# AI Receptionist Pricing Comparison Ireland 2026: What Does an AI Phone Answering Service Actually Cost?
Published: 17 February 2026 Target Keyword: AI receptionist pricing comparison Ireland 2026 Secondary Keywords: AI phone answering service cost, best value AI receptionist, virtual receptionist pricing Ireland, cheap AI receptionist Word Count: ~2,100
TL;DR: AI receptionists in 2026 range from €45 to €500+/month depending on features, minutes, and market focus. US-based options like Rosie ($49) and GoodCall ($59–$79) look cheap but lack Irish numbers and GDPR compliance. For Irish businesses, VoiceFleet offers the best value with local numbers, EU data residency, and vertical-specific features included.
How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost in 2026?
Pricing an AI receptionist isn't as simple as checking a single number. The market has fragmented into dozens of providers, each with different pricing models — per minute, per call, flat monthly, usage-based — making apples-to-apples comparison genuinely difficult.
We've done the research so you don't have to. Here's what every major AI receptionist actually costs, what's included, and — crucially — what's missing from the headline price.
What Are the Major AI Receptionist Providers Charging?
US-Based Providers
| Provider | Starting Price | Model | Minutes Included | Phone Number | Market | |----------|---------------|-------|-----------------|--------------|--------| | Rosie AI | $49/month (~€45) | Flat rate | Unlimited | US only | US | | GoodCall | $59/month (~€54) | Tiered | Varies by plan | US/Canada | US | | Smith.ai | $292.50/month (~€270) | Per-call | 30 calls | US | US | | Ruby | $245/month (~€226) | Per-minute | 50 minutes | US | US | | Dialzara | $29/month (~€27) | Per-minute | Limited | US | US | | Allo | Custom | Enterprise | Custom | US | US |
UK/Ireland-Based Providers
| Provider | Starting Price | Model | Minutes Included | Phone Number | Market | |----------|---------------|-------|-----------------|--------------|--------| | VoiceFleet | Custom | Flexible | Generous | IE/UK/AR local | IE/UK/AR | | Moneypenny | £Price on request | Hybrid (AI + human) | Varies | UK | UK | | Alayic | £39.99/month (~€47) | Flat rate | Included | UK | UK | | AI Voice Solutions | Custom | Custom | Custom | UK | UK | | ViveoAI | Custom | Custom | Custom | IE/UK | IE/UK |
Specialist Providers (Dental)
| Provider | Starting Price | Model | Market | |----------|---------------|-------|--------| | Linda AI | Custom | Dental-only | UK/IE | | DentaAI | Custom | Dental-only | UK | | Dentina | Custom | Dental-only | UK | | Swifter AI | Custom | Dental-only | UK |
Why Is There Such a Huge Price Range?
The gap between Dialzara at $29/month and Smith.ai at $292/month isn't random. It reflects fundamentally different products:
Tier 1: Budget AI ($27–$55/month)
Providers like Rosie, Dialzara, and Alayic offer basic AI call answering. The AI handles greetings, captures caller information, and can answer simple FAQs. These work well for solo operators who just need someone to "pick up the phone" when they can't.
What you get: Basic call answering, voicemail alternative, caller info capture. What you don't get: Deep booking integration, vertical-specific knowledge, local market understanding.
Tier 2: Professional AI (€50–€150/month)
This is where most serious AI receptionists live — including GoodCall, VoiceFleet, and ViveoAI. These systems do more than answer calls: they book appointments, handle complex FAQs, integrate with your existing tools, and sound genuinely conversational.
What you get: Intelligent call handling, booking, CRM sync, multi-turn conversations. What you don't get: (Varies) human backup, enterprise SLAs, unlimited customisation.
Tier 3: Premium / Hybrid (€200+/month)
Smith.ai and Ruby combine AI with human receptionists. Moneypenny offers a similar hybrid model in the UK. You're paying for the safety net of a human stepping in when the AI can't handle something.
What you get: AI + human backup, higher accuracy, brand-name trust. What you don't get: Value for money — you're paying 4-5x more for a marginal improvement in edge-case handling.
What Hidden Costs Should Irish Businesses Watch For?
The headline price rarely tells the full story. Here's what catches people out:
1. Currency Conversion Fees
US-priced services bill in dollars. Your bank charges 1.5–3% on foreign currency transactions. On a $79/month plan, that's an extra €14–€28/year in hidden fees.
2. Phone Number Provisioning
This is the big one for Irish businesses. Most US providers don't offer Irish numbers. You'd need to:
- Buy an Irish virtual number from a third-party provider (€5–€15/month)
- Configure call forwarding (potential quality loss)
- Manage two separate billing relationships
VoiceFleet includes Irish, UK, and Argentine numbers in the base price.
3. Per-Minute Overages
Smith.ai charges $9.74 per call beyond your plan. Ruby charges $4.90 per minute over your allocation. A busy dental practice receiving 200+ calls/month could face €500+ in overages.
Always calculate based on your actual call volume, not the base price.
