What does an AI receptionist cost in Canada?
Most AI receptionists charge a monthly plan with a set number of call minutes included, and a per-minute rate beyond that. Ours start at $299 a month in CAD. The number only means something next to the alternatives: extra front-desk hours, or an answering service. This guide puts them side by side for a Canadian business.
Updated October 2026
Compare
Three ways to make sure the phone gets answered.
What each option costs, how it's priced and what you get for it.
Front-desk staff
- How it's priced
- By the hour. Job Bank's median for medical receptionists in Ontario is $20.50/hour; the minimum wage is $17.95/hour from October 1, 2026.
- Hours covered
- The hours someone is scheduled, when they aren't already busy with a customer.
- What else it does
- Everything a person does: check-ins, payments, paperwork. Nothing else here replaces that.
- Watch for
- Vacation pay (at least 4% in Ontario), payroll costs, sick days, turnover.
Answering service
- How it's priced
- Usually a monthly base plus a charge per minute or per call. Rates vary widely and many aren't published, so ask for a written quote.
- Hours covered
- Often 24/7, sometimes with after-hours or holiday surcharges.
- What else it does
- Many take a message for your team to return. Some can book appointments; ask how.
- Watch for
- Minimum monthly charges, surcharges, and how messages reach you.
AI receptionist
- How it's priced
- A monthly plan with included minutes, plus a per-minute rate beyond them. Some add a one-time setup fee.
- Hours covered
- 24/7, including evenings, weekends and holidays.
- What else it does
- Answers questions, books where your booking system allows it, texts confirmations and transfers to your team.
- Watch for
- Overage rates, setup fees, and whether it can actually book into your system.
Sources: Government of Canada Job Bank, Medical Receptionist wages in Ontario (updated November 19, 2025); Ontario Ministry of Labour minimum wage and vacation pay rules.
Calculator
What would extra phone coverage cost with staff?
Say you want someone on the phone for the evening and weekend hours your desk doesn't cover. Enter the hours and the wage.
Includes 4% vacation pay. Excludes other payroll costs such as CPP and EI, and the time to hire and train.
Staff, for those hours
$1,386/month
Frontdesk AI, around the clock
- Professional (500 min included)$299
- Business (1,000 min included)$499
Monthly, in CAD, plus a one-time $499 setup fee. Covers all 168 hours of the week, not just the ones you'd staff.
Before you buy
Ten questions to ask any provider.
Including us. The answers tell you what you'll really pay each month.
- 01What's the all-in monthly price, in CAD, with tax shown separately?
- 02How many minutes or calls are included, and what does each one after that cost?
- 03Is there a setup fee, a minimum term or a cancellation fee?
- 04Are nights, weekends or holidays charged extra?
- 05Can it book directly into our booking system, or only take messages?
- 06How are calls transferred to our team, and when?
- 07Which languages can callers use?
- 08Do we get recordings and summaries of every call?
- 09Where is our customers' information stored, and who can access it?
- 10Is there a trial, and what happens at the end of it?
Our answers, in public.
- Plans from $299/month CAD, with 500 to 1,500 minutes included
- Additional minutes from $0.55 to $0.75, depending on plan
- One-time $499 setup, done for you, on every plan
- Every plan starts with a 7-day live trial on your real calls
Full plan details are on our pricing section. See how it works for home services, automotive, health & wellness, salons & barbers, professional services, real estate & property, fitness, pet services, events, education & training and hospitality.
FAQ
Questions about AI receptionist pricing.
Something we haven't covered? Ask us directly.
How much does an AI receptionist cost per month in Canada?
Most are sold as monthly plans with included call minutes. Frontdesk AI costs $299, $499, $699 a month in CAD, with 500, 1,000, 1,500 minutes included, plus a one-time $499 setup fee.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than an answering service?
It depends on your call volume and what you need done on the call. Compare the all-in monthly cost at your usual volume, and whether each option can book appointments or only take messages.
Is it cheaper than hiring a receptionist?
For phone coverage alone, often. Use the calculator above with your own hours and wage. A receptionist does far more than answer the phone, so many businesses use an AI receptionist for overflow and after-hours calls rather than to replace staff.
What happens if we go over our included minutes?
Additional minutes are billed per minute: $0.75 on Professional, $0.65 on Business, $0.55 on Growth.
Is there a trial?
Every plan starts with a 7-day live trial: once we've set it up, Frontdesk AI answers your real calls. The one-time setup fee is paid before the trial begins, because we build your receptionist around your business first.
Book a demo
Keep your front desk open 24/7.
Leave your details and we'll set up a short call. We'll look at how your business handles calls, show you how Frontdesk AI would work for you, and answer your questions.
- Hear it handle calls like yours
- Find the right plan and coverage
- See how booking would work for your business