Digital MacaroniHow much does an AI phone agent cost?
Short answer
Off-the-shelf AI receptionists start at about $29 a month. Agency-built agents typically cost $1,500 to $5,000 to set up plus $300 to $800 a month, and large custom builds run far higher. At Digital Macaroni, a core agent is $2,500 and a custom agent starts at $6,000, plus a running plan from free to $749 a month.
The market, roughly
| Option | Typical cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Off-the-shelf AI receptionist | From about $29/month, rising with calls or features | A general receptionist you configure yourself |
| Agency-built single agent | $1,500 to $5,000 setup, $300 to $800/month | An agent set up for you, usually on a voice platform |
| Agency-built, larger scope | $30,000 to $150,000 in the first year | Fully custom flows on a platform, live in 4 to 10 weeks |
| Built from scratch | $250,000 to $2 million in the first year | Your own voice infrastructure, 4 to 9 months |
These are industry figures, not quotes: off-the-shelf prices from Aira’s 2026 pricing comparison, agency setup and retainer ranges from Ciela’s 2026 pricing guide, and larger builds from Groovy Web’s build-vs-buy analysis.
What Digital Macaroni charges
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Core agent | $2,500 one-time | A proven agent branded as your business and trained on your services, prices and policies: answers every call, books, takes messages, texts confirmations and summaries, transfers urgent calls, dashboard, full admin control plus unlimited users. One integration of your choice (calendar, CRM or any software with an API), Zapier, email support and 30 days of fixes included. Live in 2 to 5 days. |
| Custom agent | From $6,000 | Everything above, plus a deep knowledge base, five or more connections that write back to your systems, your own intake and routing, outbound callbacks and reminders with two-way texting, multiple numbers, locations and languages, and 90 days of tuning after launch. Live in 2 to 4 weeks. |
Keeping it running
| Running plan | Monthly | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted | Free from us ($500 one-time setup) | Built in your own phone and AI accounts; you pay those providers directly |
| Hosted | $349 | Your number, 500 call minutes, 500 texts, your dashboard, email support |
| Managed | $749 | 1,000 call minutes, 1,000 texts, up to 2 hours of changes a month, tuning, monthly report |
Hosted and managed are billed monthly in advance, with a 3-month minimum, then month-to-month.
Extras: $50 one-time to register your number for business texting, premium voices from $80 a month, and extra minutes or texts at the rate in your proposal. See the pricing page and how the running plans differ.
Before you compare prices, run your own numbers in the missed call calculator: it shows what unanswered calls cost you each month.
What actually drives the price
- Integrations. Each system the agent reads from or writes to adds build and testing time.
- Call volume. Minutes cost real money at the phone and AI providers, so higher volume means a bigger plan.
- Voice. Premium voices sound more natural and cost more per minute.
- Who maintains it. Managed plans include ongoing changes; self-hosted puts that on your team.
Common questions
How much does an AI receptionist cost per month?
Off-the-shelf AI receptionists start at about $29 a month and rise with call volume or features. Agency-run agents typically cost $300 to $800 a month on top of a setup fee.
How much does a custom AI phone agent cost?
At Digital Macaroni, custom agents start at $6,000, plus a running plan. Industry estimates for larger agency builds run from $30,000 to $150,000 in the first year.
Is there a monthly fee?
Yes, the build is one-time and the running plan is separate. Hosted plans are $349 a month and managed plans $749, billed monthly in advance with a 3-month minimum, then month-to-month. Self-hosted agents have no monthly fee from us; you pay your phone and AI providers directly.
Sources
- AI Receptionist Pricing Models Compared (2026)Aira
Published plan prices for off-the-shelf AI receptionist services.
- How Much to Charge Clients for an AI Voice Agent (2026 Pricing Guide)Ciela AI
Typical agency pricing for single-purpose voice agents: setup fees and monthly retainers.
- AI Voice Agents: Build vs Buy in 2026Groovy Web
Industry cost estimates: off-the-shelf platforms, agency builds on a platform, and fully custom builds.
Checked against the original sources on October 11, 2026. Industry figures are estimates, not quotes.
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