AI, pricing & Propeller.

Straight answers on putting AI to work in your business, what it costs, and how Propeller builds and looks after it — from AI implementation to websites, AI search and the receptionist that answers every call.

AI implementation

What does an AI consultant actually do?
A good AI consultant looks at how your business actually runs, finds the repetitive work that eats your week — quoting, scheduling, follow-ups, answering the same calls — and builds AI systems that take it over. Propeller’s engagements cover the audit, the build and the handover: working automations and AI agents that plug into the tools you already use, then training so your team can run them. It is hands-on implementation, not a strategy deck. Full detail on the AI Implementation page.
What kind of businesses is AI implementation for?
Australian businesses that run on repetitive process — professional practices, clinics, agencies, service and trade companies, retailers, operators and growing teams. You do not need to be technical, and you do not need an “AI strategy”. If your week contains repetitive computer-based work — enquiries, quotes and proposals, invoicing, reporting, paperwork — there is almost certainly work AI can take off your plate.
What can AI actually automate in a business?
More than most owners expect: triaging and drafting replies to email enquiries, answering and triaging phone calls, drafting quotes and proposals from your templates and price list, meeting notes straight into the CRM, chasing unpaid invoices, compiling reports from your systems, extracting data from PDFs and forms, and moving data between systems that don’t talk to each other. The right list depends on your business — that is what the initial audit finds.
How do I implement AI in my business?
Five steps: map where your team’s hours actually go; pick one high-volume repetitive workflow; pilot it in two to four weeks wired into the tools you already use; put guardrails and a human approval step around anything customer-facing; then train the team and move to the next workflow. Working results should arrive in weeks, not quarters. The full method is in our guide: how to implement AI in your business.
Do I need an AI strategy before I start?
No. For small and mid-sized businesses a strategy document mostly delays the learning. One working automation teaches you more about AI in your business than any roadmap — and after two or three are live, a genuine strategy writes itself from evidence. Start with one workflow, or book an AI consult and we’ll help you pick it.
How much does AI implementation cost in Australia?
Published Australian market rates in mid-2026 cluster around $150–$450 an hour, with AI audits from roughly $5,000 and small scoped builds from the low thousands — the full breakdown is in our guide: what an AI consultant does and costs in Australia. Propeller does not price by the hour: every engagement is scoped up front after a free discovery chat, so you know the cost and the expected payback before anything is built.
Is AI implementation the same as Propeller’s AI Search service?
No — they solve different problems. AI Search (AEO) gets your business found and recommended when customers ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Google AI who to hire. AI Implementation puts AI to work inside your business, automating the day-to-day work. Plenty of businesses end up doing both.

Getting a website built

How do I get a website built for my small business in Australia?
The simplest way is to have a specialist build it for you and host it for a low monthly fee. Propeller builds a complete, custom website for Australian small businesses for free — there is no upfront design or setup cost — and your site is live within 48 hours of you approving the design. You only pay a monthly plan from $99 that covers hosting, support, updates and getting you found online. Send your details through propeller.net.au and we build a working demo of your new site first, so you can see it before you decide.
What is the fastest way to get a professional website online?
With Propeller, a professionally designed website can be live in 48 hours. The clock starts once you approve the design and we have your content — your photos, services and business details. Most agencies take four to twelve weeks because every build is bespoke; Propeller is fast because we have built a system that does the heavy lifting and then hand-finishes every site. There is no upfront cost, so you are not paying thousands while you wait.
Can I get a website built for free?
Yes. Propeller builds your website for free — $0 setup and no upfront design fee — on a build that would typically cost $3,000 or more elsewhere. Instead of a large bill on day one, you pay a simple monthly plan from $99 that covers premium hosting, security, support and ongoing updates. The build is free because the business runs on the monthly plan, not a big one-off fee, so we have to keep earning your spot every month.
How much does a small business website cost in Australia?
A custom small-business website in Australia usually costs between $2,000 and $8,000 upfront with a web agency, plus ongoing hosting. Propeller removes the upfront cost entirely: the build is free with $0 setup, and you pay a monthly plan instead — Basic is $99/month, Growth is $199/month and Growth Engine is $299/month. Every plan includes the build, hosting, SSL, backups, support and updates, with no surprise add-ons.
I am a tradie — do I really need a website, or is Facebook enough?
You need a website. A Facebook page can help, but you do not control it, it rarely shows up properly in Google, and AI assistants like ChatGPT cannot reliably recommend a business that only lives on social media. A real website on your own domain is what gets you found, builds trust and turns searchers into phone calls. Propeller builds sites specifically for Australian trades — electricians, plumbers, carpenters, builders and more — and can pull everything useful from your Facebook page into a proper site.
What do I need to provide before my website goes live?
Two things: your approval of the design, and your content — photos, services, and business details. The 48-hour clock to going live starts once we have both. We build the working demo first from what is publicly available, so most of the work is already done before you are asked for anything.
Can Propeller build a second website for my business?
Yes. A second site — for a second trade, a separate service line or a different area — gives your business more surface area in Google and AI search, and it runs on the same month-to-month model. See the second-site page for how it works.

