Message taking, answering supplied FAQs, transferring a call and confirming a booking are different commitments. Ask which are included and which require an integration or higher plan.
What does a virtual receptionist actually cost?
The answer depends on which service is being supplied and how your calls are billed. Start with your call requirements rather than a market-wide average.
Turn the next unanswered call into a useful enquiry. AI Receptionist from $59/month before tax · 60 answered minutes.
Write down the jobs the receptionist must do.
Use a realistic call sample.
Compare the same number of calls, their likely length and the proportion needing transfer. Treat any example total as an illustration until it matches the written tariff.
Include hours and contract terms.
Check what happens outside normal hours and how notice, renewal, number retention and cancellation work. Do not assume an advertised service is identical across all plans.
Compare human and AI products separately.
Some providers offer both. Compare the named service, not a simplistic claim that one company is human and another is AI.
Make the final comparison from current information.
Ask each provider for its current terms and use Odette HQ’s current pricing page. Do not rely on an old search snippet or calculator whose inputs you cannot inspect.
Your next step
Match the plan to the job.
If a first conversation and saved enquiry are what you need, compare our AI plans with your own call sample.