At some point, every growing small business faces the same question: we're getting too many calls to handle informally, do we hire a receptionist?
It's a reasonable question. But before you post a job listing, it's worth understanding what you're actually buying, what you're not getting, and whether there's a better option for where your business is right now.
We work with businesses nationwide from our base in Irvine, and this comparison comes up constantly with the owners we talk to.
What a Human Receptionist Actually Costs
The obvious cost is salary. A full-time receptionist in the United States earns $35,000 to $45,000 per year depending on location and experience. In major metro areas, you're looking at the higher end of that range or above it.
But salary is just the start:
- Payroll taxes: Add roughly 15% on top of salary
- Benefits: Health insurance, paid time off, sick days, easily $5,000 to $10,000 per year
- Recruiting and onboarding: Job posting fees, interview time, training, typically $2,000 to $5,000 per hire
- Turnover: The average receptionist tenure is 2 to 3 years. That recruiting and onboarding cost repeats.
All in, a full-time receptionist realistically costs $50,000 to $65,000 per year when you account for everything.
What a Human Receptionist Doesn't Do
Even at that cost, a human receptionist has real limitations. They work set hours, your phones go unanswered evenings, weekends, and holidays. They get sick, take vacation, and have bad days. They can only handle one call at a time. And they burn out on spam calls, which degrades performance on real customer interactions.
The Math
At $50,000 to $65,000 per year fully loaded, you're paying $4,000 to $5,400 per month for coverage that ends at 5pm and doesn't work weekends. That's the gap AI fills at a fraction of the cost.
What an AI Receptionist Costs
Our AI receptionist setup starts at $1,500 as a one-time setup fee, with a monthly retainer of $300 to $500 depending on complexity. That's roughly $5,100 to $7,500 in year one, compared to $50,000 to $65,000 for a human receptionist.
What an AI Receptionist Does Differently
Available 24/7/365, no hours, no holidays, no sick days. Handles unlimited simultaneous calls. Filters spam automatically. Books appointments and collects client information on the call. Sends you a complete client summary by text for every new inquiry so you walk into every interaction prepared.
Where a Human Receptionist Still Wins
A human receptionist is better for complex situations requiring real judgment and empathy, businesses where in-person front desk presence is part of the experience, and high-volume operations where a dedicated person manages the full front office. For most small and medium businesses focused on phone coverage and lead capture, an AI receptionist covers 90% of what a human would do at a fraction of the cost.
See How It Works for Your Business
We set up AI receptionists for businesses nationwide, dental offices, HVAC companies, law firms, med spas, and more. Every setup is remote, takes less than a week, and starts at $1,500.
Learn more about our AI Receptionist or book a free demo and hear exactly how it handles calls for your industry.