HOW MUCH DOES AN
AI RECEPTIONIST COST?
Short answer: self-serve AI receptionist tools run about $25–$199 a month, and you build the call flows yourself. A managed AI voice agent — where someone builds, trains, and runs it for you — starts at $899/month plus a one-time setup, priced to replace a job you'd otherwise lose to a missed call, not just a software subscription.
The two tiers, side by side
Every AI receptionist on the market falls into one of two tiers: a self-serve tool you configure yourself, or a managed build where someone else does the setup, tuning, and ongoing management. The table below compares them honestly — neither is a scam, they solve different problems.
| Tier | Typical monthly cost | Setup | Who runs it | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-serve | ~$25–$199/mo | None, or a low one-time fee | You — you write the prompts, build the call flows, and maintain it | Solo operators with the time to configure and babysit a bot |
| Managed (Gaelworx) | From $899/mo | $2,500 one-time | We do — built, tuned by a decade on the sales floor, and kept running | Trades and small businesses who want it working, not a project to manage |
What's actually in the $899/mo
The number isn't a black box. A Gaelworx managed voice agent breaks down to four public line items:
| Line item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Setup — call flows, CRM and calendar wiring, voice tuning | $2,500, one-time |
| Base agent, per month | from $899/mo |
| Included minutes | 3,000/mo, then $0.30/min |
| Performance line | $50 per booked appointment |
Every one of those numbers sits on the full public ledger — the same figures whether you're a one-truck operation or a ten-crew shop. See the receptionist built specifically for the trades on the voice agents page, or the landscaping-specific build if you run a lawn care or green-industry crew.
Why the number is higher than a $29 chatbot
A cheap self-serve tool gives you the software and leaves the rest to you: writing the script, handling the edge cases, noticing when it's giving a bad answer, fixing it. A managed agent is priced to include the labor, not just the license — someone who has spent a decade on a real sales floor tunes the flow, the objection handling, and the tone so it actually converts instead of sounding like a robot reading a card, and keeps tuning it as your business changes.
The honest way to think about the gap: the $899/mo isn't competing with a $29/mo chatbot subscription. It's competing with the cost of a missed call — a job that goes to whichever business answered the phone first.
What drives the price up or down
Within the managed tier, three things move the number: call volume (minutes beyond the included 3,000/mo bill at $0.30/min), how many separate call flows you need (a business answering for multiple lines or departments costs more to set up than a single front desk), and whether you want inbound only or outbound dialing added (outbound campaigns run on the same per-minute and per-appointment structure). None of it is hidden — the first call scopes the exact number before anything is built.
STRAIGHT ANSWERS ON PRICE.
ALL ANSWERS →What does a managed AI voice agent cost per month?
A Gaelworx managed AI voice agent starts at $899/mo per agent, which includes 3,000 minutes a month (then $0.30/min after that), plus a one-time $2,500 setup and a $50-per-booked-appointment performance line. Every number is public on the pricing page.
Is there a setup fee?
Yes. A managed voice agent has a one-time $2,500 setup — scoping the call flows, wiring the CRM and calendar, and tuning the voice — before the $899/mo running cost starts. Self-serve tools usually skip a setup fee because you configure it yourself.
What's the cheapest way to get an AI receptionist?
Self-serve AI receptionist and voice-agent tools generally run $25 to $199 a month, with no setup fee, because you build the call flows and prompts yourself. That's the right call if you have the time to configure and maintain it. A managed agent costs more because someone else builds, tunes, and runs it for you.
Does the price change if I get more calls?
With Gaelworx, the $899/mo includes 3,000 minutes; minutes beyond that bill at $0.30/min, and there's a $50 fee per appointment the agent actually books. Most self-serve tools bill similarly by usage tier or per-minute overage once you exceed the plan's included minutes.