An AI receptionist answers your business phone 24/7, talks to callers in a natural voice, answers common questions, books appointments and sends you a summary of every call. For a small business that misses calls while on a job or after hours, it is often the cheapest way to stop losing leads.
Prices below are from each vendor’s public pricing page as of November 2026. They change often, so confirm before you buy.
Quick picks
| Tool | Starting price | Pricing model | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.ai | Free (25 calls/mo), Pro from $150/mo | Per call | Businesses that want a live human as backup |
| Rosie | $49/mo (250 minutes) | Minutes | Solo owners and small teams that miss calls |
| Dialzara | $29/mo (60 minutes) | Minutes | Very low call volume on a tight budget |
| Goodcall | $79/mo (100 unique callers) | Unique callers | Local businesses with long or repeat calls |
| Upfirst | $24.95/mo | Per call | Lowest entry price |
| NextPhone | $199/mo flat | Flat rate | Higher volume that wants a predictable bill |
How to choose
1. Start with how you are billed. This matters more than features. AI receptionists charge in four different ways:
- Per minute (Rosie, Dialzara): cheap if calls are short; expensive if callers chat.
- Per call (Smith.ai, Upfirst): length doesn’t matter; good for short, frequent calls.
- Per unique caller (Goodcall): repeat callers are free within the month; good for long or repeat calls.
- Flat rate (NextPhone): one price, no surprises.
Work out your monthly calls and average call length, then use our AI receptionist pricing guide to compare at your volume.
2. Check booking. Can it book straight into your calendar (Google Calendar, Calendly) or your industry software, or does it only take a message?
3. Check transfers. For urgent or high-value calls, you want a warm transfer to your mobile or to a live receptionist.
4. Check languages. If you serve Spanish speakers, see our bilingual AI receptionist guide.
5. Use the trial. Most offer a free trial or free tier. Call it yourself with your five most common questions and one awkward one.
The options in more detail
Smith.ai
Smith.ai is best known for live human receptionists, and its AI receptionist runs on the same platform. The free tier covers 25 calls a month, then a per-call fee; Pro starts at $150/month. Complex calls can be handed to a live receptionist. Good fit for law firms and professional services.
Rosie
Rosie trains itself from your website and Google Business Profile, so setup is quick. Plans start at $49/month for 250 minutes, with larger minute bundles above that. A strong, simple pick for owners who just need every call answered.
Dialzara
The cheapest way to try an AI receptionist, from $29/month for 60 minutes, with extra minutes billed per minute. Best for a business that gets a handful of calls a week.
Goodcall
Goodcall bills per unique caller instead of per minute, starting at $79/month for 100 unique callers. If customers call back several times or talk for a while, this model can work out cheapest.
Upfirst and NextPhone
Upfirst has the lowest entry price at $24.95/month. NextPhone charges a flat $199/month, which suits busier businesses that want a predictable bill.
Industry-specific picks
Some businesses need integrations with their own software (ServiceTitan, Dentrix, a real estate CRM). See:
- AI receptionist for real estate
- AI receptionist for contractors and HVAC
- AI receptionist for dentists and clinics
Setting one up? Use our free AI receptionist script builder to write your greeting, call flow and FAQ answers before you start a trial.
FAQ
Is an AI receptionist worth it for a small business? If you miss even a few calls a week that could become paying jobs, usually yes. One booked job often covers months of the subscription.
Will callers know it’s AI? Modern voices sound natural, but many callers can tell. Being upfront (“I’m the virtual assistant for…”) tends to go down better than pretending.
Can it replace a human receptionist? For answering, routing and booking, often. For complex, emotional or high-value conversations, set it up to transfer to a person.
Munaza
Founder & Editor, SupportPricing
Munaza runs a digital marketing agency that manages social media and SEO for client brands across multiple platforms. Her work puts her inside SaaS tools every day: she sets up help centers, writes product content and compares software for clients before they buy. She started SupportPricing because customer service software pricing kept changing faster than anyone could track. Every price on this site comes from the vendor’s own pricing page and carries the date she checked it.