Guide · Receptionists
AI receptionist vs virtual receptionist: what’s the difference?
A virtual receptionist is usually a person who answers from a remote office. An AI receptionist is software that answers your calls.
CallerMy kitchen flooded. Can someone come today?
AII am sorry to hear that. What is the address?
Caller12 Elm Street. The water is still coming in.
AIThis sounds urgent. I am connecting you to a person now.
Summary for the ownerFlooded kitchen at 12 Elm Street. Marked urgent and warm transferred to a person. The summary came after the call.
The short answer
An AI receptionist is software that answers every call at once, 24/7, for a flat monthly fee. Ours is $497 a month. It books on your calendar and hands hard calls to a person. A virtual receptionist is usually a remote person. Those services often bill by the minute, by the call, or in monthly bundles. Each one fits different calls.
01 / Side by side
How the two compare.
| AI receptionist (us) | Virtual receptionist | |
|---|---|---|
| Answers at 2 AM | Yes, 24/7 | Depends on the plan |
| Many calls at once | Yes | Calls may wait in line |
| Books on your calendar | Yes | Depends on the service |
| Same answer every time | Yes, from the information you give us | Depends on the person |
| Hard or emotional calls | Passed to a person | A person handles them |
| How it bills | A flat monthly fee | Per minute, per call, or in bundles |
| Who sets it up | We set it up with you | Varies by provider |
02 / When each wins
When each one fits.
- 01
AI fits a flat budget
You want one fixed monthly fee. Your bill does not change with call volume.
- 02
AI fits round-the-clock calls
Calls can come in at night, on weekends, or all at once. The AI answers each one.
- 03
A person fits long or sensitive calls
Some calls need a person from start to finish. Some callers want a human from the first word.
03 / Using both
You can use both.
The AI can answer first, so every call gets picked up. Hard or urgent calls go to a person on your team.
This setup gives you the AI for volume and a person for the calls that need one. Learn more on the AI Receptionist page.
04 / Questions
Straight answers.
01Does an AI receptionist replace my team?
No. It handles the calls you send to it. Hard or urgent calls still go to a person on your team.
02How much does an AI receptionist cost?
The AI Receptionist is $497 a month. That covers one line and up to 500 AI talk-minutes. Compare it with the cost of a person for the same calls.
03Does a virtual receptionist cost less?
It depends on your call volume and the plan you choose. Virtual services often bill by the minute or per call. Compare the total cost for your own calls.
04Will callers know they are talking to an AI?
The AI never claims to be a person. Every call starts with a notice that it is recorded. If a caller asks for a person, they get a warm transfer or a callback.
05Can the AI and a person work together?
Yes. The AI answers first and books the easy calls. Hard or urgent calls go to a person.
Want this running on your phone? Start the plan. You hear it plainly if AI isn’t the right fix.
05 / Keep reading
Keep reading.
- GuideHow AI changes a businessWhat changes when the phone, the follow-up and the busywork stop depending on staff hours.
- GuideWhat an AI receptionist costsThe three ways to pay for one, what drives the price, and what ours costs.
- CompareAI vs answering serviceAn AI receptionist, a live answering service, voicemail and a new hire, side by side.
- GuideMissed-call text-backWhen a call goes unanswered, the AI texts that caller within seconds from your business number.
- GuideForward callsKeep your business number and forward calls to an AI receptionist.
- GuideWhat callers hearCallers hear the business name, a recording notice and an AI disclosure.
- All industriesEvery industrySee the calls it handles for your kind of business.