Guide
AI receptionist vs answering service
Three ways to make sure your phone gets answered, and what each one really costs a Canadian business.
Every business that relies on the phone eventually hits the same wall: calls come in while everyone is busy, and the ones that go to voicemail rarely call back. There are three common fixes. You can hire a receptionist, pay a live answering service, or use an AI receptionist. They solve different problems, and the right answer depends on your call volume, your hours and how much each call is worth.
The in-house receptionist
A receptionist who knows your business and your regulars is hard to beat on a good day. The trade-offs are cost and coverage. You pay a full salary and benefits, and you still need cover for lunch, sick days, vacations, evenings and weekends. One person also answers one call at a time; when three people call together, two of them wait or hang up.
The live answering service
An answering service puts trained operators on your line, usually in a shared call centre that answers for many businesses. They are good at taking a message politely, around the clock. Services differ a lot by provider and plan: many bill a monthly plan with a set number of minutes or calls and overage fees above it, and some charge extra for appointment booking, after-hours coverage or holidays. Operators usually work from a script for each client, so check whether they can answer detailed questions about your services and book into your real schedule, or whether calls end as a message for you to return.
The AI receptionist
An AI receptionist answers with a natural voice, using your own information: services, prices you approve, hours, policies and FAQs. It picks up on the first ring, takes many calls at the same time, and works nights and holidays without overtime. A good one doesn't just take messages. It books appointments, transfers callers to the right person with a private briefing first, sends confirmation texts and emails you a summary of every call.
The limits are real, too. An AI receptionist only knows what you give it, and the honest ones say “I'm not sure, let me take your details” instead of guessing. Calls that need human judgement should be transferred to your team, and the setup you give it matters.
Side by side
| In-house receptionist | Live answering service | RealVoice AI receptionist | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours | Business hours | 24/7, often with after-hours fees | 24/7 |
| Calls at once | One | Depends on staffing | Many at once |
| Knows your business | Deeply | A short script | Everything you give it |
| Books appointments | Yes | Often an add-on | Yes, while the caller is on the line |
| Transfers calls | Yes | Usually | Yes, with a private briefing |
| Typical cost | Salary and benefits | Varies by plan; often over $1 a minute | From $79 a month with 300 minutes, or $0.25/min. Booking, transfers and texts included; no setup fee |
Capabilities shown are options, not necessarily included in each provider's lowest advertised price. Answering-service costs are from published plans we checked in October 2026.
What Canadian businesses should check
- French. If you serve Quebec, New Brunswick or bilingual customers, make sure the service handles French calls properly, not just a French greeting.
- Your time zone. When something breaks at 4 p.m. on a Friday, you want support that is awake in the same time zone as your customers.
- Canadian dollars. Prices quoted in US dollars move with the exchange rate and can add card fees.
- Your own phone number. You should be able to forward the number your customers already know.
- Real booking. Ask whether it actually books a time while the caller is on the line, or only takes a message asking for an appointment.
Which one is right for you?
If your calls are mostly the same handful of questions, bookings and messages, and you lose business when nobody answers, an AI receptionist gives you full coverage for the lowest cost. If you have a receptionist already, an AI receptionist can take the overflow, lunch hours and nights so they can focus on the people in front of them. And if a call truly needs a person, the AI can hand it to one.
See RealVoice pricing, browse AI receptionist setups for 120 industries, or get a free demo call and hear it for yourself.
Compare workflows for your business
- AI receptionist for dentists
- AI receptionist for medical offices
- AI receptionist for HVAC companies
- AI receptionist for plumbers
- AI answering service for law firms
- Answering service for property management
- AI receptionist for restaurants
- AI receptionist for small businesses
Common questions
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than an answering service?
Usually, yes, though it depends on the plan. Live answering services typically bill monthly blocks of minutes or calls, and published plans we checked worked out to more than a dollar a minute. RealVoice plans start at $79 a month with 300 minutes included, or $0.25 a minute pay-as-you-go, billed by the second. Booking, transfers and texts are included, and there is no setup fee.
Can an AI receptionist book appointments?
Yes. It checks your open times, offers them and books, moves or cancels appointments while the caller is on the line. With RealVoice the booking lands in your RealVoice schedule; connecting your own calendar or booking software is something the team sets up.
Will callers know it's AI?
If they ask, it tells them. Modern AI voices sound natural, answer without long pauses and don't read from a script, so most callers simply get helped.
When is a human answering service the better choice?
When most of your calls need judgement no written policy can cover, or when callers expect the same person every time. Many businesses use an AI receptionist for most calls and transfer the rest to their own staff.
Does an AI receptionist work in French?
RealVoice answers in English and French and many other languages, and confirms with the caller before switching.