# How much does an AI receptionist cost?

By Antony Boguslavskiy, Founder, Vocenya · Published 2026-09-27 · Updated 2026-09-27

**Short answer:** Vocenya’s AI receptionist costs $49 to $499 per month. Value is $49 with 250 AI minutes, Starter is $99 with 300 minutes, Growth is $249 with 1,000 minutes and booking, and Pro is $499 with 2,500 minutes and speed-to-lead. Every plan has a 14-day free trial and no contract.

Price is usually the first question owners ask about an AI receptionist, and it should be. You want to know what you will pay each month, what is included, and how that compares with hiring someone or using an answering service.

This guide lays out Vocenya's actual prices, explains what drives the cost, and helps you figure out which plan fits your call volume.

## How much does an AI receptionist cost?

Vocenya's AI receptionist costs between $49 and $499 per month, depending on how many AI minutes you need and which features you want. Value is $49, Starter is $99, Growth is $249 and Pro is $499. Every plan includes a 14-day free trial, there is no contract, and you can cancel any time.

## What do Vocenya's plans include?

Each plan includes a set number of AI minutes and a set of features. Lower plans cover answering and message-taking. Higher plans add calendar booking, warm transfers, recordings, speed-to-lead calling and support for multiple numbers and locations.

| Plan | Price | AI minutes | Key features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $49/mo | 250 | AI receptionist answering calls 24/7, summaries |
| Starter | $99/mo | 300 | Studio lifelike voices, one local number or keep yours |
| Growth | $249/mo | 1,000 | Calendar booking, warm transfers, recordings, live chat included |
| Pro | $499/mo | 2,500 | Speed-to-lead, multiple numbers and locations, live chat included |

All plans answer calls in your business name, learn from your website and notes, capture caller details, and send you a text or email summary after each call. See the full details on the [pricing page](/pricing).

## What add-ons cost extra?

Add-ons let you pay only for what you need. GH Live human backup starts at $3.50 per call, website live chat is $49 per month on Value and Starter, HIPAA mode for healthcare practices is $150 per month, and GH Phone business lines are $25 per user per month.

- **[GH Live agents](/live-agents):** from $3.50 per call. Trained people take over calls that need a human, and they see the AI's summary first.
- **[Website live chat](/live-chat):** $49 per month on Value and Starter. Included on Growth and Pro.
- **[HIPAA mode](/hipaa-ai-receptionist):** $150 per month for human healthcare practices. Includes a signed Business Associate Agreement, patient-safe texting and recordings kept in GH-controlled systems.
- **[GH Phone](/business-phone-system):** $25 per user per month for business numbers, texting, a browser softphone, and call routing and forwarding to team members.

You do not need GH Phone to use the AI receptionist. You can keep your existing number and forward it.

## Which plan is right for my business?

Pick based on how many calls the AI will handle and whether you need booking. If you only want after-hours and missed-call coverage, Value or Starter is often enough. If you want the AI to book appointments and transfer calls, start with Growth. Choose Pro if you want speed-to-lead or have multiple locations.

### A simple way to estimate minutes

1. Look at your phone records for a typical month.
2. Count the calls you want the AI to answer: all calls, only missed calls, or only after-hours calls.
3. Multiply by a rough average call length. Many receptionist calls are short, but booking calls take longer.
4. Compare the result with each plan's included minutes, leaving some room for busy months.

### Plan fit by business type

- **A solo [handyman](/industries/handyman) covering missed and after-hours calls:** Value or Starter.
- **A [pet groomer](/industries/pet-groomers) who wants a local number and natural voices:** Starter.
- **A [chiropractor](/industries/chiropractors) who wants new-patient visits booked into the calendar:** Growth.
- **An [HVAC](/industries/hvac) company running ads and wanting web leads called back instantly:** Pro.

These are starting points. The free trial lets you see your real usage before you commit.

## How does AI compare with hiring a receptionist?

A full-time in-house receptionist is a salaried employee with payroll taxes, benefits, training, and coverage gaps for lunch, sick days, vacations, nights and weekends. An AI receptionist is a flat monthly subscription that answers around the clock. Many businesses keep their staff and use AI for overflow and after-hours calls.

The comparison is not always either-or. A front desk person does many things an AI cannot, like greeting walk-ins and handling paperwork. The AI makes sure the phone gets answered when they are busy or off the clock.

