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

Every figure links to the vendor page it was captured from, with the date we last verified it. Sorted by the value column.
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.