AI Receptionist Cost Calculator
Human receptionist, answering service, per-minute AI, or flat-rate AI. Enter your call volume and see what each one really costs you per month.
You'd save ~$1,051/mo vs a human receptionist.
Assumptions: a human receptionist's needed coverage is estimated from your call volume — total talk-time (calls × minutes) × 3 to account for idle time between calls, floored at 40 hours/month and capped at 160 hours (one full-time month).
SeldonFrame is $29/mo flat for the platform — you connect your own Twilio and AI provider keys at raw provider cost, typically a few cents per minute, instead of paying a per-call or per-minute markup.
How it works
This calculator compares four ways to handle inbound calls, using your own call volume and average call length:
- A human receptionist's hourly cost, based on the coverage hours your call volume needs
- A live answering service, billed per call
- A per-minute AI service, billed by call length
- A flat-rate platform, priced the same every month
The result is one apples-to-apples monthly number for each option.
Why it matters
Per-call and per-minute pricing both grow with your success — the busier you get, the more you pay. That makes budgeting hard. A flat monthly rate costs the same whether you get 50 calls or 500, which matters most as your business grows.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an AI receptionist cost compared to a human receptionist?
A part-time human receptionist usually costs $700-$2,900+/month. Per-minute AI phone services usually cost $0.10-$0.50/minute — the more calls you get, the more you pay. Flat-rate platforms cost the same no matter how many calls come in.
AI receptionist vs answering service — which is cheaper?
Live answering services usually charge $1-$3 per call, which adds up fast. A per-minute AI service charges by call length instead. A flat-rate AI receptionist charges neither per call nor per minute — the price never changes.
What hidden costs should I watch for?
Watch for these: overage fees once you use up your included minutes, setup fees, per-seat charges for multiple locations, and rate hikes as your call volume grows.
Is a cheaper option ever a worse deal?
Yes. A cheap price means nothing if calls go unanswered or handled badly. One missed job often costs more than any of these options. Look at answer rate and booking accuracy too, not just price.
How does SeldonFrame's pricing work?
SeldonFrame is $29/month flat for the platform. You connect your own AI provider and Twilio account, so you pay them directly at their raw cost — usually a few cents per minute — with no markup on top.
Related: missed call cost calculator and the best AI receptionist for small business.