How much does an AI receptionist cost?
Most AI receptionists cost between $49 and $500 a month. Cheaper plans usually cap your minutes and handle simple calls. Plans near the top include setup, booking, Spanish and the tools around the phone. A live human answering service runs $250 to $2,100 a month, and a full-time receptionist costs about $38,000 a year in wages alone.
The three ways to get your phone answered
| Option | Typical cost | How you pay | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI receptionist | $49 to $500 a month, plus usage on some plans | Monthly, with a minute cap or a per-minute rate | 24/7 |
| Live answering service | $250 to $2,100 a month | Per minute or per call | 24/7 |
| Hiring a receptionist | About $38,000 a year in wages | Hourly wage plus taxes and benefits | Business hours only |
Answering service prices from Ruby and Smith.ai pricing pages. Wage is the May 2025 median for receptionists from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Checked October 2026.
What drives the price of an AI receptionist
Minutes. Some plans include a set number of minutes and charge more when you go over. Others charge a small per-minute rate on top of the monthly price.
Booking. Some plans only send callers a booking link. Others book straight onto your calendar.
Spanish. Some include it. Some charge extra.
Setup. Some you set up yourself. Others are set up for you.
What comes with it. Some plans are just the phone. Others include a CRM, website, review requests and texting.
What a live answering service really costs
Live answering services charge for every minute or every call. Ruby's plans start at $250 a month for 50 minutes, about $5 a minute. Smith.ai's live receptionist plans start at $300 a month for 30 calls, with each extra call $11.50, and add-ons for booking and Spanish. A contractor taking 150 calls a month can spend well over $1,000 a month.
What hiring a receptionist really costs
The median receptionist earns $18.27 an hour, or $38,010 a year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Add payroll taxes, time off and training. And a receptionist covers one shift. Calls at night, on weekends and during lunch still go to voicemail.
What RiverX costs
When you compare prices, compare what you get. Most AI receptionists and answering services only answer the phone. You still pay separately for your website, hosting, review software, CRM and phone system.
Everything in Plus for $497 a month
Plus isn't just a phone answering service. It's your whole front desk:
- Website, built and hosted for you
- Reputation management: review requests after every job, video testimonials and review monitoring
- AI receptionist, 24/7 in English and Spanish
- AI follow-up by text and email
- Appointment booking on your calendar
- CRM
- Business phone system and number
Plus call time at $0.15 to $0.20 a minute, billed at our cost with no markup. We set it all up in 7 days. Month to month, 14-day money-back guarantee.
Get PlusJust need a website and CRM? Lite is $97/mo. Need more reviews? Foundation is $297/mo.
Straight answers
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than an answering service?
Usually by a wide margin. AI call time costs cents per minute. Live answering services charge several dollars per minute or per call, so the gap grows with every call you get.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than hiring someone?
Yes. The median receptionist earns about $38,000 a year before taxes and benefits. An AI receptionist costs a few hundred dollars a month and answers 24/7.
What does the cheapest AI receptionist get you?
Entry plans around $49 a month typically cover a limited number of minutes, take messages and send booking links. Check the minute cap and whether it books onto your calendar.
Are there setup fees with RiverX?
No. Plus is $497 a month plus call time, month to month, and we do the setup.
Why does RiverX charge for call time?
The AI voice models we use charge by the minute. We pass that through at our cost with no markup: $0.15 a minute for simpler setups and up to $0.20 a minute for setups that need a more advanced model.
How do I know if I need one?
Count how many calls go to voicemail in a week. If any of those were new customers, an AI receptionist will likely pay for itself. Our free AI receptionist audit on the homepage gives you a straight answer.