Pricing & plans

How much does website hosting cost per month in Australia?
Propeller's plans start at $99/month and include far more than basic hosting. Every plan covers premium servers, a global CDN, SSL, daily backups, security monitoring, real human support and ongoing updates — plus the website build itself at no upfront cost. Growth at $199/month adds unlimited monthly content updates and AI-search optimisation, and Growth Engine at $299/month adds a 24/7 AI receptionist that answers your missed calls. Plans are month-to-month.
What is included in a monthly website plan?
Every Propeller plan includes the free website build, premium hosting, a global CDN, SSL security, daily backups, security monitoring, real human support and ongoing updates. Growth adds unlimited monthly content changes and answer-engine optimisation so you get found in ChatGPT, Gemini and Google's AI results. Growth Engine adds a 24/7 AI receptionist that answers missed calls in your business name and captures the lead. There is never a setup fee.
Is it cheaper to build my own website on Wix or Squarespace, or to hire someone?
DIY builders like Wix or Squarespace look cheap, but the real costs are your time, a template that looks like everyone else's, and a site that often does not rank or convert. Once you add a domain, a premium plan, apps and the hours you spend, you have usually paid more for less. Propeller builds and maintains a custom site for you with no upfront cost and a monthly plan from $99 — so you get agency-quality work without the agency price or the DIY weekend.
Can I cancel anytime, or am I locked into a contract?
Propeller plans are month-to-month — you can cancel any time and there is no lock-in contract. Your domain stays in your name and the website is yours. We would rather earn your business every month than trap you in a long contract, which is also why there is no large upfront fee to walk away from.
Is GST included in Propeller's prices?
Yes. Basic $99, Growth $199 and Growth Engine $299 are the prices you actually pay each month — AUD, GST inclusive, month-to-month. There is no annual lock-in and no GST surprise at invoice time. See the pricing page for what each plan includes.
Are there any setup fees or hidden costs?
No. The website build itself is free — $0 setup, no upfront design fee — and each plan covers hosting, SSL, daily backups, security, support and updates with no surprise add-ons. The monthly plan price is the whole cost of running the site.
How does Propeller's referral program work?
Refer a business to Propeller and when they sign up, you get a month free on your own plan — one free month for each business you refer. Details and your referral link are on the referral program page.

Getting found in Google & AI search

How do I get my business to show up in ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI chatbots?
To be recommended by AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, your business needs a clear, well-structured website with content written the way people actually ask questions, plus machine-readable data — structured data and an llms.txt file — that AI crawlers can read. AI tools answer from sources they can understand and trust. Propeller builds every site this way, with FAQ content, structured data and AI-readable files included, so your business is set up to be cited when someone asks an AI for a recommendation in your trade and town.
What is answer engine optimisation (AEO), and does my small business need it?
Answer engine optimisation (AEO) is the practice of structuring your website so AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Overviews and Perplexity can understand it and recommend you. It is the new version of SEO: instead of only ranking in a list of links, you want to be the business the AI names when someone asks 'who is a good electrician near me?'. Any small business that relies on being found online needs it now, and it is built into Propeller's Growth and Growth Engine plans.
Why do AI assistants recommend some businesses and not others?
AI assistants recommend businesses they can easily read, understand and trust. That means a real website rather than just a social page, content that directly answers the questions people ask, clear structured data, consistent business details across the web, and machine-readable files like llms.txt. Businesses that only exist on Facebook, or have a thin, outdated site, usually get skipped. Propeller builds sites specifically to meet these criteria, so you are the kind of business an AI can confidently name.
Why isn't my business showing up when people search on Google?
Usually it is one of a few things: you do not have a real website, your site is slow, outdated or not mobile-friendly, your content does not match what people search for, or your Google Business Profile is not set up well. Search engines and AI tools favour fast, clear, well-structured sites with relevant content. Propeller rebuilds your site to fix all of that — fast loading, mobile-first, properly structured and written around what your customers actually search for.
Will a new website actually get me more enquiries and customers?
A well-built website's job is to turn the people already looking for you into phone calls and enquiries. Nearly half of visitors judge whether a business is worth contacting from the website alone, so a slow or dated site quietly loses you work every week. Propeller sites are built to load fast, look professional and make it effortless to call or message you — and on Growth Engine an AI receptionist catches the calls you miss, so leads do not slip away.
Can I have a second website just for AI search?
Yes, and a growing number of businesses do. You are already on Facebook, Instagram, a Google listing and your website, and nobody questions having several places to be found. AI search is the newest of those surfaces, and a second site is simply another place to claim it — the same way a Facebook page and an Instagram account both earn their keep. It is a separate, purpose-built site on its own domain that AI engines can read and quote, and it leaves your current site completely untouched, with no migration and no risk to your existing Google rankings. We walk through how it works, and why a second site rather than a change to your current one, on our second website page.
How many Australian small businesses are actually visible to AI search?
No one has measured AI-search visibility directly — but the strongest available proxy is stark. Propeller’s Australian Tradie AI Visibility Report 2026 assessed 516 trade and local-service businesses and found 72.1% had either no findable website or one rated in the weakest quality band . The report measured website existence and quality; the implication is that sites like that give AI assistants little or nothing to read and cite.
What is llms.txt, and does my business need one?
llms.txt is a plain-text file at your website’s root that hands AI assistants your canonical facts — what you do, where, your prices and contact details — so they can cite you accurately instead of guessing. It costs nothing to serve and removes an assistant’s excuses for getting your details wrong. Propeller includes one in every Growth-plan build.
How long does it take to show up in ChatGPT recommendations?
Weeks, not days. Assistants that search the live web (ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, Copilot) can pick up a well-structured page within two to four weeks of it being indexed — Bing indexation matters most, because ChatGPT reads Bing. Recommendations drawn from model training data take longer and build with your presence across many sources. Early movers compound.
How can I check what AI currently says about my business?
Ask the assistants what a customer would: “best [your trade] in [your suburb]”, “is [your business] any good?” — across ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity, monthly. Record whether you are named, linked, or absent, and who appears instead. Or send us your website and we will run the check for you with your free demo.

