How much does an AI receptionist cost?
An AI receptionist usually costs a flat monthly fee rather than a per-hour wage. First AI Employee's plans run from $99/month (Essential) to $999/month (Enterprise), with no per-call charges and no contract, far less than the $46,000 to $52,000 a year a full-time receptionist really costs once you add payroll taxes and benefits. There's a 7-day free trial.
An AI receptionist is priced like software, not like a hire: a flat monthly fee, no hourly wage, no payroll taxes. What you pay depends on call volume, not on how many calls turn into work.
Flat monthly pricing
First AI Employee's plans are Essential at $99 a month (300 minutes), Basic at $249 a month (1,000 minutes plus SMS), and Standard at $499 a month (2,500 minutes, more SMS, and priority support). There's no per-call charge, no contract, and no surprise overage billing; as you near your minute allowance, you're told, so you can upgrade rather than get hit with a bill.
How it compares to a human receptionist
A full-time receptionist is the gold standard, and a real option. But look at the real number. The median one earns $17.90 an hour, about $37,230 a year (BLS, May 2024), and the wage is only where it starts. Add payroll taxes, benefits, and overhead and the true cost of an employee runs 1.25 to 1.4 times salary (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2019), call it $46,000 to $52,000 a year. The government's own numbers back that up: private-industry employers paid an average of $46.15 per hour worked once benefits are counted (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, December 2025). And the wage clock starts before anyone answers a call. SHRM puts the average cost to fill a non-executive role at $5,475 (SHRM 2025 Benchmarking Reports), and that spend repeats every time the seat turns over. For one person, who still clocks out at five. An AI receptionist covers the nights, the weekends, and the two-calls-at-once rush for a flat fee that's a fraction of that. The full head-to-head is in AI receptionist vs. a human.
Is it worth the money?
The honest test is simple: if your business runs on calls and you miss some of them, the fee usually pays for itself the first time it catches a job you'd otherwise have lost. You can run your own numbers with the missed-call calculator, or read the honest worth-it breakdown. When you're ready, there's a 7-day free trial.
Key takeaways
First AI Employee answers calls 24/7, from $99 a month. Hear it on your own line with a 7-day free trial.
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