How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost?
By Lucas Spyker, Founder, ERA Solutions · Updated
Published AI receptionist prices in 2026 run from under $50 a month for self-serve tools to several hundred dollars a month for platforms, with enterprise and done-for-you services higher. The price mostly reflects how much work you are buying — software access, integrations, or someone building and managing the system.
What vendors publish (October 2026)
| Vendor / type | Published starting price | Pricing unit |
|---|---|---|
| Rosie (self-serve) | $49/mo; tiers at $149 and $299/mo | Minutes |
| Goodcall (self-serve) | $79/mo per agent | Unique customers |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | Free (25 calls); Pro from $150/mo | Calls |
| Sameday AI (platform) | $449/mo Launch; $789/mo Scale | Minutes |
| Avoca AI (enterprise) | Quote-based | Conversation volume + integration tier |
| ERA Solutions (done-for-you) | $1,000 + $500/mo; $1,750 + $850/mo; $2,500 + $1,100/mo | Flat monthly + one-time implementation |
What drives the price
Who configures it
Self-serve tools are cheap because you do the setup. Done-for-you services charge for designing, testing, and maintaining the call flow.
Volume unit
Minutes, calls, or unique customers. A pricing unit that looks cheap in April can be expensive in July.
Integrations
Native field-service-software integrations are often on higher tiers or priced separately.
Coverage scope
Missed-call text back only, after-hours only, or 24/7 including email workflows.
Estimate payback with your own numbers
Skip generic industry statistics and use your own phone logs: (calls you miss per month) × (share of answered calls that become jobs) × (average gross profit per job). Compare that to the monthly cost.
Hypothetical example only: if you miss 40 calls a month, book 25% of answered calls, and average $400 gross profit per job, the missed calls represent about $4,000 a month in potential profit. If an AI receptionist recovered even a fraction of those, you could compare that to its cost. Replace every number with yours.
How ERA prices it
ERA publishes three plans: Lead Recovery ($1,000 implementation + $500/month), After-Hours Receptionist ($1,750 + $850/month), and Full Receptionist ($2,500 + $1,100/month). The implementation fee covers discovery, building your call flow and qualification rules, testing, and launch. Scope, integrations, and any usage limits are confirmed in writing before work begins.
Frequently asked questions
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than hiring a receptionist?
Usually, in monthly cost — but they are not identical. A person brings judgment and can do other office work; an AI receptionist covers nights, weekends, and overflow consistently.
Why do done-for-you AI receptionists cost more?
You are paying for the work of designing, testing, and maintaining the call flow and integrations, not just software access.
Are there hidden fees?
Ask every vendor about overage, integration fees, number porting, and cancellation. ERA confirms scope and any usage limits in writing before setup.
See how ERA would answer your calls.
Book a free 30-minute demo. Tell us how calls reach you today and what a good job looks like — we will show you how ERA would handle them, which plan fits, and what setup involves.