Virtual Receptionist Cost: A Practical Pricing Guide
A virtual receptionist typically costs from around £30 a month for basic AI chat to £1,500 or more for a full-time human service. The right budget depends on whether you need website messages, phone answering, appointment booking, or all three.
What does a virtual receptionist cost?
The cost of a virtual receptionist varies because the term covers several different services. A website-based service may answer common questions and capture enquiries, while a telephone receptionist may answer calls, take messages, transfer callers and book appointments.
For a small business, the most useful comparison is usually between four options:
| Service type | Typical cost | Usually includes |
|---|---|---|
| AI website receptionist | £30 to £100 per month | Website chat, answers from your information and lead capture |
| AI phone receptionist | £70 to £200 per month | Call answering, basic conversations and message taking |
| Human answering service | £100 to £500 per month | Live call handling, often with usage limits or per-minute charges |
| Dedicated human receptionist | £1,000 to £2,500 or more per month | Regular dedicated working hours and broader administrative support |
These are planning ranges rather than fixed market rates. Check whether VAT, call minutes, messages, setup, transfers and bookings are included before comparing headline prices.
What affects the cost of a virtual receptionist?
1. The channel you need
Website chat is generally the least expensive option because it handles text enquiries without telephone minutes. Phone answering costs more because it requires a phone number, voice processing and usually a usage allowance. A service covering both your website and phone will normally sit higher than a chat-only plan.
2. The number of conversations or calls
Most providers set a monthly allowance. A small plumber might need 100 to 300 conversations, whereas a dental practice or busy salon may need 1,000 or more. Ask what happens when you exceed the allowance. Extra usage may be charged per conversation, per minute or at the next plan level.
3. Booking and business systems
Booking is often an add-on rather than part of the base plan. You may also pay more for CRM connections, calendar access, call transfers or custom workflows. If leads need to reach your CRM, ask whether the service connects through Zapier, Make or a direct integration.
4. Setup and customisation
Some companies charge an onboarding fee for writing scripts, importing information and testing call flows. Others include setup but require a contract or a sales-led implementation. Custom voices, multiple departments, extra languages and image understanding can also increase the monthly cost.
Human receptionist versus AI receptionist cost
A human answering service can be the better choice when callers need judgement, complicated case handling or a highly personal conversation. Its price, however, can rise quickly with call volume, opening hours and the number of tasks the team performs.
An AI receptionist is usually more predictable for repetitive questions such as opening hours, service areas, prices, availability and appointment requests. It can respond outside office hours and handle several website enquiries at once. It still needs accurate business information and clear rules for urgent or sensitive requests.
Most AI receptionist services cost £100 to £300 a month and are often sold through demos to larger businesses. Lyla is priced for the small businesses it is actually for, so a plumber, salon or local clinic can start without a large contract. Add-ons such as phone answering, booking and custom voice are optional rather than required.
How to calculate your likely monthly cost
- Count missed enquiries. Review website messages, missed calls and social enquiries from a typical month. Include evenings and weekends.
- Choose the main channel. If most questions arrive through your website, start with chat. If customers mainly call, prioritise phone answering.
- Estimate usage. Count conversations rather than just contacts. One customer may send several messages in a single conversation, depending on the provider's definition.
- List essential tasks. Separate must-haves, such as capturing a name and phone number, from optional features, such as booking or CRM updates.
- Add usage and setup fees. Check VAT, telephone charges, transfer fees, overage pricing and any minimum term.
- Compare against the value of one saved job. For many trades and local services, one additional booked job can cover a modest monthly subscription. Use your own average job value rather than a provider's general claim.
Example budgets for small businesses
A sole trader who only needs website questions answered might budget £30 to £70 a month. A salon that needs website chat and appointment requests may need £50 to £120, depending on booking features and volume. A clinic or dental practice requiring phone answering, booking and careful escalation may need £100 to £300 or more.
A business wanting a human service during extended hours should budget separately for call minutes and peak-time cover. A low monthly headline price may only include a small number of calls, so the real cost can be higher during busy periods.
Questions to ask before choosing a service
- Is the price monthly, per user, per call or per minute?
- How many conversations or minutes are included?
- Are setup, testing, VAT and telephone numbers included?
- Can I change or cancel the plan without a long contract?
- Does it answer from my own business information?
- Can it capture every enquiry as a lead and send it to my CRM?
- Can I add booking later without changing provider?
- How does it handle urgent, confidential or out-of-scope requests?
- Can I test it before customers use it?
The lowest virtual receptionist cost is not always the lowest total cost. A cheap plan that misses leads, limits your opening hours or charges heavily for extra calls may cost more than a slightly clearer plan with the right allowance. Start with the channel causing the most lost enquiries, choose only the features you will use, and check the full fee structure before going live.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a virtual receptionist cost per month?
Basic AI website receptionists often cost about £30 to £100 a month. Phone answering commonly costs £70 to £200, while human services can range from £100 to £500 or more depending on call volume and cover.
What is included in the cost of a virtual receptionist?
It may include website chat, phone answering, message taking, lead capture or appointment booking. Always check the included conversation or minute allowance, as well as setup, VAT, transfers and overage fees.
Is an AI virtual receptionist cheaper than a human receptionist?
Usually, yes. AI services generally have a lower and more predictable monthly cost, particularly for common questions and out-of-hours enquiries. Human receptionists may be preferable for complex calls but usually cost more as usage and coverage increase.
Are virtual receptionist services charged per call?
Some are charged per call or per minute, while others use a monthly conversation allowance. A plan can appear inexpensive until extra calls, transfers or minutes are added, so compare the total cost at your expected usage.
Can a small business afford a virtual receptionist?
Many small businesses can start with a website-only plan and add phone answering or booking later. The sensible test is whether recovering one or two missed enquiries would cover the monthly fee, based on your average customer value.