Every NDIS plan manager charges the same NDIS-set fees. So the real choice isn’t price.
It’s whether you want to be one of thousands of clients at a big national plan manager, or known by name at a small specialist one.
Here’s how Plan Hero compares with 3 of Australia’s biggest plan managers: Plan Partners, My Plan Manager and nib Thrive.
Big plan manager or specialist, independent plan manager?
At a big plan manager | At Plan Hero |
|---|---|
| A central team, much like a call centre | A small, dedicated team of plan managers |
| You may speak to someone new each time and repeat your story | The same people get to know you, your plan and your providers |
| Weekday business hours only, shared across thousands of clients | We answer your calls and emails, and never put you on hold |
| General processing of a high volume of invoices | Individualised support from NDIS specialists |
| One service among several (support coordination, insurance, marketplaces) | Plan management is all we do |
Let’s compare Plan Managers
Plan Hero | Plan Partners | My Plan Manager | nib Thrive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size and focus | Mid-size, independent team = plan management only | Large national provider; also support coordination | Australia’s largest plan manager; also runs Kinora | Part of the nib health insurance group; also support coordination |
| Reaching a Human Plan Manager | No call centre; calls and emails answered within 2 hours, never put on hold | Central team by phone and live chat, 8am–6pm Mon–Fri (Melbourne time) | Central team by phone and call-back, 8am–6pm Mon–Fri | Central team by phone and email, 9am–5pm Mon–Fri |
| Published payment time | Invoices processed same day; paid within 4–7 business days | Up to 7 business days, including NDIA processing | Majority of invoices within 3 working days | Not published?? |
| NDIS expertise | Specialist plan managers who help you understand your plan | Knowledge articles and guides | Guides and Kinora community | Participant guides and handbooks |
| Lived experience | Team includes parents of children with NDIS plans | Check with provider | Check with provider | Check with provider |
| Budget tracking | Live portal and phone app, plus easy-to-read monthly reports | Dashboard and app | Portal and apps | Portal and monthly progress reports |
| Help finding providers | Yes, we help you find supports | Check with provider | Via the Kinora marketplace | Check with provider |
| Best suited to | Families and participants who want a small team that knows them | People who prefer to self-serve online | People who want a large, established provider | Existing nib members, or clients of plan managers nib acquired |
Speed of paying invoices
Every plan-managed invoice goes through the same steps: the plan manager checks it, claims it from the NDIA, and pays the provider once the NDIA releases the funds. The NDIA’s part usually takes a few business days, so no plan manager controls the whole timeline.
What a plan manager does control is how quickly it checks and lodges your invoice, and how fast it chases problems. Slow providers lose patience, and from 1 December 2026 claims must reach the NDIA within 90 days of the support, so a plan manager that sits on invoices puts your supports at risk.
Ask: how long from receiving an invoice to lodging the claim, and what happens when an invoice has an error?
Support
The biggest difference between plan managers is who picks up the phone.
- Large plan managers use a central team, much like a call centre. You may speak to someone different each time and need to explain your situation again. All three publish weekday business hours only. nib Thrive’s own FAQ has warned of longer wait times and payment delays during periods of high demand.
- Plan Hero is a small team of plan managers with no call centre. We answer your calls and emails, and we never put you on hold.
Approach
- Plan Partners started in Sydney in 2017 and now has offices in five states. It leans on technology, with a dashboard and app, and also offers support coordination.
- My Plan Manager describes itself as Australia’s largest plan manager. It belongs to a group that also owns NDSP Plan Managers and runs Kinora, an online disability community.
- nib Thrive is part of the nib health insurance group. It was built by acquiring several plan managers, including BudgetNet, Maple Plan, Peak Plan Management, Connect Plan Management and Developing Links. It also offers support coordination.
- Plan Hero is small, independent and specialist: plan management is all we do. Our team combines deep NDIS knowledge with lived experience, as some of our plan managers are parents of children with NDIS plans. Because we’re small, we get to know every client and tailor our support to them.
Best suited to
- Plan Partners: people who are confident online and happy to manage things through an app.
- My Plan Manager: people who want the security of a very large provider and access to an online community.
- nib Thrive: nib members, or people whose plan manager was taken over by nib and are happy to stay.
- Plan Hero: families, carers and participants who want a small team that knows their plan, answers the phone and helps them use their funding well.
Other things people compare
- Fees: the same at every plan manager, set by the NDIS. You never pay out of your own pocket.
- Registration: all plan managers must be registered with the NDIS Commission. Check the NDIS Provider Register.
- Invoice approval: can you approve invoices before they’re paid, or have them paid automatically?
- Reporting: do you get clear monthly statements, and alerts if you’re overspending?
- Languages and specialisation: can they support you in your language, and do they understand your disability or your child’s needs?
- Switching: you can change plan managers at any time, not just at a plan reassessment.
How to choose a plan manager
- Work out what matters to you. Fast payments, a person who knows you, an app, help in your language, or experience with your disability.
- Call them before you sign up. How long did it take to reach a person? Did they answer your questions clearly?
- Ask the key questions:
- How quickly do you lodge and pay invoices?
- Will I have one plan manager, or a different person each time?
- What are your phone hours, and how fast do you reply to emails?
- Can I see my budget and invoices online?
- Will you warn me if I’m overspending a funding period?
- Can I use unregistered providers?
- Check reviews on Google and on independent directories.
- Read the service agreement before you sign.
If your current plan manager isn’t working for you, you can switch at any time. Tell the NDIA your new plan manager’s details, and the new plan manager handles the rest.
Why Plan Hero is the better choice
Big plan managers are built for volume. Plan Hero is built for people. We’re a small, specialist team that gives every client personal, individualised support from NDIS experts who know their plan.
- A small team, no call centre: you can always get hold of us. We answer calls and emails, and never put you on hold.
- Specialist NDIS experts: we help you understand your plan and get the most from your funding.
- Fast invoice processing: invoices are processed the same day we receive them, so providers are paid quickly.
- Live budget tracking: see your spending any time in our portal and phone app, plus easy-to-read monthly reports.
- Lived experience: our team includes parents of children with NDIS plans, so we understand what families need.
- Help finding providers: we help you find the supports you need to reach your goals.
- Build your NDIS knowledge: free guides, webinars and resources to make you the expert.
Ready to talk? Call 1300 599 770 to speak with a Plan Hero plan manager, or request a call back. Changing is easy: see how to switch to Plan Hero.
