What does an AI receptionist actually cost?
You are with a customer. Your phone rings. You cannot answer it.
Maybe they leave a message. Maybe they call the next business on their list.
That is the problem an AI receptionist should solve. Not “how do we get more AI into the business?” but “how do we stop missing useful conversations?”
Published paid plans start around £49 a month in the UK and $79 a month in the US. Services with more support, bookings and tailored setup can cost several hundred pounds or dollars a month, with more involved packages running higher. Setup and extra calls may cost more.
There are limited free plans too. The important part is what happens once you start using the service properly.
Here is the simple version: what you pay, what to check and when a person—or a good message-taking service—is the better choice.
AI receptionist prices: a UK and US snapshot
These are advertised examples checked on 7 October 2026, not ChitChatBot quotes or like-for-like packages.
| Service | Market | Advertised monthly price |
|---|---|---|
| Hey Jodie | UK | £49, £99 or £199 |
| Intavia | UK | Lite from £249; Essential from £349 |
| Eldris Voice | UK | £497, £997 or £1,497 |
| Goodcall | US | $79, $129 or $249 per agent |
| Smith.ai | US | Pro from $150; Enterprise from $500 |
Why such a big difference? Because “answers your phone” can mean very different things.
One service might take a message. Another might check availability, book an appointment and send the details to your team. Some you set up yourself. Others are built and managed for you.
Even the call allowances work differently. Smith.ai’s $150 plan includes 75 calls. Goodcall’s $79 plan includes 100 different callers a month, with an extra charge after that—even though it advertises unlimited minutes. Smith.ai also lists a free plan with 25 calls, then charges for additional calls.
Look at the allowance, not just the price. And do not treat the pound and dollar figures as currency conversions: they are different providers and different offers.
What are you paying for?
Think of the bill in three parts.
Getting it ready
Your receptionist needs to know your business. Opening hours. Services. Prices it can share. Who to contact. What to do when it cannot help.
Someone also needs to test it. Can it understand your business name? Take a phone number correctly? Make a booking that actually appears in your calendar?
Some services include setup. Others charge separately. With a DIY tool, you may not pay a setup fee—but you still spend your own time.
Answering the calls
This is the monthly service, plus any extra usage.
Ask whether you pay per call, per minute or per caller. Check whether your phone number, forwarding and the AI voice are included.
You do not need a lesson in how the technology works. You need a clear answer to: “What would the full bill be for our usual month?”
Keeping it useful
Your opening hours change. Your team changes. Customers ask something new.
A good service needs someone to keep the information right and check calls that went badly. Find out who does that—and whether it is included.
Setup fees versus monthly fees: keep the comparison simple
A low monthly price can look less attractive once you add setup.
For example:
- UK example: £500 setup plus £250 a month comes to £3,500 in the first year.
- US example: $750 setup plus $350 a month comes to $4,950 in the first year.
These are made-up budgets to show the difference, not provider offers. Extra usage, taxes and any other charges would go on top.
Ask for two numbers: what you pay to get started, and what you expect to pay each month.
Also check the minimum commitment. If you only want to test it for a month, a large setup fee or a long contract changes the decision.
What does that work out to per call?
You do not need a complicated spreadsheet.
Take the total monthly cost and divide it by the calls answered.
| Example monthly bill | Calls answered | Cost per call |
|---|---|---|
| £300 | 300 | £1 |
| $400 | 300 | About $1.33 |
Those are illustrations, not promised rates. Use a bill that includes the usage you actually need; the cost can rise if you go over your allowance. Add setup separately when comparing the first year.
Now ask the more useful question: were those calls handled well?
If customers keep correcting their names, repeating their request or calling back because the booking failed, a cheap call is not much of a saving.
Look for accurate messages, confirmed appointments and enquiries your team can follow up—not just a big “calls answered” number.
Is it cheaper than hiring someone?
For routine calls and out-of-hours cover, it often can be. But a receptionist does more than answer the phone.
They greet visitors. Deal with an upset customer. Help the team. Spot when something needs a bit of common sense.
To put wages in perspective, someone working 20 hours a week averages about 87 hours a month:
- At an illustrative £14 an hour, that is about £1,213 a month in wages.
- At an illustrative $20 an hour, that is about $1,733 a month in wages.
