Key takeaways:
Choosing the right virtual receptionist can help home service pros capture every lead, enhance professionalism, and keep business running smoothly—without the overhead of a full-time hire.
- Virtual receptionists ensure you never miss an important call. They handle calls promptly, answer questions, book appointments, and can follow custom scripts tailored to your business needs.
- Options range from AI-powered, 24/7 solutions to live human receptionists. Businesses can select a model that fits their preferred level of personalization, complexity of support, and budget.
- The guide compares eleven leading virtual receptionist services. Each provider offers unique features such as bilingual support, CRM integrations, outbound calling, live chat, and more, catering to a variety of home service business requirements and budgets.
- Virtual receptionists are cost-effective compared to in-house hires. These services reduce overhead, save time, and offer flexible pricing suited to call volume and support needs.
- Choosing the best solution depends on your specific business goals. Whether you need industry-specific expertise, affordable AI support, or a premium, live interaction, there’s a service tailored for home service pros of any size.
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Have you ever missed out on a job because you didn’t answer a customer’s call in time?
It’s reasonable for customers to dial your number to book an appointment or ask a question, but if you don’t pick up, you risk making a poor impression or even losing potential clients.
Virtual receptionists ensure every call is answered promptly and professionally—helping you capture more leads and avoid losing jobs to pesky competitors.
Use this guide to compare the best virtual receptionists so you can book more jobs, keep your schedule full, and provide better customer support without adding to your to-do list.
11 virtual receptionist services:
What is a virtual receptionist?
A virtual receptionist is a remote service that handles basic customer communication on behalf of your business.
For example, they can do things like:
- Answer phone calls
- Follow scripts based on your industry, company, and customer query
- Book, reschedule, or confirm appointments
- Respond to customer questions
- Gather information for quotes and estimates
- Take messages for you to review later
- Provide a dedicated business phone number and voicemail
Virtual receptionists fall into two categories: live and AI.
Live virtual receptionists are real people who answer calls and speak to customers. They can handle basic tasks as well as more complex or sensitive customer conversations. They usually cost around $1-$2.50 per minute, or come in monthly packages ranging from $50 to $1000+, depending on how many minutes or calls are included.
Add-ons like text messaging, live chat, or after-hours support can also increase the price if they aren’t included in your base plan.
AI virtual receptionists use voice technology to handle specific tasks, like booking jobs, answering common questions, and routing calls. They’re available 24/7 and work well for routine inquiries. They’re typically more affordable than live receptionists and often include unlimited calls or messages.
Many platforms offer a hybrid model where AI handles routine interactions and passes complex questions to a live receptionist, as well as text messaging and live chat, either through live virtual receptionists or automated systems.
Do I need a virtual receptionist?
You may need a virtual receptionist if you:
- Struggle to answer or return customer calls
- Need help handling customer support inquiries like bookings, service questions, or requests for quotes
- Don’t have the budget or need for a full-time in-house receptionist, but could benefit from having someone to answer business calls
- Want to offer additional support options to customers through web chat or text messaging
- Could benefit from 24/7 support availability for emergency service calls
How we chose the best virtual receptionists
Knowing which virtual receptionist service to go with means reviewing different options to find the best fit based on your budget, needs, and industry. But that takes time and effort, which is why we did the heavy lifting for you.
To help you make a decision, we came up with this list by:
- Watching YouTube reviews
- Reading articles by home service providers
- Collecting feedback and insight from home service providers
- Taking a look at customer reviews on sites like G2, Trustpilot, and Capterra
- Visiting home service business forums and Facebook groups
Then we considered integration capabilities, pricing, features, and industry specialties to narrow down the results to eleven of the best virtual answering services for home service businesses.
1. Jobber Receptionist
Say goodbye to missed calls or text messages. Jobber Receptionist is on 24/7, so you don’t have to be. Here’s what you can do with Jobber’s AI-powered Receptionist:
- Schedule jobs: Receptionist books new appointments directly into your calendar based on your schedule preferences.
- Create work requests: Receptionist gathers the right details from the customer to generate a work request for your review.
- Take messages: When a customer leaves a message, Receptionist creates a task in Jobber with all the details you need to follow up.
