How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost in 2026?

Most AI receptionists charge a flat monthly fee. Retarget Leads, for example, is $97 a month. That’s far less than a part-time employee and usually less than a live answering service once your call volume grows. Here’s how the three options compare, and how to work out whether it pays for itself in your business.

The three ways to get your phone answered

Hire a receptionist

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median receptionist wage at $18.27 an hour, or $38,010 a year (May 2025). Add payroll taxes, benefits and paid time off, and the real cost is higher. A full-time hire also covers only about 40 of the 168 hours in a week, so nights, weekends, lunch breaks and sick days are still unanswered.

Use a live answering service

Live answering services usually bill by the minute or by the call. Nextiva’s 2026 pricing guide puts typical rates at $0.75 to $1.50 a minute or $1 to $11 a call, with most plans between $100 and $1,000+ a month. The catch for trades is seasonality: when your phone rings the most, your bill does too, and overage charges add up fast.

Use an AI receptionist

An AI receptionist answers every call, day and night, and can handle several calls at once. Good ones do more than take messages: they ask your qualifying questions, book the appointment on your calendar and text you the details. Pricing is usually a flat monthly fee, so a busy month doesn’t cost more.

What drives the price

• Billing model. Flat monthly fees are predictable. Per-minute and per-call plans get expensive in busy months.
• Booking vs. message-taking. A service that books jobs on your calendar is worth more than one that only takes a message you have to return.
• Setup and onboarding. Ask whether setup is included and how long it takes. Ours is live in 24–48 hours.
• Contracts. Month-to-month plans let you walk away if it isn’t working.

Does it pay for itself? A quick way to check

Take your average job value and ask how many extra jobs a month you’d need to cover the cost. If your average job is $300, one extra booked job covers a $97 plan three times over. Most service businesses miss far more than one call a month, especially after hours.

Here’s the example we use with HVAC and plumbing clients: one missed call a day is about 30 missed opportunities a month. If 14 of those become booked jobs and you complete 8 at $300 each, that’s roughly $2,400 in new monthly revenue.

Questions to ask before you buy

• Does it answer 24/7, including holidays?
• Can it book directly onto my calendar?
• How fast do I get the caller’s details?
• Can I keep my existing phone number?
• Is there a free trial, and is it month-to-month?

Frequently asked questions

Is an AI receptionist cheaper than an answering service?

Usually, yes, once you take more than a handful of calls a month. AI receptionists tend to charge a flat monthly fee, while live services bill per minute or per call.

Is an AI receptionist cheaper than hiring someone?

Yes. At the median U.S. receptionist wage, one month of a full-time hire costs more than several years of a $97/month AI receptionist, and the AI covers nights and weekends too.

Can I try one before paying?

Retarget Leads offers a 7-day free trial, so you can hear it answer your own calls first. Start your free trial.