How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost in 2026?
Written by Isaac Lopez, founder of Sortexs, former Cyber Security Analyst & Software Engineer. Last updated .
A standalone AI receptionist costs $14 to $599 a month depending on call volume and features, with most contractors landing between $25 and $300. A live, human-staffed answering service runs $100 to $1,000+ a month for similar coverage. Sortexs includes a full AI receptionist, along with the website, hosting and CRM, in its one $297/month plan ($99/month billed annually), so there's no separate receptionist bill to compare in the first place.
Key takeaways
- Standalone AI receptionist tools cost $14 to $599 a month, with most small businesses paying $25 to $300.
- Live, human-staffed answering services run $100 to $1,000+ a month for similar call volumes.
- Contractors miss 27% to 62% of incoming calls while on job sites, and 85% of those callers never call back.
- The real cost of a 'cheap' AI receptionist plan is often in per-minute overage fees once you pass the included minutes.
- Sortexs bundles an AI receptionist with the website, hosting and CRM for $297/month, or $99/month billed annually, with no separate receptionist bill.
AI receptionist costs right now
What actually sets the price of an AI receptionist?
Every AI receptionist price comes down to three things: how many calls or minutes are included, what the AI does on the call, and whether it's sold as its own product or folded into something bigger.
Budget plans like Dialzara ($29/month for 60 minutes) or AIRA's Starter tier ($24.95/month for 30 calls) answer and route calls, and you book the appointment yourself afterward. Mid-tier flat-rate plans, like NextPhone's $199/month unlimited plan, add appointment booking, SMS confirmations and CRM syncing, which is why most contractors end up there instead of the $25 tier.
For contractors specifically, the math changes because of how often calls go unanswered in the first place. Plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs and roofers miss 27% to 62% of incoming calls because they're on a ladder, under a sink or driving between jobs. What matters more than the subscription price is what a missed call is worth before the invoice ever gets written.
How much do AI receptionists and answering services cost?
Published 2026 pricing across providers, by model.
| Type | Typical monthly cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Budget AI (Dialzara, AIRA Starter) | $25-$99 | 30-90 calls, basic answering and routing |
| Flat-rate AI (NextPhone) | $199 | Unlimited calls, booking, SMS, CRM sync, no per-minute fees |
| Hybrid AI + human (Smith.ai) | $300-$2,100+ | 30-300 calls plus per-call overages, live backup |
| Live answering service | $100-$1,000+ | 50-1,000+ minutes, human-staffed, per-minute overages common |
Compiled from provider pricing pages and 2026 cost guides. Sortexs doesn't sell an AI receptionist on its own; it's part of one bundled plan.
Source: getnextphone.comMost low-priced AI receptionist plans cap the minutes included, then charge $0.25 to $1.90 per minute after that. A plumbing company running 150 calls in a busy month on a 60-minute plan can end up paying more in overages than the base plan itself. Ask for the overage rate before you sign, not after the first bill.
What should you check before you buy one?
- How many calls or minutes are actually included, and what the overage rate is after that
- Whether it books appointments on your calendar, or just takes a message
- Whether it writes the call into a CRM, or you re-enter everything by hand
- Whether it's trained on your trade's terms: emergency vs. routine, insurance claims, service calls
- Whether there's a contract, or you can cancel month to month
Does the receptionist price include the website and CRM too?
Every price above covers the receptionist alone. None of it includes the website that's supposed to send the caller to you, the hosting that keeps that website up, or the CRM that catches the lead if the call doesn't turn into a booking. Add those up on their own: a $199/month AI receptionist, a $20-$50/month hosting plan, a $100-$300/month CRM subscription, and a contractor can be paying $350 to $550 a month before any of those pieces are even talking to each other.
Sortexs runs as one $297/month plan, or $99/month billed annually ($1,188/year), and the AI receptionist isn't sold separately. It's part of the subscription along with the website, hosting, maintenance, the CRM and automated follow-ups. There's no setup fee and no contract, and new customers get a 30-day free trial on monthly billing. After six months on the service, the website becomes the contractor's to keep at no charge; buying it out earlier costs a flat $500. The receptionist is customized to the trade, covering storm damage and insurance claims for roofers or emergency calls for plumbers and HVAC techs, the same way a standalone AI receptionist tool would be, just without a separate line item for it.
Common questions
How much does an AI receptionist cost per month?
Standalone AI receptionist tools cost $14 to $599 a month in 2026, depending on call volume and features. Most small businesses land between $25 and $300 a month. Flat-rate plans like NextPhone's $199/month avoid per-minute overages; budget tiers under $50/month usually cap you at 30-90 calls before extra charges start.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than a live answering service?
Usually, yes. AI receptionists typically run $25 to $300 a month, while live, human-staffed answering services run $100 to $1,000+ a month for similar call volumes, since you're paying for a person's time instead of software. Hybrid services that mix AI with live backup, like Smith.ai, sit in between at $300 and up.
What's the cheapest AI receptionist for a small business?
Entry plans from AIRA ($24.95/month for 30 calls) and Dialzara ($29/month for 60 minutes) are among the lowest published prices in 2026. They cover basic call answering and routing, not appointment booking or CRM sync, which usually requires a mid-tier plan.
Do AI receptionists have hidden fees?
The most common hidden cost is per-minute overage charges once you pass your plan's included minutes, often $0.25 to $1.90 per minute. Some providers also charge setup fees or require an annual contract for their lowest advertised price, so ask about the overage rate and contract terms before signing up.
Does Sortexs charge extra for the AI receptionist?
No. The AI receptionist is included in Sortexs' one Elite plan at $297/month, or $99/month billed annually, along with the website, hosting, maintenance and CRM. There's no setup fee and no separate bill for the receptionist.
Can I try an AI receptionist before paying for it?
That depends on the provider. Sortexs offers a 30-day free trial on monthly billing, during which the AI receptionist, website and CRM are all live. Check each provider's own site for its trial policy, since terms vary by company.
Sources
- 62% of Business Calls Go Unanswered: The $126K Cost [Data]
- Cost of Missed Calls: $126,000/Year for Small Businesses (2026 Data)
- How Much Business Do Contractors Lose From Missed Calls
- AI Receptionist Cost - 2026 Pricing Guide
- AI Receptionist Pricing and Cost: Call Answering $99/mo
- Best AI Receptionist for Small Business: 7 Compared (2026)
- How Much Does an AI Answering Service Cost?
- Answering Service Cost: What You Can Expect to Pay in 2026
- Answering Service Pricing: The Complete 2026 Cost Guide
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