How much does an AI receptionist cost in the UK in 2026?
With Zatio, £69 to £259 a month excluding VAT, with 400 to 2,000 voice minutes plus WhatsApp and website chat included. Use all your minutes and that works out at £0.13 to £0.17 a minute.
Zatio plans in one table
All three include phone, WhatsApp and website chat with the same assistant.
| Plan | A month | Voice minutes | Chat and WhatsApp | Per included minute | Paying annually |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | £69 | 400 (around 200 two-minute calls) | 300 conversations | £0.17 | £57.50 a month |
| Professional | £129 | 1,000 (around 500 two-minute calls) | 1,000 conversations | £0.13 | £107.50 a month |
| Growth | £259 | 2,000 (around 1,000 two-minute calls) | 3,000 conversations | £0.13 | £215.83 a month |
Extra minutes: £0.10 each. No setup fee when you sign up yourself; done-for-you setup is a one-off £179.
Free 14-day trial with no card, including 30 voice minutes and 100 chat conversations. Your phone number and WhatsApp go live when you add your card.
60-day guarantee: if it hasn’t produced qualified leads, we refund you.
What to check besides the price
Which channels are included
With Zatio, phone, WhatsApp and website chat come in every plan, with no add-ons. Elsewhere WhatsApp or chat can be a separate product.
How minutes are counted
By the started minute, on calls the assistant answers or makes. Browser test calls don’t count, and minutes reset every month.
What happens if you go over
Each extra minute is £0.10. We email you at 80% and 100% of your minutes and never cut a call off.
Contract
Month to month, no minimum term. Cancel whenever you like and your plan runs to the end of the period you’ve paid for.
Compared with the alternatives
Each option suits a different need. These are the numbers we can quote with a source.
Other AI receptionists
Published starting prices run from £25 to £39 a month (Moneypenny and Fasthosts, checked on 5 October 2026); BT Business doesn’t publish one. What’s included varies a lot, from 30 calls to bundles of minutes.
Hiring someone
The National Living Wage is £12.71 an hour from 1 April 2026 (gov.uk). Covering weekday evenings and four hours each weekend day is 28 hours a week, about £18,506 a year in wages alone, before employer National Insurance. A person brings warmth and judgement during their hours.
A telephone answering service
People answer in your business name and take messages. Pricing is set by each provider, often by call volume. We don’t quote a figure because we have no published source to cite. It works well alongside Zatio.
Questions
How much does Zatio cost a month?
£69, £129 or £259 a month excluding VAT, depending on the plan (Essential, Professional and Growth). Month to month with no minimum term, and paying for the year gets you 2 months free.
How many calls does each plan cover?
Essential includes 400 voice minutes, around 200 two-minute calls; Professional 1,000 minutes (around 500) and Growth 2,000 (around 1,000). On top of that, 300, 1,000, 3,000 chat and WhatsApp conversations a month.
What does a minute cost?
If you use all the minutes in your plan, between £0.13 and £0.17 a minute. Beyond your plan, each extra minute is £0.10: we email you at 80% and 100% and never cut a call off.
Is there a setup fee?
Not if you sign up yourself: Zatio reads your website and drafts the assistant for you to review in about 10 minutes. If you’d rather we set it up for you, it’s a one-off £179.
Can I try it for free?
Yes. Free 14-day trial with no card, including 30 voice minutes and 100 chat conversations. Your phone number and WhatsApp go live when you add your card. And if it hasn’t produced qualified leads in 60 days, we refund you.
What do other AI receptionists cost in the UK?
Going by their own pages, checked on 5 October 2026, published starting prices run from £25 to £39 a month: Moneypenny from £25 (VAT not stated, priced by quote) and Fasthosts from £39 ex VAT (30 calls, then £0.49 a call). BT Business doesn’t publish a monthly fee.
Hear how your business’s phone would sound
Leave your mobile and Zatio rings you within seconds.
- Keep your number
- No annual commitment
- 60-day guarantee
Rather talk to a person? Book a 20-minute demo.