What will an AI receptionist actually cost you?
Most AI phone answering tools sell plans, minutes and add-ons, and each one counts them differently. This page puts them side by side with a link to the vendor's own pricing page behind every figure, so you can see what you'd pay before you book a demo.
Last updated: 2026-10-20
I compare 7 AI receptionist tools on the prices each one publishes on its own pricing page, with the date I checked each one. Some charge per minute, some per call, some per unique caller, and one charges a flat monthly fee for unlimited calls. That's why the cheapest starting price isn't always the cheapest bill.
Quick picks from the published prices
- Free plan: Smith.ai's AI Receptionist has a $0/mo plan with 25 calls a month, then $3.00 per call.
- Lowest paid starting price: Dialzara's Business Lite is $29/mo for 60 minutes, then $0.48 a minute.
- No overage charges: NextPhone's plans include unlimited calls with no per-minute charges and no setup fee, starting at $199/mo.
AI receptionist and answering services compared
| Tool | Official pricing | Starting price | Included usage | Overage | Free trial | Best for | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.ai | Free plan $0/mo; Pro from $150/mo (AI Receptionist) | Free: 25 calls/mo; Pro: 75 calls/mo (150 and 300-call tiers $270/mo and $500/mo) | Free: $3.00/call; Pro: $2.50 / $2.30 / $2.17 per extra call by tier | Law firms that want AI answering backed by live human agents, with intake built around practice areas. | 2026-10-20 | ||
| My AI Front Desk | Business-in-a-Box $99/mo, or $79/mo billed annually | 200 voice minutes/mo + 1,000 credits/mo | $0.25/min voice via credits (1 credit = $0.01); auto-reload $10 per 1,000 credits | 7-day free trial | Small businesses that want AI answering 24/7, plus booking and CRM sync across voice, text and chat. | 2026-10-20 | |
| Rosie | Professional $49/mo (Scale $149/mo, Growth $299/mo) | Professional: 250 min/mo (Scale 1,000; Growth 2,000) | 7-day free trial | Small businesses that want AI call answering 24/7 in place of voicemail. | 2026-10-20 | ||
| NextPhone | Pro $199/mo, or $1,990/yr (Growth $299/mo, Scale $599/mo) | Unlimited calls | No overage; no per-minute charges | 7-day free trial | Businesses that want calls answered 24/7, with lead qualification and appointments booked straight into a calendar. | 2026-10-20 | |
| Goodcall | Starter $79/mo (Growth $129/mo, Scale $299/mo) | Starter: 100 unique customers/mo | Starter: $0.79 per extra customer (Growth $0.26, Scale $0.15) | Small businesses that want an AI phone agent built by Goodcall's setup assistant, Gabi, and billing that isn't per minute, according to Goodcall. | 2026-10-20 | ||
| Dialzara | Business Lite $29/mo (Pro $99, Plus $199, Elite $349) | Lite: 60 min/mo | Lite: $0.48/min (Pro $0.45, Plus $0.40, Elite $0.35) | 7-day trial | Small businesses that want an AI receptionist to book appointments, qualify leads and connect with their business tools. | 2026-10-20 | |
| Synthflow | Enterprise contracts start at $30,000 annually | Larger teams that want an enterprise voice AI platform to build and run automated phone agents. | 2026-10-20 |
A blank cell means I couldn't confirm that number on the vendor's own pricing page, or it's only given on a sales call. I leave it blank rather than guess.
What an AI receptionist really costs
Is there a free AI receptionist?
Human answering services
These services answer your calls with live human receptionists, not AI agents, so I list them separately from the tools above, for comparison, using the same rule: figures come from the provider's own pricing page.
| Tool | Official pricing | Starting price | Included usage | Overage | Free trial | Best for | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruby | 50 min $250/mo (100 min $395, 200 min $720, 500 min $1,725) | 50 live-receptionist minutes/mo | Businesses that want calls answered by live human receptionists (not AI agents) around the clock, in English and Spanish, with managed live chat. | 2026-10-20 |
Prices come from each provider's own pricing page and were checked on the date shown above. They change often, and what you pay may differ by region, taxes, call volume or plan. Confirm on the provider's site before you buy. This site is independent and isn't endorsed by the companies listed.
How prices are checked
Every figure comes from the vendor's own pricing page or official documentation, and each row links to that page. If I couldn't confirm a number on the vendor's own pricing page, or it's only given on a sales call, that cell is left blank. Nothing is estimated and shown as published. Any math I do, like working out a cost per minute, is labeled as my own calculation. If you spot something out of date, email brian@theintrovertedmarketer.online and I'll check it against the source.
Common questions
Where do the prices come from?
From each vendor's own pricing page. The link in the Official pricing column goes straight to it.
Why is a cell blank?
I couldn't confirm that number on the vendor's own pricing page, or it's only given on a sales call. I leave it blank rather than guess.
Are these the prices I'll pay?
Not always. Taxes, region, call volume and add-ons can change the total, so confirm on the vendor's page before you sign up.
Does anyone pay to be listed?
No. Listings are free. Some links may become affiliate links, which is covered in the disclosure below.
What's the difference between AI answering and a live receptionist service?
The tools in the main table answer calls with AI, and some, like Smith.ai, can add live human agents. Ruby, listed under Human answering services, uses live human receptionists. The Best for column notes which is which, according to each vendor's own site.