What you gain
An employee can greet visitors, handle physical office tasks and perform responsibilities that remote services cannot. For businesses with a busy physical front desk, that capability can justify the higher fixed cost.
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How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Receptionist?
Compare AI, virtual and in-house receptionist costs, pricing models and the expenses behind the headline price.
Key takeaway: AI plans can start below $25 per month, while human and in-house coverage cost substantially more. Wage data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; service examples use provider-published prices checked on October 2026.
At a glance
Average Cost of Receptionist Coverage
Swipe or scroll the table to compare all columns →
| Option | Example starting cost | Pricing model | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-house receptionist | $39,460 mean annual wage | Employee wages + employer costs | Businesses needing on-site front-desk work |
| AI receptionist | $24.95/mo example | Calls, minutes or subscription tiers | 24/7 phone handling and automation |
| Virtual receptionist | $250–$350/mo examples | Calls or receptionist minutes | Businesses wanting a real person remotely |
| Answering service | Varies by usage | Minutes, calls or pay-as-you-go | Overflow, after-hours and message handling |
These are comparison anchors, not universal market averages. Your actual cost depends on location, usage, plan, benefits, taxes, fees and required features.
Employee benchmark
In-house receptionist cost
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a mean annual wage of $39,460 and a median hourly wage of $18.27 for receptionists and information clerks in May 2025. Salary is only the starting point for an employer: payroll taxes, benefits, paid time off, recruiting, equipment and workspace can raise total employment cost.
What to calculate
Do not compare a service subscription only with hourly wage. Estimate total annual employer cost and determine how much of the employee's day is actually devoted to phone answering.
AI cost
AI receptionist pricing can start below $25 per month.
Upfirst currently publishes a $24.95 monthly Starter plan with 30 calls and $1.50 additional calls. Smith.ai publishes a free AI tier with 25 calls and a Pro tier starting at $150 per month for 75 calls. Different providers use different billing structures, so call volume matters.
Example: low call volume
A small business receiving only a few dozen receptionist calls per month may be able to use an entry-level AI plan for a small fraction of the cost of live staffing.
Watch the overage rate
Estimate real monthly call volume before selecting a tier. A low entry price can stop being the best value if you consistently exceed the included allowance.
Human remote coverage
Virtual receptionist pricing depends heavily on the billing unit.
Ruby publishes virtual receptionist plans starting at $250 per month for 50 receptionist minutes. Smith.ai's human-first service starts at $300 per month for 30 calls. Earlier published AnswerConnect pricing listed $350 per month for 200 minutes; current terms need confirmation. These prices should not be compared without accounting for the difference between calls and minutes.
Per-call
Useful when call lengths vary. A five-minute qualifying call can consume one call under a per-call plan rather than five receptionist minutes.
Per-minute
Useful when you can estimate average handling time. Multiply expected monthly handled calls by average receptionist minutes before comparing plans.
Decision framework
Don't buy more receptionist than you need.
Need someone physically present?
Start with an employee or on-site staffing solution. Remote services cannot greet visitors or perform physical front-desk work.
Need phone coverage and automation?
Start with AI. It can be dramatically less expensive for businesses comfortable with automated caller interactions.
Need callers to reach a person?
Compare virtual receptionist plans. Focus on real usage cost rather than the advertised base fee.
Need overflow or after-hours help?
An answering service may be sufficient and can avoid paying for full receptionist coverage when your existing staff already handles most calls.
Simple cost formula
Estimate before choosing a provider.
Per-minute plan: base fee + max(0, monthly calls × average billable minutes − included minutes) × overage rate.
Per-call plan: base fee + max(0, qualifying calls − included calls) × extra-call rate.
Then add applicable setup fees, taxes and required add-ons; do not count the base fee twice. This gives you a much better comparison than looking at the starting price alone.
Sources
BLS May 2025 occupational wage data · Upfirst pricing · Smith.ai AI pricing · Smith.ai live pricing · Ruby pricing
Provider-published facts are not independent service-quality tests. Confirm the current plan and all required features before purchase.