## How does AI compare with an answering service?

Traditional answering services commonly charge per minute or per call, sometimes with monthly minimums and higher rates for after-hours or holidays. That makes costs rise with volume and harder to predict. An AI receptionist uses a flat monthly price with included minutes and books appointments directly.

| Option | How it is usually priced | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| In-house receptionist | Salary plus taxes and benefits | A person on-site during their shift |
| Human answering service | Per minute or per call, often with minimums | Human operators taking messages |
| Human virtual receptionist | Per minute, per call or packages | A remote person answering during set hours |
| Vocenya AI receptionist | Flat monthly, $49 to $499 | 24/7 answering, booking, instant summaries |

Always ask other providers for a written quote with every fee listed. For detailed comparisons, read [AI receptionist vs answering service](/blog/ai-receptionist-vs-answering-service) and [AI receptionist vs virtual receptionist](/blog/ai-receptionist-vs-virtual-receptionist).

## What affects the cost of an AI receptionist?

The main things that affect the cost are how many AI minutes you use, which features you need, and which add-ons you choose. Answering calls only is the most affordable. Booking, warm transfers, speed-to-lead calls, multiple locations and human backup add value and move you to higher plans or add-ons.

### Questions that decide your plan

- **Do you want every call answered, or only overflow and after-hours calls?** Fewer calls means fewer minutes.
- **Should the AI book appointments?** Booking starts on Growth.
- **Do you want recordings to review calls?** Recordings are included on Growth and Pro.
- **Do you run ads or buy leads?** Speed-to-lead calling is on Pro.
- **Do you have more than one location?** Multiple numbers and locations are on Pro.
- **Do you need human backup?** GH Live is priced per call.

Answering these honestly keeps you from paying for features you will not use.

## Are there setup fees or contracts?

No. Vocenya builds your receptionist from your website in about 20 seconds, you review and edit it, and you can start with a 14-day free trial on any plan. There is no contract, and you can cancel any time. You can also change plans as your needs change.

## How do I know if the cost is worth it?

Think about what one booked job, patient or client is worth to your business, then ask how many calls you miss or answer too slowly in a month. If the AI helps you win even a small number of extra jobs, it can cover its own cost. The free trial lets you check this with your real calls.

For a deeper look at the value question, read [is an AI receptionist worth it?](/blog/is-an-ai-receptionist-worth-it)

## Try it before you pay

The easiest way to find your plan is to use it. [Try Vocenya free](/#try): enter your website, and it will build your AI receptionist and call your phone. When you are ready, pick a plan on the [pricing page](/pricing). Every plan includes a 14-day free trial.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the cheapest AI receptionist plan?

Vocenya’s Value plan is $49 per month and includes 250 AI minutes. It answers calls 24/7 in your business name, captures caller details, and sends you a summary after each call. It is a good fit for covering missed and after-hours calls, and it includes a 14-day free trial.

### Which plan includes appointment booking?

Calendar booking is included on the Growth plan at $249 per month and the Pro plan at $499 per month. Growth includes 1,000 AI minutes, warm transfers and recordings. The AI can book into Google Calendar, Microsoft 365 or Outlook, Jobber, Housecall Pro or ServiceTitan.

### How much does it cost to add a human agent?

GH Live, Vocenya’s trained human agent add-on, starts at $3.50 per call. When the AI transfers a call to a GH Live agent, the agent sees the AI’s summary, so the caller does not have to repeat themselves. You only pay for the calls that use a human agent.

### Is there a contract or cancellation fee?

No. Every Vocenya plan is month to month with no contract, and you can cancel any time without a cancellation fee. Each plan starts with a 14-day free trial, so you can test the AI receptionist on your real calls, review the summaries, and pick the right plan before paying anything.

### Does HIPAA compliance cost extra?

Yes. For human healthcare practices such as dental, medical, therapy and behavioral health offices, HIPAA mode is an add-on at $150 per month. It includes a signed Business Associate Agreement, patient-safe texting, and recordings kept in GH-controlled systems. It is only for human healthcare, so veterinary practices do not need it.

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Source: https://vocenya.com/blog/how-much-does-an-ai-receptionist-cost
Vocenya, powered by GH Business Solutions. Plans from $49/month with a 14-day free trial: https://vocenya.com/pricing