What SMART Recovery Australia does

SMART Recovery Australia is a non-profit organization operating as The Trustee for the Smart Recovery Trust (ABN 68 217 832 949), headquartered in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 2004, the organization delivers evidence-based addiction recovery support grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing, offering a secular, harm-minimisation alternative to traditional 12-step programs. It serves individuals with substance dependencies, gambling, and digital addiction, as well as family members, youth, First Nations communities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, healthcare professionals, and corporate employers across Australia and New Zealand.

The organization's core product is a free mutual-support meeting network — 455 weekly meetings delivered in-person and online via the Pathminder platform — supported by the SMART Track mobile app and the structured 4-Point Program (Building Motivation, Coping with Urges, Problem Solving, Lifestyle Balance). Specialized programs include Youth SMART, Yarn SMART (First Nations), Family & Friends, SMART Inside Out (clinical settings), and an LGBTQIA+ Practice Guide. The technology stack is conventional (web, mobile app, video conferencing) without proprietary AI/ML components; the core methodology is human-facilitated and community-led.

SMART Recovery Australia's revenue model blends government grants (notably NSW Health scholarships and COVID-era funding), paid facilitator training, corporate training seminars ($200/participant or $1,800 for a team of 10), Essential Membership ($500 AUD/year), manual sales ($43.95 AUD each), and public donations via Stripe. The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by 4,500+ participants, 115% growth over two years, and reported outcomes of 90% feeling supported and 52% achieving reduced substance use or abstinence. Annual revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

SMART Recovery Australia

Legal name

The Trustee for the Smart Recovery Trust, trading as Smart Recovery Australia Limited ABN 68 217 832 949

Website

https://smartrecoveryaustralia.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SMART Recovery Australia is a Sydney-based non-profit providing evidence-based, CBT-grounded addiction recovery programs through a network of 455 weekly mutual-support meetings across Australia and New Zealand, serving individuals, families, First Nations communities, healthcare professionals, and corporate employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Addiction Recovery Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)

Keywords

• Addiction recovery support
• Mutual support meetings
• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• Facilitator training programs
• Harm minimisation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants & Funding: Primary funding from government grants including NSW Health scholarships and COVID funding for online addiction support. Operates as a non-profit organization.
2. Corporate Training: 90-minute workplace seminars at $200 per participant or $1,800 for team of 10. Early bird pricing at $150 before January 2024.
3. Manual & Resource Sales: Sale of Participant Manual ($43.95 AUD) and Family & Friends Manual ($43.95 AUD). Free downloadable resources including LGBTQIA+ Practice Guide.
4. Facilitator Training: Online and in-person training courses for becoming a SMART Recovery facilitator. NSW Health Scholarship available.
5. Membership Fees: Essential membership at $500 AUD per year for individuals or small organizations running single SMART meetings. Includes Authorized Facilitator Badge, access to branding tools.
6. Donations: Public donations through Stripe portal for supporting SMART Recovery programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SMART Recovery Australia provides free evidence-based addiction recovery support through a network of peer-led meetings and structured programs grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing. Core offerings include the 4-Point Program covering motivation building, urge coping, problem-solving, and lifestyle balance, delivered via in-person and online meetings. The organization also sells recovery manuals, offers facilitator and corporate training, and runs specialized programs for youth, First Nations communities, families, and healthcare professionals.

Product overview

SMART Recovery Australia operates as a multi-product addiction recovery organization offering a platform of evidence-based programs and resources grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The core offering includes free peer support meetings (both in-person and online) and the SMART Track mobile app for tracking recovery progress. The product portfolio spans specialized programs including Youth SMART for young people, Yarn SMART for First Nations communities, Family & Friends Program for supporters, and SMART Inside Out for clinical settings. Resource offerings include the 4-Point Toolkit (core toolset), Youth Toolkit, LGBTQIA+ Practice Guide, and published manuals (Participant Manual and Family & Friends Manual at $43.95 AUD each). Additional services encompass Corporate Training Seminars for workplace wellness ($200 per participant), Facilitator Training courses, and Healthcare Professional Resources. The organization also facilitates Gambling-Specific SMART Recovery Groups. All offerings support harm minimisation strategies and focus on self-empowerment rather than abstinence-only approaches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SMART Track: Mobile application for tracking recovery progress and accessing SMART Recovery tools
• Youth SMART
• Yarn SMART
• Family & Friends Program
• SMART Inside Out
• SMART in Aotearoa New Zealand

