Compare NDIS plan managers: communication, costs and payment processes

How to compare plan managers

By Aviva Beecher Kelk · Originally published 15 January 2020

Deeper review: 6 October 2026. The deeper review adds article-specific decisions and audience guidance. Historical passages and their adjacent corrections remain preserved.

Compare the process you will actually use

Compare managers using the same invoice problem, sample statement and contact method. Ask when any advertised payment clock starts, who answers a query and what happens during an absence. Keep the participant’s communication needs and authority over financial information central; team size and a headline promise do not establish the right fit. Check the manager’s responsibilities.

Original article and dated context

Aviva Beecher Kelk is head of Clickability’s Disability Services Advisor team. She loves dancing, and the smell of fruit toast with butter, but what really makes her heart smile is connecting consumers with providers and hearing that it’s a great match.

My team connects providers with NDIS services. A lot of people need a plan manager when they first get their NDIS plan. We have some great information about what plan managers do, and the difference between a plan manager and support coordinator.

But how do you choose WHICH plan manager to work with? They charge the same rates, and they all do the same work, so it can be tricky to compare them. Here are some hot tips my team has got from participants we’ve linked in with plan managers.

[Clickability update, September 2026: Ask each plan manager to explain their fees and agreement. Current maximum-price rules do not establish that every provider charges the same fee or offers the same service experience. See the current pricing schedules.]

Do you like them and feel safe?

This is the first thing with any NDIS provider. It’s really simple. Do you trust them? When you speak with them on the phone, do they make you feel safe? Don’t underestimate your gut instinct.

How do they communicate with you?

Some plan managers have 1800 numbers and email addresses that start with hello@ or info@. These are excellent because they mean that no matter who is in the office, someone will pick up the phone or get to your email. However, some participants want to know who they’ll speak to, and to have a dedicated staff member with an email address and phone number.

You might also speak a language other than English. Is there someone in your plan manager’s office who you can easily communicate with?

How quickly do they pay invoices?

My team’s heard some horror stories about participants losing providers because they weren’t being paid by the plan manager. This is NOT the normal case! Most plan managers pay invoices within a couple of days, and will be able to tell you how long they expect it to take.

[Clickability update, September 2026: This is a historical generalisation, not a guaranteed payment deadline. Ask when their timeframe starts and what happens if an invoice needs checking. The NDIA plan-manager guide describes payment responsibilities.]

How do they track your spending?

Some plan managers will send you an email each month to tell you what you’ve spent and what you’ve got left in your package. Others have online tools that you can log in and see how you’re tracking.

You might also want to ask what happens if you are close to going over budget. How do they let you know that?

What do their reviews say?

Check out Clickability reviews and see what other customers have said about them! You might find more comments on Facebook or Google reviews.

Where are they located?

There are some GREAT plan managers that provide services all over Australia. Plan managers are kind of like bookkeepers or accountants — unlike an OT or a support worker, you don’t need to see them face-to-face. You just need to trust them and make sure they pay your bills.

That said, it’s important to some people to have a local plan manager.

Compare two managers using the same questions

Try the communication and statement before deciding

Ask each manager the same three questions: how do I approve an invoice, how do I query a charge and how do I see what is available now? Request an accessible sample statement and try the contact method you would normally use. An app is useful only if you can use it or obtain an alternative.

Choose which features matter most to you, including language, a familiar contact, response times and a clear complaint process. Reviews can help identify questions to ask, but neither a local address nor a large national team guarantees the right service.

Keep a short comparison note with each written commitment and any question still outstanding.

For service options, compare plan management provider against the tasks and communication you need.

Separate the payment promise from permission to spend

Ask which stage an advertised turnaround measures and what happens when an invoice is incomplete or disputed. NDIA guidance places the two-business-day payment expectation after receipt of NDIA funds. It does not say every invoice must be paid two days after arrival. Read the official guidance

Check who can access financial information and authorise invoices. Help the participant make the comparison rather than choosing solely around your own preferred portal or contact person.

Ask about financial or personal connections with other services and how they are explained to the participant.

Make the offer specific enough to compare

The current pricing schedule lists the plan-management monthly maximum as $104.45. A maximum is not proof that every business has an identical offer, and an unrelated percentage-of-budget claim on another website is not the official fee model. Check Appendix 7 of the current pricing schedule

Explain statement frequency, available formats, approval processes and handover arrangements. Identify what you do when a claim is delayed instead of promising that your service guarantees every payment or prevents all overspending. The participant should be able to understand your answer without buying software first.

For the background to real-time payment claims, read the historical plan-management payment explanation.

Questions readers ask

Are all plan managers required to be registered?

Yes. A participant’s plan manager must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Official guidance

Does an invoice-payment promise always start when an invoice arrives?

No. Ask which stage it measures. NDIA guidance sets the payment expectation within two business days after the manager receives NDIA payment. Official guidance

Compare plan managers around what matters to you

Read Clickability ratings and reviews, then explain the communication and budget support you are looking for in a service request.

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