Agency or platform?
How to choose your NDIS support worker model.
Two legitimate ways to access NDIS support work. Different trade-offs. Here’s an honest comparison so you can decide what suits your situation — not ours.
When it comes to finding an NDIS support worker, participants broadly face two models: using a registered provider agency (which employs or coordinates workers directly) or using an online platform that connects you with independent support workers — platforms like Mable or Hireup are well-known examples in Australia.
Both models are legitimate and suit different situations. The right choice depends on your plan management type, how much control you want over your worker, whether backup cover matters to you, and what your supports actually involve. This guide lays out the real differences, fairly. (New to what the role itself involves? Our plain-English guide to what a disability support worker does covers the day-to-day job both models deliver.)
Side-by-side comparison
The table below compares the two models across six factors that participants most often ask about. It is deliberately neutral — both columns contain real advantages.
| Factor | Platform (e.g. Mable, Hireup, Like Family) |
Registered agency (e.g. Tegrity Services) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost & hourly rate | Independent workers on some platforms can set rates below the NDIS price limit, potentially stretching your budget further. Rates vary by worker and platform. | Agencies typically charge at or near the NDIS price limit, which covers employment costs, compliance, training and workforce management overhead. |
| Choice & control over your worker | Strong. Platforms generally offer a large pool of workers to browse by skills, interests, language and experience. You select and schedule directly. | You meet and approve your worker before supports start, but the agency coordinates matching and scheduling. You can request a change if the fit isn’t right. |
| Backup when your worker is sick | Not agency-managed. Independent contractors manage their own leave. If your worker can’t attend, you typically need to find a substitute through the platform yourself. | Agency-coordinated. When your usual worker is unavailable, the agency can send a trained backup worker — often someone already familiar with your support needs. |
| Registration & who can use it | Varies by platform. Hireup states that it is a registered NDIS provider. New digital platforms must be registered from 1 July 2026; transition arrangements apply to eligible existing platforms. Check the Provider Register and your plan-management rules before booking. Agency-managed participants can only use registered providers. | Registered. Registered agencies can accept agency-managed, plan-managed and self-managed participants. No restrictions on plan type. |
| Screening & insurance | Reputable platforms require NDIS Worker Screening Checks and carry platform-level insurance covering services booked through them. Individual workers are responsible for their own leave, super and tax as independent contractors. | The agency is responsible for worker screening, police checks, NDIS Worker Screening, insurance, and meeting NDIS Practice Standards as a registered entity audited by the Commission. |
| Consistency of worker | Depends on the platform and how you use it. You can often rebook the same worker, but availability is not guaranteed — the worker sets their own schedule. | A quality agency builds a small, consistent team around you — the same workers over time, not a rotation of different people. Backup workers are a complement, not the norm. |
Decide by what happens on a difficult week
Feature lists can make every option sound similar. A more useful test is to picture a week when the roster changes, a support becomes urgent or a worker match is not right.
| Real-life situation | Question to ask | The stronger fit is often… |
|---|---|---|
| Your regular worker calls in sick before an essential shift | Who finds and briefs a safe replacement, and how quickly? | Agency, when employer-coordinated backup is essential. |
| You want to browse many profiles and set arrangements directly | Do you want to personally shortlist, message and schedule workers? | Platform, when maximum direct choice is the priority. |
| Your support involves routines, risks or communication preferences | Where is the support information kept, and how is it handed to a backup? | The model with the clearest documented handover — often an agency for managed continuity. |
| Your budget is tight and your support is flexible | What is the complete hourly cost after platform fees, loadings and travel? | Platform may offer rate flexibility; compare the total, not the headline rate. |
| You are NDIA-managed | Is the provider currently registered for the service you need? | A registered provider. Verify it on the official register. |
Still comparing? Use our printable Sydney NDIS provider shortlist scorecard, then check the current Tegrity rates and what is included.