- Answer client inquiries: Receptionist responds to simple customer questions by email or text.
When a call requires a personal touch, Receptionist can transfer the call directly to you or alert you via text message.
Plus, you can stay in the loop with real-time notifications and a complete record of every call and text, right from your Jobber dashboard.
How much does Receptionist cost?
AI Receptionist is available as a Grow plan add-on for $99 USD per month. It’s included in Jobber’s Plus plan, which costs $449 USD per month and offers features like a CRM, online booking, client hub, and support for up to 15 users.
Who does Receptionist work best for?
Jobber’s AI Receptionist works best for small- to mid-sized service businesses that:
- Need a solution for handling basic customer queries
- Only want to handle incoming calls
- Don’t require a live receptionist
- Already use Jobber, or those who need field service management software
- Need an affordable option to manage calls and messages from clients
Unlike most other virtual receptionist services, Jobber’s AI Receptionist is made for home service industries.
Receptionist performed exactly as I needed it to. While I was installing tiles, it took a new client’s information, created a request, and I was able to deal with it later. I ended up getting the job.
2. Smith.ai
Smith.ai is a virtual assistant platform that:
- Answers and makes phone calls
- Books appointments
- Qualifies leads
- Provides both AI-first and human-first receptionist options
- Offers live chat (AI and human)
- Follows up with customers
It’s a hybrid platform that allows you to benefit from both AI and human receptionists, so it works well for businesses with complex support needs and high-volume queries.
How much does Smith.ai cost?
Smith.ai’s pricing depends on your needs.
AI receptionists start at $97.50 USD per month for up to 30 calls, and human virtual receptionist services start at $292.50 USD per month for up to 30 calls.
Live chat plans are $10 USD per call, or $140 USD per month for up to 20.
It does offer a free 14-day money-back guarantee, so you can take it for a spin before committing.
Who does Smith.ai work best for?
Because Smith.ai is one of the more robust tools out there, it works best for mid-sized home service businesses, legal practices, and marketing agencies who:
- Need help managing large volumes of calls
- Want 24/7 availability
- Could benefit from bilingual virtual receptionists
- Prefer a mix of support options like AI, live chat, and human receptionists
- Have bigger budgets
For example, it can be used in a variety of industries that receive customer queries on multiple channels, including pest control, plumbing, or appliance repair.
It also integrates with many popular CRMs, such as Zapier, Clio, and Salesforce.
3. Jill’s Office
Jill’s Office is a virtual receptionist platform dedicated to human receptionists, although AI support is currently in the testing stage.
Home service providers can use Jill’s Office to:
- Answer customer phone calls
- Provide customer support
- Collect payment information
- Schedule appointments
- Fill out detailed job requests
It also offers outbound calling to follow up with leads and respond to voicemail messages, as well as web chat for 24/7 online support.
How much does Jill’s Office cost?
Jill’s Office pricing depends on your needs and which plan you choose.
The basic virtual receptionist plan starts at $39 USD per week plus usage, which costs $1.20 to $2 USD per minute.
Who does Jill’s Office work best for?
Jill’s Office works best for home service and health and wellness small business owners who:
- Need a live virtual receptionist to answer phone calls
- Want a mix of support options, like phone calls and web chat
- Receive a lot of customer phone calls
- Don’t need or want AI support in the near future
It’s not specific to any industry and can be used by anyone who needs live call answering, like lawn care specialists, home cleaners, or HVAC professionals.
It also has limited integration capabilities, so it may not be the right fit if you need it to integrate with your existing CRM.
4. Ruby Receptionists
Ruby Receptionists is a virtual receptionist service that offers premium features, such as:
- Live call answering
- Call forwarding
- Custom voicemail messages
- 24/7 bilingual availability
- Scheduling appointments
- Payment processing
- Outbound calling
- Live web chat
Ruby Receptionists does not provide text messaging or AI-based customer service.
How much does Ruby Receptionists cost?
Ruby Receptionists’ pricing is based on how many minutes you need each month and whether you need a receptionist to answer calls, handle live chats, or both.
Their most affordable plan is $245 USD per month for up to 50 minutes of phone calls, and 10 live chats per month cost $140 USD. They also offered bundled plans for those who need both services.
