Compare your options
AI receptionist vs receptionist.
Hire a receptionist, pay an answering service, build a chatbot yourself, or let an AI receptionist answer for you. What each one does, what it costs you, and when each is the right call. Honest answers, including when FrontDesk is not the right fit.
Hi Emma, I'm the Hair by Claire AI assistant. Good luck with the interview! 9 AM is free, or 9:30 if that suits better:
Simulated conversation. Your receptionist arrives at 9 to a booking that was made overnight.
Side by side
Four ways to answer your customers.
General comparison of how each option usually works. Services vary, so ask any provider exactly what is included.
The gaps
Even a great receptionist cannot answer everything.
Busy desks, lunch breaks and closing time. Three moments a person at the desk misses, with and without FrontDesk alongside them.
Simulated conversations. Same customers, same week. The only difference is who answers, and when.
Works alongside your team
FrontDesk takes the messages. Your team takes the room.
Anything that needs your judgement comes straight to you, with the full conversation, so you never start from scratch.
FrontDesk handles
- WhatsApp, Instagram and website messages
- Evenings, weekends and lunch breaks
- Bookings, changes and reminders
- Follow-ups on quiet enquiries
- Missed calls texted back
Your team handles
- Walk-ins and the phone at the desk
- Payments and the till
- Complaints and refunds
- Anything that needs a person
The cost
A receptionist’s week, or FrontDesk’s month.
We will not invent wage figures. Do the sum with your own numbers.
A part-time receptionist
20 hours a week, during opening hours
- Covers the hours they are in
- Phone, desk, payments and walk-ins
- Messages when there is time
- Sick days and holidays need cover
FrontDesk Growth
Every hour, every day
- Answers in seconds, 24/7
- WhatsApp, Instagram, website and one more channel
- Books, follows up, texts back missed calls
- No setup fee, no contract, 30-day money-back
Even a part-time receptionist costs more in a week than FrontDesk costs in a month. That is not a reason to let a good person go. It is a reason to stop losing the messages they cannot get to.
When each one fits
The honest answer: it depends on your phone.
Hire a receptionist
You have a busy front desk with walk-ins, payments and a phone that never stops. A person at the desk is worth it, and FrontDesk can still cover evenings and messages.
Use an answering service
Most enquiries are phone calls, from callers who will not text. An answering or AI phone service fits better.
Build a chatbot yourself
You enjoy tech, have the evenings, and only need answers on your website.
Use FrontDesk
Your customers WhatsApp, DM and use your website chat, and you want it set up and run for you.
Want prices from Irish providers? Read the AI receptionist cost guide →
Pricing
Simple plans. No contracts.
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
Comparison questions.
Can an AI receptionist replace a human receptionist?
For answering messages, bookings and follow-ups, mostly yes. For a busy desk with walk-ins and payments, no. Many businesses use both: the person at the desk, and FrontDesk for evenings, weekends and messages.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than an answering service?
Usually. Answering services charge per call or per minute. FrontDesk is a flat €39 to €149 a month with no per-message charges. But FrontDesk does not answer phone calls by voice; it texts back the ones you miss.
What is the difference between a chatbot and an AI receptionist?
A scripted chatbot follows menus and keywords. An AI receptionist understands what people write, recommends, books the real slot, follows up and hands over to you. FrontDesk is the second kind.
Will my receptionist mind?
Most are relieved. FrontDesk takes the late-night messages and the DMs they never get to, and hands them anything that needs a person.
Will my customers mind talking to an AI?
It tells them in its first message, as the EU AI Act requires, and most people just want a fast, correct answer. Anything sensitive goes to you.
Not sure which fits? Ask Denis.
Book a free 15-minute call. If a phone service or a receptionist suits you better, he will tell you.
Want to try it first? Try the live agent on WhatsApp →