — see phone words for how they work, or compare both on our 1300 numbers page.

How to get an 1800 number

1. Decide what the number must say. Spell a word that says what you do, pick a pattern that sticks, or choose a clean standard number. The phone dial pad maps the first six letters of a word — anything after the sixth letter is ignored when the number is dialled.
2. Search the live database. Type the word or digits into our search tool. Every matching 1800 number shows its live availability and price. In the ACMA system a number is Available (no one holds rights), Allocated (in active use) or Assigned (purchased but not connected) — and any check is a snapshot, not a hold, so claim a good one in the same sitting.
3. Secure and connect. Numbers are licensed on 12-month rolling agreements, our team handles routing configuration, and most numbers are activated within 2–3 business days.

Not sure which word or pattern is worth searching? The 1800 number availability check guide walks through what a result can and can't tell you.

What if the 1800 number you want is taken?

Don't start from scratch — one of these usually lands close to the original idea:

• Shorten the word. Six letters is the dial-pad sweet spot; 1800 FLOWERS works as 1800 FLOWER too.
• Vary the pattern. A trailing digit, or the same word on 1300, often changes availability entirely.
• Look for patterns. Pairs and repeated digits are memorable even without spelling a word — and cheaper than top-tier Phonewords.
• Check back. Rights last while a number is connected; numbers unused for three years can return to the pool, so an assigned number today isn't gone forever.

For the business case in more depth — costs, setup and provider questions — read the 1800 business phone number guide, then run your variants through the search tool. Our team can suggest alternatives in the same style if nothing fits.