Comparison
AI Receptionist vs Hiring a Receptionist: Cost, Coverage, and Fit
AI receptionist vs hiring a receptionist: a full-time receptionist earns a median of about $38,010 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025) plus benefits, and works set shifts. An AI receptionist like AssistStaff costs $29–$249 a month and answers 24/7, but cannot greet visitors or do in-person front-desk work.
The cost of a full-time receptionist
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median pay for receptionists was $38,010 a year, or $18.27 an hour, in May 2025 (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/receptionists.htm). Half of receptionists earn more and half earn less, and local pay varies.
Wages are only part of the cost of a full-time receptionist. Employers also pay payroll taxes, paid leave, insurance, and retirement contributions. In June 2025, benefits made up about 30% of private-industry employer compensation costs (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ecec_09122025.htm). Applying that average to the median wage gives a rough estimate of $54,000 a year in total cost. That is an estimate, not a quote; small businesses that offer fewer benefits will land lower.
Then come the costs that never appear on a pay stub: time spent writing job posts and interviewing, training, a desk, a computer, a phone, and covering the phone yourself when your receptionist is sick, on vacation, or leaves for another job.
| Option | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Receptionist, median wage only (BLS) | $3,168 | $38,010 |
| Receptionist, wage plus average benefits (estimate) | $4,500 | $54,000 |
| AssistStaff Business Starter (100 min/mo) | $29 | $295.80 billed annually (save 15%) |
| AssistStaff Business Essential (250 min/mo) | $69 | $703.80 billed annually (save 15%) |
| AssistStaff Business Growth (600 min/mo) | $129 | $1,315.80 billed annually (save 15%) |
| AssistStaff Business Pro (1,200 min/mo) | $249 | $2,539.80 billed annually (save 15%) |
Coverage: who answers at 7 p.m. on a Saturday?
A full-time receptionist on a 40-hour schedule covers about 24% of the 168 hours in a week. Calls that come in early in the morning, in the evening, over the weekend, or during lunch still go to voicemail, and those can be the hours when a homeowner finally has time to call about a leaking water heater.
One person also answers one call at a time. When two customers call at once, one of them waits or hangs up. An AI receptionist answers 24/7, including holidays, and handles several callers at the same time (2 on Business Starter, up to 15 on Business Pro).
Side-by-side comparison
Here is how the two options compare on the things small business owners ask about most. Neither column is better in every row.
| AI receptionist | In-house receptionist | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 24/7, including nights, weekends, and holidays | Scheduled shifts; time off needs cover |
| Languages | AssistStaff: English, Spanish, and Korean | Whatever languages the person you hire speaks |
| Appointment booking | Books, reschedules, and cancels on your Google Calendar, with text confirmations | Yes, plus judgment calls on tricky scheduling |
| Cost model | Flat monthly plan ($29–$249 with AssistStaff) | Salary (median about $38,010/yr) plus taxes and benefits |
| Setup | Forward your number and add business info; live in minutes | Hiring and training, often weeks |
| Scaling | Move to a larger plan for more minutes and simultaneous calls | Hire another person |
| In-person work | No | Yes: greeting visitors, payments, filing, office tasks |
What a human receptionist does better
Hiring a person is the right call for some businesses, and it is worth being clear about when.
- In-person front-desk work: greeting walk-in customers, taking payments at the counter, handing over keys, signing for deliveries, and keeping the office running.
- Complex or high-value sales calls that need persuasion, negotiation, and judgment.
- Very high-touch clients who value hearing the same familiar person every time they call.
- A mix of office duties beyond the phone, such as bookkeeping help, ordering supplies, or managing paperwork.
A receptionist alternative for small business, or a teammate
For many owner-run businesses, the question is not really “AI or a person.” It is “Who answers when nobody is free?” If you cannot justify a $38,010-a-year hire, an AI receptionist is a practical receptionist alternative for small business owners: it answers every call, answers questions from your own knowledge base, books appointments, takes messages, and logs every call with a transcript and a customer profile.
If you already have a receptionist, an AI receptionist can work alongside them. It picks up after hours, at lunch, and when the line is busy, so your receptionist can focus on the customers standing in front of them. Urgent or requested calls are transferred to your receptionist, you, or other staff, with a smart callback when nobody picks up.
How to decide
Start with three questions. Do you need someone physically at a front desk? How many calls come in outside business hours or while you are busy? And how many of your calls are routine bookings and questions versus complex sales?
If you need in-person help, hire a person; you can still add an AI receptionist for nights and overflow. If your main problem is missed calls while you work, an AI receptionist covers that for a fraction of a salary. Hypothetical example: if one booked job is worth $300 to your business, catching one extra job a month more than covers Business Starter at $29 a month. Use your own average job value to run the numbers.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a full-time receptionist cost?
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median wage of about $38,010 a year for receptionists (May 2025). With payroll taxes and benefits, the total cost to an employer is higher; using the BLS private-industry average, roughly $54,000 a year.
- Can an AI receptionist fully replace a human receptionist?
- For phone work, often yes: answering, booking, messages, and transfers. It cannot do in-person tasks like greeting visitors or taking payments at a counter, so businesses with a busy front desk usually still need a person.
- Can an AI receptionist work alongside my current receptionist?
- Yes. You can use it for after-hours calls, lunch breaks, and overflow when the line is busy, and have urgent or requested calls transferred to your staff.
- Does it speak more than one language?
- Yes. AssistStaff answers in English, Spanish, and Korean, with a native Korean voice for Korean-speaking callers.
- How long does setup take compared with hiring?
- You forward your existing business number and add your business information, and the AI receptionist can be answering within minutes. No coding is needed.
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