Virtual receptionist pricing
Virtual receptionist plans with a published price start at $49 a month (MAP Communications, Pay As You Go). 6 of 9 human services publish prices, across 30 plans. 3 are quote only: AnswerConnect, Davinci Virtual, Nexa. The lowest AI receptionist at 250 calls of 3 minutes is $129 a month; the lowest human total is $969.
- MAP Communications: from $49 a month (Pay As You Go)
- PATLive: from $49 a month (Pay as you go)
- Abby Connect: from $164 a month (Starter)
- Moneypenny: from $165 a month (50 minutes)
- Ruby: from $250 a month (50 minutes)
- Smith.ai (human receptionists): from $300 a month (Starter)
Run the calculator to price an AI receptionist at your own call volume.
Every published plan
| Provider | Plan | Monthly | Included | Per included unit | Extra usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abby Connect | Starter | $164.00 | 50 minutes | $3.28 per minute | Not published |
| Abby Connect | Essential | $329.00 | 100 minutes | $3.29 per minute | Not published |
| Abby Connect | Professional | $599.00 | 200 minutes | $3.00 per minute | Not published |
| Abby Connect | Growth | $1,380.00 | 500 minutes | $2.76 per minute | Not published |
| MAP Communications | Pay As You Go | $49.00 | 0 minutes | None included | $1.37 per minute |
| MAP Communications | Business | $179.00 | 125 minutes | $1.43 per minute | $1.30 per minute |
| MAP Communications | Enterprise | $339.00 | 250 minutes | $1.36 per minute | $1.28 per minute |
| MAP Communications | Premium | $649.00 | 500 minutes | $1.30 per minute | $1.28 per minute |
| Moneypenny | 50 minutes | $165.00 | 50 minutes | $3.30 per minute | $2.85 per minute |
| Moneypenny | 100 minutes | $265.00 | 100 minutes | $2.65 per minute | $2.65 per minute |
| Moneypenny | 200 minutes | $422.00 | 200 minutes | $2.11 per minute | $2.39 per minute |
| Moneypenny | 500 minutes | $985.00 | 500 minutes | $1.97 per minute | $2.09 per minute |
| PATLive | Pay as you go | $49.00 | 0 minutes | None included | $2.99 per minute |
| PATLive | 50 minutes | $99.00 | 50 minutes | $1.98 per minute | $2.29 per minute |
| PATLive | 100 minutes | $189.00 | 100 minutes | $1.89 per minute | $2.09 per minute |
| PATLive | 200 minutes | $349.00 | 200 minutes | $1.75 per minute | $1.99 per minute |
| PATLive | 300 minutes | $479.00 | 300 minutes | $1.60 per minute | $1.89 per minute |
| PATLive | 500 minutes | $759.00 | 500 minutes | $1.52 per minute | $1.79 per minute |
| PATLive | 1,000 minutes | $1,499.00 | 1,000 minutes | $1.50 per minute | $1.69 per minute |
| PATLive | 2,000 minutes | $2,899.00 | 2,000 minutes | $1.45 per minute | $1.64 per minute |
| PATLive | 3,000 minutes | $4,299.00 | 3,000 minutes | $1.43 per minute | $1.59 per minute |
| PATLive | 4,000 minutes | $5,599.00 | 4,000 minutes | $1.40 per minute | $1.54 per minute |
| PATLive | 5,000 minutes | $6,899.00 | 5,000 minutes | $1.38 per minute | $1.49 per minute |
| Ruby | 50 minutes | $250.00 | 50 minutes | $5.00 per minute | Not published |
| Ruby | 100 minutes | $395.00 | 100 minutes | $3.95 per minute | Not published |
| Ruby | 200 minutes | $720.00 | 200 minutes | $3.60 per minute | Not published |
| Ruby | 500 minutes | $1,725.00 | 500 minutes | $3.45 per minute | Not published |
| Smith.ai (human receptionists) | Starter | $300.00 | 30 calls | $10.00 per call | $11.50 per call |
| Smith.ai (human receptionists) | Basic | $810.00 | 90 calls | $9.00 per call | $10.50 per call |
| Smith.ai (human receptionists) | Pro | $2,100.00 | 300 calls | $7.00 per call | $8.50 per call |
AI receptionist against a human service
Lowest published monthly total at 3 minutes per call. The AI figure is the lowest verified complete plan among 8 hosted providers; the human figure is the lowest published plan, adding extra usage where the rate is published.
| Calls a month | Lowest AI receptionist | Lowest human service | Difference | Human is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | $69.95Upfirst, Premium | $403MAP Communications, Enterprise | $333.05 a month | 5.8 times the AI price |
| 250 | $129Goodcall, Growth | $969MAP Communications, Premium | $840 a month | 7.5 times the AI price |
| 500 | $129Goodcall, Growth | $1,929MAP Communications, Premium | $1,800 a month | 15 times the AI price |
AI range at the same volumes, lowest to highest: 100 calls $69.95 to $212.50; 250 calls $129 to $299; 500 calls $129 to $524. See the AI receptionist cost table for each provider.
Quote only
AnswerConnect, Davinci Virtual, Nexa publish no price on their own pricing pages, so none is shown. AnswerConnect: The plans page asks for a quote and publishes no price. Davinci Virtual: The pricing page showed no price when checked. Nexa: The page lists 100, 300 and 500 minute plans with no prices. Its FAQ mentions a setup fee without an amount.
Questions
How much does a virtual receptionist cost?
The cheapest published plan is $49 a month (MAP Communications, Pay As You Go). The most expensive entry plan among the priced services is $300 (Smith.ai (human receptionists), Starter). Prices checked October 21, 2026.
Is a virtual receptionist cheaper than an AI receptionist?
Not on published prices. 100 calls: MAP Communications $403 against Upfirst $69.95, a $333.05 gap; 250 calls: MAP Communications $969 against Goodcall $129, a $840 gap; 500 calls: MAP Communications $1,929 against Goodcall $129, a $1,800 gap. Human services answer with a person; AI receptionists answer with software. The numbers compare list prices only.
Do virtual receptionists charge by the minute or by the call?
Abby Connect, MAP Communications, Moneypenny, PATLive, Ruby bill by the minute. Smith.ai (human receptionists) bills by the call. Billing units checked October 21, 2026.
Which virtual receptionist services have no public price?
AnswerConnect, Davinci Virtual, Nexa. Their pricing pages show no price on October 21, 2026, so they are quote only.
Prices checked against each provider’s own pricing page: Abby Connect · AnswerConnect · Davinci Virtual · MAP Communications · Moneypenny · Nexa · PATLive · Ruby · Smith.ai (human receptionists). Price index and CSV.