You hear the word “receptionist,” and you probably think of someone sitting behind a desk, coffee in one hand, phone in the other, expertly transferring calls while dodging office small talk. But in today’s business world, that image is as outdated as dial-up internet.
Virtual receptionists can answer calls from anywhere and are much more cost-effective than in-office receptionists.
In this article, we’ll cover the virtual receptionist cost of two options — AI- and human-powered — plus other things to consider when adding a virtual receptionist to your business.
What is a virtual receptionist?
A virtual receptionist handles incoming calls from customers on behalf of a business before they go to voicemail. Unlike traditional receptionists, virtual receptionists work remotely — or are part of a software solution (usually powered by AI).
Small businesses may use a virtual receptionist during a specific timeframe to handle overflow calls when the team is busy or for after hours — ensuring you never miss a call.
While they may not greet callers with a dazzling smile or compliment your shoes in the lobby, virtual receptionists can still charm customers with efficient service and handle many tasks, including:
- Answering inbound calls and call routing
- Scheduling appointments
- Responding to FAQs
- Providing customer support
- Message taking
- Providing company or account information
They can also capture and save key customer details, such as a new customer’s phone number or address.
Types of virtual receptionists
You can add a virtual receptionist to your small business in a few ways.
AI voice agents from VoIP providers
AI voice agents built into VoIP solutions have a unique advantage because they’re integrated into your phone system. You have direct oversight of the calls and can easily follow up on conversations.
Third-party AI voice agents that integrate with VoIP systems
If your business is using a phone system that doesn’t have its own AI voice agents, you can look at third-party AI receptionists. Since calls are forwarded to the answering service, you would need to juggle an additional app.
Traditional human-powered answering service
With a human-powered call answering service, an outsourced person answers calls on behalf of your business. You can add the virtual receptionist to your VoIP system so they can answer and route calls just like any team member.
How much does a virtual receptionist cost? AI vs human options
AI-powered voice receptionists cost between $50-$300+ per month.
The cost depends on the number of minutes or calls included, plus other features like call transfers or bilingual support.
Let’s say you want an AI voice agent to answer calls 24/7. The agent needs to answer questions about your business and take messages. You also want the agent to capture a call transcript and use AI to analyze phone calls. With an AI agent like Sona from OpenPhone, you’ll pay $49 for 50 calls per month and $0.99 per additional call. This is an add-on fee to your OpenPhone subscription, which starts at $15 per user per month.
In comparison, a standalone voice agent like Abby Connect can handle incoming calls, route them to the right person, and handle appointment scheduling. You’ll pay $299 for 200 minutes per month, in addition to the VoIP cost of your business phone system. Abby Connect doesn’t list overage fees on its website.
Human-powered voice receptionists cost anywhere from $300-$2,000+ per month.
Like AI-powered voice receptionists, you’ll also pay based on the number of minutes and features you need.
For example, Smith.ai offers live virtual receptionists who can handle tasks like lead capture and qualification, as well as client intake. Pricing starts at $292.50 for 30 calls and goes up to $2,025 for 300 calls per month. Overage calls start at $11.00 per call.
Check out our list of the best AI phone answering services.
How virtual receptionist pricing works
You may have noticed that the examples above had varying price structures, which you’ll want to consider as you compare virtual receptionist options.
Common pricing models
The best virtual receptionist pricing plan for your small business depends on the volume and length of your calls.
- Per-minute pricing: Works well with lower call volume. However, if your typical calls are lengthy or customers go on tangents, these plans can get expensive.
- Per-call pricing: Works well if you need to manage high call volume since your costs are more predictable.
Most providers offer a monthly subscription fee for a fixed number of calls or minutes.
Factors that influence the cost of virtual receptionists
Many virtual receptionist providers offer different tiers with per-minute or per-call pricing, but other features or services can impact the total amount you pay.
- Overages: With monthly subscriptions, your plan will allow a certain number of calls or minutes. If you go over what your plan allows, you’ll pay overage fees, which can vary widely by provider.
- Multilingual support: If you need calls answered in multiple languages (Spanish, for example), this will typically cost more.
- Appointment booking: If a lot of your calls are about appointment booking, you may need a virtual receptionist service that can handle these requests.
- Integrations: Some providers require a higher-tier plan to access integrations to other tools, like Zapier or a CRM.
- Call transferring: Some virtual receptionist services may only answer calls but not transfer them. If you need call transfers, that might be an upgrade.
- Spam detection: Virtual receptionists can screen calls and reduce the time spent on junk calls.
- IT setup: Some standalone AI receptionists need a developer to integrate these products into your existing system (tools like Voiceflow, for example, have a steeper learning curve).
Pro tip: If your business phone system offers an automated phone menu (IVR), it can route callers to the right person or team. This saves time, makes call handling more efficient, and will reduce the number of calls your virtual receptionist needs to answer.
Avoid common pitfalls with virtual receptionists
Missed calls are bad, but poor call handling can be worse. Customers may have a negative experience with the virtual receptionist or hang up before finishing the call. This damages your reputation (and may lead to negative reviews).
While some virtual receptionist services claim they can prequalify leads, if this is done incorrectly, it can lead to lost sales opportunities.
The cost of mishandled calls is more than a dollar amount. It affects how people perceive your company and can decrease customer satisfaction. You want your virtual receptionist to reflect your brand, set the right expectations with customers, and keep calls moving in the right direction by following a call flow.
Consider hidden fees with virtual receptionist services
In addition to the factors above that can impact the base cost of your plan, some providers may charge extra fees. Abby Connect, for example, charges a one-time setup fee of $95 to start any receptionist subscription.
Some services require long contracts (or only offer discounts with annual plans). You don’t want to get locked into a subscription if the virtual receptionist doesn’t work out. On top of that, some companies charge hefty early termination fees if you cancel.
Look for virtual receptionist services that prioritize transparent pricing, like OpenPhone. Our per-call monthly subscriptions give you better cost predictability — with no surprise usage fees.
Sona: The only virtual receptionist you need
Like all OpenPhone products, our AI agent, Sona, is designed to be easy to set up and use. All calls answered by Sona are recorded in your OpenPhone inbox, complete with transcripts and call summaries. You’ll never lose business due to a missed call again.
Since Sona is fully built into the OpenPhone platform, you don’t need to juggle multiple tools. Sona is also fast-evolving, with new features added frequently.
If you’re not a current OpenPhone customer, you can sign up for a free seven-day trial.
You can also check out our recorded webinar to learn more about Sona and test the product in the OpenPhone app:
FAQs
Yes, a virtual receptionist can save time and reduce overhead by handling calls efficiently, making it a cost-effective option for small businesses that need call management without the expense of an in-office receptionist.
AI-powered virtual receptionists are typically more affordable than human receptionists. For example, OpenPhone offers an AI agent named Sona for $49 for 50 calls per month, while Smith.ai’s live virtual receptionists start at $292.50 for 30 calls per month.
Virtual receptionist services generally bill on a per-minute or per-call basis. Many services offer monthly subscriptions or packages with set rates for a certain number of calls or minutes.
