Getting your pricing right in 2026 isn’t just about choosing a number that covers your costs and makes a profit. In Australia, pricing is also a compliance issue - especially when it comes to Goods and Services Tax (GST).
If you advertise a price without GST when GST should be included (or you add GST on top when customers reasonably expect it’s already included), you can end up with unhappy customers, delayed payments, refund disputes, and potential regulatory headaches.
The good news is that the “when should I include GST?” question becomes much easier once you break it down into a few key factors: who you’re selling to, where your customer is located, whether you’re registered for GST, and whether your supply is GST-free or input taxed.
Below, we’ll walk through the practical GST pricing rules for 2026 in plain English, with examples you can apply to your website pricing, quotes, proposals, invoices, and contracts.
First Things First: Are You Registered For GST (And Do You Need To Be)?
Before you even decide whether to show prices “including GST” or “plus GST”, you need to know whether GST applies to you in the first place.
When GST registration usually applies
In general terms, you’ll usually need to register for GST if your business has (or is expected to have) a GST turnover of $75,000 or more in a 12-month period (or $150,000 or more for non-profits). Some businesses also register voluntarily even if they’re under the threshold.
If you’re registered for GST, you’ll generally need to:
- charge GST on taxable supplies you make (unless an exception applies),
- issue tax invoices when required, and
- report and pay GST through your BAS.
If you’re not registered for GST, you generally cannot charge GST - which means your pricing and invoicing needs to be carefully worded so you don’t accidentally imply GST is included.
Practical pricing takeaway for 2026
In 2026, the “pricing rules” question usually starts here:
- If you’re registered for GST: assume GST needs to be addressed in every quote, invoice, and public-facing price.
- If you’re not registered for GST: don’t mention GST as being “included” and don’t add GST as a line item - because you’re not collecting it on the ATO’s behalf.
If you’re unsure whether you should register (or whether your turnover calculations are right), it’s worth speaking with an accountant early - and then making sure your customer documents match your tax position.
When Do You Need To Include GST In Your Displayed Prices?
A lot of GST confusion comes from mixing up two separate questions:
- Does GST apply to this sale? (a tax question)
- Do I have to display the price including GST? (a pricing/consumer law question)
Even if GST applies, you don’t always present the price the same way. In many cases, the “right” approach depends on whether you’re dealing with consumers or other businesses.
Consumer-facing prices: usually show the total (including GST)
If you’re advertising or displaying prices to the public (including on your website, social media, menus, signage, online checkout pages, and many forms of consumer marketing), you generally need to show a single total price that includes GST.
This is closely linked to Australia’s consumer protection rules about pricing clarity and transparency. If you advertise a price that looks like “the” price, but then add GST later, that can trigger complaints and potential compliance action.
This is why many businesses choose to default to “$X (incl. GST)” for consumer-facing pricing. It reduces friction, and it’s clearer for customers.
For a deeper breakdown of how to handle public pricing, it’s helpful to keep the GST included or not rules in mind when setting up your website and advertising templates.
Business-to-business (B2B) pricing: often “+ GST” is acceptable (if it’s clear)
If you mainly quote to other businesses - for example, you provide professional services, wholesale supply, construction services, software development, consulting, or agency services - it’s common to quote prices as “$X + GST”.
This can work well when:
- your customer expects GST will be added,
- your quote clearly states whether GST applies, and
- your invoice and contract align with the quote.
The key is clarity. If the other party could reasonably misunderstand your quote as GST-inclusive (especially if you’re dealing with small businesses, sole traders, or first-time buyers), you’re better off spelling it out.
It can also help to standardise the language you use across documents, so your team isn’t mixing “incl. GST” and “+ GST” inconsistently. Many business owners find it useful to settle on one internal rule after reviewing GST inclusive vs exclusive pricing approaches.
Government and large enterprise procurement: follow the procurement requirements
If you’re tendering for government work or selling into larger procurement processes, you may see pricing schedules that require you to provide both GST-exclusive and GST-inclusive figures. In these situations, you should follow the buyer’s format - but still ensure your final contract clearly states what the payable price is and how GST is treated.
