An AI receptionist costs between $30 and $500 per month, depending on the provider, features, and your call volume. Most small businesses pay $50-$200/month for a quality AI receptionist that answers calls 24/7, schedules appointments, and sends notifications. That's 80-95% less than a human receptionist or traditional answering service.
Quick Answer: What You'll Pay
| Business Size | Typical Monthly Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Solo / Freelancer | $30 – $80 | Basic call answering, messages, limited minutes |
| Small Business | $80 – $200 | Unlimited calls, scheduling, SMS notifications, recordings |
| Growing Business | $200 – $350 | Multiple numbers, integrations, advanced routing, analytics |
| Enterprise / Agency | $350 – $500+ | Custom AI, white-labeling, API access, priority support |
The sweet spot for most businesses: $99-$199/month gets you unlimited calls, appointment scheduling, call recordings, transcripts, and SMS summaries. This covers 90% of what small businesses need.
Pricing Models Explained
AI receptionist providers use three main pricing models. Understanding these helps you predict actual costs:
1. Flat Monthly Rate
You pay a fixed amount regardless of call volume. Most common model for small business-focused providers.
- Pros: Predictable costs, no surprise bills, scales well if volume increases
- Cons: May pay for capacity you don't use
- Best for: Businesses with steady or growing call volume
- Example: $99/month for unlimited calls
2. Per-Minute Pricing
You pay for actual usage—typically $0.05-$0.15 per minute of AI talk time.
- Pros: Pay only for what you use, good for low volume
- Cons: Unpredictable bills, costs spike with volume
- Best for: Businesses with very low or variable call volume
- Example: $0.10/minute = $60/month at 200 calls × 3 minutes
3. Tiered Plans
Monthly fee includes a set number of minutes/calls, with per-unit overage charges.
- Pros: Balance of predictability and flexibility
- Cons: Easy to exceed tier and trigger overages
- Best for: Businesses with predictable, moderate volume
- Example: $79/month includes 100 minutes, then $0.50/minute overage
Watch Out for Per-Minute Traps
Provider Price Comparison (2026)
Here's what major AI receptionist providers charge. Prices verified as of February 2026:
| Provider | Starting Price | Pricing Model | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| My AI Front Desk | $65/mo | Tiered minutes | Basic use, simple setup |
| Smith.ai (AI) | $97.50/mo | Per-call | Hybrid AI + human |
| Dialzara | $29/mo | Per-minute | Very low volume |
| Goodcall | $59/mo | Tiered | Restaurants, retail |
| Rosie | $49/mo | Tiered | Home services |
| White-label (reseller) | $99-199/mo | Flat rate | Agencies, higher margin |
What's Included at Each Price Point
$30-$60/month (Budget tier):
- Basic call answering and messages
- Limited minutes (50-100)
- Email notifications
- Simple scheduling
- Often: slower response, less natural voices
$80-$150/month (Mid tier - most popular):
- Unlimited or generous call limits
- SMS notifications after calls
- Calendar integrations
- Call recordings and transcripts
- Custom greeting and prompts
- Natural-sounding voices
$200-$500/month (Business/Enterprise tier):
- Everything in mid tier
- Multiple phone numbers
- Advanced routing and transfers
- CRM integrations
- Custom AI training
- Analytics dashboard
- Priority support
- API access
Hidden Costs to Watch
Some providers advertise low base prices but add fees. Ask about:
Common Add-On Fees
- Phone number: $5-$30/month for your dedicated number
- SMS notifications: $0.01-$0.05 per message
- Call recording storage: Sometimes extra after 30-90 days
- Calendar integration: May require higher tier
- After-hours coverage: Some charge premiums for nights/weekends
- Setup/onboarding: $50-$200 one-time (often waived)
Usage-Based Gotchas
- Overage charges: Exceeding plan limits can double your bill
- Long calls: Per-minute plans punish long conversations
- Transfer minutes: Some count transfers as extra minutes
- Failed calls: Hang-ups may still count as usage
Get It In Writing
ROI: Is It Worth It?
Let's do the math. Is an AI receptionist worth $150/month?
The Cost of Missed Calls
- Average small business: 27% of calls go unanswered
- 85% of callers who reach voicemail don't leave a message
- 62% will call a competitor if you don't answer
Example: Home Services Business
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Monthly calls received | 100 |
| Missed calls (27%) | 27 |
| Calls that would convert (30%) | 8 |
| Average job value | $350 |
| Monthly revenue lost | $2,800 |
| AI receptionist cost | $150 |
| ROI | 1,767% |
Even if AI only captures half those missed opportunities, you're looking at $1,400 in recovered revenue versus $150 cost. That's nearly 10x return.
Comparison to Alternatives
| Option | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| AI Receptionist | $99 – $199 | $1,188 – $2,388 |
| Part-time receptionist (20 hrs) | $1,500 – $2,500 | $18,000 – $30,000 |
| Answering service (200 calls) | $500 – $1,000 | $6,000 – $12,000 |
| Full-time receptionist | $3,000 – $5,000 | $36,000 – $60,000 |
AI costs 80-95% less than human alternatives while providing 24/7 coverage humans can't match.
How to Choose the Right Plan
Step 1: Estimate Your Call Volume
Check your phone logs for the past 3 months. How many calls do you get? What's the average length? This determines whether flat-rate or per-minute pricing is better.
- Under 50 calls/month: Per-minute might work
- 50-300 calls/month: Flat rate usually wins
- 300+ calls/month: Definitely flat rate or enterprise tier
Step 2: List Must-Have Features
Not all features matter equally. Prioritize:
- Critical: 24/7 coverage, SMS notifications, appointment scheduling
- Important: Call recordings, transcripts, custom greeting
- Nice-to-have: Analytics, CRM integration, multiple numbers
Step 3: Test Before Committing
Most providers offer free trials (7-14 days). Test:
- Voice quality—does it sound natural?
- Call handling—can it answer your common questions?
- Notifications—do you get timely, useful summaries?
- Dashboard—is it easy to manage?
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the cheapest AI receptionist?
Dialzara starts at $29/month for per-minute pricing. For flat-rate, Rosie and similar services start around $49/month. However, "cheapest" often means limited features or lower quality voices. Most businesses find the $99-$150 range offers the best value.
Is there a free AI receptionist?
Not a real one. Some providers offer free trials (7-14 days), but ongoing free service doesn't exist—AI infrastructure has real costs. Beware of "free" offers that are actually lead capture for sales calls.
Do I need to pay for a phone number?
Usually yes. Most AI receptionists require a dedicated phone number ($5-$20/month). Some include it in their base price. You can typically port your existing number or get a new one.
Can I use AI for after-hours only?
Yes. Many businesses use AI just for after-hours, weekends, and overflow—then answer calls themselves during business hours. This works great with flat-rate plans (you're covered either way) but less efficiently with per-minute plans.
Is per-minute or flat-rate pricing better?
For most businesses, flat rate wins. Per-minute sounds cheaper but a typical 3-minute call at $0.10/minute = $0.30. At 200 calls/month, that's $60—plus base fees often push it above flat-rate options. Flat rate also removes the anxiety of watching costs add up.
What does "unlimited" really mean?
Usually truly unlimited for typical business use. Providers may have fair-use policies for extreme abuse (like using it as a call center), but normal business call volume—even hundreds of calls/month—is fine. Ask about specific limits before signing.
Bottom Line
Most small businesses will pay $99-$199/month for a quality AI receptionist with unlimited calls, scheduling, and notifications. That's less than the revenue from a single captured lead—and far less than any human alternative.
The question isn't whether you can afford an AI receptionist. It's whether you can afford to keep missing calls.