AI Receptionist Cost: 16 Services Priced (2026)
By Adam Sandler · 2026-10-15
Short answer: an AI receptionist costs $24.95 to $199 a month on the entry plan, based on the pricing pages of 16 services we checked on October 15, 2026. For a typical small business taking 100 calls a month, the bill on those plans lands between $49 and $212.50.
The sticker price is only half the story. What you actually pay depends on how the service counts usage: minutes, calls, conversations or unique callers. Below are the real numbers, each from the vendor's own pricing page.
Entry prices for 16 AI receptionists
| Service | Entry price / month | What's included | Overage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfirst | $24.95 | 30 calls | $1.50 per call |
| Dialzara | $29 | 60 minutes | $0.48 per minute |
| Allô AI Receptionist | $45 | No cap stated (plus a phone seat) | Not published |
| Rosie | $49 | 250 minutes | Not published |
| Marlie | $49 | 250 minutes | $0.35 per minute |
| Trillet | $49 | 150 minutes | $0.20 per minute |
| AptaBook | $49 | 50 conversations | Not published |
| OnCrew | $49 | 100 calls | $0.99 per call |
| Quo Sona | $49 | 100 calls (plus a phone seat) | Not published for this tier |
| Phonely | $50 | 200 minutes | $0.25 per minute |
| Goodcall | $79 | 100 unique callers | Not published |
| My AI Front Desk | $99 | 200 minutes | $0.25 per minute |
| Ringly.io | $99 | 50 conversations | $1.99 per conversation |
| Nextiva XBert | $99 | 100 interactions | $0.99 per interaction |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | $150 | 75 calls | $2.50 per call |
| NextPhone | $199 | Unlimited calls | None |
Source: each vendor's pricing page, captured October 15, 2026. Click any service on the ReceptionistRank leaderboard to see its source link. Quo's row is its $49 tier, not its cheapest plan.
What 100 calls a month actually costs
To compare like with like, we priced one workload: 100 calls a month, about 3 minutes each (300 minutes), each from a different caller. We used each service's entry plan plus its published overage.
| Service | Cost for 100 calls |
|---|---|
| OnCrew | $49 |
| Quo Sona | $49 plus a phone seat |
| Marlie | $66.50 |
| Phonely | $75 |
| Trillet | $79 |
| Goodcall | $79 |
| Nextiva XBert | $99 |
| My AI Front Desk | $124 |
| Upfirst | $129.95 |
| Dialzara | $144.20 |
| Ringly.io | $198.50 |
| NextPhone | $199 |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | $212.50 |
Rosie and AptaBook would go past their entry plan with no published overage, so you would move up to a bigger plan. Allô needs a paid phone seat on top. We left those three out of this table rather than guess.
Upfirst and Dialzara may come out cheaper on one of their higher plans than on the entry plan plus overage shown here. Check their pricing pages, or run your own numbers in the cost calculator.
Why the cheapest plan isn't always cheapest
Take the two ends of the entry-price list. Upfirst has the lowest sticker at $24.95, but it includes 30 calls. Every call after that is $1.50, so 100 calls costs $129.95 on that plan. OnCrew starts at $49 and includes 100 calls, so the same month costs $49.
The billing unit matters just as much:
- Per minute (Dialzara, Rosie, Marlie, Trillet, Phonely, My AI Front Desk): cheapest when calls are short.
- Per call or conversation (Upfirst, OnCrew, Smith.ai, Ringly.io, AptaBook, Nextiva XBert): predictable when calls run long.
- Per unique caller (Goodcall): good when the same customers call you often.
- Flat (NextPhone, $199 for unlimited calls): only worth it at high volume.
- Phone seat required (Quo, Allô): add the seat to the price.
How to estimate your own cost
- Count last month's inbound calls. Your phone provider's call log has this.
- Estimate the average call length. If you don't know, 3 minutes is a reasonable starting point.
- Put both numbers into the AI receptionist cost calculator. It applies every vendor's entry plan and published overage.
- Before you sign up, open the vendor's pricing page and check what happens when you go over. Some charge overage, some move you to a bigger plan.
Prices change often. We check every pricing page daily and log verified changes on the price changes page.
FAQ
How much does an AI receptionist cost per month?
Across the 16 services we track, paid entry plans start at $24.95 (Upfirst) and go up to $199 (NextPhone). Most entry plans sit between $45 and $99 a month. Prices were taken from each vendor's pricing page on October 15, 2026.
What does an AI receptionist cost for 100 calls a month?
For 100 calls of about 3 minutes each, the services we could price on their entry plan plus published overage came to between $49 (OnCrew) and $212.50 (Smith.ai AI Receptionist).
Why is the cheapest AI receptionist not always the cheapest?
Because plans include different amounts. Upfirst starts at $24.95 but includes 30 calls and charges $1.50 per extra call, so 100 calls costs $129.95 on that plan. OnCrew costs $49 and includes 100 calls.
Do AI receptionists charge per minute or per call?
Both, and more. Of the 16 services we track, 6 bill by the minute, 4 by the call, 2 by the conversation, 1 by the interaction, 1 by the unique caller, 1 is flat, and 1 is an add-on sold per phone seat. Quo Sona bills by the call and also needs a paid phone seat.