Guide · Updated 29 October 2026
How much does an AI receptionist cost in Ireland?
Real prices from Irish providers, phone and messaging, checked on 29 October 2026. What you get at each price, the costs that are not on the pricing page, and a calculator for what missed enquiries cost you now.
Price bands
What Irish providers actually charge.
Published prices from providers that rank in Irish search results. Check each site before you buy: prices change.
Sources, checked 29 October 2026: heyjodie.com/en-ie/ai-receptionist-service (€49, €99, €199 ex VAT); ai-receptionist.ie/locations/dublin (€69, €227, €467, €827); voicefleet.ai/ai-receptionist/dublin (€99 for 500 minutes, €299, €599); callmeie.ie/receptionist/dublin (from €149 a month plus setup); evalondigitalmedia.com/ai-chatbot-dublin (€2,500 build, or €450 a month inside plans from €1,200); digitalbridge.ie blog (builds from €4,250); siluxchat.com (Free, €19, €49, €99); frontdesk.ie/pricing. FrontDesk.ie is one of the providers listed.
What changes the price
Five things that move the number.
1. Calls or messages
Phone receptionists are usually priced by minutes or calls, because every minute of voice costs the provider money. Messaging receptionists are usually a flat monthly fee. Count which you get more of. Many salons, studios and trades now get more WhatsApps and Instagram DMs than calls.
2. Set up for you, or do it yourself
Self-serve tools are cheaper per month, but you write the answers, connect the calendar and fix it when it goes wrong. Managed services cost a little more and include that work. Be honest about whether you will find the evenings to do it.
3. Setup and build fees
Some phone services charge a one-off setup fee. Agency chatbots often charge thousands to build before the monthly fee starts. FrontDesk has no setup fee.
4. Channels
A website chatbot only answers people on your website. If your customers mostly message on WhatsApp and Instagram, check those are included, not sold as add-ons.
5. VAT, minutes and overage
Some prices are shown without VAT. Minute-based plans can charge extra when you go over. Ask for the price you will actually pay in a busy month.
The hidden cost
The biggest cost is not on anyone's pricing page.
It is the enquiry nobody answered. Three ordinary moments, with and without a receptionist that answers in seconds.
Simulated conversations. Same customers, same week. The only difference is who answers, and when.
Calculator
What are missed enquiries costing you?
The example values are placeholders. Change them to match your business. Nothing is saved or sent.
Before you sign
Seven questions to ask every provider.
Ask every provider
- Is there a setup or build fee?
- Is the price with or without VAT?
- What happens when I go over my minutes or conversations?
- Who updates it when my prices change, and does that cost extra?
- Which channels are included: phone, WhatsApp, Instagram, website?
- Is there a contract or a notice period?
- Where is my customers' data stored, and is it used to train AI?
FrontDesk’s answers
- No setup fee
- Prices shown are what you pay each month
- No per-message charges from FrontDesk; if you outgrow your plan, Denis tells you first
- Denis updates it for you, included
- WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, website and more; missed calls texted back
- No contract, 30-day money-back guarantee
- Stored in the EU and never used to train AI. Details
Which is right for you
Phone, messages, or both?
Mostly phone calls
Builders on site all day, solicitors, clinics with older patients. A phone receptionist is probably worth it.
Mostly messages
Salons, barbers, studios, PTs, shops. Your customers WhatsApp and DM. A messaging receptionist fits, and costs less.
Both
Start with the channel where you lose the most. FrontDesk also texts back missed calls, so the caller moves to WhatsApp and gets an answer.
Pricing
What FrontDesk costs. All of it, on one page.
Every plan is set up, trained and updated by Denis. Start today, or book a free demo first. The first 20 businesses keep their rate for life, in return for a short testimonial once they are live.
Solo
For a one-person business.
- Two channels of your choice
- Answers, books and follows up
- Set up and updated by Denis
- A reactivation campaign every year
- Your FrontDesk app, one login
Growth
For businesses with a team.
- WhatsApp, Instagram and one more channel
- Everything in Solo
- Unlimited team seats
- A reactivation campaign every six months
Scale
For busy businesses and groups.
- Every channel
- Everything in Growth
- Unlimited team seats
- A reactivation campaign every month
FAQ
AI receptionist cost questions.
Our own FrontDesk answers on WhatsApp in seconds, day or night. Ask it anything, or ask for Denis.
Ask on WhatsApp See all questions →How much should an AI receptionist cost in Ireland?
For a small business, roughly €39 to €150 a month. Phone services start around €49 to €149 and rise with minutes. Messaging receptionists like FrontDesk start at €39 a month. Agency-built chatbots usually cost thousands to build.
Is there a free AI receptionist?
Some chat tools have free plans with limits, and you set them up yourself. A receptionist that books real appointments and is set up for you is a paid service.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than a human receptionist?
Yes, by a long way. Even a part-time receptionist costs more in a week than most AI plans cost in a month. But an AI does not replace a person at the desk: it answers the messages and calls you would otherwise miss.
Do AI receptionist prices include VAT?
Not always. Some Irish providers show prices without VAT. Ask for the price you will actually pay.
What does FrontDesk cost?
Solo is €39 a month, Growth €97 and Scale €149. No setup fee, no contract, no per-message charges from FrontDesk, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Founding 20 rates are locked for life.
See what it would cost your business.
Book a free 15-minute demo. Denis will tell you which plan fits, or whether a phone service would suit you better.
Want to try it first? Try the live agent on WhatsApp →