How Much Does a Live Receptionist Cost?

A live receptionist service typically costs between $79 and $500 per month for a virtual service, or $3,000 to $4,500 per month for a full-time in-house hire. The right option depends on how the service is priced, what features are included, and whether you need someone on-site. Virtual live receptionist services range widely in cost depending on whether providers charge per minute, by tiered plan, or a flat monthly fee, and those differences can add up to hundreds of dollars a month.

This guide breaks down how live receptionist pricing works, what drives costs up, and why a flat-fee virtual receptionist is the most predictable and affordable option for most small businesses.

The Short Answer

A live receptionist service can cost anywhere from $79 per month to well over $4,500 per month, depending on whether you hire in-house or use a virtual service, and how that service structures its pricing. The most cost-effective option for the majority of small businesses is a flat-fee virtual receptionist, which delivers professional call handling at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.

At Opus Virtual Offices, live call answering is $79 per month with no per-minute charges and no contracts.

How Live Receptionist Services Are Priced

Most virtual receptionist providers use one of three pricing models. Understanding the difference matters because the model determines how predictable your monthly bill will be.

Pricing Model	How It Works	Watch Out For
Per-minute	Billed for every minute an agent is on a call	Costs spike during busy months
Tiered plans	Set number of minutes per month; overage fees if exceeded	Overage charges can double your bill
Flat monthly fee	One fixed price regardless of call volume	Confirm what features are included

Per-minute pricing is the most common model among national answering services. Rates typically range from $0.75 to $1.50 per minute, billed in one-minute increments. On a light-volume month that might seem manageable, but a busy stretch, a few longer calls, or an unexpected spike can push your invoice significantly higher than you planned.

Tiered plans bundle a set number of minutes per month, usually somewhere between 50 and 500, and charge a flat rate up to that threshold. The problem is overages. If your call volume exceeds the included minutes, providers charge per-minute rates on top of the base fee, which can make a “flat rate” plan feel anything but flat.

Flat monthly fees eliminate the unpredictability. You pay one amount per month regardless of how many calls come in or how long they run. This is the model Opus Virtual Offices uses, at $79 per month with no per-minute charges and no hidden fees.

What Is Included in a $79/Month Live Receptionist Service?

A common assumption is that a lower price means a stripped-down service. With Opus, that is not the case. The $79 flat monthly fee includes:

• Live call answering by a U.S.-based receptionist, Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm EST
• Calls answered in your company name using your custom greeting
• Premium call transferring to up to four phone numbers
• A dedicated company phone number and fax number
• Two voicemail boxes with customized prerecorded greetings
• Voicemail converted to WAV files and delivered to your email
• Faxes converted to PDF and sent directly to your inbox

After business hours, calls roll to your company voicemail and arrive in your email as WAV files. To understand the full mechanics of how the service works, see our guide on how a live call answering service works.

How That Compares to an In-House Receptionist

Hiring a full-time receptionist means taking on far more than a salary. Once you account for employer payroll taxes, health insurance, paid time off, equipment, and office space, the real cost of an in-house hire typically runs between $3,000 and $4,500 per month. That estimate is conservative and does not account for recruitment costs, onboarding time, or the coverage gaps that come with sick days and turnover.

Features	Opus Virtual Receptionist	In-House Receptionist
Monthly Cost	$79/month	$3,000 – $4,500+/month
Per-Minute Charges	None	N/A
Benefits & Payroll Taxes	Not applicable	Required
Live Call Answering	Yes, M–F 8:30am–5:30pm EST	Yes (office hours only)
Call Transferring	Up to 4 numbers	Limited
Voicemail to Email	Yes (WAV files)	No
Fax to Email	Yes (PDF format)	No
Dedicated Business Number	Included	Additional cost
Contract Required	No	Yes — employment

For a deeper look at what each option covers day to day, our post on the benefits of a live receptionist for small businesses walks through the full picture.

What Drives Costs Higher With Other Providers

If you compare virtual receptionist services, a few factors consistently push costs above what the headline price suggests.

• Per-minute billing on top of a base fee, which makes busy months expensive
• Setup fees charged before your service even starts
• Fees for call transferring, message delivery, or after-hours routing billed as add-ons
• Minimum monthly minute commitments, which you pay for whether you use them or not
• Contract requirements that lock you in regardless of whether the service performs

Opus charges none of the above. There are no setup fees, no per-minute charges, no add-on costs for transferring or message delivery, and no long-term contracts. The $79 monthly fee is the full cost.

Bundling With a Virtual Office

For businesses that want both a professional business address and live call answering, Opus offers an all-inclusive virtual office package starting at $99 per month. That single monthly fee covers a prestigious business address at one of more than 650 U.S. locations alongside the full live answering service suite. For more on what a virtual answering service includes, see our breakdown of what a virtual answering service is.

The bundle is particularly valuable for startups, remote teams, and solo operators who want to establish a credible business presence quickly without the overhead of commercial office space or full-time staff.

Who Gets the Most Value From a Flat-Fee Service?

A $79 per month flat fee delivers the strongest return for businesses where phone calls represent real opportunities. If you are still uncertain whether a live receptionist is the right fit, our guide on what a live receptionist is covers the basics. The businesses that tend to see the fastest return include:

• Solo attorneys and small law firms where a missed call can mean a lost client
• Consultants and freelancers who need consistent coverage without managing their own phones
• Startups projecting a professional image from day one without a full-time hire
• Remote teams that need a unified, professional business phone presence
• Service businesses like real estate agents, plumbers, and contractors who are often in the field
• E-commerce businesses handling customer inquiries without dedicated support staff

The Bottom Line on Cost

Live receptionist pricing ranges from $79 per month for a flat-fee virtual service to thousands per month for an in-house hire. For the majority of small businesses, a flat-fee virtual receptionist covers the job at a fraction of the cost, with no hidden fees, no contracts, and no surprises. Call 1 (888) 898-9868 or visit opusvirtualoffices.com to get started today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is $79 per month really all-inclusive?

Yes. The $79 monthly fee at Opus Virtual Offices covers live call answering, premium call transferring to up to four numbers, a dedicated company phone and fax number, two voicemail boxes with custom greetings, voicemail to email, and fax to email. There are no per-minute charges, no setup fees, and no hidden add-ons.

Are there per-minute charges if call volume is high?

No. Opus charges a flat monthly fee regardless of how many calls come in or how long they run. Your cost is the same whether your business gets ten calls in a month or a hundred.

Do I need to sign a contract?

No. Opus operates on a month-to-month basis with no long-term contracts. You can adjust or cancel your plan at any time without penalties.

Yes. You can forward your current business number to the Opus service and your callers will experience no disruption. Opus also provides a new dedicated local phone and fax number if you prefer a fresh business line.

What is included in the $99/month virtual office bundle?

The all-inclusive package at $99 per month combines a prestigious business address at one of more than 650 U.S. locations with the full live answering and call management suite. It is the most cost-effective way to build a complete professional business presence without a physical office.

Per-minute services typically charge between $0.75 and $1.50 per minute, billed on top of a monthly base fee. On a busy month, those costs add up quickly and unpredictably. Opus eliminates that variability entirely with a single flat monthly fee, so your budget stays consistent regardless of call volume.