As of October 2026, the cost of an AI receptionist ranges from $14 to $500+ per month. Our Essential plan is the cheapest paid entry point we know of. Compare the top providers, then use the calculator below to see what missed calls cost your business.
Prices on this page last verified against each vendor's pricing page on October 6, 2026.
As of October 2026 — prices sourced from public provider websites
| Provider | Starting Price | Minutes Included | Best For | Key Differentiator | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI-Receptionist.com | $14/mo | 75 mins | Budget Quick-Start | Boss Mode & MMS Support | Best Value |
| Dialzara | $29/mo | 60 mins | Budget Quick-Start | 15-minute setup time | |
| AI-Receptionist.com | $39/mo | 200 mins | Growing Business | File & website knowledge base, post-call actions | Best Value |
| Frontdesk (formerly My AI Front Desk) | $99/mo ($79 annual) | 200 mins | Growing Business | Phone, web chat, SMS and CRM bundle | |
| Smith.ai | $300–$2,100/mo | 30 calls/mo | Growing Business | AI + Live Human Hybrid backup | |
| Synthflow AI | From $30,000/yr | Custom | Enterprise | No self-serve plans |
Prices reflect publicly listed starting rates as of October 2026. Actual costs may vary by plan and usage.
Side-by-side market value of top AI receptionist providers.
*Based on publicly listed October 2026 starter rates.
Ask an AI who has the best offer. Pick an assistant and it compares us with the competition using everyone's current pricing pages, not our marketing copy.
I run a small business and need an AI phone receptionist. Compare ai-receptionist.com with Dialzara, Smith.ai, Rosie (heyrosie.com), Phonely and Reception by ElevenLabs on: monthly price, included minutes, effective price per minute, overage rate, free trial terms, multilingual support, call transfer and setup effort. Use each vendor's current pricing page. Finish with a one-line recommendation for the best value for a business that gets under 200 minutes of calls a month.
Each assistant opens in a new tab with the question filled in. Some send it right away, others wait for you to press Enter.
Sticker price is just the beginning. Compare setup fees, integration costs, and overage logic as of October 2026.
| Provider | Base Price | Setup Fee | Integration Fees | Overage Logic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI-Receptionist.com | $14/mo | $0 | $0 | $0.25/min overage |
| Smith.ai | $300/mo | $0 | CRM $0.50 per call extra | $8.50–$11.50 per call |
| Frontdesk | $99/mo ($79 annual) | $0 | Chat, SMS and CRM included | Credits, $10 per 1,000 |
| Dialzara | $29/mo | $0 | Included | $0.48/min overage |
Fees reflect publicly available data as of October 2026. "Hidden" costs may vary by plan tier and commitment length.
As of October 2026, many providers charge a "Complexity Tax." Smith.ai offers a safety net of live human agents, but this pushes their starting price to $300 per month for 30 calls. You're paying for backup staff whether you need them or not.
Great if you just need something answering the phone instead of voicemail.
The quality competitors charge $80–$140/mo for — 55–70% cheaper.
Every one of our plans includes spam filtering and multilingual support, plus MMS Image Sharing and Boss Mode live call listening, as of October 2026 — competitors charge $100+/mo for these. SIP Integration (inbound SIP and REFER) is on the Business plan.
When comparing AI receptionist costs, the sticker price is just the beginning. Watch for these October 2026 industry-standard hidden costs:
Dialzara averages $0.48/min for additional time. We offer predictable "Booster Packs" so you always know what you'll pay.
Smith.ai bills $300 a month for 30 calls and $11.50 for every call after that, spam included. We bill by the minute, with a $0 setup fee and a 3-minute DIY onboarding.
Some advertised prices, like Frontdesk's $79/mo, are the annual-billing rate; month to month it is $99. We offer monthly flexibility with no contracts.
The most common complaint about affordable AI receptionists in 2026 isn't the base price — it's the overage bill. Dialzara charges $0.48/min over your limit. Smith.ai bills $11.50 per extra call on its Starter plan. A busy month can double your bill overnight.