Products and services

• SMART Recovery Meetings Free peer support meetings for individuals with substance dependencies or addictive behaviours, available online and in-person across Australia and New Zealand.
• SMART Track Mobile App A mobile application for tracking recovery progress, managing urges, and accessing SMART Recovery tools on the go.
• 4-Point Program Toolkit Structured evidence-based tools covering the four points of SMART Recovery: building motivation, coping with urges, problem-solving, and lifestyle balance.
• Youth SMART Program Culturally and contextually relevant recovery support designed specifically for young people experiencing addictive behaviours.
• Yarn SMART Program Culturally appropriate recovery training and resources developed for First Nations communities in Australia.
• Family & Friends Program Support program for family members and friends of people experiencing addictive behaviours, focusing on communication, boundaries, and self-care.
• SMART Inside Out Program A program designed for individuals engaged with health and social services, bringing SMART Recovery principles into clinical and community settings.
• SMART Recovery Participant Manual A comprehensive manual ($43.95 AUD) for individuals seeking support, covering motivation building, urge coping, problem-solving, and lifestyle balance using CBT-based exercises.
• SMART Family & Friends Manual A manual ($43.95 AUD) for supporters of people with addictive behaviours, covering communication improvement, emotional management, and boundary setting.
• Corporate Training Seminars Workplace wellness training ($200 per participant or $1,800 for team of 10) providing evidence-based addiction support seminars for employees and employers.
• Facilitator Training Courses Comprehensive training courses (online and in-person) to become an authorized SMART Recovery meeting facilitator, including First Nations modules.
• Organisation Membership Annual Essential Membership at $500 AUD for individuals or small organisations running a single SMART Meeting. Includes Authorized Facilitator Badge, branding tools, logos, and promotional resources.
• Gambling-Specific SMART Recovery Groups Specialized mutual support meetings focused on gambling addiction.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of participants feel supported
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Clean Slate Clinic & Sober in the Country Ltd (SITC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023National partnership to support recovery for individuals with addiction, combining clinical and peer support approaches.
• Mission AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Mission Australia started the first Gambling specific SMART Recovery Group in January 2012, pioneering gambling-specific support within the SMART Recovery framework.
• Rethink AddictionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to raise awareness and improve response to addiction as a national issue.
• Star HealthminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization delivering SMART Recovery programs as part of integrated health services.
• Turning PointminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization providing SMART Recovery as part of addiction treatment services.
• Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council (AHMRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for online training delivery to Aboriginal health workers and communities.
• Centre of Research Excellence: Indigenous Health + AlcoholminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on research and webinars focusing on Indigenous health and alcohol/substance use.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Gamblers Anonymous Australia: Fellowship-based mutual aid organization for problem gambling recovery in Australia. Direct substitute for SMART's gambling-specific groups, competing in the same peer-support recovery niche.
• Ted Noffs Foundation: Australian nonprofit providing youth-focused alcohol and drug intervention, counselling and residential programs. Comparable in its secular youth addiction support approach and a potential channel for Youth SMART referrals.
• Mission Australia: Major community services nonprofit operating gambling-specific SMART Recovery Groups since 2012. Comparable as a large Australian nonprofit delivering social and recovery services with overlapping target populations.
• Turning Point: National addiction treatment, research and clinical service provider that hosts SMART Recovery groups as a partner. Comparable in addressing addictive behaviours through clinical and peer support integration across Australia.
• Family Drug Support Australia: National nonprofit supporting families affected by drug and alcohol issues. Closely aligned with SMART's Family & Friends Program and operates a similar peer-support model focused on families of people with addiction.
• SMART Recovery International: The parent/global umbrella of the SMART Recovery 4-Point Program. Operates the same CBT and Motivational Interviewing-based methodology worldwide, with which SMART Recovery Australia is affiliated and shares facilitator training frameworks.
• Alcoholics Anonymous Australia: The dominant 12-step mutual aid fellowship for alcohol addiction in Australia. Directly competes with SMART Recovery for participants seeking peer-based recovery support and represents the secular-versus-spiritual positioning contrast in the market.
• Narcotics Anonymous Australia: 12-step mutual aid fellowship for narcotics addiction recovery operating across Australia. Closest direct substitute for SMART's substance-focused meetings and competing for the same participant funnel.

Emerging players

• ReachOut Australia: Digital mental health service for young Australians. Adjacent to SMART's Youth SMART program in addressing youth mental health and digital wellbeing, with overlapping online support and education models.

Broad incumbents

• Lifeline Australia: Australia's largest crisis support and suicide prevention service. Broader incumbent in mental health and crisis intervention that overlaps with the addiction recovery support space and competes for philanthropic and government funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SmartRecoveryAU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smart-recovery-australia-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/smartrecoveryau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SMART Recovery Australia