How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost in Ireland? 2026 Pricing Guide

# How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost in Ireland? 2026 Pricing Guide

TL;DR: An AI receptionist in Ireland costs between €9 and €150 per month depending on the provider and call volume. VoiceFleet starts at €29/mo — roughly 95% cheaper than hiring a part-time human receptionist at €1,400/mo. This guide breaks down every option so you can make the right choice for your Irish business.

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What Does a Human Receptionist Cost in Ireland in 2026?

Before we talk AI, let's establish the baseline. According to Indeed Ireland and the CSO's 2025 Earnings & Labour Costs report, a full-time receptionist in Ireland earns between €26,000 and €32,000 per year. In Dublin, that figure climbs to €34,000+ due to higher cost of living.

Here's what the real cost looks like when you factor in everything:

| Cost Component | Annual Estimate | |---|---| | Gross salary (full-time) | €28,000–€34,000 | | Employer PRSI (11.05%) | €3,094–€3,757 | | Holiday & sick cover | €2,200–€3,000 | | Recruitment (avg Irish market) | €2,500–€4,000 | | Training & onboarding | €500–€1,000 | | Workspace, equipment | €1,500–€3,000 | | Total annual cost | €37,794–€48,757 | | Monthly equivalent | €3,150–€4,063 |

Even a part-time receptionist (20 hrs/week) costs roughly €1,400–€1,800 per month in Dublin.

For a small dental practice on Grafton Street, a veterinary clinic in Galway, or a plumber in Cork — that's a significant overhead.

What Are the AI Receptionist Options Available in Ireland?

The AI receptionist market has matured rapidly. Here's what Irish businesses can choose from in 2026:

Tier 1: Budget (Under €30/mo)

Allo AI — From ~€10/mo

• Basic call answering and message-taking
• Limited customisation
• No Irish phone numbers
• US-focused, limited Irish accent handling

Rosie AI — From ~€45/mo (~$49 USD)

• Designed for home services
• Good call routing
• US numbers only — you'd need a forwarding setup from an Irish number
• No native GDPR compliance documentation

Tier 2: Mid-Range (€29–€79/mo)

VoiceFleet — From €29/mo

• Irish phone numbers included (Dublin 01, Cork 021, Galway 091, mobile 083/085/087)
• Built for Irish businesses: dental practices, restaurants, home services, and veterinary clinics
• GDPR-compliant with EU data hosting
• Handles Irish accents, place names, and Gaeilge basics
• Appointment booking, call transfer, FAQ answering
• WhatsApp and SMS follow-up included
• Setup in 5 minutes (see our setup guide)

Goodcall — From ~€72/mo (~$79 USD)

• Decent AI quality
• US-centric — no Irish numbers
• No GDPR-specific features
• Limited industry customisation

Tier 3: Premium (€90+/mo)

Smith.ai — From ~€92/mo (~$100 USD)

• Hybrid AI + human agents
• High-quality but expensive at scale
• Per-call pricing adds up fast (€2.50+ per call)
• US-based agents — unfamiliar with Irish context

Ruby Receptionists — From ~€92/mo (~$100 USD)

• Primarily human receptionists
• Premium service, premium price
• €3–5 per call at higher volumes
• No Irish-specific training

Tier 4: Enterprise

Dialpad AI, Google CCAI, AWS Connect — €500–€5,000+/mo

• Enterprise contact centre solutions
• Overkill for SMEs
• 6–12 week implementation
• Require dedicated IT staff

How Does VoiceFleet Compare on Price?

Here's a direct comparison for a typical Irish small business handling 150 calls per month:

| Provider | Monthly Cost (150 calls) | Irish Numbers | GDPR Compliant | Irish Accent Support | |---|---|---|---|---| | Human receptionist (PT) | €1,400–€1,800 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Smith.ai | €375+ | ❌ | ❓ | ❌ | | Ruby | €450+ | ❌ | ❓ | ❌ | | Goodcall | €72 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | Rosie | €45 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | VoiceFleet | €29–€79 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Allo | €10 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |

The cheapest option (Allo at €10/mo) lacks Irish numbers, GDPR compliance, and accent understanding. Smith.ai and Ruby deliver quality but at 5–15x the cost of VoiceFleet — and neither understands that "Dún Laoghaire" isn't pronounced the way it's spelled.

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📞 Ready to see how much you'd save? Book a free demo at VoiceFleet.ai and we'll calculate your exact ROI based on your call volume.

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What's the ROI of an AI Receptionist for Irish Businesses?

