Virtual receptionist: standalone AI or a phone-system add-on?
A phone provider's AI add-on can be simplest if you already use that system. It usually needs a paid seat. Here is the bill for 200 calls of 3 minutes, seat included.
Scenario
200 calls a month · 3 min · 5% spam · 20% repeat. Ordered by monthly bill, not by our opinion. Change the numbers →
- SkipCallsStarter (monthly) · 200 calls used$29.99per month⚠ Fair use⚠ Spam counted
- Zinng300 min · 600 min used$99per month⚠ Overage⚠ Spam counted
- PhonelyProfessional · 600 min used$100per month⚠ Annual price⚠ Spam counted
- DialoraStarter · 600 min used$109per month⚠ Overage⚠ Third-party price⚠ Spam counted
- Sona by Quo (formerly OpenPhone)Credits tier 4 · 200 calls used$114per month⚠ Spam counted⚠ Needs a phone seat
- GoodcallStarter · 160 callers used$126.40per month⚠ Overage⚠ Spam counted
- MarlieBook jobs · 600 min used$134per month⚠ Overage⚠ Spam counted
- Trillet (Juney app)Juney · 600 min used$139per month⚠ Overage⚠ Spam counted
- AI Receptionist (ai-receptionist.com)Starter · 600 min used$139per month⚠ Overage⚠ Spam counted
- RosieScale · 600 min used$149per month⚠ Auto-upgrade⚠ Spam counted
- VokshaPremium · 200 calls used$149per month⚠ Overage⚠ Spam counted
- UpfirstPremium · 190 calls used$159.95per month⚠ Overage✓ Spam not billed
- NextPhonePro · flat$199per month⚠ Spam counted
- My AI Front Desk (Frontdesk AI)Business-in-a-Box · 600 min used$199per month⚠ Overage⚠ Spam counted
- DialzaraPlus · 570 min used$227per month⚠ Overage✓ Spam not billed
- Nextiva XBertXBert · 200 conversations used$249per month⚠ Overage⚠ Spam counted
- RingCentral AI Receptionist (AIR)AIR · 600 min used$299per month⚠ Overage⚠ Third-party price⚠ Spam counted
- CloudTalk AI Voice AgentsAI Receptionist 1,000 min · 600 min used$333per month⚠ Spam counted⚠ Needs a phone seat
- AgentZapProfessional · 570 min used$385per month⚠ Overage✓ Spam not billed
- Ringly.ioStandard · 200 conversations used$397.50per month⚠ Overage⚠ Spam counted
- Smith.ai AI ReceptionistPro · 190 calls used$437.50per month⚠ Overage⚠ Third-party price✓ Spam not billed
Add-ons in this scenario: Sona by Quo (formerly OpenPhone), CloudTalk AI Voice Agents, Nextiva XBert, Allo.
Prices from vendor pages on 2026-11-10 where marked "vendor"; otherwise third-party readings from 2026-10-02. Not a ranking of quality: we have not tested calls.