Answers · updated Jun 10, 2026
Which AI receptionists have a free tier?
6 of 24 tracked AI receptionists publish a $0 plan: 2 give a fixed free monthly allowance (for example My AI Front Desk 20 min, Phonely 100 min) and 4 are pay-as-you-go developer platforms that bill only for usage. Free tiers are built for testing; allowances are small, so production use moves to a paid plan quickly.
As of Jun 10, 2026 · figures linked to their source in the table below
The data behind this answer
| Vendor | Free allowance | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Bland | pay-as-you-go from $0.14/min bland.ai verified Jun 10, 2026 | Start (Free) |
| My AI Front Desk | 20 min/mo free myaifrontdesk.com verified Jun 10, 2026 | Free |
| Phonely | 100 min/mo free phonely.ai verified Jun 10, 2026 | Free |
| Retell AI | pay-as-you-go from $0.07/min retellai.com verified Jun 10, 2026 | Pay As You Go |
| Synthflow | pay-as-you-go from $0.09/min synthflow.ai verified Jun 10, 2026 | Pay As You Go |
| Vapi | pay-as-you-go from $0.05/min vapi.ai verified Jun 10, 2026 | Build (Pay As You Go) |
Figures normalized and sourced as of Jun 10, 2026. See the methodology for how each number is captured, dated and normalized, or the full comparison matrix for every vendor.
Frequently asked
- Is there a genuinely free AI receptionist?
- 6 vendors publish a $0 plan, but none is a free full-service receptionist forever. 2 cap free use at a small monthly minute allowance; 4 are pay-as-you-go platforms with no monthly fee but a per-minute charge on every call.
- What's the catch with a free tier?
- The allowance is deliberately small (often tens to a hundred minutes a month) and advanced features or integrations are usually gated to paid plans. It is enough to evaluate call quality and setup, not to run a busy front desk.
- Free tier vs free trial — what's the difference?
- A free tier is an ongoing $0 plan with a permanent low cap; a free trial is time-limited access to a paid plan. We record the published $0 plans here; trial terms change often, so confirm current trial length directly with the vendor.