Quick answer
An AI receptionist answers your business phone 24/7 in a natural voice, books appointments into your calendar, answers common questions, and texts or transfers you when a call needs a person. For a small business it usually costs far less than an answering service or added staff. Its biggest payoff is catching the calls you'd otherwise miss: after hours, at lunch and when everyone's busy.
Key takeaways
- Every unanswered call is a customer who may book with a competitor.
- AI receptionists answer instantly, never put callers on hold, and work all night.
- Plans commonly cost from under $100 to a few hundred dollars a month.
- Check call-recording consent rules in your state, and get a HIPAA BAA for healthcare.
- The best setup is AI first, with a fast handoff to a person for anything unusual.
What can an AI receptionist do?
- Answer every call, day or night, without hold music.
- Book appointments straight into your scheduling software or calendar.
- Answer common questions about hours, location, services, service areas and how pricing works, often learned straight from your Google Business Profile.
- Qualify the caller by asking the questions you'd ask, such as the address, the problem and how urgent it is.
- Send you a summary by text or email after every call, with the details you need.
- Transfer or alert a person for emergencies, upset customers or anything it shouldn't handle.
What does it cost compared with the alternatives?
| Option | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| AI receptionist | Commonly under $100 to a few hundred dollars a month | Booking, common questions, after-hours and overflow |
| Human answering service | Often billed per minute or per call; adds up fast at volume | Complex or sensitive calls |
| Part-time receptionist | Hourly wages plus taxes, and covers only their shift | In-person front desk work |
| Voicemail | Free | Very little; many callers hang up and call someone else |
Pricing varies by vendor, call volume and features. Compare a few plans against your real monthly call count.
Our pick for a low-cost AI receptionist
Rosie: 24/7 call answering from $49 a month
- Answers every call 24/7, in English or Spanish, with 10+ voice options
- Takes messages, texts callers appointment links, and sends you a summary, transcript and recording of every call
- Books straight into your calendar and transfers urgent calls to you (Scale plan and up)
- Learns your business from your website and Google Business Profile
- Website chat included; mobile apps for iPhone and Android
- Plans from $49/month for 250 minutes; $149 for 1,000 minutes; $299 for 2,000 minutes
We may earn a commission if you sign up through our link, at no extra cost to you. Pricing as listed on Rosie's site in October 2026; check their site for current plans.
How to choose an AI receptionist
- Test the voice. Call the demo line. It should sound natural and handle interruptions.
- Check your integrations. It needs to book into the calendar or software you already use.
- Look at the handoff. How fast can it transfer a call or alert you, and to whom?
- Read the call summaries. They should be accurate and easy to act on.
- Confirm compliance. Recording disclosures for your state, and a HIPAA BAA if you're in healthcare.
- Start narrow. Begin with after-hours and overflow calls, then expand once you trust it.
How businesses use AI receptionists, by industry
| Industry | What it handles |
|---|---|
| HVAC | Catches no-heat and no-cool calls after hours, tells emergencies from routine visits, books tune-ups. |
| Plumbing | Answers while you're on a job, triages leaks and backups, texts you the urgent ones. |
| Roofing | Handles call spikes after storms, collects damage details, books inspections. |
| Auto repair | Picks up when the counter is slammed, books oil changes and diagnostics. |
| Dental | Books new patients at lunch and after hours, answers insurance questions (with a HIPAA BAA). |
| Med spa | Replies instantly to inquiries, books consultations, sends reminders. |
| Car dealerships | Books service and test drives, routes hot sales leads to the right salesperson. |
| Law firms | Answers intake calls, books consultations, flags urgent matters (never gives legal advice). |
| Veterinary | Books visits, answers new-client questions, points urgent cases to emergency care. |
| Chiropractic | Books new-patient visits and answers insurance and offer questions (with a HIPAA BAA). |
| Plastic surgery | Books private consultations after hours and follows up with inquiries. |
| Orthodontics | Books free consultations and answers payment plan questions. |
What an AI receptionist shouldn't do
- Give quotes or prices it hasn't been told are accurate.
- Give medical, legal or financial advice.
- Handle angry or upset customers without a quick handoff.
- Make promises about timing or outcomes that you haven't approved.
Pair it with a website that converts
An AI receptionist catches the calls. A strong website and Google Business Profile make the phone ring in the first place. For businesses processing $100,000+ a month that switch processing through us, we build the website, profile, landing pages and tracking free. See the free marketing package.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI receptionist?
An AI receptionist is software that answers your business phone in a natural-sounding voice, 24/7. It can answer common questions, book appointments into your calendar, take detailed messages, and transfer or alert a person when a call needs one.
How much does an AI receptionist cost?
Plans commonly run from under $100 to a few hundred dollars a month, depending on call minutes, features and integrations. That's usually far less than a human answering service billed by the minute, or a part-time receptionist.
Is an AI receptionist better than an answering service?
For booking, common questions and after-hours coverage, an AI receptionist is usually faster and cheaper, and it never puts callers on hold. A human service can still be better for complex or sensitive conversations. Many businesses use AI first with a handoff to a person.
Will callers know they're talking to AI?
Modern voices sound natural, but it's best to be upfront. A short greeting that says it's a virtual assistant keeps trust high, and some states have rules about disclosing automated calls and recording.
Is it legal to record calls with an AI receptionist?
It depends on the state. Some states, including California, require every party's consent to record a call. Use a greeting that announces recording, and check the rules where you and your callers are.
Can healthcare practices use an AI receptionist?
Yes, if the vendor signs a HIPAA business associate agreement when the system handles patient health information.
What's a good low-cost AI receptionist?
Our pick is Rosie. Plans start at $49 a month for 250 minutes, it answers 24/7 in English or Spanish, takes messages, texts appointment links and sends a summary of every call, and there's a 7-day free trial. We may earn a commission if you sign up through our link.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Card network rules and state laws change; confirm the rules for your business before changing how you charge customers.