Ahoya vs virtual receptionist
The AI virtual receptionist that never clocks out
Human virtual receptionists are great — until they're off, busy, or billing by the minute. Ahoya handles every call the same way, around the clock, for a flat fee.
A live virtual receptionist is a remote human — professional, but paid per minute, shared across clients, and offline outside staffed hours. An AI virtual receptionist answers every call instantly, 24/7, handles unlimited simultaneous calls, and books straight into your calendar for a predictable monthly price.
| Virtual receptionist$300+/moHuman, per-minute or retainer | Best valueAhoya$49AI voice receptionist | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Business hours (24/7 costs more) | 24/7 — every call answered |
| Concurrent calls | One call per person | Unlimited — never a busy signal |
| After-hours & weekends | Extra cost or unavailable | Always on, no extra fee |
| Books appointments | Yes, if trained | Yes — books and texts your team live |
| Consistency | Varies by person and day | Same script, every single call |
| Setup | Onboarding + training | Live in ~5 minutes from your website |
Virtual receptionist
- Availability: Business hours (24/7 costs more)
- Concurrent calls: One call per person
- After-hours & weekends: Extra cost or unavailable
- Books appointments: Yes, if trained
- Consistency: Varies by person and day
- Setup: Onboarding + training
Ahoya
- Availability: 24/7 — every call answered
- Concurrent calls: Unlimited — never a busy signal
- After-hours & weekends: Always on, no extra fee
- Books appointments: Yes — books and texts your team live
- Consistency: Same script, every single call
- Setup: Live in ~5 minutes from your website
Plans from $39/mo billed yearly. See full pricing.
What are missed calls costing you?
Every unanswered call is a job or booking walking to a competitor. See the number.
Try the missed-call calculatorFrequently asked questions
What's the difference between a live and an AI virtual receptionist?
A live service staffs remote humans and bills per minute or per call; coverage depends on their staffing. An AI receptionist is software: it answers instantly at any hour, handles many calls at once, and costs a predictable flat rate.
Will callers accept talking to an AI?
Most callers just want an answer and a booking. Ahoya doesn't pretend to be human, answers on the first ring, and routes anyone who needs a person to your team — which beats hold music or a missed call.
Is an AI virtual receptionist reliable?
Ahoya runs on the same cloud telephony infrastructure call centers use, answers from your own business details, and logs every call with a transcript and summary your team can review.
How much does it cost compared to a live virtual receptionist?
Live services typically run hundreds per month for a limited block of minutes. Ahoya starts at $49/month — a predictable plan instead of a per-minute meter that spikes in a busy week.
Try Ahoya free
Paste your website, pick a voice, get a number. No card to start.