These are example hourly rates, not salary averages or recommended pay. Local pay requirements, employer taxes, benefits and cover can add to the cost.
At 300 calls a month, those wages alone work out to about £4.04 or $5.78 per call. But putting the whole wage bill against calls ignores all the other useful work that person does.
And one part-time employee is not the same as a service that answers evenings, weekends and several callers at once.
Often, the best option is not AI instead of your team. It is AI backing up your team.
When is a human—or a simpler option—better value?
Your team already has time to answer
If someone is already there, doing a good job and genuinely has spare time, a new subscription might not save you anything.
Calls need a personal touch
A worried patient, a sensitive complaint or a complicated request may need a person from the start. Making them explain everything to AI first can make things worse.
The service costs more than the help you need
A tailored service costing £1,500 or $2,000 a month could be more expensive than part-time help during your opening hours. That may still be worthwhile for round-the-clock coverage—but not every business needs it.
You only get a few calls
A clear voicemail message and a reliable callback might be enough. There is no prize for making a simple job more complicated.
Sometimes, “leave a message” is the smarter approach
Voice agents can be frustrating. Even when the AI is clever. Even when it replies quickly.
It still has to work out what the caller said. Background noise, accents, unusual names and interruptions can turn a perfectly reasonable request into the wrong words.
Text is usually easier to check. You can see a name, number or appointment time and correct it.
For some businesses, a better approach is:
- Take a short message.
- Confirm the callback number and ask permission to follow up by text.
- Use AI to continue through SMS or WhatsApp.
- Bring in a person when needed.
Someone calls about a quote. The agent captures the basics. A follow-up message asks for the job details and a suitable time to talk.
Less back-and-forth on the phone. Clearer information. A useful next step.
That will not suit every caller, but it is worth considering before trying to make AI do everything in one call.
Our voice agent guide explains the options in more detail.
Where ChitChatBot.ai fits
Answering the phone is useful. Turning that conversation into the right next step is where the real value is.
With a configured ChitChatBot agent, you can capture contact details, save what someone needs, ask a few relevant questions and pass the enquiry to the right person. Voice, SMS and WhatsApp can work together rather than leaving you with a pile of messages to sort through.
Our DIY platform starts at $29 a month, with a paid first month at $19.99. Our Growing done-for-you service starts at $499 a month. Prices are in US dollars.
Those are not all-in phone-answering prices. Voice services, phone charges, call usage and the work needed to connect your systems depend on the setup. We scope those before you commit.
If you want someone to design the conversations, build the setup and keep improving it, our done-for-you service is the better starting point.
If all you need is basic, low-cost message-taking, a standalone answering tool may be enough. We would rather help you choose something useful than sell you more than you need.
Five questions to ask before you buy
- What is the full cost? Setup, monthly service, extra calls and taxes.
- What can it actually do? Take messages, make bookings or follow up?
- What happens when it gets stuck? Your caller needs a clear way to reach someone.
- Who keeps it up to date? Do not assume that is included.
- Can we start small? Try missed calls or after-hours enquiries before changing everything.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an AI receptionist cost in the UK and US?
The paid examples in this guide start at £49 a month in the UK and $79 in the US. More supported or tailored services can cost several hundred a month or more. Check setup fees and call allowances before comparing them.
Can I keep my current phone number?
Often, yes, by forwarding calls. Check with the service and your phone provider first, including any forwarding charges.
Should I replace my receptionist?
Not automatically. Start by helping with calls your team misses. See whether it improves the customer experience and saves time before deciding what else to change.
Do I need a voice agent if I already use chat?
Only if it solves a real problem. If customers prefer messaging and your team handles calls well, improve the chat and follow-up first.
A note on the prices
Provider examples come from Hey Jodie UK Pricing; Intavia’s AI Receptionist Pricing guide; Eldris Voice’s UK cost guide; Goodcall’s monthly pricing page; and Smith.ai’s AI Receptionist pricing page. Checked on 7 October 2026. Prices and inclusions can change.
The setup, wage and cost-per-call examples are illustrations, not quotes or a claim that AI and people deliver the same service.
The aim is simple: fewer missed opportunities, happier callers and less work for your team. Talk to us about what would work for your business.