Side by side
| AI receptionist (Autorys) | In-house receptionist | Human answering service | Voicemail | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hours | 24/7, nights and weekends included | Their shift | Depends on the plan | Always, but nobody answers |
| How you pay | $149 USD a month with 500 minutes | Salary and payroll costs | Usually per minute or per call | $0 |
| Languages | English and Spanish on every call | The languages that person speaks | Depends on the provider | — |
| Books appointments | Yes, in your CRM calendar | Yes | Depends on the service | No |
| Record of the call | Summary, recording and transcript of every call | Notes, if they take them | Usually a message | A voicemail, if they leave one |
| Unusual or sensitive calls | Transfers to your team or takes a message | Handles them with judgment | Depends on the agent | — |
Where a person is better
- Judgment in situations nobody planned for.
- Empathy in difficult or emotional conversations.
- Tasks beyond the phone: greeting visitors, handling paperwork, working inside your other systems.
Where an AI receptionist is better
- It answers at 2 AM on a Sunday the same way it does on a Tuesday morning.
- The price is fixed every month and does not grow with overtime.
- Every call leaves a summary, a recording and a transcript in your CRM.
- It answers in English and Spanish without you hiring for it.
- It follows your rules every time: it does not make up prices and sends gas, fire or injury calls to 911.
What about a human answering service?
An answering service gives you real people without hiring, but you usually pay for every minute or every call. As a reference, in October 2026 Ruby’s live receptionists started at $250 a month for 50 minutes. For $149 USD a month, the Autorys AI receptionist includes 500 minutes.
The combination that works for most businesses
You don’t have to choose one. The AI answers first, so no call goes unanswered, and during the hours you choose it transfers the call to up to 3 people at your business, announcing the caller first. If nobody picks up, it takes the message and books the appointment. Your team only takes the calls that really need them.