Quitline

Smoking Cessation Servicesquit.org.nz

Quitline is a New Zealand government-funded, free smoking and vaping cessation service operated by Whakarongorau Aotearoa, delivering 24/7 multi-channel support, subsidized nicotine replacement therapy, and online community tools to New Zealand residents.

Company typePrivate
Founded1999
HeadquartersWellington, New Zealand
Headcount51–100
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What Quitline does

Quitline is a New Zealand government-funded, nonprofit smoking and vaping cessation service operated by Whakarongorau Aotearoa (New Zealand Telehealth Services), headquartered in Wellington and founded in 1999. It serves all New Zealand residents free of charge, providing personalized multi-channel support including 24/7 phone (0800 778 778), text, email, and online access, plus a private web dashboard that tracks money saved, smoke-free duration, and achievement badges, and an online ordering system for subsidized nicotine patches, gum, and lozenges. The service also operates a community blog platform where registered users can share their quit journey and support other quitters across categories including nicotine, patches, weight, withdrawal, and family/whānau.

The core technology stack is a telehealth platform built around website-based registration (quit.org.nz) with Google and Facebook OAuth login, a private member dashboard for progress tracking, a community blogging module, and an NRT product fulfillment workflow. Accessibility is supported through integration with the NZ Relay Service for hearing-impaired users. The website is operational and actively maintained, with no native mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed SDK or MCP surfaces.

The business model is a managed-services public health contract: Quitline does not charge end users and is funded by the New Zealand government as a national cessation initiative, with NRT products provided at subsidized or no cost. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, relying on self-service registration, healthcare-provider referrals, and word-of-mouth rather than paid marketing. There is no evidence of venture funding, private equity investment, or commercial revenue, and the organization operates as a nonprofit public health service within a single domestic market (New Zealand).

Quitline firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Quitline
Legal name: Whakarongorau Aotearoa // New Zealand Telehealth Services
Website: https://quit.org.nz
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1999
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 51–100 employees
Short description: Quitline is a New Zealand government-funded, free smoking and vaping cessation service operated by Whakarongorau Aotearoa, delivering 24/7 multi-channel support, subsidized nicotine replacement therapy, and online community tools to New Zealand residents.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Quitline industry classification

Industry

Product category: Smoking Cessation Services
NAICS: Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420)
SIC: Services-Health Services (8000)
akta.pro primary industry: Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE)
akta.pro secondary industries: Smoking Cessation & Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) (HLAIADAH), Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

Keywords

Smoking cessation services
Nicotine replacement therapy
Telehealth quit support
Public health programs
Tobacco addiction treatment

Where Quitline is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Wellington
HQ country: New Zealand
HQ region: Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

Quitline business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

Government-funded public health service: Funded by New Zealand government as a public health initiative. Services are provided free to all New Zealand residents. Operated by Whakarongorau Aotearoa // New Zealand Telehealth Services.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Other	Pay-as-you-go	Free comprehensive quit support service

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels2 records

Quitline product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Quitline is a free, government-funded smoking cessation service for New Zealand residents, providing 24/7 multi-channel behavioral support (phone, text, email, online) and subsidized nicotine replacement therapy (NRT patches, gum, and lozenges). The service is operated by the non-profit Whakarongorau Aotearoa (New Zealand Telehealth Services) and includes a moderated online community to connect people who are quitting.

Product overview

Quitline is a single, unified smoking cessation support service operated by Whakarongorau Aotearoa (New Zealand Telehealth Services). The service combines digital tools with personalized support, encompassing an online registration and tracking platform, community blogs, and subsidised nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) ordering. Users can access the service 24/7 via phone, text, email, or online, with features including a private web dashboard for tracking savings and smoke-free milestones, achievement badges, and community blog sharing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Quitline Phone Support Free 24/7 phone-based behavioral coaching and cessation advice provided to New Zealand residents via the toll-free Quitline number (0800 778 778).
Quitline Text Message Support Free SMS/text-based smoking cessation support allowing New Zealand residents to receive quitting advice and prompts via mobile phone.
Quitline Online Support Platform Web-based cessation support portal at quit.org.nz providing self-help resources, intake, and email-based quitting guidance for New Zealand residents.
Subsidized Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Subsidized nicotine patches, gum, and lozenges supplied to registered New Zealand users of the Quitline service to support quitting.
Quitline Online Peer-Support Community Moderated online community and blog where New Zealand residents attempting to quit smoking can share experiences, read stories, and support one another.

