---
title: "AI Receptionist Cost and Pricing: What Is Affordable for a Small Busin"
description: "Affordable AI receptionist cost and pricing compared across setup, monthly support, usage, call coverage, booking, integrations, testing, and human handoff."
url: "https://www.thequietprotocol.com/ai-receptionist-cost"
---

# AI receptionist cost Every AI receptionist quote has five lines. *Most price pages show you one.*

AI receptionist cost is the sum of setup, a monthly fee, usage, phone and carrier charges, and the extras your business needs. Here are the five lines, what the market lists for each as of 5 October 2026, and what we charge, so you can compare quotes that are not built the same way.

**AI voice agent plan** from $449/month, free setup, no contract **Market range listed** $29 to $2,100 a month

[Get a written quote](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/demo#book-demo) [Call our live AI: +1 855-916-4334](tel:+18559164334)

Top-rated: 5.0 on Google Every line in writing before you pay.

Quote AI receptionist, one location

- 1 Setup One time
- 2 Monthly fee Every month
- 3 Usage As used
- 4 Phone and carrier Often extra
- 5 Extras Scoped

Most price pages show one of these lines.

1 Setup

**Ask** Who builds my call flow, tests it and connects my calendar, and is that in the price?

**The market** All four vendors checked list no setup fee. Setup shows up when a vendor builds the receptionist for you, or when you build it yourself and the cost is your time.

**Ours** AI voice agent plan: setup is free, normally $1,495. We build, test and launch it.

2 Monthly fee

**Ask** What does the monthly fee cover, and does it cover my volume or only the first few calls?

**The market** Listed plans run from $29 to $2,100 a month. The low end is a self-configured tool. The high end buys more calls on a plan with live agents.

**Ours** AI voice agent plan: from $449/month, free setup, no contract. 600 call minutes included, with setup, testing and ongoing care by us.

3 Usage

**Ask** What is the billing unit, how much is included, and what does the next call or minute cost?

**The market** Smith.ai bills per call, Ruby and Dialzara per minute and Goodcall per unique caller, with unlimited minutes. The unit decides what a busy month does to your bill.

**Ours** Your plan includes the voice minutes listed and normal texting and email for your business. Third-party carrier and registration fees are billed separately at cost. Need more minutes? Add a prepaid top-up pack or move up a plan.

4 Phone and carrier

**Ask** Do I keep my number? Are phone numbers, texting and carrier registration included?

**The market** Texting is often its own line. Dialzara, for example, lists its AI texting agent as a separate monthly fee plus a charge per message.

**Ours** Calls, texts and carrier charges are part of the usage sentence above, and we check your phone provider and forwarding during setup.

5 Extras

**Ask** Do languages, locations, a second call job or a connection to my software cost more?

**The market** Plans cap things you may need: Goodcall limits logic flows and team members by plan and prices per agent. Check what your business actually needs before comparing tiers.

**Ours** A second call job, a second location, a connection to your software or a medical build with privacy setup is scoped in writing first and can cost more.

Pick a line to see what to ask a vendor, what the market lists and what we charge. Market figures are from each vendor's public pricing page on 5 October 2026.

## Four ways to be billed. *The unit decides what a busy month costs.*

Two quotes with the same monthly fee can differ by thousands over a year because one counts calls and the other counts minutes. Find the billing unit first, then compare.

| Billing model | Example | What is good about it | What to watch |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Per call | Smith.ai | A short, simple call costs the same as a long one. Predictable when calls are quick. | Spam, wrong numbers and hang-ups may count. The overage per extra call is the number that matters. |
| Per minute | Ruby, Dialzara | You pay for what is used. Cheap for short calls and quiet months. | Long calls, hold time and transfers can count. Ask about rounding, such as a minimum of a minute. |
| Per unique caller | Goodcall | Minutes are unlimited, so a long call costs nothing extra. Easy to budget if callers are mostly new. | A surge of different callers, such as after an ad or a storm, moves you up a plan. |
| Monthly plan with minutes included | The Quiet Protocol | Two plans with minutes of calls included, no contract, and a team that builds and runs the agents for you. | A busy month can pass your included minutes. Add a prepaid top-up pack or move up a plan. |

