AI receptionist, answering service, voicemail or a new hire?
Four ways a small business can handle the calls it can't answer itself. Here's what each costs in Canada, what it does well, and where it falls short.
At a glance
Prices from public pages, checked October 24, 2026. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Voicemail | Live answering service | Hiring a receptionist | AI receptionist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | Usually included with your phone plan | From $65 CAD/month plus $2.30/min (Posh) | About $3,640/month in wages, full-time | $20–$129 CAD/month to start (Clawd Smith, Polaris Voice, Dialbox) |
| Who answers | Nobody; the caller leaves a message | Trained people, using your script | Your employee | Software, using your business details |
| When | Any time, but only takes messages | Depends on the plan; many offer 24/7 | During their shifts | 24/7 |
| Books appointments | No | Some services, depending on the plan | Yes | Many do, depending on the product |
| Complex or sensitive calls | No | Yes | Yes | Should go to a person |
| Best for | Very few calls, all of which can wait | A person on every call | A busy front desk with in-person work | Missed calls while you're busy or closed |
Voicemail
It costs nothing extra and works for calls that can wait. But it relies on the caller leaving a message and waiting for you to call back. A caller who wants an answer now can simply call the next business.
Live answering service
A team of people answers your calls using your script. They're good with complicated, emotional or unusual calls. Most charge by the minute. Posh, for example, starts at $65 CAD a month plus $2.30 a minute, or $215 CAD a month with 100 minutes included (prices effective January 1, 2026). Costs rise with your call volume, and booking or CRM updates depend on the service.
Hiring a receptionist
A person at your front desk can answer calls, greet customers and handle office work. Job Bank lists the median wage for receptionists in Canada at $21.00 an hour (2023–2024). For a full-time 40-hour week that's about $3,640 a month in wages, before vacation pay, payroll costs and benefits. They work set hours, so evenings, weekends and sick days need cover.
AI receptionist
Software answers your phone, talks with callers, answers from your business details and takes down leads, at any hour; many also book appointments. Canadian AI receptionists start at $20 to $129 CAD a month: Clawd Smith $20 (60 minutes included), Polaris Voice $99 (150 minutes included) and Dialbox $129 (100 AI-handled calls).
Where a person is still better: complaints, emotional or sensitive conversations, complex quotes, and anything that needs judgement. A good AI receptionist hands those calls to a person. With Clawd Smith, you set which calls need a person.
Which one fits your business?
- You get a few calls a week and they can all wait: voicemail is fine.
- You want a person on every call: a live answering service, or hiring.
- You miss calls while you're busy or closed, and most are bookings, questions or new customers: an AI receptionist.
- A mix: many businesses use an AI receptionist for most calls and send the rest to a person.
Where Clawd Smith fits
An AI receptionist for Canadian small businesses at $20 CAD a month, with no setup fee and no contract. You set it up from your business details (services, hours, prices and common questions), and you decide which calls need a person.
Comparison questions
Is an AI receptionist the same as an answering service?
Can I use both?
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than hiring?
Sources
- polarisvoice.ca/pricing, checked October 24, 2026
- dialbox.ca/pricing, checked October 24, 2026
- posh.com/en-ca/pricing, checked October 24, 2026
- Job Bank: wages for receptionists (NOC 14101), checked October 24, 2026
Try the AI option for $20 a month.
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