The short answer: most AI receptionists cost $29–$500 per month in 2026, billed per minute, per call, or as a flat rate. OrdrNow is $199/month plus a one-time $199 setup fee, which includes 300 minutes, one assistant, and 24/7 call answering.
But the monthly fee is the least interesting number in this decision. The number that should decide it is what unanswered calls are already costing you. Hear an AI receptionist answer a live call →
Why the sticker price misleads
Two vendors can advertise "$99/month" and land in completely different places by the end of a busy month, because they meter different things:
- Per minute — you pay for talk time. Cheap at low volume, punishing when calls run long.
- Per call — you pay per answered call. Predictable, but a 20-second question costs the same as a 10-minute booking.
- Flat rate — a fixed monthly fee with an included allowance, then overage.
The model matters more than the price. Always convert a plan to your own call volume before comparing it to another.
What AI receptionists actually cost in 2026
| Type | Typical monthly cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Entry AI plan | $29–$99 | Small minute allowance, message-taking, basic FAQ |
| Full-featured AI plan | $129–$299 | Booking, calendar sync, CRM handoff, 24/7 |
| Hybrid (AI + human backup) | $250–$2,000+ | Live agents on standby for complex calls |
| Human receptionist (in-house) | ~$3,000–$4,000 fully loaded | One call at a time, business hours |
OrdrNow sits in the full-featured tier: $199/month + $199 setup, 300 minutes included, 25¢/min overage, one assistant and phone number, 24/7 availability, SMS and email alerts, and call recording. Enterprise pricing is custom for unlimited minutes and multi-location deployments. You can see the full breakdown on the pricing page.
With an AI receptionist vs. without one
This is where the real math lives.
Without one: every call that arrives while you are on a job, with a customer, or closed for the day goes to voicemail. Voicemail is where leads go to die — most callers simply dial the next business on the list rather than leave a message and wait.
With one: the assistant answers on the first ring, 24/7, qualifies the caller, books the appointment into your calendar, and texts you the details before the caller hangs up. Nothing waits for you to be free.
The difference is not "better customer service." It is captured revenue.
The opportunity cost of a missed call
Run your own numbers:
- A plumber who misses 5 calls a week at a $400 average job is leaving roughly $2,000 a week — about $104,000 a year on the table.
- A dental office that misses 3 new-patient calls a week at a $900 first-visit value is looking at roughly $140,000 a year in missed revenue.
- An electrician who misses 4 calls a week at $350 is walking away from about $73,000 a year.
These are deliberately simple assumptions — swap in your own call log and your own average job value. The point is the ratio: a $199/month plan costs $2,388 a year. If it recovers even a fraction of the calls above, it pays for itself many times over.
Put differently: one recovered job per month covers the entire system. Everything after that is margin.
What "office automation" adds on top
Answering the phone is the first job. The second is everything the call creates: capturing the lead, booking the appointment, sending a confirmation text, logging the call, and syncing it to your calendar or CRM. Done by hand, that is another 10–15 minutes per call. Done automatically, it is a by-product of the call.
That is the difference between an answering service and an AI receptionist — and it is worth understanding before you compare vendors. AI receptionist vs. answering service →
Is it worth it?
For a business that already gets calls it cannot always answer, yes — and usually within the first recovered job. The honest caveats: if you genuinely receive a handful of calls a month, voicemail may be enough. If your calls are mostly complex, high-stakes intake, a hybrid service with human backup may fit better.
For everyone in between — clinics, contractors, agents, restaurants, service businesses — the arithmetic is not close.
The bottom line
AI receptionists cost $29–$500/month in 2026 depending on features and billing model. OrdrNow is $199/month plus a $199 setup fee, with 300 minutes and 24/7 answering.
But do not price it against other vendors. Price it against the calls you are missing. Try the live demo →