## The same month, compared by billing model. *The answers are not close.*

An illustrative month: 300 calls of about 3 minutes, which is 900 minutes, from 300 different callers. For each vendor, this is the cheapest listed way to cover that month, using only prices on its public page on 5 October 2026. The Smith.ai row covers live receptionists, not its separate AI-first plans. TQP uses its current prepaid packages. These are different products, so this is not a ranking.

| Vendor and model | Cheapest listed way to cover the month | Monthly total | What it is |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Goodcall, per unique caller | Growth (250 callers) plus 50 extra at $0.50 | $154 | Self-configured AI. You build and maintain it. |
| Dialzara, per minute | Business Elite (1,000 minutes) | $349 | Self-configured AI. You build and maintain it. |
| Ruby, per minute | Professional covers 500 of 900 minutes | $1,725 plus overage | Live human receptionists. Overage is not shown on its public page. |
| Smith.ai live receptionists, per call | Pro (300 calls) | $2,100 | Dated live-receptionist plan snapshot. AI-first plans are priced separately. |
| The Quiet Protocol, prepaid call minutes | Essential: 600 included minutes + 1 top-up of 300 minutes | $698 USD | Setup and ongoing management included. Before tax, carrier and registration fees or Custom work. |

For TQP, this 900-minute example is $449 for Essential plus $249 for its 300-minute top-up: $698 USD. Growth includes 1,200 minutes for $789 USD if your month needs more room. These are voice-plan costs, before tax, separate carrier or registration charges and Custom work. A call count alone cannot determine TQP's cost; the minutes matter.

## And a person at the desk? *Count the hours, not only the wage.*

The median receptionist in the United States earned $38,010 a year, or $18.27 an hour, in 2025 ([Bureau of Labor Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/receptionists.htm)). That is before payroll taxes, benefits, training, vacation and sick days.

A full-time desk covers 40 of the 168 hours in a week. Calls arrive in the rest, and evenings and weekends are when many people look for a service. The honest comparison is not AI instead of a person. It is what answers when the person is not there.

[AI receptionist vs human receptionist](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/ai-receptionist-vs-human-receptionist) walks through where each one wins.

### When a cheaper tool is the better buy

- **You have the time.** You will build the call flow, test it and fix it when your business changes.
- **Your calls are simple.** One question, one answer, no booking rules.
- **You can check the results.** You will listen to calls and tune it.

### When an installed receptionist fits

- **You would rather not build it.** We map, set up, test and run it.
- **Your calls have rules.** Booking lanes, emergencies, who gets told.
- **Missed calls are expensive.** The cost of one lost job is more than the fee.

## What we charge. *All of it, in one place.*

- Monthly **AI voice agent plan, from $449/month, free setup, no contract**
- Setup **free, normally $1,495**
- Usage **Your plan includes the voice minutes listed and normal texting and email for your business. Third-party carrier and registration fees are billed separately at cost. Need more minutes? Add a prepaid top-up pack or move up a plan.**
- Commitment **None. No contract, cancel anytime**
- Extras **A second call job, a second location, a connection to your software or a medical build is scoped in writing first**

We build the call flow, test it with you and look after it every month. Prices are in US dollars.

[Get a written quote](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/demo#book-demo) [How the AI receptionist works](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/solutions/ai-receptionist)

### Eight questions for any vendor

- What is the billing unit: call, minute or caller?
- How many are included, and what is the overage?
- Is there a setup fee, and who does the setup?
- Are phone numbers, texting and carrier fees included?
- Can I keep my phone number, and can I leave without a fee?
- What happens when an integration fails or the caller needs a person?
- Is there a minimum term, and what does it commit me to?
- Will the quote be in writing before I pay?