Let's run the numbers for a dental practice in Cork handling 200 calls per month:

Without AI receptionist:

• 30% of calls go to voicemail (industry average, BIA/Kelsey 2024)
• 60 missed calls × 40% would have booked = 24 lost appointments
• Average dental appointment value in Ireland: €120 (routine), €350 (cosmetic)
• Conservative estimate: 24 × €120 = €2,880/mo in lost revenue

With VoiceFleet at €49/mo:

• 95%+ call answer rate, 24/7
• Recover even 50% of those lost appointments = 12 × €120 = €1,440/mo recovered
• ROI: €1,440 recovered − €49 cost = €1,391/mo net gain
• That's a 2,839% return on investment.

Similar maths applies to restaurants losing reservation revenue, home services missing emergency callouts, and veterinary practices losing new patient registrations.

Is an AI Receptionist GDPR Compliant in Ireland?

This is the question every Irish business owner asks — and rightly so. Under the GDPR and the Irish Data Protection Act 2018, any system processing customer phone calls must:

1. Have a lawful basis for processing (legitimate interest or consent)
2. Store data in the EU or under adequate safeguards
3. Provide transparency — callers should know how their data is used
4. Allow data deletion on request
5. Have a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with the provider

VoiceFleet hosts all data on EU servers (AWS eu-west-1, Ireland region), provides a standard DPA, and includes built-in caller notification. The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has not issued specific guidance on AI receptionists, but VoiceFleet's architecture follows the DPC's "Fundamentals for a Child-Friendly Web" and general processing guidance principles.

Many US-based competitors (Smith.ai, Ruby, Goodcall, Rosie) host data in US data centres, which complicates GDPR compliance following the Schrems II ruling.

How Much Can a Small Irish Business Save Per Year?

| Business Type | Current Reception Cost | VoiceFleet Cost | Annual Saving | |---|---|---|---| | Solo dental practice (Dublin) | €36,000 (full-time) | €588 (€49/mo) | €35,412 | | Restaurant (Cork) | €18,000 (part-time) | €348 (€29/mo) | €17,652 | | Plumber (Galway) | €9,600 (answering service) | €588 (€49/mo) | €9,012 | | Veterinary clinic (Limerick) | €32,000 (full-time) | €948 (€79/mo) | €31,052 |

These savings don't include the revenue recovered from missed calls — which, as we showed above, can easily exceed €1,000/mo.

What About Hidden Costs?

With VoiceFleet, there are none. Your monthly plan includes:

• ✅ Irish phone number
• ✅ Unlimited call handling within your plan minutes
• ✅ Appointment booking integration (Google Calendar, Calendly, custom)
• ✅ SMS and WhatsApp follow-ups
• ✅ Call recordings and transcripts
• ✅ GDPR-compliant data storage
• ✅ Email and chat support

No setup fees. No per-call charges within your plan. No contracts — cancel anytime.

Some competitors charge per call (Smith.ai: ~€2.50/call, Ruby: ~€3.50/call), which means a busy month can blow your budget. With 200 calls, Smith.ai could cost €500+. VoiceFleet stays at your flat monthly rate.

Which VoiceFleet Plan Is Right for Your Irish Business?

| Plan | Monthly | Included Minutes | Best For | |---|---|---|---| | Starter | €29/mo | 100 minutes | Solo practitioners, low-volume | | Professional | €49/mo | 300 minutes | Small practices, restaurants | | Business | €79/mo | 600 minutes | Multi-location, busy clinics | | Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | Large organisations |

Most Irish small businesses find the Professional plan at €49/mo covers their needs. That's roughly €1.60 per working day.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an AI receptionist cost per month in Ireland?

AI receptionist costs in Ireland range from €10 to €150+ per month. VoiceFleet, the only provider with native Irish phone numbers and GDPR compliance, starts at €29/mo. Budget options like Allo start at €10 but lack Irish numbers and EU data hosting.

Is VoiceFleet cheaper than hiring a receptionist in Ireland?

Yes — significantly. A part-time receptionist in Ireland costs €1,400–€1,800/mo. VoiceFleet's most popular plan is €49/mo, saving Irish businesses over €16,000 per year while providing 24/7 coverage that a human receptionist cannot match.

Are there any free AI receptionist options for Irish businesses?

Some providers offer limited free tiers (typically 10–20 calls/mo), but these lack Irish phone numbers and GDPR compliance. VoiceFleet offers a 14-day free trial with full features so you can test it properly before committing.

Do I need a special phone system to use an AI receptionist?

No. VoiceFleet provides you with an Irish phone number (Dublin, Cork, Galway, or mobile), or you can forward your existing number. It works with any phone system — landline, mobile, or VoIP. Setup takes under 5 minutes.

Can an AI receptionist handle Irish accents and place names?

VoiceFleet is specifically trained on Irish English, including regional accents (Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Galway) and Irish place names. It correctly handles names like Dún Laoghaire, Baile Átha Cliath, and Ráth Fearnáin. US-based competitors typically struggle with these.