Companies that use Quitline

Customer profile

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Quitline technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Quitline partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

NZ Relay ServiceminorOthersAccessibility partnership providing relay services for hearing-impaired users who need assistance communicating with Quitline

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Quitline competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

Nicorette (Haleon / Johnson & Johnson): Nicorette is a leading commercial NRT brand offering patches, gum, and lozenges. Quitline distributes subsidized NRT products including patches, gum, and lozenges that compete with or complement Nicorette's portfolio in the OTC cessation category.
Habitrol (Dr. Reddy's / Novartis): Habitrol is a major NRT patch brand competing in the smoking cessation OTC market. Comparable as a participant in the NRT product category that Quitline subsidizes and distributes to users.
Truth Initiative: Truth Initiative is a large US public health nonprofit focused on tobacco prevention and cessation, operating the BecomeAnEX platform. Comparable as a broad public-health nonprofit operating in the cessation space, though larger in scope and budget.

Direct peers

Quit Victoria (Cancer Council Victoria): Quit Victoria is a state-level public health cessation service in Australia, comparable to Quitline NZ in providing free phone and online support, subsidized NRT, and community engagement campaigns targeting smokers.
Smokefree.gov (US): Smokefree.gov is the US government-funded cessation portal offering free quit support, text programs, apps, and NRT resources. It is a direct comparable in mission and delivery model, though broader in geographic scope.
Quitline Australia: Quitline Australia is the most direct peer to Quitline NZ, offering free smoking and vaping cessation support via phone, online, and community channels to Australian residents, operated through state-based Quit organizations with similar public-health funding models.
Canadian Cancer Society Smokers' Helpline: Operated by the Canadian Cancer Society, the Smokers' Helpline offers free phone, text, and online cessation support to Canadians. It is a direct peer in service model, target population, and nonprofit public health structure.
NHS Smokefree: NHS Smokefree is the UK government-funded smoking cessation service providing free support, NRT, and digital tools to UK residents. It mirrors Quitline NZ's public health service model with national coverage and multi-channel delivery.

Regional players

ASH (Action on Smoking and Health): ASH is a UK-based public health advocacy organization focused on policy and education to reduce smoking harm. It is a thematic peer working in the smoking cessation policy space, though primarily advocacy rather than direct service delivery.

Emerging players

Headspace (mental health support): Headspace is a youth mental health organization providing counseling and support services in Australia/New Zealand. Comparable as a digital-plus-human counseling service model targeting vulnerable populations, though focused on mental health rather than smoking cessation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Quitline financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Quitline leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Quitline funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Quitline M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Quitline

What does Quitline do?

When was Quitline founded?

Quitline was founded in 1999. It employs 51 to 100 people.

Where is Quitline based?

Quitline is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.

How does Quitline make money?

One revenue line is on record: government-funded public health service.

Who are Quitline's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Nicorette (Haleon / Johnson & Johnson), Habitrol (Dr. Reddy's / Novartis) and Truth Initiative. Direct peers are Quit Victoria (Cancer Council Victoria), Smokefree.gov (US), Quitline Australia, Canadian Cancer Society Smokers' Helpline and NHS Smokefree. ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) is listed as a regional player. Headspace (mental health support) is listed as an emerging player.

Does Quitline have an API?

No public API is recorded for Quitline.

What industry is Quitline in?

Quitline's product category is Smoking Cessation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAE, Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services, with a secondary code of HLAIADAH, Smoking Cessation & Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). Its NAICS code is 621420 and its SIC code is 8000.