Answering service price comparison
Answering services price their plans in different ways, which makes them hard to compare. Some charge by the minute, some by the call, some by unique caller, and some a flat monthly fee with included minutes. Below are published prices we read directly on each provider's pricing page on November 2, 2026. Prices change, so always check the source link before you buy.
Published prices (checked November 2, 2026)
| Provider | Type | Plans as published | Billing unit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RepOnRing AI | AI receptionist | Starter $59.99/mo (125 min), Pro $119.99/mo (300 min), Premium $149.99/mo (400 min) | Minutes; overage $0.30 / $0.25 / $0.20 per min | Pricing |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | AI with live-agent backup | Free $0 (25 calls, then $3.00/call); Pro from $150/mo (75 calls, $2.00/call); Enterprise from $500/mo (300 calls) | Per call | smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist |
| Goodcall | AI phone agent | Starter $79/mo (100 unique customers, then 79¢ each); Growth $129/mo (500); Scale $299/mo (2,000) | Unique customers per month | goodcall.com/pricing |
| Ruby | Live virtual receptionists | Plans sold by monthly minutes: 50, 100, 200 and 500. The page text we read showed $1,725 alongside the largest plan; smaller plan prices weren't in the text, so check the page | Minutes | ruby.com/pricing |
Notes from those pages, as published on the date checked:
- Smith.ai says its AI Receptionist is month to month with 30 days' notice to cancel, and that calls can be transferred to live agents.
- Goodcall says it doesn't meter minutes and counts one phone number once per month as one customer.
- Ruby says its plans differ only by minutes, with features such as 24/7 live answering, bilingual handling and scheduling available.
We haven't included providers whose prices aren't published on their sites.
How to compare pricing models
Per minute. You pay for talk time. Long calls cost more. Good if calls are short and predictable.
Per call. Every answered call costs the same, short or long. Spam and wrong numbers may or may not count; check the provider's policy.
Per unique caller. Repeat calls from the same number in a month count once.
Flat fee with included minutes. Predictable bills up to your allowance, then an overage rate.
Estimate your own cost
- Count your monthly calls you'd send to the service (for example, only after-hours and missed calls).
- Estimate average call length. Intake calls are often a few minutes.
- Apply each provider's model. For RepOnRing AI Pro: 100 calls × 3 minutes = 300 minutes, which is within the 300 included, so $119.99. At 120 calls (360 minutes), it's $119.99 + 60 × $0.25 = $134.99.
Then compare coverage hours, booking, language support and contract terms, not just price.
What RepOnRing AI includes
- Starter, $59.99/mo: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm; takes details (no calendar booking); English only
- Pro, $119.99/mo: 24/7; books into your calendar; Spanish when the caller speaks Spanish; weekly results email
- Premium, $149.99/mo: everything in Pro; more minutes and lower overage; your choice of receptionist name and voice
All plans start with a 7-day free trial and are month to month. Read more in what an AI receptionist costs and virtual receptionist vs AI receptionist, or press Talk to Riley to hear it. Try industry demos on the demos page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an answering service cost per month?
It varies widely by model and volume. On November 2, 2026, published AI plans we checked started from $0 (limited free tier) to $59.99–$150 for entry paid plans, while live receptionist plans are priced by minute bundles. See the table and sources above.
Is per-call or per-minute pricing better?
Per-call is better if your calls are long; per-minute is better if they're short. Flat plans with included minutes are the most predictable.
Are these prices current?
They're what each provider's pricing page showed on November 2, 2026. Check the linked sources for current prices.
Does RepOnRing AI charge setup fees?
No. Pick a plan, start the 7-day free trial and forward your calls.