7 tools reviewed

AI voice and audio tools for Australian businesses

AI voice and audio tools generate speech from text, clone voices, translate and dub audio, remove background noise and power phone agents that answer or make calls. ElevenLabs and Murf cover voiceovers and dubbing, Vapi and Retell AI provide platforms for building voice agents, and Krisp and Speechify handle noise removal and text-to-speech for productivity and accessibility.

Since 2025 the focus has moved from narration to conversation. Low-latency speech models now hold natural phone conversations, handle interruptions and call business systems mid-call to book appointments or look up orders. Synthetic voices also became more expressive, with better handling of accents, including Australian English, though results still vary by provider and voice.

Australian users include clinics and trades businesses using after-hours phone agents, contact centres testing AI for overflow calls, e-learning producers and podcasters creating narration, and people with dyslexia or low vision using text-to-speech daily. Voice agents attract the most interest and also carry the most regulatory obligations.

Last reviewed October 2026

AI Voice & Audio Tools compared

ElevenLabs
Free plan + paid
Voice/Audio
An AI audio platform for realistic text-to-speech, voice cloning, dubbing, sound effects and music. It also provides a platform for building voice agents that hold phone or web conversations, with APIs for developers.
Best for: Training and content teams producing voiceovers at volume
ElevenLabs review →
Vapi
Paid
Voice/Audio
A developer platform for building, testing and running AI voice agents over the phone or the web. Developers choose their own speech-to-text, language model and voice providers, connect telephony, and add tools so agents can look up data or book appointments during a call.
Best for: Developers building custom voice agents for clients
Vapi review →
Retell AI
Paid
Voice/Audio
A platform for building AI voice agents that answer inbound calls, make outbound calls and transfer to human staff when needed. It combines a visual flow builder with an API, its own turn-taking model for natural conversation, and integrations with telephony, calendars and CRMs.
Best for: Clinics, trades and service businesses wanting an AI receptionist
Retell AI review →
Murf.ai
Free plan + paid
Voiceover
An AI voice platform that turns scripts into narration using a library of synthetic voices in many languages and accents. Murf Studio includes a timeline editor for syncing voice with video or slides, alongside dubbing, a text-to-speech API and AI voice agents for phone and chat.
Best for: Learning and development teams producing training and induction videos
Murf.ai review →
Hume AI
Free plan + paid
Voice/Emotion
A voice AI developer platform. Its Octave text-to-speech engine produces expressive, emotionally aware speech, its EVI speech-to-speech interface holds real-time voice conversations that respond to tone of voice, and it supports voice cloning.
Best for: Developers building voice agents that need expressive, natural speech
Hume AI review →
Krisp
Paid
Audio Utility
A meeting assistant that removes background noise and echo from calls, and also transcribes meetings, writes AI notes and action items, and can record without a bot joining. It works across Zoom, Teams, Google Meet and other calling apps.
Best for: Remote and hybrid workers taking calls in noisy environments
Krisp review →
Speechify
Free plan + paid
Accessibility
A text-to-speech app that reads documents, web pages, emails and scanned text aloud in natural-sounding voices. It runs on phones, desktops and as a browser extension, and adds AI summaries, voice typing and a separate studio for voiceovers.
Best for: Staff with dyslexia, low vision or other reading difficulties
Speechify review →

How to choose

Voiceover or live phone agent

Narration and dubbing tools are judged on voice quality and editing. Phone agents are judged on latency, reliability, call transfer to humans and integration with your booking or CRM system. Few products excel at both, so define the job first.

Australian accents and phone numbers

Listen to how each voice handles Australian place names, street addresses and phone numbers. For phone agents, check that you can use an Australian number, how calls route through overseas infrastructure, and whether latency on local calls feels natural.

Voice cloning safeguards

Clone only voices you have written consent to use. Look for vendors that verify consent, block cloning of public figures and let you delete voice models. Agree internally who owns a staff member's cloned voice and what happens when they leave.

Escalation and call recording

A voice agent needs a clean handover to a person for complaints, emergencies and anything it cannot resolve. Check how recordings and transcripts are stored, whether callers are told they are speaking with AI and how long data is kept.

Pricing per minute and platform fees

Voice agent platforms often charge per minute, with separate costs for the speech model, language model and telephony. Model the cost of your real call volumes, including long calls and failed calls, before comparing vendors.

What Australian businesses should check

AI voice calls are treated like human telemarketing: the Do Not Call Register Act 2006 and the ACMA's Telemarketing Industry Standard set calling hours and require list washing, with no exemption for AI. Follow-up SMS and emails fall under the Spam Act 2003. Recording calls engages state surveillance and listening devices laws and the Commonwealth interception regime, so tell callers they are being recorded and that they are speaking with an AI agent. Voice recordings are personal information under the Privacy Act 1988, and voiceprints used for identification may be sensitive information. Most platforms process audio in the US and bill in US dollars.

Head-to-head comparisons

ElevenLabs vs Murf.ai

Tool lists by industry

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to use an AI voice agent for business calls in Australia?

Yes, for inbound calls and permitted outbound calls, provided you follow the same rules as human callers. Outbound telemarketing must respect the Do Not Call Register and permitted calling hours, callers should be told they are speaking with AI, and recorded calls require notice under state and federal laws.

Can AI voices do a natural Australian accent?

Several providers now offer Australian English voices that sound natural for narration and phone calls, and voice cloning can capture a local speaker's accent. Quality still varies with names, slang and addresses, so test your actual scripts and listen to full calls before putting a voice in front of customers.

Can I clone my voice with ElevenLabs?

Yes. ElevenLabs offers instant and professional voice cloning, with verification steps for your own voice. Only clone voices you have clear permission to use, store the consent, and avoid using a cloned voice in ways that imply someone endorses a product they have not approved.

What does an AI receptionist need to integrate with?

At minimum, your phone system for call forwarding and transfer, plus your calendar or booking software so it can make appointments. Clinics may need practice management integration, and trades businesses often connect job management tools. Without integrations, the agent can only take messages, which limits its value.

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