4. Integration Costs
Some providers charge extra for CRM or calendar integrations. Zapier (commonly used as middleware) costs $19.99–$69/month for active workflows. That Dialzara plan at $29/month suddenly becomes $49–$98 with Zapier.
5. GDPR Compliance Costs
Using a US-based provider without proper data processing agreements? You may need to invest in:
- Legal review of DPA terms (€500–€2,000 one-time)
- Additional data processing addendums
- Ongoing compliance monitoring
VoiceFleet includes GDPR-compliant data processing as standard — no legal review needed.
How Does AI Receptionist Pricing Compare to Human Receptionists in Ireland?
This is the comparison that matters most. Here's what you're actually choosing between:
| Option | Monthly Cost | Availability | Sick Days | Holiday Cover | |--------|-------------|-------------|-----------|---------------| | Full-time receptionist (Dublin) | €2,800–€3,400 | 39 hrs/week | Yes | Extra cost | | Part-time receptionist | €1,200–€1,700 | 20 hrs/week | Yes | Extra cost | | Temp agency receptionist | €18–€25/hour | Flexible | N/A | N/A | | Traditional answering service | €150–€400/month | 24/7 | N/A | Included | | AI receptionist (VoiceFleet) | From ~€75/month | 24/7/365 | Never | Included |
An AI receptionist costs roughly 2–3% of a full-time human receptionist. Even adding the AI as a supplement — handling after-hours and overflow — pays for itself if it captures just 2-3 extra bookings per month.
For an Irish dental practice where the average new patient is worth €800–€1,200 annually, one captured call per month covers the entire AI cost.
The Real Maths for a Dublin Dental Practice
- Average missed calls per week: 15–20 (industry data)
- Missed calls converted by AI receptionist: 60–70%
- New patient value: €900/year average
- Monthly revenue recovered: €3,600–€5,400
- AI receptionist cost: ~€75–€150/month
- ROI: 2,400–7,200%
The numbers are similar for restaurants (average booking = €120–€200 table), veterinary clinics (average visit = €80–€150), and auto repair shops (average job = €200–€600).
Which AI Receptionist Offers the Best Value for Irish Businesses?
Let's score the main options on what matters to businesses in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and beyond:
| Criteria | Rosie | GoodCall | Smith.ai | Alayic | VoiceFleet | |----------|-------|----------|----------|--------|------------| | Irish phone number | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | | GDPR compliant by default | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | | Irish accent/dialect | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | | Irish business integrations | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ | ✅ | | EUR billing | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ (GBP) | ✅ | | Dental vertical features | ❌ | Basic | Basic | ❌ | ✅ Deep | | Restaurant features | ❌ | Basic | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Deep | | 24/7 availability | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Value score (IE market) | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
For Irish businesses, VoiceFleet is the clear value winner. Not because it's the cheapest on paper (budget US options exist), but because the total cost of ownership — including local numbers, compliance, integrations, and cultural fit — is lower than any alternative.
Can I Try an AI Receptionist Before Committing?
Most providers offer some form of trial:
- Rosie: Free trial available
- GoodCall: Demo available
- Smith.ai: Money-back guarantee
- VoiceFleet: Free demo with your actual business type → — hear the AI handle a real call for your industry, with an Irish number
We recommend testing with real call scenarios, not just a scripted demo. Ask providers:
- Can I call the AI from my mobile and test a booking?
- Can I hear how it handles a caller with a strong accent?
- What happens when the AI doesn't know the answer?
Ready to Stop Overpaying for Missed Calls?
Every missed call is lost revenue. The question isn't whether to use an AI receptionist — it's which one delivers the best return for your Irish business.
Book a free VoiceFleet demo → and see exactly how it works for your industry. No credit card. Setup in 30 minutes.
Or explore how VoiceFleet works for your vertical:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest AI receptionist available in 2026?
Dialzara starts at $29/month (~€27), but it's US-only with limited features and per-minute billing that can escalate quickly. For Irish businesses, the cheapest option with local numbers and GDPR compliance is VoiceFleet.
Is an AI receptionist worth it for a small business in Ireland?
Yes — if your business receives phone calls and sometimes misses them. Even 5 missed calls per month at an average booking value of €100 means €500/month in lost revenue. An AI receptionist at €75–€150/month pays for itself almost immediately.
Do AI receptionists charge per minute or per month?
Both models exist. Per-minute pricing (Ruby, Dialzara) can be cheaper for very low volume but expensive if you're busy. Flat monthly pricing (Rosie, GoodCall, VoiceFleet) is more predictable. Always calculate based on your actual monthly call volume.
Can I use a US AI receptionist with an Irish phone number?
Technically yes, by buying a separate Irish virtual number and forwarding calls. But this adds €5–€15/month, introduces call quality issues, complicates billing, and may create GDPR compliance gaps. It's simpler and safer to use a provider that includes Irish numbers natively.
How do I calculate the ROI of an AI receptionist?
Multiply your average missed calls per week × your average booking value × the AI's conversion rate (typically 60–70%). Subtract the monthly AI cost. For most Irish businesses, the ROI exceeds 1,000% within the first month. See our ROI measurement guide → for a detailed calculator.
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