How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost? [2026 Pricing Guide]
AI receptionist pricing varies: fixed monthly, per-call, or hybrid. FNS charges $3,000/month with no per-call fees. Here's how that compares to virtual receptionists, answering services, and in-house staff for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors.
AI Receptionist Pricing Models
Most AI receptionist providers use one of three models: (1) fixed monthly fee with unlimited calls, (2) base fee plus per-call or per-minute charges, or (3) tiered plans (e.g., 200 calls included, then overage). Fixed monthly pricing—like FNS—is easiest to budget and avoids surprise overages when call volume spikes (e.g., during heat waves for HVAC or pipe-freeze seasons for plumbing).
FNS Pricing
FNS costs $3,000/month plus an installation fee. Included: 24/7 AI call answering, unlimited calls, real-time appointment booking, SMS reminders (24h and 1h before), and post-service review collection. No per-call fees. Integration with ServiceTitan, Jobber, Housecall Pro, and Google Calendar is part of setup. See pricing details.
Virtual Receptionist vs AI Cost
Virtual receptionists use human operators and typically charge $200-$500/month base plus $1-$3 per call. At 100 calls/month, that's $300-$800 in overage—total $500-$1,300. At 200 calls, overage can reach $400-$1,600. AI receptionists with fixed pricing don't scale cost with volume. For businesses with 100+ calls/month, AI often costs 40-60% less than virtual receptionist services. See our AI vs virtual receptionist comparison.
In-House Receptionist Cost
A full-time receptionist costs $3,800+/month with salary and benefits—and they work business hours only. Missed after-hours, weekend, and holiday calls go to voicemail. AI receptionists answer 24/7/365. For service businesses where a third of yearly call volume concentrates into 2 months (AgentZap), having coverage during peak without extra staff is a major cost advantage.