1800 vs 1300 — the Two Differences That Decide It
Only two differences separate 1800 and 1300 numbers — what callers pay and what the business carries. Both, plus the plan arithmetic and the decision rule.
Strip the marketing and 1800 versus 1300 comes down to two differences: what the caller pays, and what the business carries. A 1300 number is shared cost — callers pay a local call rate, the business pays the remainder. An 1800 number is free for callers in the stated Australian 1800-number context — the business pays every call. Everything else about the two formats is shared. The 1300 vs 1800 page covers the same ground from the 1300 side.
Difference 1: the caller pays, or does not
On a 1300, the caller's cost is a local call rate — familiar, small, and part of the arrangement. On an 1800, the caller's cost is zero in the stated Australian context; the free call is the format's signal. This is the difference callers notice, and it is the published distinction between the formats.
Difference 2: the business carries a share, or everything
Both formats ride on published plans at $10, $15, $39, $79 and $99 per month with per-plan rate tables on the pricing page. The cost shape differs: on 1300, the business's rate table applies to its share of each call; on 1800, the business's table applies to every call, which makes the mobile-versus-fixed-line rate gap and the Cap plans' included allowances weigh more. Rates are per minute on a per-second basis; this page quotes published figures without calculating examples.
The decision rule, honestly stated
- Choose 1800 when the call itself is part of the offer — support and service lines where caller friction matters.
- Choose 1300 when a local call rate for callers is acceptable and the business wants the smaller per-call share.
- Then check availability: the Find a Number search lists available 1300 and 1800 Phonewords; both formats carry a word option from $40 per month, and the team confirms the exact number before connection.
No published page ranks one format over the other, and no outcome difference is claimed anywhere — the arrangement is the product. Service terms are governed by the terms and conditions.
Related reading: 1300 vs 1800 vs 13 numbers, 1300 or 1800 numbers in Australia, or the 1800 numbers overview.
1800 vs 1300 questions
Is 1800 more expensive than 1300 for a business?
The published material does not rank them; the cost shape differs. On 1800 the business's rate table covers every call; on 1300 it covers only the share after the caller's local rate. Compare the tables for your call pattern.
Do customers trust 1800 more than 1300?
No trust or preference claims are published. The published difference is the caller arrangement: free in the Australian context versus a local call rate.
Do both formats have the same plans?
Both publish plans at $10, $15, $39, $79 and $99 per month, each with its own rate table and inclusions on the pricing page.
Which one should a new business pick?
Apply the decision rule: free for callers (1800) where the call is part of the offer; shared cost (1300) otherwise. Then search availability for the specific number.
Two differences
Settle 1800 or 1300 in two minutes
Compare the published arrangements, or search what is available on each.