What you are actually paying for
AI receptionist pricing has three parts, and vendors rarely show all three on the same page. Once you separate them the comparison becomes simple.
| Cost component | Typical market range | MAZ Assist |
|---|---|---|
| Talk time (AI voice) | $0.25–$0.50 / min | $0.30 / min |
| Talk time (human dialling from your team) | $0.02–$0.20 / min | $0.18 / min |
| Dedicated business phone number | $2–$15 / month | $60 / year (first one free on annual plans) |
| Setup / onboarding | $0–$2,500 | $0, guided self-serve |
| Per-seat licences | $29–$99 / user / month | None |
Worked example: a 300-call-a-month service business
Take a dental clinic, HVAC company or law firm receiving 300 inbound calls a month, averaging three minutes each — 900 minutes of talk time.
- AI receptionist: 900 × $0.30 = $270/month, plus $5/month for the number. Covers 24/7.
- Human receptionist (US, full-time): $3,000–$4,500/month loaded. Covers ~40 hours a week.
- Traditional answering service: $1.10–$2.00 per call handled, so $330–$600/month — and it takes messages rather than booking work.
The gap widens at low volume, because the AI bills nothing for silence. A business taking 60 calls a month pays about $54.
Where AI receptionists cost more than expected
Three things inflate the bill, and all three are avoidable:
- Long, rambling greetings. Every second is billed. A tight 8-second greeting saves real money at volume.
- No escalation rule. If the assistant cannot resolve a call, it should hand off inside 90 seconds rather than looping.
- Spam and robocalls. Screening cuts 5–15% of billed minutes for most published business numbers.
When a human still wins
Be honest about the boundary. Human staff still outperform on complex multi-stakeholder conversations, distressed or sensitive callers, and negotiation. The strongest setup is not AI instead of people — it is AI answering every call first, qualifying it, and putting your team only on the conversations worth their hourly cost. See AI voice calling vs. human calling for the routing logic.
What to check before you buy
- Is pricing per minute or per call? Per-call pricing punishes short calls.
- Are inbound and outbound billed at the same rate?
- Does the number come with the plan, or is it a separate line item?
- Can it book directly into your calendar, or only take messages?
- Do you get the transcript and recording of every call?
MAZ Assist answers all five in the customer's favour. You can see the full plan matrix on the pricing page, read how the receptionist works on the AI receptionist page, or compare the small-business setup on AI receptionist for small business.