AI receptionist vs answering service vs virtual receptionist
An AI receptionist is software that answers your calls with a voice agent. An answering service and a virtual receptionist use people. At the companies that publish prices for both, AI answering costs 20% to 50% of the live price for a 3-minute call.
The right choice depends on what callers need. AI suits booking, routine questions and after-hours calls; people suit judgment calls, upset callers and anything off script. Many businesses use both.
Prices checked between October 15 and October 22, 2026
- AI receptionists
- 60
- Live services with AI
- 7
Side by side
| Detail | AI receptionist | Answering service | Virtual receptionist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who answers | A voice agent | People, often with AI help | People, often with AI help |
| What it does | Answers, books (57 of 60 list booking), takes messages, transfers (46 list it) | Takes messages and passes on urgent calls | Acts as your front desk: transfers, books, answers questions |
| How it's billed | Per minute, per call, per caller or a flat monthly fee; 23 of 60 quote on request | Per minute or per call, in monthly bundles | Per minute or per call, in monthly bundles |
| A 3-minute call | About $0.95 (median of 19 published plans at 250 calls a month) | $7.00 to $15.00 on the entry rates published by Smith.ai, Abby Connect, Moneypenny AI Receptionist and Ruby | |
Figures come from published plans; your cost depends on call length, volume and plan. See AI answering cost per call and live versus AI rates.
Which one fits
- Mostly booking and routine questions
- An AI receptionist, connected to your calendar or booking software.
- Calls that need judgment or a warm voice
- A virtual receptionist service, or AI with a hand-off to its staff.
- After-hours overflow and messages
- Either works. At the companies that sell both, AI costs less per call.
- Patient calls in healthcare
- A vendor that signs a HIPAA BAA. See which AI receptionists do.
Compare the vendors
Compare 60 AI receptionists on price model, integrations and human backup, or 7 virtual receptionist services that use AI. Start free with free plans and trials.
Questions
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than an answering service?
At the companies that sell both, AI costs 20% to 50% of their live price for a 3-minute call. Across AI receptionists more broadly, at 250 3-minute calls a month the median works out to $0.95 a call, among the 19 whose published plans can be priced at that volume. Live receptionist entry rates at the services that publish them come to $7.00 to $15.00 for a call that long, on their smallest plans, so the two aren't a like-for-like comparison.
Can an AI receptionist pass a call to a person?
46 of the 60 AI receptionists we track list a warm transfer to a person, usually to you or your staff. A virtual receptionist service can also hand calls to its own receptionists: Abby Connect, Avoca, Grasshopper AI Receptionist (with Smith.ai), Housecall Pro CSR AI, Moneypenny AI Receptionist, Ruby and Smith.ai.
Which companies publish prices for both AI and live answering?
Smith.ai, Abby Connect and Moneypenny AI Receptionist publish prices for both, so you can compare them on one pricing page. Other virtual receptionist services also use AI but don't publish both prices.
What's the difference between an answering service and a virtual receptionist?
An answering service mostly takes messages and passes on urgent calls. A virtual receptionist works more like a front desk: it answers in your business's name, transfers calls, books appointments and answers common questions. Many companies sell both under one plan, and many now add AI.