What Does an AI Receptionist Cost in 2026?

Pricing for AI receptionists ranges from $30 to over $500 per month depending on the provider and how much call volume you need. This guide breaks down what you're actually paying for, what's typically included, and what to watch out for.

The two main pricing models

Most AI receptionist providers charge in one of two ways: a flat monthly subscription that includes a set number of minutes, or a usage-based model where you pay per minute (or per call) on top of a lower base fee. A few use per-call pricing with no monthly commitment.

For most small businesses with predictable call volume, a subscription with a generous minute allowance is simpler to budget. Usage-based pricing suits businesses with highly variable call patterns where overpaying for unused minutes would sting.

Speechless pricing (transparent, no surprises)

We publish our pricing clearly rather than hiding it behind a "contact sales" form. Here's exactly what Speechless costs:

All plans include the 14-day free trial with 100 minutes. No credit card required to start.

What's typically included (and what isn't)

At the Starter level, every Speechless plan includes: 24/7 call answering, live calendar booking, call transcripts, SMS and email follow-ups, and basic CRM integration. There are no per-seat fees, no setup fees, and no charge for the onboarding itself.

What costs extra: minutes over your plan's allowance are billed at $0.20 per minute on Starter, $0.17 on Pro, and $0.15 on Scale. That's the only variable charge. White-glove onboarding (a human-assisted setup call) is included on Pro and Scale; on Starter it's self-service.

How AI receptionists compare to the alternatives

The comparison below uses rough market rates. Your actual costs will vary. If you're pricing specific AI receptionist providers, we also keep dated, provider-by-provider comparisons — Speechless vs Smith.ai, vs RingCentral's AI Receptionist, and vs Dialzara — each with sources and a facts-checked date.

How to work out if it pays for itself

The math is straightforward. If a typical booking for your business is worth $150, and your current missed-call rate means you lose even one booking per week, that's $600 per month in lost revenue — fifteen times the cost of the Starter plan.

The 14-day free trial makes it easy to test without commitment. Forward your number, run it for two weeks, and count the bookings it captures outside your normal hours. That's your real number.

For more detail on setup and what's included, see our FAQ page. To compare the AI approach to a traditional answering service, read our side-by-side comparison.