Switching & what you have now

My website doesn't get me any enquiries — what should I do?
If your site looks fine but the phone is not ringing, the problem is usually speed, clarity, mobile experience or trust — visitors land, hesitate and leave. The fix is a site built to convert: fast loading, clear calls to action, obvious contact options and content that answers buyers' questions. Propeller rebuilds your site for free, you only pay the monthly plan, and focuses specifically on turning visitors into enquiries, then keeps improving it over time.
I only have a Facebook page, not a website. Can you still help?
Absolutely — that is a great starting point. Propeller pulls everything useful from your Facebook page — your photos, reviews, services and details — and builds a real website around it on your own domain. You keep your Facebook page; you just stop depending on it to be found. A proper website is what ranks in Google and lets AI assistants recommend you, which a social page alone cannot do.
Will I lose my Google ranking if I change to a new website?
No — handled properly, a new website protects your ranking and usually improves it. Propeller carries across your existing content and sets up redirects from your old pages to the new ones, so the links and rankings you have built follow you over. The migration is designed to be invisible to visitors and to search engines, and a faster, better-structured site typically performs better in both Google and AI search afterwards.
Can you rebuild my existing website without losing my content?
Yes. Propeller carries across everything worth keeping — your text, service descriptions, photos and pages — and rebuilds it inside a properly designed, fast website. We set up redirects from your old URLs so existing links still work, and the changeover is built to be seamless for anyone visiting. You keep the content you trust, presented far better and built to be found.

Owning & running your site

Do I own my website and domain name?
Yes. Your domain stays registered in your name and the website is yours. If you ever decide to leave, we hand the whole thing over — no holding your site hostage on someone else's platform. You are paying Propeller to build, host and improve your site, not to own it on your behalf.
Who updates my website when my prices or details change?
On the Growth and Growth Engine plans, Propeller makes unlimited content updates for you — just send the change and we handle it, usually the same day. There is no logging into a clunky editor or paying an hourly rate per tweak. This keeps your site, and the details that Google and AI tools read about you, accurate, which matters for staying findable.
What is an AI receptionist, and how does it handle my missed calls?
An AI receptionist is a 24/7 virtual assistant that answers the calls you cannot get to — when you are on the tools, driving or after hours — in your business's name. It greets the caller, answers common questions and captures their details so the lead does not go to a competitor. It is included in Propeller's Growth Engine plan at $299/month, and for trades and local services that miss calls during the day it often pays for itself in a single recovered job.

The AI receptionist

Which plan includes the 24/7 AI receptionist?
Propeller offers three website plans — Basic $99, Growth $199 and Growth Engine $299/mo inc GST — and the receptionist is included in Growth Engine alongside the free website build and AI search optimisation. A standalone Voice Agent is available at $199/mo for businesses that only want the AI receptionist.
What does the AI receptionist actually do when I miss a call?
It answers in your business’s name, greets the caller, handles common questions — hours, services, service area — and captures the caller’s name, number and what they need, then gets those details to you so you can call back with the job still warm. The caller talks to something that responds instead of a voicemail beep, which is the difference between a captured lead and a competitor’s phone ringing.
Can I hear the AI receptionist before signing up?
Yes — the voice page has a live “Hear your AI receptionist” demo: leave your details and hear it answer as your business. Pair it with the free demo of your new website — nothing is billed until you have seen and heard both.