Want it as a worksheet? Use the [call-testing and cost worksheet](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/resources/ai-receptionist-pressure-test).

## Questions about AI receptionist cost.

Straight answers. If yours is not here, ask us on a call.

**Is the monthly fee the total cost of an AI receptionist?**

Only if it covers every charge for your volume. Add setup, the monthly fee, usage, phone and carrier charges and any extras you need. Compare quotes on the first month and an ordinary month separately.

**Why do listed prices run from $29 to $2,100 a month?**

They are different products. The low end is a self-configured AI tool that you set up and maintain. The high end is a plan with live agents or a larger allowance. Prices listed on each vendor's public pricing page were checked on 5 October 2026 and change, so confirm before you buy.

**Which is cheaper, per call or per minute?**

It depends on your calls. Short, frequent calls favor per minute. Long, complex calls favor per call. Pull a month of your call log, count calls and minutes, and price both. The worked example below shows how different the answers can be.

**How much does The Quiet Protocol cost?**

AI voice agent plan is from $449/month, free setup, no contract, in US dollars. Setup is free, normally $1,495. Your plan includes the voice minutes listed and normal texting and email for your business. Third-party carrier and registration fees are billed separately at cost. Need more minutes? Add a prepaid top-up pack or move up a plan. A medical build, a second location or a connection to your software is scoped in writing first and can cost more.

**Is there a contract?**

The AI voice agents have no contract, so you can cancel anytime. We agree the scope and the commitment in writing before any work starts.

**Why not just use a cheaper tool?**

You can, and for some businesses it is the right call. A self-configured tool fits when you have the time to build and test your own call flow and update it when your business changes. An installed receptionist fits when you would rather have someone build it, test it and keep it working.

**How do I estimate my own usage?**

Count the calls you would want answered in a typical month and the average length of each. Multiply for minutes. Ask each vendor to price that same month, and ask what counts: hold time, transfers, spam and unanswered calls.

**Will these prices change?**

Yes. Vendors change plans often. Every market figure on this page came from each vendor's own pricing page on 5 October 2026. Treat it as a starting point, not a quote.

## Let's price *your month.*

Book a call and bring a month of your call log. We will count the calls and minutes together, show you what each model would cost and give you the total in writing. You will talk to the people who build it, led by our founder, Vikram Roy.

[Get a written quote](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/demo#book-demo) [Or call our live AI first](tel:+18559164334)

**Also useful** [Best AI receptionist for small business](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/best-ai-receptionist-for-small-business) [AI receptionist vs human receptionist](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/ai-receptionist-vs-human-receptionist) [AI receptionist vs answering service](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/vs/answering-service) [Smith.ai alternative, priced](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/vs/smith-ai) [Ruby receptionists alternative, priced](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/vs/ruby-receptionists)

![Vikram Roy, founder of The Quiet Protocol](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/images/founder/vikram-roy.png)

Written and reviewed by

[Vikram Roy](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/authors/vikram-roy), Founder & Chief Architect, The Quiet Protocol

Vikram Roy is the founder of The Quiet Protocol, a Toronto-based AI and marketing agency serving service businesses across the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, and the United States. He works directly with professional firms, home service companies, dental practices and clinics. He connects their website, local search, social media, intake, booking, reviews, follow-up and practical AI into one clear front door.

Last updated October 18, 2026 [More from Vikram](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/authors/vikram-roy) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikroy/)

From the guides

## Go deeper before you decide

Compare total call-coverage costs and the setup responsibilities behind the monthly price.

- [Affordable Answering Service: AI or Another Hire? 10 min read](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/ai-receptionist-vs-hiring-receptionist-cost-comparison)
- [Answering Service for Contractors: What It Costs Per Minute, Per Call or Flat 7 min read](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog/answering-service-for-contractors-what-it-costs-per-minute-call-or-flat)

Put it to the test

- [Use the acceptance worksheet before approving an implementation](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/resources/ai-receptionist-pressure-test#receiving-record)

[All guides](https://www.thequietprotocol.com/blog)