You are paying for pipeline generation: qualified conversations your closers convert. Here is what that costs in Australia in 2026, and how to compare quotes on equal terms.
Outsourced vs in-house SDR cost at a glance
| Option | Year-one cost | Qualified meetings in year one | Cost per meeting |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-house Australian SDR | About $173,000 fully loaded | About 95 | About $1,820 |
| Nousu Starter program | $85,000 ($7,000 a month plus $1,000 setup) | About 165 | About $515 |
*Source: Nousu Collective estimates, Inside 200,000 Cold Calls (2026). The in-house figures allow for 3 months of ramp, leave, training and internal meetings.*
In year one, outsourcing costs less than a third as much per meeting ($515 against $1,820), mainly because it removes ramp time, churn, management overhead and the tool stack.
What does an in-house SDR really cost in Australia?
| Cost | Annual cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Base salary, mid-level SDR | $75,000 |
| Superannuation (12%) | $9,000 |
| Sales tools (dialler, data, sales engagement platform, CRM seat) | $12,000 |
| Management time (0.2 of a sales manager) | $28,000 |
| Office, equipment and training | $8,000 |
| Ramp (3 months paid before meaningful output) | $21,000 |
| Recruitment and onboarding | $8,000 |
| Churn and replacement risk (14-month average tenure) | $12,000 |
| Year-one total | $173,000 |
A new SDR usually needs about 3 months to ramp, and leave, training and internal meetings take about a quarter of the time that's left. That leaves roughly 6.75 months of full output in year one, which we estimate at about 95 qualified meetings, or about $1,820 per meeting. Our separate in-house comparison, built on a $70,000 base plus commission and a recruiter fee, puts year-one direct costs at about $114,000 to $141,000.
What an outsourced SDR retainer should include
- A dedicated SDR, or a clear number of calling hours each week
- Ideal customer profile definition and list building with verified direct dials
- Talk tracks and messaging written for your offer
- Calling, email and LinkedIn
- Appointment setting with a CRM-ready handover for every meeting
- Weekly reporting with call recordings
- Do Not Call Register washing and compliance with Australian calling rules
If any of these cost extra, add them to the monthly price before you compare quotes.
Nousu Collective pricing
From $7,000 per month (AUD) for a dedicated in-house Sydney SDR team running cold calling, email and LinkedIn. Includes ICP definition, list building with enriched and validated data, scripts and messaging, weekly reporting and optimisation, and CRM-ready handover of every booked meeting. Month-to-month with no lock-in, and terms of 6 months or longer get a discount.
There is a one-off $1,000 setup fee covering the initial ICP definition, script development and first list build. The Starter program books about 15 qualified meetings a month from month two, after a first month of setup and calibration.
Retainer, pay per meeting, hourly or hybrid?
| Model | How it works | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | A fixed monthly fee for set SDR time and channels | Predictable, ongoing pipeline | Check the calling hours, channels and what's included |
| Pay per meeting | A fee for each meeting booked | Testing a market on a small budget | Loose meeting definitions and pressure to book volume over quality |
| Hourly | A fee per calling hour | Short, defined projects | Paying for activity, not outcomes |
| Hybrid | A lower retainer plus a fee per meeting | Sharing risk with the agency | Complex invoices, so check how a qualified meeting is defined |
Why Australian SDR agencies cost more than offshore providers
Onshore callers cost more per hour: a fully loaded offshore SDR costs about $30,000 to $60,000 a year. Per meeting, the picture flips. In our data, offshore teams book 0.3 meetings per 100 dials against 1.3 onshore, so the all-in delivery cost of an offshore-booked meeting is about $920, against $425 onshore. And 39% of offshore-booked meetings are rated unqualified by the client's sales team, against 13% onshore.
