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How much does an AI receptionist cost?
Short answer: most AI receptionist plans for small businesses cost between about $50 and $600 per month. The price mostly depends on how many minutes or calls are included, and whether the plan books appointments directly or just takes messages.
Typical prices (public pricing, October 2026)
| Provider | Entry plan | What’s included |
|---|---|---|
| Rosie | $49/mo | 250 minutes |
| Goodcall | $79/mo | 100 unique callers |
| My AI Front Desk | $99/mo | 200 minutes |
| Smith.ai (AI receptionist) | Free / $150/mo | 25 / 75 calls |
| Slang.ai (restaurants) | from $399/location | Quote-based |
| NexusCaller | $149/mo | 300 minutes + website chat |
Prices as listed on each provider’s website on October 13, 2026. Check their sites for current pricing.
What drives the price
- Minutes or calls included. The biggest factor. Plans are priced per minute, per call, or per unique caller.
- What the AI can do. Taking a message is cheaper than booking appointments, taking orders, or flagging emergencies.
- Setup help. Some tools are do-it-yourself; others (like NexusCaller) set it up and train the AI for you.
- Industry focus. Specialized products, such as restaurant-only systems, often cost more per location.
Costs people miss
- Overage. What happens when you go past your minutes? Per-minute overage can add up in busy months.
- Integrations. Booking straight into your calendar or CRM is sometimes an add-on.
- Contracts. Month-to-month plans let you stop anytime; annual contracts don’t.
How many minutes do you need?
A typical business call lasts 2–3 minutes. Multiply the calls you want the AI to answer each month by 2.5:
100 calls/month × 2.5 min ≈ 250 minutes · 300 calls/month ≈ 750 minutes
If the AI only covers after-hours and overflow calls, you’ll need far fewer minutes than if it answers every call.
Is it worth it?
Compare the monthly price with the value of the customers you lose to voicemail. If one missed call a week would have become a $150 customer, that’s about $600 a month — more than most plans cost. Use our pricing page to see the math for a typical small business.