AI Chatbot or AI Receptionist — Which One Do You Need?
An AI chatbot handles text-based conversations on your website — answering questions and capturing leads via chat. An AI receptionist answers phone calls, takes the caller's details and reason for calling, and emails you a summary. Choose a chatbot if most enquiries come through your website; choose a receptionist if your customers prefer to call.
The problem
You know you want AI handling customer contact, but you are not sure whether to start with chat or voice.
When an AI chatbot is the better fit
A chatbot works best when your customers already find you online and want quick answers without picking up the phone.
- Most of your leads come through your website or social media
- Customers ask repeatable questions (pricing, hours, service areas)
- You want 24/7 lead capture with automatic follow-up
- Your booking flow is straightforward — one calendar, a few service types
When an AI receptionist is the better fit
A voice receptionist fits when your customers expect to call and talk to someone — common in trades, healthcare, and professional services.
- A significant portion of your leads come in by phone
- Missed calls are costing you jobs (contractors, clinics, law offices)
- You need message-taking and a tested route back to a person
- Customers want to describe their problem verbally, not type it out
Cost at Handbuilt
They are priced differently. A chatbot is a one-time Starter build from $1,500 CAD that you own. The phone receptionist is a separate offer with a monthly fee. AI Phone Receptionist launch pricing: $750 CAD fixed setup, then $179 CAD/month, month-to-month. Includes 300 AI-handled minutes a month; extra minutes are $0.25 each. Taxes extra.
Calendar booking, CRM, text messaging, dashboards, extra numbers or languages and other features beyond this scope are not included and are quoted separately.
Can you run both?
Yes. Some businesses start with a chatbot on their website, then add a receptionist once they see the value. Each is priced on its own terms; connecting them to a shared calendar or lead pipeline is a separately scoped build.
Launch pricing
AI Phone Receptionist
then $179 CAD/month, month-to-month. Taxes extra.
No separate phone or AI usage charge for the first 300 AI-handled minutes each month; beyond that, $0.25 CAD per minute.
Calendar booking, CRM, text messaging, dashboards, extra numbers or languages and other features beyond this scope are not included and are quoted separately.
Get a fixed quoteCommon questions
Can an AI chatbot answer phone calls?
No. A chatbot is text-based — it lives on your website or messaging apps. If you need something that picks up the phone, you need an AI receptionist or voice agent.
Which one is cheaper to build?
The receptionist has the lower setup fee but a monthly charge. A basic chatbot is a one-time build from $1,500 CAD. The AI phone receptionist is $750 setup + $179/month CAD, month-to-month. Extra receptionist features such as calendar booking or CRM writes are quoted separately.
Do I need both?
Not necessarily. If almost all your customer contact is online, start with a chatbot. If the phone is your main channel, start with a receptionist. You can always add the other later.
What ongoing costs are there after the build?
For a chatbot, Handbuilt charges a one-time build fee; hosting and AI usage depend on your volume. For the phone receptionist: The monthly fee covers operation and maintenance, 300 AI-handled minutes and up to 30 minutes of small changes a month (no rollover). Faults in the agreed setup are corrected at no charge.
How long does setup take?
A chatbot is typically ready in about 5 business days. A phone receptionist's timeline depends on your phone provider and forwarding, and it goes live only after test calls pass.
Want this built for your business?
Tell us about your setup and we'll send a plan and a fixed quote within one business day.