Who does Ruby Receptionists work best for?
Ruby Receptionists is a good option for small to medium-sized businesses who:
- Don’t need or want an AI receptionist
- Want to use both call answering and web chat
- Get a lot of phone calls
- Have a large monthly budget
One Reddit user says, “Ruby is fantastic. They answer as if they’re in-house and are very professional. Most callers assume they are talking with a staff receptionist unless I’ve told them we use a service.”
It’s known for well-trained, polite, and professional receptionists who provide excellent customer service, so it works well for those who need a higher level of support or professionalism.
For example, interior designers, custom remodelers like general contractors, or pool installation companies.
It also integrates with many different CRM platforms, both directly and through Zapier, so you can connect it with a variety of other tools.
5. PATLive
PATLive is another virtual receptionist answering service that focuses primarily on having customer calls answered by a real person.
It uses human receptionists to:
- Answer incoming customer phone calls
- Schedule appointments
- Collect lead information
- Take messages
- Intake new clients
- Provide live web chat support
It doesn’t offer text messaging or AI receptionist support.
How much does PATLive cost?
PATLive pricing starts at $235 USD per month for 75 minutes of calls. Additional minutes are $2.25 USD each.
It also offers a 14-day free trial.
Who does PATLive work best for?
PATLive is a good option for large service-based businesses with high call volumes who:
- Need a live virtual receptionist to answer customer calls
- Don’t want to use AI
- Don’t need text messaging support
- Want comprehensive phone support, like lead collection, call screening, and after-hours availability
It integrates well with many CRMs and can be used by a variety of home service businesses, including plumbing, electrical, roofing, and HVAC.
6. Nexa
Nexa is an answering service that features:
- English and Spanish receptionists
- Appointment scheduling
- Sales intake
- Outbound lead generation
- Live chat and text messaging
- AI chat and voice options
It also integrates with many CRM platforms.
How much does Nexa cost?
Nexa’s pricing isn’t publicly available, you have to contact them to get a quote based on your business’s needs.
Who does Nexa work best for?
Nexa is a solid option for home service providers who:
- Want a mix of real people and AI support options
- Need help with a variety of different tasks, from scheduling appointments to reaching out to potential clients
- Have both Spanish- and English-speaking customers
- Want industry-specific expertise
For example, unlike many other virtual receptionist tools, Nexa pairs agents who are familiar with industry-specific terminology and workflows with like businesses.
So if you have a plumbing business, Nexa will work to ensure the virtual receptionists who answer your calls are experienced in handling plumbing, HVAC, or electrical customers.
7. AnswerConnect
AnswerConnect is a human-only virtual answering service that provides:
- 24/7 call answering
- Lead capturing
- Live chat
- Call routing, forwarding, and transfers
- Appointment scheduling
It integrates with a variety of CRMs and software platforms.
How much does AnswerConnect cost?
AnswerConnect’s pricing is not publicly available and can only be accessed by reaching out for a quote.
Who does AnswerConnect work best for?
AnswerConnect works best for service-based businesses and entrepreneurs that:
- Have customers in the US and/or Canada
- Prefer call answering from a real person and not AI
- Want industry-focused virtual receptionists, like landscapers and security companies
- Don’t anticipate needing AI customer support
Similar to Nexa, it offers virtual receptionists familiar with specific trades, ensuring they understand your customers’ needs.
However, they have pledged not to use AI as part of their customer experience offerings, meaning they’re not a good choice if you’re interested in exploring AI options.
8. Moneypenny
Moneypenny (which acquired VoiceNation in 2020) is a virtual receptionist company that uses human receptionists to:
- Answer calls
- Schedule appointments
- Qualify leads
- Offer live chat support
- Provide contact center outsourcing
It integrates well with a number of tools and CRMs to make adding it to your existing platforms easy.
How much does Moneypenny cost?
Moneypenny’s pricing information isn’t publicly available, but its website says plans start at $99 USD per month.
Who does Moneypenny work best for?
Moneypenny can be a good option for large law firms, real estate agencies, and home service businesses who:
- Don’t need or want AI support in the near future (Moneypenny is currently testing an AI voice agent in the UK)
- You need a platform that integrates with your existing software
- Want to outsource customer support to a virtual team
Moneypenny is very popular in the UK and can be used for most home service industries, including pest control and glass repair.
