AI and virtual receptionists in the UK: Zatio and the alternatives
Moneypenny, Fasthosts and BT Business all answer calls for businesses, and each suits different needs. These comparisons use only what each company publishes, with the source linked and the date checked. Zatio is an AI receptionist for phone, WhatsApp and web chat, from £69 a month ex VAT.
Also on the UK lists
Two names that appear in the UK lists we checked on 15 October 2026, without a comparison page of their own yet. We quote only what the list says and mark what we could not confirm on the provider’s site.
Hey Jodie
UK AI receptionist listed at £49 a month with unlimited calls. Source: ainora.lt, “AI receptionist cost UK 2026” (11 October 2026), unverified on the provider’s own site.
Dial9
UK phone system provider whose AI receptionist appears in the Fasthosts blog table of UK AI receptionists (20 July 2026); no price checked on its site. Source: fasthosts.co.uk/blog, “What is the best AI receptionist in the UK”, unverified on the provider’s own site.
Four questions before you choose
Where do your customers reach you?
If they only call, a phone answering service may be enough. If they also message you on WhatsApp or your website, check which channels are in the price and which cost extra.
A person or an AI?
Human receptionists bring judgement to sensitive calls; an AI answers every call and message at once, at any hour. Many businesses weigh exactly that.
Per call or per minute?
Some plans count calls, others minutes. To compare, divide the included minutes by your average call length.
Contract and trial
Check the minimum term, the notice period and whether there is a free trial with published conditions.
Still not sure which one fits?
Twenty minutes on a call. If another option suits you better, for example a person on every call or calls only at the lowest published price, we’ll tell you.