The AI Receptionists: How They Work, What They Cost, Who Offers Them
An AI receptionist answers your business calls, texts or chats, collects the caller's details and can book appointments, without a person on staff. In our directory, Rosie lists plans from $49 a month, Goodcall from $79 and Smith.ai has a free plan for 25 calls. Prices are the vendors' own.
Last checked: . Not affiliated with the companies listed. Based on public information — not tested by us.
What an AI receptionist does
The vendors in this guide describe the same core jobs: answering calls (and in some cases texts and web chat), qualifying the caller, booking appointments, and sending you a summary. Goodcall also texts call details; Rosie sends call summaries. Compare them with the broader list in AI phone answering services compared, which also covers restaurants and developer platforms.
What it costs: published starting prices
Starting prices are not the full bill. Most plans cap minutes, calls or customers, and some add onboarding fees. The table shows exactly what each vendor publishes.
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | Easy-Start | Pricing summary (vendor) | Our label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosie | Small service businesses that miss calls and want them answered and booked. | No | 8/10 | Professional $49/mo (250 minutes, appointment links by text); Scale $149/mo (1,000 minutes, books directly on your calendar, warm and live transfers); Growth $299/mo (2,000 minutes, waterfall transfers, custom training, white-glove onboarding). Annual billing gives 2 months free; 7-day free trial. | Based on public information — not tested |
| Goodcall | Small service businesses that miss calls and want an AI receptionist. | No | 6/10 | From $79/month (Starter, 100 unique customers/mo); Growth $129/mo; Scale $299/mo; Enterprise volume pricing | Based on public information — not tested |
| MyAIFrontDesk | Small service businesses that miss calls and want appointments booked automatically. | No | 6/10 | Business-in-a-Box $99/mo billed monthly or $79/mo billed annually; Partner/Enterprise custom; 7-day free trial | Based on public information — not tested |
| Smith.ai | Small businesses and law firms that miss calls and want them answered and booked automatically. | Yes | 8/10 | AI Receptionist: Free $0/mo (25 real calls/mo, $3 per extra call); Pro from $150/mo (75 calls); Enterprise from $500/mo (300 calls); billed per call, month-to-month, 30 days' notice to cancel. Human receptionist plans from $300/mo | Based on public information — not tested |
| Jobber | Home service businesses that want scheduling, invoicing and an AI phone receptionist in one system. | No | 8/10 | Core from $29/mo billed annually ($49/mo monthly, no commitment); higher plans up to $699/mo; AI Receptionist add-on $29/mo | Based on public information — not tested |
| TakeOrder AI | Independent restaurants and pizza shops on Toast, Square or Clover that want every phone order taken, with a 14-day trial before paying. | No | 6/10 | Starter $199/mo (500 calls/month); Professional $399/mo (unlimited calls); Enterprise custom. 14-day free trial, no credit card, no contract. | Based on public information — not tested |
| Broadly | Local service businesses such as HVAC, plumbing, roofing, auto repair, dental and legal offices that want reviews, chat, texts and calls handled by one done-for-you AI package. | Yes | 8/10 | Free $0/month (no agreement, no setup fee). AI Voice $199/month + $99 setup; AI Front Desk $299/month + $250 setup; 24/7 AI Workforce $699/month + $500 setup. Paid packages are a 12-month agreement billed monthly; prepay the year and pay for 10 months (AI Voice $1,990, AI Front Desk $2,990, AI Workforce $6,990). Multi-location: priced per location, quote via Vendasta. | Based on public information — not tested |
Prices change. Confirm on each vendor's own pricing page.
How setup works
Vendors rarely publish a full setup time, and we only state what they do. Smith.ai states about 15 minutes and asks for a card and your business details plus the call scenarios you want handled. TakeOrder AI states under 24 hours, with its team finishing setup by phone, and needs a restaurant phone line and a supported point-of-sale system. Rosie offers a 7-day free trial so you can listen to it before paying. For every other tool, open its page above and read the vendor's getting-started guide.
Questions to ask a vendor before you pay
- What is included each month (minutes, calls or unique customers), and what does extra use cost?
- Can it transfer a call to a person, and when?
- Which calendar or booking software does it write to?
- Are callers told they are speaking to an AI, and how is call recording consent handled?
- Is there a trial, and does it need a card or a sales call?
- What happens to your number if you cancel?
Honest trade-offs
- Rosie: No free plan (7-day trial only); plans are capped by monthly minutes. Booking directly on your calendar and live/warm transfers start on the Scale plan ($149/mo); Professional only texts appointment links. US phone numbers only.
- Smith.ai: Free AI plan is limited to 25 real calls per month; human escalation costs extra.
- TakeOrder AI: Starter is capped at 500 calls/month, English only and 1 POS. The team finishes setup by phone after you sign up. The page is inconsistent on how many POS systems are supported, so confirm yours.
Frequently asked questions
What does an AI receptionist cost?
Published starting prices in our directory run from free (Smith.ai, 25 real calls a month) to $49/mo (Rosie, 250 minutes) and $79/mo (Goodcall). Restaurant and multi-channel tools such as TakeOrder.ai ($199/mo) and Broadly ($199/mo plus a setup fee, 12-month agreement) cost more. Check each vendor's current page.
How long does setup take?
Only some vendors state it. Smith.ai says about 15 minutes, and TakeOrder.ai says under 24 hours with its team finishing setup by phone. For the others we have no vendor-stated time, so we do not guess; check the vendor's getting-started page.
What do I need before I start?
Smith.ai lists a credit or debit card and your business details plus the call scenarios you want handled. TakeOrder.ai lists a restaurant phone line and a supported point-of-sale system. Other vendors list no requirements we could confirm.
Is an AI receptionist better than a human one?
Neither is better for every business. Smith.ai sells both: AI plans and human receptionist plans from $300/mo. Ask each vendor what happens when the AI cannot help, and whether a person can take the call.
Want it set up for you?
If you would rather have someone install and test it, our setup service for local service businesses is made for that. Or browse the Voice and Phone category yourself.
