Virtual receptionist services
A virtual receptionist service, or live answering service, answers your calls from somewhere else. The services here have their own receptionists on staff and use AI in one of two ways: to answer first and pass calls to a person, or to help their people. Compare how each one bills and what the first plan includes.
Checked against vendor sources as of October 15, 2026
- Services
- 6
- Publish prices
- 5
- AI can answer first
- 5
Compare virtual receptionist services
6 vendors
| Vendor | How it works | Charges by | Starts at | Includes | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abby Connect | AI with human backup | Per minute | $165/mo | 50 Abby Minutes / month (up to 100 AI-answered minutes, since AI time uses 0.5 Abby Minute per minute) | Oct 2026 |
| Avoca | AI with human backup | Quote only | Quote | Not listed | Oct 2026 |
| Grasshopper AI Receptionist (with Smith.ai) | AI with human backup | Not stated | $95/mo | Not listed | Oct 2026 |
| Moneypenny AI Receptionist | AI with human backup | Per call | $69/mo | 25 calls / month | Oct 2026 |
| Ruby | Human receptionists with AI | Per minute | $250/mo | 50 receptionist minutes / month | Oct 2026 |
| Smith.ai | AI with human backup | Per call | Free tier | 25 calls / month | Oct 2026 |
This directory covers AI voice agents, so answering services that use people only, with no AI, aren't listed.
Live versus AI: what each costs
Companies that publish prices for both their receptionists and their AI, from the same pricing page.
| Company | People answer | AI answers | A 3-minute call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.aiHybrid answering (AI first, people as backup) starts at $2.50 a call. | $7.00 a callHuman-first, starting at $7 a call | $1.60 a callAI-first, starting at $1.60 a call | People $7.00AI $1.60 |
| Abby ConnectAI and human answering come out of the same plan, and one call can use both. | $3.30 a minuteStarter, $165 for 50 Abby Minutes; a human-answered minute uses one | $1.65 a minuteStarter, $165 for 50 Abby Minutes; an AI-answered minute uses half an Abby Minute | People $9.90AI $4.95 |
| Moneypenny AI Receptionist | $3.30 a minutePeople Answering, $165 for 50 minutes | $2.76 a callAI Answering, $69 for 25 calls | People $9.90AI $2.76 |
| RubyRuby’s AI helps its receptionists; it doesn’t answer calls on its own. | $5.00 a minute$250 for 50 receptionist minutes | Not offered | People $15.00 |
Entry-plan or “starting at” rates as each company lists them, checked October 15, 2026. The 3-minute call puts per-minute and per-call prices side by side; your own average call length will differ. For a call that long, AI answering costs 23% to 50% of the live price. AI answering costs at 100 to 500 calls
People first or AI first
People first. Ruby answers with receptionists, and AI helps them with transcripts, notes or spam filtering.
AI first. Abby Connect, Avoca, Grasshopper AI Receptionist (with Smith.ai), Moneypenny AI Receptionist and Smith.ai can put AI on the line and pass calls to a receptionist when the caller asks or the AI can't help.
If you don't need people on the line, an AI receptionist costs less per call. Some have free plans and trials.
What to ask before you sign up
- What a billable minute is
- Whether minutes round up, and whether hold time, transfers and spam calls count.
- Hours covered
- Nights, weekends and holidays, and whether they cost more.
- How they learn your business
- Who writes the call script, and how fast changes go live.
- How calls reach you
- Transfer rules, messages by text or email, and what happens when you don't answer.
- Contract and setup
- Month to month or a term, setup fees, and how unused minutes are handled.
Questions
How much does a virtual receptionist cost?
Among the 6 services here, paid plans start between $69 and $250 a month; 1 quotes on request. On entry plans billed by the minute, a live receptionist costs $3.30 to $5.00 a minute, and from $7.00 a call where billed per call. AI answering from the same companies costs less.
What's the difference between a virtual receptionist and an AI receptionist?
A virtual receptionist service has people who answer your calls remotely; many now use AI as well. An AI receptionist answers with a voice agent alone, and some add the option to pass calls to people. At the companies that sell both, people cost more per call than AI.
Do virtual receptionist services use AI?
All 6 services here do. At Abby Connect, Avoca, Grasshopper AI Receptionist (with Smith.ai), Moneypenny AI Receptionist and Smith.ai, AI can answer first and pass calls to a receptionist. At Ruby, people answer and AI helps them.
Do virtual receptionists answer in Spanish?
3 of the 6 list Spanish-language answering: Abby Connect, Ruby and Smith.ai. Ask whether Spanish calls cost the same and whether they're covered at all hours.