Reviews, estimates & online booking

What growth tools can Propeller add to my website?
Three, and each has a live demo you can try before you decide: the Google Reviews Booster turns happy customers into 5-star Google reviews and catches unhappy ones privately; the Instant Estimate widget gives visitors a ballpark price in about 30 seconds and captures the lead while they’re keen; and Online Job Booking lets customers pick a service and a time that lands straight in your calendar. All three run inside your Propeller website — no extra apps or subscriptions to manage.
How does the Google Reviews Booster get me more Google reviews?
After every job you send one link — by text, email or a QR code on the invoice. Your customer taps a star rating on a clean page with your name on it: five-star raters are handed straight to your Google review form, and anyone less lands on a private feedback form that emails you directly, so you hear about a problem before it becomes a public review. Most happy customers never review you simply because nobody made it a 30-second job — removing that friction is what lifts the count. It works for any Australian trade or service business — sparkies, plumbers, cleaners, landscapers, personal trainers. Try the live demo.
Can my website give customers an instant price estimate?
Yes. Propeller’s Instant Estimate widget lets a visitor describe the job in plain words — “blocked drain in the kitchen” — and answers in seconds with a genuine price range built from your own pricing. You set a floor and a ceiling for every job type, every estimate carries a “confirmed on inspection” disclaimer, and the widget can never quote a number you haven’t approved. It then asks for a name and mobile for an exact quote, so the enquiry lands in your inbox while the visitor is still keen — instead of them bouncing to the next Google result. Try the live demo.
Can customers book jobs online through my website?
Yes — with Online Job Booking they pick a service, pick a time and confirm. The engine only offers times you’ve made available, synced against the calendar you already use (Google, Outlook or Apple), so a website can never double-book you. Confirmations, calendar invites and reminders go out automatically, which is the piece that kills no-shows. The 9pm “can someone come Thursday?” caller books Thursday instead of leaving a voicemail and ringing your competitor. Try the live demo.
Which Propeller plans include the Google Reviews Booster, Instant Estimate and Online Job Booking?
The Google Reviews Booster is included in every plan — Basic at $99/month, Growth at $199/month and Growth Engine at $299/month (inc GST). The Instant Estimate widget and Online Job Booking are included in the Growth and Growth Engine plans. The full side-by-side comparison is on the pricing page.

About Propeller

What is Propeller, and who is it for?
Propeller is an Australian company that builds and hosts custom websites for small businesses — trades, local services, studios and owner-operators. The website build is free with no upfront cost, and you pay a simple monthly plan from $99 that covers hosting, support, updates and getting you found in Google and AI search. It is made for busy owners who need a professional site that wins work, without an agency-sized bill or the DIY hassle. Propeller is operated by Propeller Consulting Group.
Does Propeller offer AI consulting?
Yes. Alongside its website plans, Propeller offers AI consulting and implementation for Australian businesses that want help putting AI to work inside the business — automating repetitive work like customer enquiries, quoting and proposals, invoicing, reporting and paperwork, with AI agents and automations built into the tools you already use, plus team training. Every engagement starts with a free discovery chat and is scoped up front. It is separate from the AI Search (AEO) service, which is about getting found and recommended in ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI.
How do I implement AI in my business?
Map where your team's hours actually go, pick one high-volume repetitive workflow, pilot it in two to four weeks wired into the tools you already use, add guardrails and a human approval step around anything customer-facing, then train the team and move to the next workflow. Working results should arrive in weeks, not quarters. The step-by-step method is in our guide, how to implement AI in your business — and Propeller’s AI consulting does the implementation for you, starting with a free discovery chat.
How much does an AI consultant cost in Australia?
Published Australian rates in mid-2026 cluster around $150–$450 an hour, with day rates of $1,000–$2,500, AI audits from roughly $5,000 and advisory retainers from about $2,000 a month. The full market breakdown is in our guide, what an AI consultant does and costs in Australia. Propeller scopes every engagement up front after a free discovery chat, so the cost and expected payback are known before anything is built.
How do I get started or see a demo of my new website?
Getting started is easy and costs nothing. Send your business details through the contact form at propeller.net.au, or email hey@propeller.net.au, and Propeller builds a working demo of your new website first — so you can see exactly what you would get before deciding. If you love it, you pick a plan and we take it live, usually within 48 hours. If it is not for you, there is no obligation.

Still have a question?

If your question isn’t answered here, send us a message — a real person will get back to you within a business day.

Ask us anything