How much does a virtual receptionist cost?
A virtual receptionist costs between $24.95 and $400 per month depending on the model. Live virtual receptionist services (humans answering remotely) typically charge per minute: Ruby is $235/mo for 100 minutes, Smith.ai is $293/mo for 90 minutes, Davinci is $129/mo for 50 minutes. Per-minute billing means a 12-minute call costs roughly twice what a 6-minute call costs, and overages are common. AI virtual receptionists charge per call instead: Aira is $24.95/mo for 30 calls, $59.95/mo for 90 calls, and $159.95/mo for 300 calls — the same rate regardless of how long the call runs. Real cost depends on call volume and how many of those calls actually need to be transferred to a human, so a small business with 50 calls/month often pays 60–80% less on AI. See see how the pricing models stack up.
Related questions
- What does a virtual receptionist do?A virtual receptionist answers business calls remotely — from a call center, a home office, or AI software. Here's what they handle, how they differ from AI, and what to compare.
- How much does an AI receptionist cost?AI receptionists range from $24.95 to $300+/mo. Per-call pricing is predictable; per-minute pricing can spike. See full 2026 pricing breakdown.
- Is virtual receptionist legit?Yes, virtual receptionists are a legitimate, regulated service used by 100,000+ small businesses. Here's how to vet a provider — credentials, transcripts, refund terms.