AI Receptionist Pricing (2026): What Answering Services Actually Cost
Quick answer
AI receptionists cost from free to about $200 a month for self-serve tools, billed per minute, per call, per unique caller or at a flat rate. Human answering services have entry plans around $165–$350 a month. Custom-built, managed AI receptionists such as Nova by 9th Island AI cost $500–$1,000 a month flat, plus a one-time setup fee.
The four ways AI receptionists bill
Per minute (Rosie, Dialzara, My AI Front Desk, and most human services): you buy a minute bundle and pay overage beyond it. Cheapest when calls are short.
Per call (Smith.ai, Upfirst): every answered call counts the same regardless of length. Cheapest when calls run long.
Per unique caller (Goodcall): one phone number calling any number of times in a month counts once. Good when the same customers call repeatedly.
Flat rate (NextPhone, Nova by 9th Island AI): one monthly price, no overage. Easiest to budget when volume is high or unpredictable.
What's not in the sticker price
Overage is where costs climb: $0.48/min on Dialzara's entry plan, $1.50/call on Upfirst's, $11.50/call on Smith.ai's human plan. Estimate your real monthly minutes or calls before comparing entry prices.
Setup fees vary. Most self-serve AI tools state none; AnswerConnect's pricing PDF lists $49.99; Nova charges a one-time setup from $2,500 because it's built and tested for your business rather than configured by you.
Feature add-ons can change the math: appointment booking is a $1.50 add-on on Smith.ai's human plans, and HIPAA is a paid add-on at AnswerConnect.
AI receptionist and answering service prices compared
Prices checked October 11, 2026 on each vendor's own pricing page, monthly billing unless noted. Prices change, so follow the source links before you buy. "Not stated" means we couldn't find it on the vendor's site.
| Service | Type | Starting price | What's included | Billing | HIPAA | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nova by 9th Island AI | AI, custom-built and managed | $500/mo | $500–$800/mo overflow + after-hours; $1,000/mo full replacement | Flat monthly, no overage fees; setup from $2,500 | HIPAA-aware; full compliance in progress (non-PHI pilots until a BAA is signed) | Appointment-based practices that want it built for them |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | AI (live-agent backup sold separately) | Free (25 calls) | Free: 25 calls; Pro $150/mo: about 75 calls | Per call: $3.00 after the free 25; $2.00 on Pro | Not HIPAA-compliant (per Smith.ai) | Trying AI answering free first |
| Smith.ai Virtual Receptionists | Human | $300/mo | 30 calls | Per call, $11.50 per call over | Not HIPAA-compliant (per Smith.ai) | Live human intake for professional services |
| Ruby | Human (AI-assisted tools) | $250/mo | 50 minutes | Per minute | HIPAA-compliant services available (per Ruby) | Personalized live receptionists |
| Rosie | AI | $49/mo | 250 minutes | Per minute | Not stated on pricing or home page | Simple, low-cost AI answering |
| Dialzara | AI | $29/mo | 60 minutes | Per minute, $0.48/min over | Claims HIPAA compliance on its own comparison page | Lowest monthly entry price |
| NextPhone | AI | $199/mo | Unlimited calls | Flat monthly | Does not sign BAAs (per NextPhone) | Predictable flat-rate answering |
| Goodcall | AI | $79/mo | 100 unique callers per month | Per unique caller, $0.79 each over | "HIPAA compliant" badge; BAA not stated | Local businesses with repeat callers |
| My AI Front Desk | AI | $99/mo ($79 billed annually) | 200 voice minutes | Per minute via credits (about $0.25/min over) | Conflicting statements across its own sites | All-in-one AI front desk |
| Upfirst | AI | $24.95/mo | 30 calls | Per call, $1.50 per call over | BAA on Custom plan only | Low call volume, per-call billing |
| AnswerConnect | Human only | $350/mo | 200 minutes | Per minute, $2.50/min over | HIPAA compliance as a paid add-on | 24/7 live human answering |
| Abby Connect | Human, AI, or both | $165/mo | 50 "Abby Minutes" (an AI minute counts as half) | Per minute | HIPAA options for human answering only | Mixing human and AI answering |
Which pricing model is cheapest for you
We make Nova, one of the services listed. To keep this fair, every competitor price and claim links to that vendor's own website, and we've noted where Nova is the more expensive choice.
At low volume (a few dozen calls a month), a per-minute or per-call self-serve plan (from $24.95–$49/mo) is hard to beat. As volume grows, overage adds up and flat-rate plans start to win. If you need the agent built around your scheduling rules, services and tone, and tuned every month, you're buying a managed service, which is what Nova's $500–$1,000/mo covers.
Frequently asked
How much does an AI receptionist cost per month?
Self-serve AI receptionists cost from free (Smith.ai's 25-call plan) to about $199/mo (NextPhone, unlimited calls), with popular entry plans at $24.95 (Upfirst), $29 (Dialzara) and $49 (Rosie). Custom-built, managed AI receptionists like Nova by 9th Island AI cost $500–$1,000/mo flat plus setup.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than a human answering service?
Usually, yes. Human answering services have entry plans around $165–$350/mo and charge overage such as $2.50 per extra minute (AnswerConnect) or $11.50 per extra call (Smith.ai), while self-serve AI plans start under $50/mo.
Is per-minute or per-call pricing better?
Per-minute pricing is cheaper when calls are short; per-call pricing is cheaper when calls run long. If your volume is high or swings month to month, a flat-rate plan with no overage is easier to budget.
Do AI receptionists charge setup fees?
Most self-serve AI receptionists don't state a setup fee because you configure them yourself. Managed services that build the agent for you do: Nova by 9th Island AI charges a one-time setup from $2,500, then 30 days free after go-live.
What does Nova by 9th Island AI cost?
Nova is flat monthly pricing with no overage fees: $500–$800/mo for overflow and after-hours coverage, $1,000/mo for full replacement, and from $2,500/mo for multi-location or deep integrations. Setup is a one-time fee from $2,500, and the first 30 days after go-live are free.
Hear Nova before you decide
The fastest way to compare is to call them. You can talk to Nova live in your browser, or book a call and we'll run your real scenarios.