Hidden costs to check before you sign
- Setup or onboarding fees (Nousu charges a one-off $1,000)
- Data and list costs billed separately
- Tool or licence fees passed on to you
- Minimum terms and notice periods
- How a qualified meeting is defined, and whether no-shows count
- Who owns the data, call recordings and scripts when you leave
When outsourcing makes sense, and when in-house wins
Outsource when:
- You need meetings in the next 30 to 60 days
- You don't have a proven playbook or a manager for an SDR
- You're testing a new market or segment
- You want a cost per meeting you can measure from month two
Hire in-house when:
- The product is highly technical and objections need deep product knowledge
- You're building a long-term sales bench, starting from SDR
- Having the function in-house matters to you for cultural or strategic reasons
What You Are Actually Paying For
Included in most outsourced SDR engagements:
- Dedicated calling hours from trained SDRs
- Script development and iteration
- List building and data provision (sometimes at extra cost)
- Call recording and reporting
- Meeting scheduling with your calendar
- Weekly or fortnightly optimisation reviews
Not typically included:
- Marketing qualified leads (MQLs)
- Closed deals (that is your job)
- CRM setup or management
- Marketing automation
- Content creation
The Three Main Pricing Models
1. Monthly Retainer Model
The most common structure for serious SDR engagements. Fixed monthly fee for a defined scope of work.
| Scope | Monthly Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Entry (5-10 hrs/week) | $4,000 to $6,000 | 20-40 hours calling, 3-6 meetings |
| Standard (15-20 hrs/week) | $8,000 to $12,000 | 60-80 hours calling, 8-12 meetings |
| Full-time equivalent | $12,000 to $18,000 | 120+ hours calling, 12-20 meetings |
Best for: Companies wanting consistent pipeline generation with room to optimise over time.
2. Per-Meeting or Per-Appointment Model
Pay only for results delivered. Fee charged for each qualified meeting booked.
| Meeting Type | Per-Meeting Fee |
|---|---|
| Basic appointment | $200 to $350 |
| Qualified meeting | $400 to $600 |
| Executive-level meeting | $500 to $800 |
| Enterprise meeting | $600 to $1,000 |
Best for: Testing an agency before larger commitment, or campaigns with very clear ICP definitions.
3. Hybrid Model (Retainer + Performance Bonus)
Combines baseline commitment with upside for results.
| Component | Range |
|---|---|
| Base retainer | $4,000 to $8,000/month |
| Performance bonus per meeting | $100 to $250 |
| Minimum commitment | 3 to 6 months |
Best for: Companies wanting accountability without pure pay-per-lead risk.
Hidden Costs to Watch For
Setup Fees
| Provider Type | Setup Fee Range |
|---|---|
| Budget agencies | $500 to $1,000 |
| Mid-market agencies | $1,000 to $3,000 |
| Enterprise-focused | $3,000 to $5,000 |
Data and List Costs
| Data Approach | Cost Impact |
|---|---|
| Client provides data | $0 additional |
| Agency builds lists (included) | +10 to 15% on retainer |
| Third-party data pass-through | $500 to $2,000/month |
What Determines Price Variation?
Channel Mix
| Approach | Relative Cost |
|---|---|
| Phone only | Base |
| Phone + email | +10 to 20% |
| Phone + email + LinkedIn | +25 to 40% |
| Full multi-channel | +50%+ |
Team Location
- 100% Australian team: Premium pricing
- Hybrid (AU management, offshore execution): 20 to 40% lower
- Fully offshore: 50 to 70% lower
Quality correlates with team location for most B2B Australian markets.
Calculating Your Expected ROI
Step 1: Know Your Numbers
Before engaging, you need: average deal size, close rate from qualified meeting to deal, customer lifetime value (LTV), and current cost to acquire a customer (CAC).
Step 2: Model Meeting Output
| Investment Level | Expected Meetings/Month |
|---|---|
| $6,000/month | 5 to 8 |
| $10,000/month | 10 to 15 |
| $15,000/month | 15 to 25 |
Step 3: Calculate Pipeline Value
Example calculation:
- Investment: $10,000/month
- Meetings booked: 12 per month
- Close rate: 20% (1 in 5 meetings becomes a customer)
- Average deal value: $30,000 annual contract
- Monthly output: 2.4 new customers
- Revenue generated: $72,000
- ROI: 620%
Red Flags in SDR Pricing
Watch for:
- Unusually low pricing: If it is 50% cheaper than competitors, ask why.
- Guaranteed meeting numbers: No agency can guarantee specific outcomes.
- No setup fee: Either they are cutting corners on onboarding or hiding costs elsewhere.
- Per-meeting only with no minimum: Signals they are not investing in your success.
- Long contracts with no performance clauses: You should be able to exit if they do not deliver.
Related Resources
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