Searching for “prison engine” or “prison engine number”? You’re not alone in finding the names confusing. Let’s clear it up: Prison Engine is a different, separate company. Engine Numbers is Australia’s original engine number service, operating since 2004. This page compares the two honestly so you can decide for yourself.
The Original — Trusted Since 2004
Australia’s original and leading engine number and 3CX service for prisoners. Over 30 million calls connected for more than 100,000 Australian families. All plans unlimited — long-term plans from just $0.92/day, the lowest published per-day unlimited engine number rate in Australia. More connected calls than any other Australian engine number service, on enterprise-grade 3CX infrastructure built for reliability. Every number works through each facility’s own contact-approval process — nothing connects without the prison approving it first.
Side by Side (as published on each provider’s website, August 2026)
| Engine Numbers | Prison Engine | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating since | 2004 | Recent years |
| Calls connected | 30 million+ | Not published |
| Plan options | 6 tiers: daily $2.50, weekly $10, monthly $34, quarterly $96, 6-month $189, yearly $336 ($0.92/day) | Weekly $10, monthly $34 |
| Cheapest way to try | $2.50 daily plan | $10 week minimum |
| Lowest per-day unlimited rate | $0.92/day (yearly) | ~$1.12/day (monthly; no yearly plan published) |
| Free number change on prison transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Lock-in contracts | None | None |
| Optional app | 3CX (free, iOS/Android) | App mentioned |
| Phone support | 02 9070 9777, Australian team | Contact form |
| Own the “3CX engine number” service | Yes — full 3CX guide | Basic page |
Where the Names Came From
“Engine number” became the generic Australian term for a local prison-call number — a term our service made common over twenty years. Newer providers have since adopted names built around it. That’s flattering, but it causes real confusion: families sometimes sign up with a different company believing it’s us. If you want the original service, check the domain: enginnumbers.com.au.
What Actually Matters When You Choose
Track record under load
Prison calls can’t be redialled. Twenty years of operation, 30 million calls and 195 million minutes is the strongest reliability evidence in this market.
Plan flexibility
We’re the only provider with a daily plan ($2.50) to try the service, and the only one publishing a yearly rate ($0.92/day).
Transfer handling
Both services offer free number changes on transfer — ask any provider you consider to confirm this in writing.
Compliance built in
Our technology prevents call diversion, locks the answering location at activation so only the approved person can be reached, and actively monitors for conference-call misuse (with those services cancelled). See how our compliance technology works.
FAQs
Is Prison Engine the same company as Engine Numbers?
No. They are entirely separate businesses. Engine Numbers has operated since 2004; enginnumbers.com.au is our only website.
I signed up with the wrong provider — what can I do?
Check their cancellation terms (reputable providers have no lock-in). You can then set up an Engine Number in minutes and have your loved one submit the new number for approval.
Why do both services cost $34 a month?
Most providers have copied our pricing. The difference is what you get for it: 20+ years of experience, an Australian team that answers the phone, a $2.50 daily plan to try us out, and a yearly plan that works out to just $0.92 a day — no one else offers either.
Which is cheaper overall?
Engine Numbers. Our daily plan is the cheapest way to start ($2.50) and our yearly plan is the cheapest way to stay ($0.92 a day). Prison Engine offers neither. See the full price comparison.
The Real Difference: We Treat You Like Family
Here’s the part a comparison table can’t capture. After twenty years of doing nothing but prison communication, we’ve come to see every family dealing with a loved one inside as part of our family — because we’ve walked alongside thousands of them, through sentencing, transfers, hard phone calls and homecomings.
That shows up in ways no competitor matches:
Onshore support, real people
When you call 02 9070 9777, an Australian answers. No offshore call centre, no ticket queue.
Our directors pick up the phone
It’s not unusual for the people who run this company to chat directly with a mum, a partner or a grandparent who’s doing it tough. We’re that kind of business, and we’re proud of it.
We bend so you don’t break
Every situation is different, and we’ll do whatever we can to help — we regularly extend payments for people who need more time, and we provide free engine numbers for families doing it really tough.
Twenty years of listening
Most of what we’ve built — the daily plan, free transfer support, the hardship policy — exists because a family somewhere told us what they needed.
Whoever you choose, choose someone who understands what these calls actually mean. We’ve never forgotten it.
Talk to us: 02 9070 9777 · [email protected]