Disclosure: Augmented Trades participates in affiliate programs with several tools mentioned here, including LeadTruffle, Jobber, and Housecall Pro. We may earn a commission if you subscribe through our links, at no additional cost to you. We never accept payment for a recommendation — every tool is selected on editorial merit. See our full disclosure.
Short answer: an AI receptionist costs roughly $200–$700 per month for most trade contractors — compared with about $400–$2,000 per month for a human answering service and roughly $37,000 per year in base pay for an in-house hire. But the sticker price is only half the story. The cost that should actually drive the decision is what missed calls are already costing you.
Why missed calls matter to the math: Hiya’s 2024 State of the Call report found that 46% of unidentified calls go unanswered even when a legitimate business is calling, and 60% of consumers who screen an unfamiliar call never call back, and Invoca puts the home-services missed-call rate around 27%. A tool that costs a few hundred dollars a month but recovers even one or two lost jobs usually pays for itself.
The three options, by cost
| Option | Typical cost | Coverage | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI receptionist software | ~$200–$700/mo | 24/7 | Most small-to-mid trade shops |
| Human answering service | ~$400–$2,000/mo | 24/7 (higher tiers) | Shops that need a live human voice |
| In-house receptionist | ~$37,000/yr base + benefits | Business hours only | Established offices with steady volume |
In-house figure from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2024 median wage for receptionists ($17.90/hour, ~$37,250/year) before benefits and payroll taxes — the real loaded cost is higher, and it only covers business hours.
What AI receptionist software actually costs
Dedicated tools price by lead volume. LeadTruffle, built for home-services contractors, runs $229/mo (150 leads), $399/mo (300 leads), and $629/mo (500 leads), plus a one-time $299 onboarding fee (verify current pricing at leadtruffle.co). If your call volume is low, the basic missed-call text-back built into Jobber and Housecall Pro is included in their plans — but it only sends a single “we missed your call” text with no qualification conversation.
Watch three hidden costs: onboarding fees (one-time setup), per-lead caps and overages (going over your tier’s lead limit mid-month), and dedicated 10DLC numbers for compliant SMS at higher tiers. AI voice agents (which talk to callers) often price by usage rather than flat monthly, so heavy after-hours volume can change the math.
What a human answering service costs
Human-powered services like Smith.ai and Ruby typically bill per receptionist-minute, which lands most shops in the $400–$2,000/month range depending on call volume and how much is live versus automated. The trade-off: you get a real human voice on every call, but costs are variable and can spike in a busy month. (We’re not affiliated with Smith.ai or Ruby — mentioned editorially.)
What an in-house receptionist costs
A front-desk hire averages about $37,000/year in base pay (BLS, May 2024), but the real number is higher once you add payroll taxes, benefits, paid time off, and training — and it only covers business hours, leaving nights, weekends, and peak-season overflow uncovered. For most owner-operators and small crews, that’s a lot of fixed cost for partial coverage.
The cost that matters more: missed-call revenue
Comparing monthly fees misses the point. The real comparison is the fee against the revenue you’re losing to unanswered calls. If you miss 30–75 calls a month and even a fraction would have converted at your average ticket, the lost revenue usually dwarfs any of these tools’ cost. Put your own numbers on it with our Missed-Call Revenue Calculator ($19) — five inputs, and it estimates the revenue walking past your business plus a payback comparison across AI, answering service, and in-house options.
How to pick the right tier by call volume
- Under ~30 missed calls/month: use the built-in missed-call text-back in Jobber or Housecall Pro. Don’t overbuy.
- 30–150 missed calls/month: a dedicated AI receptionist like LeadTruffle Essential (~$229/mo).
- 150–300 missed calls/month: LeadTruffle Growth (~$399/mo) for higher caps.
- 300+ missed calls/month: LeadTruffle Scale (~$629/mo), or a human-hybrid service if you want a live voice on every call.
Do the math before you buy
The Missed-Call Revenue Calculator ($19) turns this guide into your numbers. Want a broader AI starting point? The free AI Contractor Quick-Start Checklist and the 25 Contractor AI Prompts ($27) help you get more out of the tools you already pay for. Not sure what fits? The free Tool Finder builds a custom shortlist.
AI receptionist cost: quick answers
How much does an AI receptionist cost?
For most trade contractors, about $200–$700/month depending on lead volume, plus any one-time onboarding fee. Verify current vendor pricing before deciding.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than an answering service?
Usually, yes. AI software runs ~$200–$700/month versus ~$400–$2,000/month for a human answering service — and AI’s cost is more predictable because it isn’t billed per minute.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than hiring someone?
For most small shops, yes. An in-house receptionist is ~$37,000/year base (BLS, May 2024) before benefits and only covers business hours; AI is a few hundred dollars a month, 24/7.
Are there any free options?
Sort of — the basic missed-call text-back included in Jobber and Housecall Pro plans costs nothing extra, but it only sends a single auto-text with no lead qualification. It’s a fine starting point at low volume.
Bottom line
An AI receptionist is the lowest-cost way to cover your phones around the clock — typically $200–$700/month versus $400–$2,000 for a service or ~$37k/year for a hire. But price the decision against what you’re losing in missed calls, not against zero. Run the calculator, pick the tier that matches your volume, and don’t pay for capacity you won’t use.
Try LeadTruffle → (purpose-built AI receptionist for home-services contractors), or if your volume is low, start with the missed-call text-back built into Jobber.
Related reading: AI receptionist vs. human receptionist · AI receptionist for HVAC · AI receptionist for electricians · AI receptionist software for plumbers.
Full disclosure: Augmented Trades is an affiliate of LeadTruffle, Jobber, and Housecall Pro mentioned here. We are not affiliated with the human answering services referenced (Smith.ai, Ruby) — those are mentioned editorially only. See our full disclosure policy.
Part of our guide: AI Receptionists for Trade Contractors — the complete 2026 guide.
Michael is the founder of Augmented Trades, an independent site that tests and reviews AI tools for trade contractors. Tools are recommended on fit for your shop — affiliate partnerships never decide coverage.