An AI receptionist answers your business phone 24/7, handles common questions, takes the caller’s details and books jobs, then texts you a summary. For a small business in Canada, the question is usually simple: what will it cost each month, and is it cheaper than the calls I’m missing? This guide explains how pricing works, what pushes the cost up or down, and how to estimate what you’ll actually pay.

The three ways AI receptionists are priced

  • Flat monthly plan with included minutes — you pay a set amount each month for a block of minutes, with a per-minute rate if you go over. Easy to budget.
  • Pure per-minute — you pay only for the minutes used. Cheap in quiet months, unpredictable in busy ones.
  • Per call or per booking — a fee for each call handled or appointment booked. Can add up quickly for businesses with lots of short calls.

Most small businesses prefer a flat monthly plan because the bill doesn’t jump in a busy season, which is exactly when you’re getting the most calls.

What an AI receptionist costs with Aethely

Aethely includes the AI receptionist in every plan, priced in Canadian dollars:

  • Basic — $19/month, 30 AI receptionist minutes, plus a website, Google review link and AI chatbot.
  • Growth — $79/month, 100 minutes, plus automatic review requests, an NFC review card and Google Business Profile management.
  • Pro — $199/month, 200 minutes, plus local SEO, Instagram reels and priority support.
  • Extra minutes on any plan are $0.40 each. Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial, with no contract and no setup fee.

You can see everything each plan includes on the pricing page.

How many minutes do you need?

Start with how many calls you miss, not how many you get. The AI receptionist typically handles calls you can’t answer — after hours, on weekends, or while you’re with a customer. A quick way to estimate:

  • Count the missed calls in your phone log for a normal week.
  • Multiply by your average call length. Booking and enquiry calls are often around 2–3 minutes.
  • Multiply by about 4.3 for a monthly figure.

For example, 8 missed calls a week at about 2.5 minutes each is around 86 minutes a month, which fits comfortably in the Growth plan’s 100 minutes. If you’re not sure, start on a smaller plan during the free trial and check your usage.

Hidden costs to watch for

  • Setup or onboarding fees charged before you’ve taken a single call.
  • Long contracts or cancellation penalties.
  • Separate fees for a phone number, call transfers or text summaries.
  • Pricing in US dollars, which changes with the exchange rate.
  • Overage rates much higher than the included-minute rate.

Ask any provider for the total monthly cost for your expected call volume, in Canadian dollars, including tax.

AI receptionist vs hiring a receptionist or answering service

A staff receptionist gives you a person on the phone, but even part-time hours cost far more each month than an AI plan once wages and payroll costs are included, and they can’t cover nights and weekends. A traditional answering service usually charges per minute or per call for live agents who take messages. An AI receptionist answers instantly at any hour and can book the job, which is why many small businesses use it for overflow and after-hours calls. See the full AI receptionist vs answering service comparison.

Is it worth it?

Compare the monthly cost with the value of the jobs you’re losing. If one missed call a month would have been a $300 job, even a modest plan pays for itself. Our free missed-call calculator works out what unanswered calls are costing you.

Taxes and billing in Canada

Aethely’s prices are in Canadian dollars, and any applicable sales tax is calculated at checkout based on your address. Billing is monthly (or yearly with two months free), and you can cancel any time before your trial ends without paying anything.

Ready to try it? Start a 14-day free trial of the AI receptionist — it works with your existing number and every major Canadian carrier.