AI ANSWERING SERVICE COMPARISON
AI-Receptionist.com vs Reception by ElevenLabs
Reception is built on ElevenLabs' voice AI, offers cloned voices and 70+ languages, and connects to Zapier and webhooks on every plan. We cost less to start: $14 for 75 minutes against Reception's $29, extra minutes at $0.25 against $0.45 on Reception's entry plan, and two calls at once on our cheapest plan where Reception Basic takes one. At 1,000 minutes the two cost the same, $199. If you want a cloned voice or Zapier, Reception is the better fit. If you want the lowest price under about 250 minutes, or local numbers in Canada or the UK, we are.
- $14/mo entry
- 2 calls at once
- $0.25/min extra
- US, Canada + UK numbers
- $29/mo entry
- 1 call at a time
- $0.45/min extra
- 70+ languages
Prices checked October 15, 2026
Key Differences at a Glance
From each vendor's pricing page, October 15, 2026
AI-Receptionist.com
Lower entry price and cheaper extra minutes
- $14/mo for 75 minutes, $39 for 100, $99 for 350, $199 for 1,000
- 2 calls at once on Essential, 5 on Starter, 10 on Solopreneur and Business
- Google Calendar booking on every plan
- Warm transfer and extension dialing on every plan
- 55+ languages
- Local numbers in the US, Canada and the UK
- Extra minutes at $0.25 each in packs that never expire
- Boss Mode: call your receptionist for a briefing on the day's calls
Best for: Small businesses taking up to about 250 minutes of calls a month, and businesses in Canada or the UK.
Reception by ElevenLabs
Built on ElevenLabs' voice AI, with cloned voices and integrations on every plan
- $29/mo + tax for 75 minutes, $79 for 275, $199 for 1,000
- Overage $0.45/min on Basic, $0.38 on Plus, $0.30 on Premium
- 1 call at a time on Basic, 3 on Plus, 10 on Premium
- 70+ languages, with mid-call switching
- Cloned voices: 1 on Basic, 3 on Plus, 5 on Premium
- Zapier, webhooks and MCP on every plan
- Web chat and a hosted booking page from the same minute pool
Best for: Businesses that want a cloned voice, Zapier or webhooks, or 1,000 minutes with ten calls at once.
What the Entry Plans Include
From Reception's pricing page, read October 15, 2026.
Included on Our $14 Essential Plan
- Two calls at the same time
- Google Calendar availability and booking
- Warm transfer and extension dialing
- 55+ languages
- Local numbers in the US, Canada and the UK
- Extra minutes at $0.25 in Booster Packs that never expire
- Spam filtering
- Text, audio and real-time transcripts
- Boss Mode
Limits on Reception's $29 Basic Plan
- One call at a time
- Three knowledge sources
- One phone number
- Overage at $0.45 a minute
- Unused minutes reset each month and do not roll over
- A US number at setup; a business outside the US connects its own number
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Scroll horizontally on mobile.
| Feature | AI-Receptionist.com | Reception |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan $14/mo for 75 minutes vs $29/mo plus tax for 75 minutes | ||
| Published overage rate $0.25/min for us on every plan; Reception charges $0.45 on Basic, $0.38 on Plus and $0.30 on Premium | ||
| Several calls at the same time 2 at once on our Essential plan, 5 on Starter, 10 above that; Reception takes 1 on Basic, 3 on Plus and 10 on Premium | ||
| Calendar booking Google Calendar for us; Google Calendar and Calendly for Reception | ||
| Hosted booking page for customers | ||
| Call transfers Warm transfer and extension dialing for us; up to 10 transfer rules on every Reception plan | ||
| Languages 55+ vs 70+, both on every plan | ||
| Phone numbers Local numbers in the US, Canada and the UK for us; Reception assigns a US number and says a business outside the US connects its own number | ||
| Knowledge base FAQ, pasted text, files and a website URL for us; Reception reads your website and allows 3 sources on Basic, 5 on Plus and 7 on Premium | ||
| Call summaries, transcripts and recordings | ||
| Boss Mode (call in for a briefing on recent calls) | ||
| SIP connection to your own phone system Reception supports your own Twilio number or SIP trunk | ||
| Extra minutes that never expire Our Booster Packs carry over; Reception's credits reset each billing period | ||
| Cloned voices 1 on Reception Basic, 3 on Plus, 5 on Premium | ||
| Website chat Reception's web chat draws from the same minute pool | ||
| Zapier integration | ||
| Webhooks |
Full support Partial / paid upgrade Not available
What You Pay at Each Call Volume
What each volume costs on each service. Where adding extra minutes to a smaller plan costs less than moving up a plan, both are shown. Our extra minutes cost $0.25 each.