Common Pricing Scenarios In 2026 (With Simple GST Rules)
Here are some common scenarios Australian businesses face in 2026, and how GST inclusion usually works in practice.
1) Online stores and websites with checkout
If you sell online to Australian consumers, your website pricing should generally show the total price payable, including GST, before the customer commits to payment.
Where businesses get caught out is when they:
- display GST-exclusive pricing on product pages, and only add GST at checkout, or
- use small-print disclaimers that don’t change the overall impression of the displayed price.
Even if you can technically calculate GST later, it’s usually a better customer experience (and lower-risk approach) to display GST-inclusive prices up front where you’re selling to the public.
2) Quotes and proposals for services
For service businesses, quotes are where many disputes start. If you say “$5,000” in a proposal and then invoice “$5,500 including GST”, your customer may argue the quote was GST-inclusive.
A simple fix is to include one clear line near the price, such as:
- “All prices are inclusive of GST (where applicable).”
- “Price is $5,000 + GST.”
Just be consistent: your invoice and your contract should follow the same approach.
3) “Ex GST” pricing language
You’ll often see “ex GST” used in invoices, wholesale catalogues, trade quotes, and contractor pricing schedules. It’s shorthand for “excluding GST”.
In a B2B context, “ex GST” is common - but it can still cause confusion if your customer is unfamiliar with the term, or if your marketing looks consumer-facing.
If you use “ex GST”, make sure it’s not buried. It should be placed right next to the price (not hidden in footer text), and your documents should be consistent. If you want examples of how to format this properly, the pricing and invoicing approach discussed under ex GST is a useful reference point.
4) Deposits, milestone payments, and part payments
If your business takes deposits (for example, to book a date, reserve stock, or commence work), think about whether the deposit amount is stated inclusive or exclusive of GST.
Where possible, write deposits in a way that reduces arguments, such as:
- “Deposit: $1,100 (incl. GST)”
- “Deposit: $1,000 + GST”
This is particularly important when you have staged payments (milestones), because confusion early can multiply over time.
5) Discounts and promo codes
If you advertise “20% off” or “Save $100”, that discount should apply to the total price the consumer pays (including GST), unless your promotion clearly states otherwise and the context supports it.
In consumer-facing promotions, think “what total will the customer pay?” and make sure your advertising matches that outcome.
GST-Free And Input Taxed Supplies: When You Should Not Add GST
Not all sales that look “normal” are taxable supplies. Two categories that often affect pricing are:
- GST-free supplies (GST is not charged, but you may still be entitled to input tax credits in some cases)
- Input taxed supplies (GST is not charged, and you generally can’t claim input tax credits for related purchases)
Whether something is GST-free or input taxed depends on the type of supply and the circumstances. This is an area where accountants and tax advisers are particularly important.
Examples that may affect pricing
Depending on what you sell, you might encounter GST-free or input taxed categories such as:
- some basic food items,
- some medical and health-related supplies,
- exports (where certain requirements are met),
- some education-related services, and
- financial supplies and residential rent (commonly associated with input taxed treatment).
If your business sells a mix of taxable and GST-free items, it’s important your pricing systems can handle that correctly - especially online.
From a “what should I show customers?” perspective, GST-free pricing should still be displayed transparently. You might show “$X (GST-free)” if that helps avoid confusion, particularly if customers expect GST is normally included.
What Are The Legal Risks If Your GST Pricing Isn’t Clear?
When GST pricing goes wrong, it’s rarely because a business owner is trying to do the wrong thing. It’s usually because templates, websites, or sales conversations don’t line up - and the customer gets a nasty surprise.
In 2026, the big risks to watch for are:
Advertised pricing issues
If your ads, website, menus or signage make it look like a particular figure is the total price, you can’t safely “add GST later” without risking a pricing complaint.
This is why it’s important to understand the advertised price laws when you set up marketing and sales material - even if you mainly sell B2B, because your content might still be accessible to consumers.
