How much does a virtual receptionist cost?
A human virtual receptionist service typically costs £200 to £700 a month for a small business, or £0.60 to £2.50 per call. An AI receptionist can cost less and answers 24/7. Hiring a full-time receptionist on the National Living Wage costs around £2,360 a month once employer National Insurance and pension are included.
Key takeaways
- ✓A full-time receptionist on the National Living Wage costs about £28,300 a year in total.
- ✓Human virtual receptionist services usually cost £200 to £700 a month.
- ✓Per-call pricing of £0.60 to £2.50 adds up quickly for busy businesses.
- ✓AI receptionists answer instantly, 24/7, and can book appointments, not just take messages.
- ✓Many businesses mix them: AI for routine calls, a person for the tricky ones.
“Should I just hire someone?” is where most business owners start. Then they work out what it actually costs, and start looking at alternatives.
Here are the three real options, with 2026 numbers.
Option 1: hire a receptionist
The wage is only part of it. For someone full-time (37.5 hours a week) on the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour:
| Cost | Per year |
| Wages (£12.71 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks) | £24,784 |
| Employer National Insurance (15% above £5,000) | About £2,970 |
| Workplace pension (3% of qualifying earnings) | About £560 |
| Total | About £28,300, or £2,360 a month |
And that’s before recruitment, training, holiday cover, sick days and a desk. Most experienced receptionists earn above minimum wage too.
What you get: a real person who knows your customers, can greet people at the door and handle anything. What you don’t get: cover at lunchtime, after 5pm or at weekends, unless you pay for more hours.
Option 2: a human virtual receptionist service
A team in a call centre answers in your business name. Typical UK pricing is £200 to £700 a month for a small business, often worked out as £0.60 to £2.50 per call or a per-minute rate.
Good at: sounding personal, handling the unexpected. Watch out for: out-of-hours cover costing extra, and messages rather than bookings. You often still ring people back yourself.
Option 3: an AI receptionist
Software that answers the phone in a natural voice, deals with common questions and books appointments. Basic apps start from roughly £50 to £100 a month. A set-up connected to your booking system costs more.
Good at: answering every call instantly, at any hour, and actually booking the slot. Watch out for: very unusual calls. A good set-up passes these straight to you.
Does a virtual receptionist mean AI?
Not always. “Virtual receptionist” usually means a human team answering remotely. “AI receptionist” means software. Ask which one you’re buying, because the price and what happens at 11pm are very different.
Which is right for you?
- You need someone at the front desk: hire, and use AI for overflow and after hours.
- You get lots of complex calls: a human service, perhaps with AI for evenings.
- Most calls are bookings and the same ten questions: an AI receptionist will handle the bulk of them for a fraction of the cost.
Plenty of businesses end up mixing the options. The AI answers everything first, books the routine appointments, and passes anything unusual to a person.
If you want to see how that works, our AI receptionist answers calls, WhatsApp and website chat, and books straight into your diary.
Tell us how many calls you get and when. We’ll show you which option saves you most, even if it isn’t ours.
Get your free checkFrequently asked questions
How much does a receptionist cost in the UK?
A full-time receptionist on the National Living Wage costs about £28,300 a year in 2026, or around £2,360 a month, once employer National Insurance and pension are included.
How much does a virtual receptionist cost per month?
Human virtual receptionist services typically cost £200 to £700 a month for a small business, depending on call volume and out-of-hours cover.
Is an AI receptionist better than a virtual receptionist?
For routine calls and bookings, an AI receptionist is usually faster and cheaper, and it books appointments rather than just taking messages. A human service handles unusual calls better.
Can I use both?
Yes. Many businesses let AI answer first and pass complex calls to a person or a human service.
Do virtual receptionists work evenings and weekends?
Some do, often at extra cost. AI receptionists answer 24/7 as standard.
Sources
- National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates — GOV.UK
- Rates and thresholds for employers — GOV.UK
- Telephone answering service costs UK: 2026 guide — Sayora
- Answering Service Pricing UK 2026 — Team Connect
Co-Founder, ShiftDeploy
Muhammad Ali is a co-founder of ShiftDeploy and a full-stack engineer. He builds the AI receptionists, WhatsApp automation and booking systems that help clinics, trades and local service businesses answer every enquiry.