| Minutes a month | AI-Receptionist.com | Reception |
|---|---|---|
| 75 minutes | $14 (Essential) | $29 (Basic) |
| 100 minutes | $39 (Starter) or $20.25 (Essential + 25 extra minutes) | $40.25 (Basic + 25 overage minutes) |
| 275 minutes | $99 (Solopreneur) or $64 (Essential + 200 extra minutes) | $79 (Plus) |
| 350 minutes | $99 (Solopreneur) or $82.75 (Essential + 275 extra minutes) | $107.50 (Plus + 75 overage minutes) |
| 1,000 minutes | $199 (Business) | $199 (Premium) |
Where Reception Stands Out
To be fair, Reception does several things better than we do.
- Voice: Reception is built on ElevenLabs' voice AI, and ElevenLabs is the company best known for AI voices.
- Cloned voices on every paid plan: one on Basic, three on Plus, five on Premium. We don't offer voice cloning.
- 70+ languages with mid-call switching, against our 55+.
- Zapier, webhooks and MCP on every plan, for sending call data to other tools. We don't have Zapier or webhooks yet.
- Premium's 1,000 minutes for $199 come with ten calls at once, five numbers and overage at $0.30, the same price as our Business plan.
- A web chat receptionist and a hosted booking page on every plan.
Pricing Compared
Both entry plans include 75 minutes. Ours costs less and takes two calls at once; Reception's includes a cloned voice and Zapier.
AI-Receptionist.com Essential
- 75 minutes included
- 2 calls at the same time
- Calendar booking and warm transfer included
- 55+ languages
- $0.25/min with Booster Packs that never expire
- 7-day free trial, no credit card · month to month
Reception Basic
- 75 minutes included
- 1 call at a time
- Booking, transfer rules and 70+ languages included
- 1 cloned voice, Zapier and webhooks included
- $0.45/min overage
- 14-day free trial with 30 minutes, no credit card
Reception plans (pricing page, October 15, 2026): Basic $29/mo (75 min) · Plus $79/mo (275 min) · Premium $199/mo (1,000 min) · Enterprise custom. Prices are plus tax. Annual billing saves two months.
Which Is Best for Your Business?
Choose AI-Receptionist.com when…
- You take fewer than about 250 minutes of calls a month
- You want two calls answered at once on the cheapest plan
- You want extra minutes at $0.25 that never expire
- You're in Canada or the UK and want a local number
- You want a briefing on your calls by phone (Boss Mode)
Choose Reception when…
- You want the receptionist to speak in a cloned voice
- You use Zapier, webhooks or MCP
- Your callers speak a language outside our 55+
- You want web chat and a booking page from the same vendor
- You need 1,000 minutes with ten calls at once and want extra minutes at $0.30
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AI-Receptionist.com cheaper than Reception?
At every volume up to 1,000 minutes a month, yes, if you add extra minutes to a smaller plan: $14 against $29 at 75 minutes, $20.25 against $40.25 at 100, $64 against $79 at 275 and $82.75 against $107.50 at 350. At 1,000 minutes both cost $199. Moving up a plan costs more than extra minutes but adds features and more calls at once. Reception's prices are plus tax.
What does Reception charge for extra minutes?
Reception charges $0.45 a minute on Basic, $0.38 on Plus and $0.30 on Premium, and its credits reset each billing period without rolling over. Our extra minutes are $0.25 each on every plan, in Booster Packs that never expire.
How many calls can Reception answer at once?
Reception Basic takes one call at a time, Plus takes three and Premium takes ten. Our Essential plan takes two at once, Starter takes five, and Solopreneur and Business take ten.
Does Reception work outside the US?
Reception's site says it is available for businesses globally. It assigns a US phone number during setup, and a business outside the US has to connect its own number, for example through its own Twilio number or SIP trunk. We give you a local number in the US, Canada or the UK.
Can Reception use a cloned voice?
Yes. Reception includes one cloned voice on Basic, three on Plus and five on Premium. We don't offer voice cloning; you choose from our voice library.
Where do these numbers come from?
Reception's prices and plan features come from Reception's own pricing page, read on October 15, 2026, and the phone number details from the FAQ on its homepage. Reception's site now names the product Reception by ElevenAgents. This page compares the plans and features each company publishes; it does not rate call quality. We re-check prices every month.See how ten AI answering services compare at 100, 350 and 1,000 minutes.
Try the AI receptionist that starts at $14 a month.
Calendar booking, warm transfer, 55+ languages and Boss Mode, included on every plan starting at $14/mo. 7-day free trial, no credit card.
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