01The four options in one line each
- An answering service is a team of people in a call center who answer your line from a script, mostly to take a message.
- A virtual receptionist is often the same thing, a person working remotely. Some companies use the name for software, so ask which one you're getting.
- A receptionist app is software that answers your calls, asks your questions and can book from your calendar.
- An automated front desk is receptionist software set up for one company and run by people who check its calls. That's what Soltrack sells.
02Costs and what you get
| Option | Who answers | Books on your calendar | Typical cost | Who sets it up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voicemail | Nobody | No | Free | Nobody |
| Human answering service | A person with your script | Usually takes a message | $175 to $700 a month at small-business volume, more past the bundled minutes | You and the service |
| Self-serve receptionist app | Software | If you connect a calendar | $49 to $299 a month at Rosie, $79 to $299 at Goodcall | You |
| A receptionist inside your job software | Software | Inside that software | Priced by the software's maker | You |
| Automated front desk (Soltrack) | Software built on your rules | Yes | Free until five booked jobs, then a founding monthly price | We do, and we run it |
Answering service prices from OnceHub's cost guide (September 2026). App prices from Rosie's and Goodcall's pricing pages, checked 26 October 2026. SmartMoving's Smart Scout is one receptionist built into job software.
03The calls each one loses
The 2am emergency
Voicemail loses it. A human service takes it if it works nights. A receptionist app answers, but only does what it was set up to do. An automated front desk answers, asks the safety question and alerts your on-call person.
The Saturday quote request
Voicemail and most human services take a message for Monday. A receptionist app or a desk can book the estimate during the call, as long as it can see your calendar.
The second caller while you're on the first
Voicemail gets a message, if the caller leaves one. The other three answer the call.
The angry customer
A person handles this best. A good desk notices it and takes a message for the owner, which is what ours does.
04The cost math for one company
Take a moving company that gets 100 calls a month. CallRail's January 2025 benchmark has home services businesses missing 14% of calls, so 14 calls. Invoca's July 2026 report has only 52% of home services calls reaching a person, which would make it 48.
Now pick your own booking rate. Say one in five of those callers would have booked: that's between 2.8 and 9.6 jobs. At Angi's average local move of $1,692, that's about $4,700 to $16,200 a month. We made up the booking rate for the example, so put in yours.
The calculator on our demo page runs the same sum with your numbers.
05How to choose
- Count the calls you miss in a normal week, nights and Saturdays included.
- Sort out which calls are simple and which are messy. An emergency or an angry customer needs different handling from a price check.
- Decide whether you need a booking or a message is enough. A message waits for Monday, and a booking is on the calendar now.
- Test it before you pay. Call a demo line, or ask for a trial on your own number.
06Questions
Is a receptionist app cheaper than an answering service?
Usually. Rosie's plans start at $49 a month, and OnceHub puts human answering services at $175 to $700 a month at small-business volume. A done-for-you desk costs more than an app because people build it and run it.
Can receptionist software handle emergencies?
It can ask the right questions and alert your on-call person in seconds, if it was set up for that. It can't judge danger beyond the rules you give it, so a good one gives one safety line and tells the caller to dial 911 when someone is at risk.
Will callers know it's automated?
They'll know if they ask. Our desk tells every caller the call is recorded and says it's the company's automated assistant when someone asks.
Can I use an automated desk after hours only?
Yes. Forward calls only when the office is closed, busy or doesn't pick up, and your team takes the rest.
What is a virtual receptionist?
It's usually a person working remotely who answers your calls. Some companies use the name for software, so ask which one you're buying.
What is an automated front desk?
It's receptionist software built for one company and run by people who check its calls. It answers, books on your calendar, writes up each call and gets fixed when it gets something wrong.