We solve this with Booster Packs: predictable, pre-purchased minute bundles you add only when you need them. No surprise per-minute charges. No punitive overage rates. You stay in control of your budget, even during peak seasons.
Combined with our $0 setup fee and no annual contracts, this makes AI-Receptionist.com the most predictable, budget-friendly option as of October 2026.
Each card is a worked example with a plausible sale value and close rate. We picked the figures to illustrate the math, and your own numbers will differ. Click one to load it into the calculator, then adjust.
Emergency repair calls go to whoever picks up first. Someone with a broken furnace rarely leaves a voicemail; they dial the next company on the list.
Example: 5 missed calls a week, $600 average sale, 30% close rate.
About $3,897/month at risk
Use these numbers in the calculator →New-patient calls arrive while the front desk is busy with the patient in front of them. The AI books the appointment straight into your calendar on every plan.
Example: 8 missed calls a week, $250 average sale, 40% close rate.
About $3,464/month at risk
Use these numbers in the calculator →Intake calls are the most valuable calls a firm gets and the easiest to lose. Prospective clients ring several firms and hire the one that answers and books a consultation.
Example: 3 missed calls a week, $1,500 average sale, 20% close rate.
About $3,897/month at risk
Use these numbers in the calculator →Booking calls come in while staff are serving customers in the shop. A caller who cannot book by phone books somewhere else.
Example: 10 missed calls a week, $100 average sale, 40% close rate.
About $1,732/month at risk
Use these numbers in the calculator →Enter your own numbers to estimate the revenue a missed call puts at risk each month.
Revenue at risk from missed calls
$1,083/month
An AI receptionist answers every one of those calls for $14/mo on the Essential plan.
How this calculator works
Missed calls per week × 4.33 weeks × average sale value × close rate. With the defaults that is 5 × 4.33 × $200 × 25% = $1,083 a month.
It assumes every missed call was a real prospect who did not call back. That overstates the loss when callers try again and understates it when a lost customer would have come back for repeat work, so treat the result as a rough estimate. The defaults are placeholders we chose to show the math. Your call logs show how many calls you miss, and your own close rate is the one to use.
With plans starting at $14/mo, AI-Receptionist.com Essential is the cheapest paid full-feature plan we know of, under Dialzara ($29/mo). Phonely offers a free plan capped at 100 minutes a month if you want to pay nothing. All plans include spam filtering, custom greetings, and real-time call summaries.
A full-time human receptionist in 2026 costs between $35,000 and $50,000/year plus benefits. Our AI provides 24/7/365 coverage for just $168/year on the Essential plan - a savings of over $34,000 annually.
Many providers charge overage fees, setup fees, and require annual commitments. AI-Receptionist.com has $0 setup fees, no contracts, and transparent Booster Pack pricing for overage minutes.
For small businesses and solopreneurs, AI-Receptionist.com offers the best value with plans starting at $14/mo including 75 minutes, Boss Mode call briefings, MMS image sharing, and SIP transfers for existing VoIP systems.
Yes. Most AI receptionists, including ours, use call forwarding — so switching is as simple as updating your forwarding number. No hardware changes needed. You can be live in under 5 minutes.
As of October 2026, Smith.ai has no setup fee but bills per call: $300 a month covers 30 calls and every call after that is $11.50, spam included. AI-Receptionist.com has $0 setup fees and predictable Booster Pack pricing.
Frontdesk bundles phone, web chat, SMS and a CRM for $99/mo with 200 minutes, and its advertised $79 price is the annual-billing rate. Dialzara is cheaper at $29/mo but charges $0.48/min in overages. AI-Receptionist.com starts at $14/mo on monthly billing with no annual commitment.
As of October 2026, AI-Receptionist.com offers the cheapest paid full-feature AI receptionist plan we know of at $14/mo. This includes Boss Mode, MMS image understanding, spam filtering, and multilingual support — features that competitors charge $80-$150/mo for.
Get your phone answered for $14/mo instead of paying a $35,000-a-year front-desk salary. Try free for 7 days, no credit card required.
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