If you search for a virtual address in Sydney, you will find options ranging from $20 a month to well over $200. That range exists for a reason. This post breaks down what is actually on offer at each price point, which providers are legitimately ASIC-compliant, and what you give up when you go for the cheaper end.
First, what does ASIC actually require?
If you have registered a Pty Ltd company, your registered office must be a physical street address in Australia where documents can be served during business hours. A PO Box does not qualify. Neither does a digital-only mailbox. The premises also needs to be open to the public for at least three hours on each business day, and whoever occupies it must have given written consent for your company to use it [ASIC, Corporations Act 2001, s.142].
That last point catches people out more than any other. Some very cheap providers are not conventional
office spaces with reliable business hours. Before you use anyone as your registered office, ask them directly whether their premises meets that public access requirement. If they are vague about it, keep looking.
Sole traders registering an ABN have a bit more flexibility — you just need an Australian address where you can receive correspondence — but the registered office rules above apply the moment you have a Pty Ltd.
What Sydney providers actually charge
$20 to $30 a month
Circle Paints is a registered charity and paint recycling shop in St Peters, Sydney's inner west, and they run a registered address service at $20 per month [Circle Paints, circlepaints.org.au ]. Their address at 83 Princes Highway, St Peters qualifies for ASIC registered office use because the shop is open to the public. Mail options include in-person collection with 24-hour access via code, scanning, or Australia Post forwarding. It is not a CBD address. There is no receptionist. But for a company that receives minimal mail and just needs a compliant address, it does the job at the lowest price in Sydney.
Space Penguin offers a virtual address at 89-97 Jones Street, Ultimo from $20 per month plus GST [Space Penguin, spacepenguin.io/virtual-address-sydney]. The address is ASIC-compliant for registered office and ABN registration, the service runs month-to-month with no lock-in, and mail scanning and notifications are included under a fair use policy. Physical mail forwarding via Australia Post is available for an additional fee. Space Penguin is upfront about what the plan does not include: no phone answering, no walk-in mail pickup at the street address, no meeting rooms, and no Google Business Profile verification. For startups and small businesses that receive low mail volumes and need a compliant Sydney address without paying CBD rates, this covers everything legally required at a straightforward monthly cost.
Both options suit sole traders and early-stage companies with low mail volumes. They do not suit businesses that regularly receive parcels, need a receptionist, or want a CBD street address.
$40 to $60 a month
VirtualAddress.com.au starts from $40 plus GST per month across several Australian cities [VirtualAddress.com.au ]. Inclusions vary by plan, so it is worth confirming exactly what is covered before signing up.
Anytime Offices has locations in Randwick and Botany and starts at $60 per month with no setup fee [Anytime Offices, anytimeoffices.com.au ]. The base plan includes a private letterbox, access to centre facilities, and printing, scanning, and copying at no extra cost. Phone answering is available as an add-on from $90 per month. The address is in Sydney's south and east rather than the CBD, which for some businesses is fine and for others matters quite a bit.
$80 to $120 a month
This is where you start finding CBD-addressed services with more complete mail handling and workspace access included or available. Regus has multiple Sydney CBD locations and offers virtual office packages at varying prices depending on term length; committing to six months or more brings the monthly cost down [Regus, regus.com/australia/sydney ].
$135 and above
The Executive Centre offers a business address from around $59 per month, with full virtual office plans including call answering and lounge access from approximately $135 per month [Anna Money, annamoney.au, 2024]. Servcorp operates from premium buildings, including the MLC Centre in Sydney, and sits at the higher end of the market for businesses where the prestige of the address is part of the point [Servcorp, servcorp.com.au ].
Side by side
| Provider | Price per month | Location | ASIC- compliant | Mail scanning | Phone answering | Workspace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Space Penguin | $20 + GST | Sydney (Ultimo) / Melbourne (Little Collins St) | Yes | Yes (fair use applies) | No | No |
| Circle Paints | $20 | St Peters | Yes | Yes ($2/item) | No | No |
| VirtualAddress.com.au | From $40 + GST | Various | Confirm directly | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Anytime Offices | From $60 | Randwick / Botany | Yes | Yes | From $90/month | Yes |
| Regus | Varies | CBD | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Yes |
| The Executive Centre | From $59 (address only) | CBD | Yes | Yes | From ~$135/month | From ~$199/month |
What actually determines which tier makes sense for you
When you first register a company in Australia, you get a burst of mail. Initial ASIC notices, ATO correspondence, a letter or two from your bank. After that, physical mail slows down significantly for most businesses. For that pattern, a $20 to $25 per month service handles everything the law requires and costs less over a year than one hour of an accountant's time.
If you are meeting clients, want a recognised CBD address on your invoices and website, or need someone to answer calls in your company's name, the budget tier stops being enough fairly quickly. The step up to $60 to $120 per month is a real cost, but it comes with services the stripped-back options do not offer.
Most providers in Sydney run on month-to-month contracts, so you are not locked in. Start with what your business actually needs right now, and move when the service stops covering it.
If you want to see what Space Penguin offers for virtual addresses in Sydney, [link to pricing page].