AI Receptionist Cost
This is part of our complete AI Receptionist guide for service businesses.
Most AI receptionists land between $100 and $400 per month depending on which channels you turn on. The real question isn’t “how much” but “how much per lead actually handled,” because that’s where the ROI math lives.
Want to see what AI lead response costs for your volume? Try Auto-Respond free and only activate the channels you actually run.
How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost Per Month?
Two pricing models dominate the market:
| Pricing Model | Monthly Cost | What You Get | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per-channel AI (Auto-Respond) | $10/mo phone number + $1/min voice; $99/mo per text channel (Yelp, Thumbtack); $49 FB Messenger; $19 FB Lead Ads | Activate only the channels you run | Service businesses with 1-3 active lead sources |
| Bundled enterprise suite | $249-$399/mo flat with annual contract | Reviews, webchat, payments, multi-seat CRM lumped in | Multi-location ops using the full stack |
| Per-seat CRM bundle | $97-$297/user/mo | AI receptionist bundled with CRM, pipeline, SMS | Teams needing full-stack software |
Per-channel pricing wins for the 80% of service businesses running one or two channels. You don’t pay $300 of bundle every month for review management you don’t touch.
AI Receptionist Cost vs Human Receptionist Cost
A full-time receptionist costs $35,000-$45,000/year ($2,900-$3,750/month) in salary alone. Add benefits, training, and sick days.
A part-time or virtual receptionist runs $1,500-$2,500/month for business hours coverage. No after-hours.
AI receptionist cost at typical service business volume:
| Solution | Monthly Cost | Hours Covered | Cost Per Lead Handled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time human receptionist | $3,200/mo avg | 40 hrs/week | $16-$32/lead |
| Virtual receptionist service | $1,800/mo avg | Business hours only | $12-$25/lead |
| AI receptionist (per-channel) | $110-$250/mo | 24/7/365 | $1-$3/lead |
The math isn’t close. AI handles the initial response. Humans handle the complex quotes and custom work.
What Drives AI Receptionist Pricing Up or Down?
- Voice minutes used — More calls and longer conversations push the variable voice cost up
- Channel count — Voice plus one text channel is the common setup; each added channel adds its flat per-channel fee
- Integration depth — CRM sync, calendar booking, and lead routing are included on per-channel; bundled suites lump in extras you may not need
- Customization — Custom voice, scripts, and qualification logic are included; no premium tiers
- Contract length — Bundled suites usually require annual; per-channel is month-to-month
For most service businesses (plumbers, HVAC, roofers, electricians), the sweet spot is voice plus the busiest text channel (Yelp or Thumbtack). You cover after-hours leads without buying a bundle of features you don’t touch.
AI Receptionist Cost for Service Businesses: Real Scenario
Here’s what a typical plumbing company spending $1,200/month on Yelp and Google LSA ads actually pays:
- 80 leads/month come in across platforms
- AI receptionist responds in 12 seconds (voice callback or SMS)
- Average voice conversation: 2.5 minutes
- Total voice minutes used: 200 minutes/month
- Voice cost: $200 ($1/min) plus $10/month phone number = $210
- Yelp text channel: $99/month
- All-in monthly cost: roughly $309
- Leads converted that would’ve been lost to slow response: 12-15 extra jobs
At an average job value of $350, that’s $4,200-$5,250 in recovered revenue for around $300 in AI receptionist costs.
Is Per-Channel or Bundled Better for Your Business?
Choose per-channel (Auto-Respond) if:
- You run one or two lead sources (Yelp only, Thumbtack only, voice only)
- You want to add channels as you grow without re-negotiating a contract
- You don’t want to pay for review management, webchat, and payments lumped together
Choose a bundled suite if:
- You’re running 5+ channels plus reputation, webchat, and payments
- You need multi-seat CRM features beyond lead response
- You’d actually use the bundled features at the bundled price
Most service businesses with 50-200 leads/month across one or two sources save 30-60% on per-channel versus a bundled suite. You skip paying for features you don’t run.
How Auto-Respond Pricing Works
Auto-Respond uses per-channel pricing. You activate only the channels you run.
- Voice agent: $10/month dedicated phone number plus $1/minute of actual talk time
- Yelp channel: $99/month flat for unlimited Yelp message handling
- Thumbtack channel: $99/month flat for unlimited Thumbtack handling
- Facebook Messenger: $49/month flat
- Facebook Lead Ads: $19/month flat
- 24/7 coverage, calendar sync, CRM sync, no contracts, no setup fees
Average service business on Auto-Respond spends $130-$310/month and recovers 10-20x that in leads that would’ve gone to competitors.
Start a free trial at Auto-Respond and see what your actual cost per lead looks like with instant AI response.