Virtual receptionist, answering service, or AI receptionist?
The names blur together; the differences decide your bill. A traditional answering service is a room of operators reading a script and taking messages — you pay by the minute and get a note, not an outcome. A virtual receptionist service staffs remote humans who can book and transfer, at $300–$1,500 a month with hard minute caps. An AI receptionist like Della does the receptionist's actual job — answering, booking, transferring, texting back, taking orders — without shifts, sick days, or per-minute anxiety.
| Answering service | Human virtual receptionist | Della | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Answers | When an operator is free | Business hours + overflow | 24/7, first ring, calls in parallel |
| Does | Takes a message | Books, transfers | Books, transfers, texts back, takes orders & payments |
| Costs | Per minute, adds up fast | $300–$1,500/mo | From $35/mo, extra minutes a flat 30¢ |
Run your own numbers against Ruby, Smith.ai, and the rest on the cost calculator, or read the head-to-head comparisons.
What she does all day
The honest math
And she still goes home at five. Della starts at $35 a month, answers around the clock, and never puts a caller on hold because she's already on the other line.
Every price on our pricing page is public, every plan includes 100 minutes, and extra minutes are a flat 30¢ on every plan — dialed in ahead, never a surprise bill.
From $35 a month: Answers at $35, Front Desk at $89, Office at $149 — or build your own from the $35 line, adding only the features you need. 7-day free trial with every software feature, no credit card. Full details on the pricing page.
Every capability tuned to your trade. See Della for HVAC, plumbing, electricians, dental offices, law firms, med spas — or browse all trades.
Questions owners ask
What is a virtual receptionist?
A receptionist who answers your business line without sitting at your front desk. Traditionally that meant a remote human on shifts; Della is the next generation — an AI receptionist who answers every call 24/7, books appointments, transfers callers, texts back missed calls, and takes orders and payments.
Is Della a real person?
No, and she never pretends to be. She's an AI receptionist, and she says so when asked. What matters is what callers get: an instant pickup, a real conversation, and their problem handled — instead of voicemail.
What does a virtual receptionist cost?
Human virtual receptionist services typically run $300 to $1,500 a month with minute caps. Della's plans run $35 to $149 a month, every plan includes 100 minutes, and extra minutes are a flat 30¢ on every plan. Every price is public on the pricing page.
Do I have to change my phone number?
No. Keep your number and forward it — we give you the exact dial codes for your carrier — or put your new Della number on your website and Google listing. Either way, every call gets answered.
Can she book appointments and take payments?
Yes. She books directly onto your calendar while the caller is still on the phone, and for orders she reads back the exact total and texts a payment link on the spot.
Does she speak Spanish?
Fully bilingual on every plan — she can greet in Spanish, run the entire conversation in Spanish, or switch mid-call automatically. On Office, your whole line can run in any of 20 languages.
Della Desk is built and run by a small Tampa Bay business — a real owner, honest pricing, and a receptionist who answers on the first ring. She answers our own phones too; we built her because we needed her.