How much does an AI phone receptionist cost in Switzerland?
If you want to be reliably reachable in Switzerland, you have four options — and their prices differ by a factor of ten. This article puts them side by side.
The four options compared by price
| Option | Cost per month | Availability | Books appointments? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Answering machine | CHF 0–10 | 24/7, but no reply | no |
| External answering service (humans) | CHF 2–4 per call, often CHF 300–900 | mostly office hours | often just a note |
| Part-time receptionist (20%) | from CHF 1200 incl. social contributions | depends on hours | yes |
| AI phone receptionist (HoraDeck Starter Voice) | from CHF 79 | 24/7 | yes, straight into the calendar |
What is included in HoraDeck's price
The Starter Voice plan at CHF 79 per month includes the AI phone receptionist, a phone number, 500 AI call minutes, unlimited WhatsApp conversations (fair use), 2700 AI replies and the complete appointment management with booking page and customer records. If you need more volume, choose Plus Voice (CHF 129, 750 minutes, two calls at the same time) or Business Voice (CHF 219, 1100 minutes, three calls at the same time). SMS reminders are not included in any plan; you buy SMS credit separately when you need it (500 SMS for CHF 75, 1500 SMS for CHF 219, no expiry date), while email reminders are included without limit in every plan. There is no set-up fee and no overage charges: once the minute allowance is used up, the AI simply stops answering calls automatically. Full details on the pricing page.
When does it pay for itself?
In most industries the maths is simple: an average hairdressing appointment is worth CHF 60–120, a physiotherapy session around CHF 100, and a treatment at a beauty salon often more. If the phone AI brings in just one or two additional appointments per month that would otherwise have been lost as missed calls, the Starter Voice plan is already covered. On top of that, automatic reminders reduce no-shows.
Hidden costs to watch out for
- Price per minute or per call: per-minute billing gets expensive in peak season. Fixed monthly plans are predictable.
- Set-up fees and minimum contract terms: neither exists at HoraDeck, but both are common with traditional answering services.
- SMS: at HoraDeck, SMS is not included in any plan. If you want to send SMS reminders, you buy credit on top (500 SMS for CHF 75, 1500 SMS for CHF 219) that never expires — so you only pay for what you actually need. Email reminders are always included.
- Changing your number: you do not have to give up your existing number; forwarding when unanswered is all it takes.
Conclusion
For most Swiss SMEs, an AI phone receptionist is today the cheapest form of round-the-clock availability — far cheaper than staff and, unlike an answering machine, with a tangible result: a booked appointment. Read more on the AI phone receptionist page.
This article in other languages: Deutsch Français Italiano Nederlands