When a platform suits you better
Platforms genuinely work well for many participants. Consider a platform if:
You want maximum choice and direct control
- You want to browse, interview and select your own worker directly
- You are self-managed or plan-managed (more flexibility on provider type)
- You have time to coordinate your own scheduling and find cover when needed
- You want a wide pool to find workers with specific skills, languages or interests
- Your supports are lower-intensity or less time-critical
You need reliability and managed continuity
- You are agency-managed (NDIA-managed) and can only use registered providers
- Backup cover is critical — you cannot go without support if a worker is sick
- You want your provider to handle screening, compliance and paperwork
- You value the same, consistent worker over time without coordinating it yourself
- Your supports are complex, high-frequency or involve personal care
Where Tegrity fits
Tegrity Services is a registered NDIS provider (registration number 4050099017) operating across Inner West, City and Eastern Suburbs Sydney. We offer support work and support coordination only — two services, done properly, rather than a long list done inconsistently.
Our model is built around consistency: you meet your worker before supports start, you keep a small named team, and when your usual worker is unavailable we coordinate backup cover. We are Aboriginal-owned and culturally safe. We work with agency-managed, plan-managed and self-managed participants.
We are not the right choice for everyone — if maximum worker choice and direct self-scheduling is your priority, a platform may serve you better. But if reliability, registration and a consistent named worker matter, send us a referral and we’ll tell you honestly whether we’re a good fit.
If you are currently with another provider and wondering whether to switch, see our guide: How to switch NDIS providers in Sydney.
Your questions, answered
What is the difference between an NDIS agency and a platform like Mable or Hireup?
An NDIS registered agency (or provider) employs or directly manages support workers, handles compliance, insurance, screening and workforce continuity on your behalf, and is registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. A platform like Mable or Hireup connects you directly with workers — on Mable, those workers are independent contractors running their own small businesses; Hireup operates as a registered provider and manages its own workers differently.
Platforms generally offer a wider pool of workers to browse and more direct control over who you choose and when. Agencies manage the employment relationship end-to-end and can provide backup workers when your usual person is unavailable.
Can agency-managed NDIS participants use Mable or Hireup?
Participants whose funding is agency-managed (i.e. managed directly by the NDIA) can only use registered NDIS providers. This is a firm rule, not a preference.
Hireup states that it is a registered NDIS provider. Digital platform registration rules changed on 1 July 2026, with transition arrangements for eligible existing platforms. Agency-managed participants should verify the current registration and relevant service on the NDIS Provider Register before booking.
If you are plan-managed or self-managed, you have significantly more flexibility and can generally use either registered or unregistered providers.
How do I check whether Mable or another platform is NDIS registered?
Use the official NDIS Provider Register rather than relying on the date of an old comparison article. Search the platform’s legal business name, ask it for its registration number, and confirm that its registration covers the service you plan to use.
From 1 July 2026, new NDIS digital platforms must be registered. Eligible existing unregistered platforms have a transition pathway and must submit a valid application by 1 October 2026. A platform may therefore be operating during transition while its application is assessed.
Hireup states on its website that it is NDIS registered. For Mable or any other platform, verify the current register entry and confirm eligibility for your plan-management type before booking.
What happens if my independent support worker gets sick?
Independent support workers on platforms are generally self-employed contractors who manage their own leave and sick days. If they cannot attend a shift, there is no employer-managed system automatically sending a replacement — you would typically need to find a substitute yourself through the platform.
With a registered agency, the agency coordinates the workforce. When your usual worker is unavailable, the agency can send a trained backup worker — often someone already briefed on your support needs and preferences. For participants with complex, high-frequency or time-sensitive supports, this distinction can be significant.
Which is cheaper — an NDIS agency or an independent support worker platform?
Platforms connecting independent workers can offer flexibility on rates: some workers set rates at or below the NDIS price limit, which can potentially stretch your budget further. This is a genuine advantage of the platform model.
Registered agencies typically charge at or near the NDIS price limit, which covers employment costs, compliance audits, insurance, worker training and workforce management. The NDIS price limit exists partly to ensure workers are properly paid and providers maintain safe, audited services.
Cost is worth considering, but it is only one factor. For participants who need backup cover, are agency-managed, or rely on complex supports, the registered agency model may be the better fit regardless of hourly rate. We’d encourage you to weigh both hourly cost and the full picture of what you are getting for that cost.
A registered Sydney provider — consistent, reliable, no surprises.
NDIS registered provider 4050099017. Inner West, City and Eastern Suburbs. Every referral acknowledged same business day.
Send a referralPrefer to talk first? Call (02) 7265 1558
Related reading: How to choose an NDIS provider · Switching providers without a gap · Choosing the right support worker