How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost? (2026 Pricing Guide)
Quick answer: Self-serve AI answering apps list plans from about $49 to $299 a month based on included minutes, while a done-for-you AI receptionist adds a setup fee for scripting, calendar and CRM integration. A full-time human receptionist in the US earns a median of $18.27 an hour before benefits. Sir Marketer quotes each AI receptionist setup in writing, with setup and telephony usage listed separately.
What you are actually paying for
AI receptionist pricing looks confusing because providers bundle different things. Almost every quote is made of the same five parts:
| Cost component | What it covers | How it is usually billed |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Writing the call script, approved answers, routing rules, voice and greeting | One-time fee, or included in self-serve plans where you do the setup |
| Platform plan | The AI answering software | Monthly, often tiered by included minutes |
| Usage | Call minutes beyond the plan, and text messages | Per minute or per message |
| Phone number and telephony | A local or toll-free number, call forwarding or porting | Monthly per number plus carrier usage |
| Integrations | Calendar, CRM, email, booking software | Included in higher tiers or quoted as part of setup |
What providers publish today
Self-serve AI answering tools are the cheapest entry point because you configure them yourself. As one published example, Rosie lists three plans: $49 a month for 250 minutes, $149 a month for 1,000 minutes with calendar booking and live transfers, and $299 a month for 2,000 minutes (Rosie pricing page). Other vendors use similar minute-based tiers.
Done-for-you setups cost more up front because someone writes and tests the call flow for your business, connects your calendar and CRM, and tunes it after launch. That is the model Sir Marketer uses. Sir Marketer does not publish a fixed AI receptionist price yet. Every setup is quoted in writing, usually within 24 hours of a call, with our setup fee and the telephony usage (which varies by carrier and call volume) listed separately.
AI receptionist cost vs a human receptionist
The useful comparison is not AI against nothing, but AI against the alternatives you would otherwise pay for. Wage figures below are official sources; they are pay rates only and exclude payroll taxes, benefits, holidays and cover for breaks.
| Option | Published cost reference | Hours covered |
|---|---|---|
| In-house receptionist, US | Median $18.27 an hour, $38,010 a year (May 2025) | Their working hours |
| In-house receptionist, UK | National Living Wage floor £12.71 an hour from 1 April 2026 | Their working hours |
| In-house receptionist, Australia | National Minimum Wage floor A$26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026 | Their working hours |
| Self-serve AI answering app | From $49 a month for 250 minutes (Rosie example) | 24/7, within plan minutes |
| Done-for-you AI receptionist (Sir Marketer) | Quoted in writing: setup plus telephony usage | 24/7, with handover to your team |
Sources: U.S. BLS; GOV.UK; Fair Work Ombudsman; Rosie. A UK or Australian figure here is the legal minimum, not a typical salary.
An AI receptionist does not replace a good front-desk person who also greets visitors, handles payments and calms upset customers. Where it pays for itself is after hours, during lunch and on busy days, when calls would otherwise go to voicemail. Read the full comparison in AI receptionist vs human receptionist.
Get a written AI receptionist quote Tell us your call volume, hours and calendar. We send a written quote with setup and telephony usage listed separately, usually within 24 hours.
How to estimate your own monthly cost
- Count your calls. Check a month of call logs from your phone provider: total calls, missed calls and average call length.
- Multiply calls by minutes. 300 calls a month at 3 minutes each is about 900 minutes.
- Decide the hours. After-hours and overflow only uses far fewer minutes than answering every call.
- List the integrations you need: calendar, CRM, booking software, text messages.
- Ask for setup and usage separately so you can compare quotes like for like.
What a Sir Marketer AI receptionist does
- Answers 24/7 in your business’s wording, and tells callers they are speaking with an assistant.
- Answers only the questions you approve; anything else, or anything sensitive, goes to a person.
- Books into your real calendar and sends a confirmation.
- Sends your team a summary of every call, and follows up missed calls by text where you allow it.
- Usually works with your existing number through call forwarding or porting, depending on your carrier.
- Most call flows go live within one to two weeks after you approve the script.
Try the AI receptionist demo or see the AI receptionist service page. Industry versions: dental offices, medical practices, HVAC, plumbers and tradies, salons and restaurants.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an AI receptionist cost per month?
Published self-serve plans start around $49 a month for a set number of minutes, rising with volume and features. Done-for-you setups add a one-time setup fee. Sir Marketer quotes setup and telephony usage in writing.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than hiring a receptionist?
For phone answering alone, usually yes: a US receptionist’s median pay is $18.27 an hour before benefits, while AI plans are priced per month. A person still does things AI should not, such as handling payments in person or sensitive conversations.
Are there setup fees?
Self-serve apps often have none because you set them up yourself. Done-for-you services, including ours, charge for writing the script, connecting your calendar and CRM, and testing.
Why does Sir Marketer not publish a price?
Call volume, hours and integrations vary a lot between businesses, so we quote in writing after a short call rather than publish a number that would not fit most callers.
Can I keep my existing phone number?
Usually yes, through call forwarding or porting, depending on your carrier.
Sources
- Rosie AI answering service pricing
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Receptionists (median pay, May 2025)
- GOV.UK: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Minimum wages increase from 1 July 2026
Written by Utkarsh Arora, owner of Sir Marketer LLC. Last updated . Prices and rules are taken from the linked sources on 12 November 2026 and can change; Sir Marketer’s own prices are on the pricing page.