Tools & price references
AI receptionist cost.
Compare Vapi, Retell, Bland and a Synthflow quote using the same call volume. Separate platform charges from the model, voice and phone bill.
Updated
Call-handling scenario
1,000
AI-connected minutes / month- Carrier minutes
- 1,000
- Equivalent handling time
- 16.7 hours
- Human handling value
- $416.67
The human figure values this call-handling time at your entered hourly cost. It is not a full receptionist salary, coverage plan or promised saving.
Voice platform comparison
What each voice price includes
| Platform | Verified base | Included | Add or verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapi | $0.05 / AI minute | Vapi hosting | Model, speech recognition, voice, carrier, numbers and add-ons |
| Retell AI | $0.055 / minute infrastructure | Voice infrastructure | Selected voice/model, carrier and phone numbers |
| Bland AI | Start $0.14 / minute | Model, transcription and voice | Carrier, transfer fees when applicable and number/add-on charges |
| Synthflow | Enterprise contract; published minimum $30,000 annually | Contract-specific | Actual fee, allowance, usage rate and inclusions. Minimum is not an all-in quote |
Compare the whole minute
The Retell scenario uses the published Retell platform voice and GPT-4.1 mini standard rates, for an AI subtotal of $0.0828 per minute. Phone numbers are $2 each per month in the selected record. Carrier charges remain separate.
Vapi requires your selected transcription, model and voice costs. Bland already bundles those three components in the selected talk-time price, so the calculator does not add them again. Transferred minutes can keep incurring carrier charges after AI handling ends.
Can an AI receptionist replace a person?
Cost arithmetic cannot establish that. Compare task completion, handoff quality, missed calls, availability and review effort. A person may perform work beyond the phone. Test a bounded call type before treating a handling-time estimate as a staffing decision.
Provider concurrency, daily limits, regional phone rates and contract terms still matter. The source links and your actual account bill take precedence over a planning estimate.