9. My Receptionist
My Receptionist is a 24/7 virtual receptionist platform that offers:
- Online scheduling
- Appointment reminders
- Text messaging support
It offers some CRM integration, but it may be limited depending on what you need.
How much does My Receptionist cost?
My Receptionist is one of the more affordable virtual receptionist platforms on the market, with pricing starting at $110 per billing period for 70 minutes.
You’ll also be charged a $90 setup fee at sign-up.
Who does My Receptionist work best for?
My Receptionist works best for mid-sized service businesses that:
- Only need basic virtual receptionist services
- Want human receptionists to handle calls instead of AI
- Have a smaller budget to work with
My Receptionist offers more basic services than other virtual receptionists, but it also comes with a lower price tag. That means it could be a fit for teams who want human receptionists to handle straightforward customer communications without breaking the bank.
10. Posh Virtual Receptionist
Posh Virtual Receptionist is a virtual receptionist service offering:
- Live call answering
- Outbound calling
- Call screening and forwarding
- 24/7 availability
- Appointment scheduling
It’s a human-only receptionist service that integrates with multiple platforms, including CRMs. It’s dedicated to providing a human experience, so there are currently no plans to expand to AI services in the future.
How much does Posh Virtual Receptionist cost?
Posh Virtual Receptionist offers a 7-day free trial, and after that, pricing starts at $65 USD per month plus $2.25 USD per minute.
Who does Posh Virtual Receptionist work best for?
Posh Virtual Receptionist is ideal for professionals and small service-based businesses that prioritize a polished, personalized experience for every client interaction.
Depending on your needs, Posh Virtual Receptionist might be a good option if you:
- Have a smaller budget and a low volume of calls each month
- Want a more flexible, low-stakes plan option you can test out
- Need a service that can handle standard, basic tasks
It works well for home service businesses and serves industries such as pool cleaning, pest control, roofing, plumbing, and landscaping.
11. Answering Service Care
Answering Service Care offers virtual receptionists who:
- Answer calls and text messages
- Offer live chat support to your customers
- Schedule appointments
- Provide 24/7 availability
- Record calls
It’s a human-only service that doesn’t currently offer any AI options, and it integrates with many other platforms like Slack, Stripe, and Zendesk.
How much does Answering Service Care cost?
Answering Service Care’s monthly pricing starts at $40 USD, plus an additional $1.65 USD per minute.
Who does Answering Service Care work best for?
Answering Service Care works best for small to mid-sized businesses across a range of industries—including healthcare, legal, home services, and property management—that:
- Need an affordable option, and don’t get a ton of phone calls
- Want human receptionists to answer calls
- Prefer a platform experienced with service industries
It serves a variety of home service businesses, including carpet cleaning, construction, house cleaning, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC.
As one G2 reviewer said, “Answering Service Cares provides personal attention to each of our clients who call us for assistance. They have handled our client emergencies with immediacy, respect, professionalism, and kindness, often going ‘above and beyond’.”
Are virtual receptionists worth it?
Full-time front desk receptionists who work for your business are great, but they aren’t for everyone.
Aside from requiring a salary, they also need an office to work from and may not have enough work to keep them busy if you have low call volume, a small customer list, or your work is seasonal.
Still, you need to have someone to answer calls to offer excellent customer support, boost professionalism, and make a positive impression.
That’s where virtual receptionists come in. They’re a happy medium between having an in-house receptionist and struggling to answer calls yourself because they:
- Are more affordable than hiring a full-time staff member
- Don’t need office space or supplies, saving you on overhead costs
- Offer a variety of support options, like text messaging and web chat
- Save you time by handling admin tasks for you, like processing payments, booking appointments, and taking messages
- Give customers a friendly, professional experience
- Prevent customers from having to leave voicemail messages or wait for a call back while you’re on the job
When you invest in Jobber’s AI Receptionist, built specifically for home service business owners, you get more than just a virtual receptionist.
You’ll also have access to features like online booking, automated invoicing, and payment processing to help streamline your business, reduce your administrative workload, and grow.