Compare
Ways to answer your business calls
Voicemail, a live answering service, an AI receptionist or a part-time hire: what each costs, what your callers get, and when each one is the right call. Including when it isn't Sayra.
Side by side
Four ways to answer the phone.
| Voicemail | Live answering service | AI receptionist (Sayra) | Part-time receptionist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Usually included with your phone service | Commonly billed per minute or per call; often hundreds of dollars a month, and usually several times more than an AI receptionist for the same calls | $49/month for 250 minutes or $99/month for 400Most calls take 1 to 2 minutes. | US median receptionist pay is $18.27 an hour: about $1,580 a month for 20 hours a week, before payroll taxes and benefits |
| Hours covered | Always on, but nobody answers | Depends on the provider and plan; many offer 24/7 | 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays | Their shift only; breaks, sick days and vacations need cover |
| What callers experience | A beep. Many hang up without leaving a message. | A real person who answers in your business name and takes a message or transfers them | A natural voice that answers in your business name, in English or Spanish, answers common questions and takes the details | Someone who knows your business, your regulars and your calendar |
| Setup | Record a greeting | Onboarding with the provider, usually a script and call instructions | About 2 minutes online; keep your number and forward calls | Hiring, training, a desk and a phone |
| Best for | Very low call volume, where nothing is lost if a caller waits | Callers who should always reach a person, and calls that need human judgment | Routine calls, booking requests and messages, with urgent calls put through to you | Busy front desks with in-person work, payments and high-touch clients |
Which fits you
When each one makes sense.
Voicemail
Fine if you get a handful of calls a week and callers are happy to wait for a call back. The cost is the calls you never hear about: plenty of people won't leave a message and will simply call someone else.
A live answering service
The better choice when every caller should talk to a person: high-touch clients, sensitive or complex conversations, or calls that need judgment no script can cover. Some services also handle tasks like taking payments. Expect to pay more per call for that human touch.
An AI receptionist like Sayra
Good when you mainly need every call picked up, questions answered and the details in your inbox, at a fraction of the cost of a person. Sayra answers 24/7, transfers urgent calls to your cell by your rules and emails a summary after every call.
A part-time receptionist
Worth it when the front desk is a real job: greeting walk-ins, checking people out, taking payments, managing a busy calendar and knowing your regulars by name. It costs the most, and calls outside their hours still need a plan.
Many businesses combine them: a person during the day, and Sayra for overflow, nights and weekends.
Comparisons
Go deeper.
What you get with Sayra
Sayra in one minute.
- Starter $49/month for 250 minutes, Growth $99/month for 400. Most calls take 1 to 2 minutes.
- Answers every call, 24/7, in English or Spanish, in your business name.
- Urgent calls go to your cell by your rules; everything else becomes a complete message.
- Email summary after every call, with recordings and transcripts in your dashboard.
- Keep your number, live in about 5 minutes, no contract.
- 14-day free trial, then a 30-day money-back guarantee on your first paid month.
FAQ
Choosing how to answer.
Is an AI receptionist good enough for my business?
For routine calls (hours, prices, service area, booking requests and messages) usually yes, and it never sends a caller to voicemail. If every caller needs a person, or your calls need real judgment, a live answering service or your own receptionist is the better fit. You can hear Sayra answer as your business before you decide.
Does Sayra have human receptionists?
No. Sayra is an AI receptionist, and if a caller asks, she says she's an AI assistant. Urgent calls are transferred live to you or your staff, and if nobody picks up, Sayra takes the details and emails you right away.
Can I use Sayra alongside a receptionist?
Yes. Sayra works by call forwarding, and you can forward every call, only the ones you don't answer, or just after hours. Many businesses use her for overflow, nights and weekends.
Can I switch to Sayra without changing my number?
Yes. You keep your number and forward calls to Sayra. Nothing is ported, and you can switch forwarding off any time.
Sources
Checked October 2026. Descriptions of voicemail, answering services and hiring are general and vary by provider and location. The hourly figure is the US median for receptionists; the monthly figure is our arithmetic (20 hours a week, 52 weeks, divided by 12). Sayra details come from our pricing and FAQ pages. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@callsayra.com and we'll fix it.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Receptionists (median hourly wage $18.27, May 2025) (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/receptionists.htm)
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