AI receptionist pricing ranges from $30 to $500 per month depending on the provider, features, and call volume. For most small businesses, the sweet spot is $49 to $199 per month -- a fraction of the cost of a human receptionist. Here is a complete breakdown of what you should expect to pay and what you get at each price point.
AI Receptionist Pricing Overview for 2026
The AI receptionist market has matured rapidly, and pricing has become more competitive and transparent. Here is the general market landscape:
- Budget tier ($30-$60/mo) -- Basic call answering, limited calls (50-100), simple message taking
- Mid-range ($60-$150/mo) -- Full-featured including appointment scheduling, integrations, 200-500 calls
- Premium ($150-$300+/mo) -- Unlimited calls, HIPAA compliance, CRM integration, dedicated support
What Affects AI Receptionist Pricing?
Call Volume
This is the primary pricing driver. Most plans are structured around a monthly call limit, with overage charges for calls beyond the limit. Some premium plans offer unlimited calls at a flat rate.
Features Included
Basic plans cover call answering and message taking. Appointment scheduling, calendar integration, SMS follow-up, call transcripts, and analytics are usually reserved for mid-range and premium tiers.
Industry-Specific Capabilities
HIPAA-compliant configurations for healthcare, legal intake features for law firms, and other industry-specific capabilities often come at premium pricing tiers.
Contract Length
Annual contracts typically offer 15-20 percent discounts compared to monthly billing. However, committing to an annual contract before testing the service is risky.
AI Receptionist Pricing Comparison
Here is how major providers stack up:
- NetworkSIP -- $49/mo (100 calls), $99/mo (500 calls), $199/mo (unlimited). No setup fees, no contracts. View detailed pricing.
- Smith.ai -- Starting around $140/mo for 20 calls. Per-call pricing model. AI plus human hybrid.
- My AI Front Desk -- Starting around $35-65/mo. Budget-friendly but limited integrations.
- Ruby -- Starting around $230/mo for 50 calls. Primarily human receptionists.
- Rosie AI -- Starting around $49/mo. AI-native, growing feature set.
NetworkSIP Pricing Explained
NetworkSIP's pricing is designed for small business budgets with no hidden costs:
- Starter -- $49/month -- 100 calls, 24/7 answering, custom greeting, call routing, SMS follow-up, transcripts. Best for solo businesses.
- Professional -- $99/month -- 500 calls, everything in Starter plus appointment scheduling, multi-language support, Slack integration, priority support. Best for growing practices.
- Business -- $199/month -- Unlimited calls, everything in Professional plus custom call flows, CRM integration, API access, HIPAA compliance, dedicated account manager.
- Annual discount -- Save 20 percent ($39/$79/$159 per month).
Hidden Costs to Watch For
- Setup fees -- Some charge $100-$500 for initial configuration. NetworkSIP charges zero.
- Per-minute overage charges -- Going over your limit can result in $1-3 per additional minute.
- Integration fees -- Connecting to your CRM or calendar may cost extra with some providers.
- Minimum contract lengths -- Some require 6 or 12-month commitments.
- Cancellation penalties -- Early termination fees can be substantial.
Is There a Free AI Receptionist?
Most providers offer free trials rather than permanently free plans. NetworkSIP's 14-day free trial gives you access to all features with real calls so you can evaluate thoroughly before committing. Some providers offer very limited free tiers -- typically 5 to 10 calls per month -- which are too limited for any real business use.
ROI Calculator: Is an AI Receptionist Worth It?
Here is a simple framework for calculating your return on investment:
- Estimate missed calls per week -- A typical small business misses 10-20 calls per week.
- Estimate average customer value -- Ranges from $100 (salon visit) to $5,000+ (legal case).
- Calculate monthly lost revenue -- Missed calls x average value x 4 weeks. Example: 15 x $150 = $9,000/month.
- Compare to AI receptionist cost -- At $99/month, the ROI is approximately 9,000 percent.
AI Receptionist vs. Human Receptionist Cost
The full cost of a human receptionist includes more than just salary:
- Salary -- $32,000-$45,000 per year
- Benefits -- Health insurance, PTO, retirement: $8,000-$15,000 per year
- Payroll taxes -- 7.65 percent of salary
- Training and turnover -- Recruiting and training costs
- Total -- $42,000-$65,000 per year
An AI receptionist at $99/month costs $1,188 per year -- savings of $41,000 to $64,000 annually. And the AI works 24/7.
Detailed ROI Calculation Example
Let us walk through a concrete ROI example for a mid-size dental practice:
- Current situation -- The practice receives approximately 40 calls per day. During peak hours and lunch, they miss an average of 8 calls per day, totaling 40 missed calls per week.
- Average patient value -- Each new patient appointment generates $250 in first-visit revenue (exam, X-rays, cleaning). Existing patients average $175 per visit.
- Conversion rate -- Approximately 60 percent of missed calls would have resulted in a booked appointment if answered.
- Weekly lost revenue -- 40 missed calls multiplied by 60 percent conversion multiplied by $200 average value equals $4,800 per week.
- Monthly lost revenue -- $19,200 per month walking out the door.
- AI receptionist cost -- NetworkSIP Professional plan at $99 per month.
- Monthly net gain -- Even if the AI recovers just 50 percent of those missed calls, that is $9,600 in recovered revenue minus $99 for the service, equaling $9,501 net monthly gain.
- Annual ROI -- $114,012 in recovered revenue on a $1,188 annual investment, representing a return of over 9,500 percent.
Understanding the True Cost of Each Option
When comparing AI receptionist costs, consider the total cost of ownership beyond the monthly subscription:
AI Receptionist Total Annual Cost
- Subscription: $588 to $2,388 per year depending on plan
- Setup: $0 (most providers including NetworkSIP)
- Training: $0 (self-service configuration)
- Maintenance: $0 (updates included)
- After-hours coverage: $0 (included in base price)
- Total: $588 to $2,388 per year
Human Receptionist Total Annual Cost
- Salary: $32,000 to $45,000 per year
- Benefits (health, PTO, retirement): $8,000 to $15,000 per year
- Payroll taxes (7.65%): $2,448 to $3,443 per year
- Recruiting and training (annual turnover): $2,000 to $5,000 per year
- After-hours answering service: $2,400 to $14,400 per year
- Total: $46,848 to $82,843 per year
Traditional Answering Service Total Annual Cost
- Monthly subscription: $200 to $1,200 per month ($2,400 to $14,400 per year)
- Per-call overage charges: $500 to $3,000 per year (varies by volume)
- Setup and customization: $100 to $500 one-time
- After-hours premium: $600 to $3,600 per year
- Total: $3,600 to $21,500 per year
How to Choose the Right Plan
- Under 25 calls per week -- Starter plan ($49/mo)
- 25-125 calls per week -- Professional plan ($99/mo)
- 125+ calls or HIPAA needs -- Business plan ($199/mo)
Not sure which plan fits? Start with a free trial -- you can always upgrade or downgrade based on actual usage.