Misleading or deceptive conduct
Even if you didn’t intend to mislead, unclear GST wording can still create legal risk if it causes someone to enter a transaction based on a misunderstanding of price.
That’s where disputes often escalate into allegations of misleading or deceptive conduct, particularly if your customer says they relied on the displayed price when deciding to buy.
Contract and payment disputes
If your quote says one thing, your contract says another, and your invoice adds GST differently again, you’ve created an avoidable dispute.
For example:
- Your proposal states “$10,000”,
- Your contract defines fees as “$10,000 + GST”,
- Your invoice says “$11,000 incl. GST”,
- The client refuses to pay the GST component.
Even if you’re legally entitled to charge GST, you may still waste time chasing payment, renegotiating, or offering discounts to settle the dispute.
Tax invoice errors
When GST applies and you’re issuing tax invoices, formatting matters. Missing details can cause processing delays (especially for business customers who need the invoice to claim input tax credits), which can then delay your payment.
A practical checklist based on the ATO’s expectations can be found in these tax invoice requirements - and it’s worth aligning your invoicing software templates with those requirements.
How To Set Up GST-Safe Pricing Across Your Website, Quotes, And Contracts
If you want GST pricing to run smoothly in 2026, you don’t need complicated systems - you need consistent systems.
Here’s a practical way to approach it.
1) Decide your default pricing rule (B2C vs B2B)
Choose one default rule for each channel:
- Consumer-facing channels (website, ads, menus): default to GST-inclusive total pricing.
- B2B quoting: decide whether you’ll quote inclusive or exclusive, then standardise it across templates.
If your business sells to both consumers and businesses, it’s normal to use different approaches - as long as each channel is clear.
2) Use consistent wording in every document
A simple, consistent phrase can prevent a lot of disputes. For example:
- “All fees are inclusive of GST unless stated otherwise.”
- “All fees are exclusive of GST. GST will be added where applicable.”
Then make sure your quote totals, invoice totals, and contract definitions match that approach.
3) Make sure your website terms and customer contracts align with your pricing
GST issues often become contract issues. If your contract doesn’t clearly define whether fees include GST, you may end up negotiating after the work is done - which is the worst time to negotiate.
Many businesses handle this by ensuring their customer-facing terms (including online purchasing terms) clearly address tax treatment, price changes, and payment timing.
4) Train your team on how to answer “is that including GST?”
Even if you have perfect documents, sales conversations matter. If you have staff answering enquiries (or you outsource sales/admin), give them a simple script so they answer consistently.
For example:
- “Yes, that price is including GST.”
- “That price is excluding GST - GST will be added on the invoice.”
Consistency protects your brand and reduces back-and-forth later.
5) Be careful with cross-border and online sales
If you sell to customers overseas, or you deliver digital products/services across borders, GST can become more complex. You may need advice on whether GST applies and how to evidence the customer’s location for GST purposes.
It’s still a “pricing clarity” issue too: your international customers should understand what they’ll pay, what currency applies, and whether taxes apply.
Key Takeaways
- If you’re registered for GST in 2026, you generally need to address GST clearly in every quote, invoice, and contract - even if the rule differs between consumer and business customers.
- Consumer-facing pricing (like websites, menus, ads, and signage) usually needs to show the total price payable, including GST, rather than adding GST later.
- B2B quotes commonly use “+ GST” or “ex GST”, but it only works safely if it’s clear, prominent, and consistent across your quote, contract, and invoice.
- Not every sale is taxable - GST-free and input taxed supplies can affect whether you add GST at all, so it’s important to confirm your tax treatment for what you sell.
- Unclear GST pricing can create legal risk through advertised pricing issues, misleading conduct allegations, and avoidable contract/payment disputes.
- The best way to stay GST-safe is to standardise your pricing language and align your website, quote templates, and contracts so they all say the same thing.
If you’d like help reviewing your pricing terms, customer contracts, or online terms so your GST wording is clear and consistent, you can reach us at 1800 730 617 or team@sprintlaw.com.au for a free, no-obligations chat.
