A virtual receptionist does what an in-office receptionist does, without the desk, the salary or the sick days. Calls are answered in your company name, screened, transferred or booked, and the caller never knows the receptionist is remote.
We ranked the services below on receptionist quality, the tasks they can handle beyond messages, pricing clarity and the tools they connect to.
Quick answer: The top virtual receptionist services in 2027 are Ruby, AnswerConnect and Smith.ai. Ruby is best for client-facing firms that want a premium front-desk experience, AnswerConnect is best for businesses that want round-the-clock receptionists and integrations, and Smith.ai is best for firms that want to blend AI and human receptionists.
Virtual Receptionist Services At A Glance
#
Company
Best For
Answering Model
Coverage
1
Ruby
Client-facing firms that want a premium front-desk experience
Live receptionists plus chat
Extended hours, 24/7 options
2
AnswerConnect
Businesses that want round-the-clock receptionists and integrations
Live receptionists
24/7/365
3
Smith.ai
Firms that want to blend AI and human receptionists
AI plus live hybrid
24/7/365
4
Abby Connect
Small firms that want the same receptionists every day
Live, optional AI
24/7/365
5
Moneypenny
Growing firms that want a named team and AI capabilities
Live plus AI
24/7/365
6
Posh
Owners who want live receptionists on month-to-month terms
Live, AI option
24/7/365
7
PATLive
Solo professionals and small offices
Live receptionists
24/7/365
8
Nexa
Home services, legal and medical businesses
Live receptionists
24/7/365
Best Virtual Receptionist Service Options In 2027
1. Ruby — The Benchmark For Warm, Brand-Trained Receptionists
Ruby, founded in Portland in 2003, is often treated as the standard for virtual receptionists. Its receptionists are trained to sound like part of your team.
Ruby also runs website chat and offers payment collection, so it can cover more of the front desk than calls alone.
Best for: Client-facing firms that want a premium front-desk experience
2. AnswerConnect — Live Virtual Receptionists, 24/7, Across Three Countries
AnswerConnect’s virtual receptionists answer around the clock for businesses in the US, UK and Canada. They schedule appointments, qualify leads, manage orders and run web chat.
Integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot and Zoho keep caller details flowing into the systems you already use.
Best for: Businesses that want round-the-clock receptionists and integrations
3. Smith.ai — AI Receptionist With Human Receptionists Behind It
Smith.ai offers both an AI receptionist and live North American receptionists, so routine calls stay cheap and important calls get a person.
Lead intake, qualification and booking are standard, with integrations into common CRMs.
Best for: Firms that want to blend AI and human receptionists
4. Abby Connect — A Dedicated Team That Learns Your Business
Abby Connect assigns each client a small dedicated team of receptionists working together in Las Vegas, backed by a Client Success Manager.
AI and live receptionists can share one plan, and English and Spanish answering is available.
Best for: Small firms that want the same receptionists every day
5. Moneypenny — Named Receptionist Teams On Both Sides Of The Atlantic
Moneypenny was founded in the UK in 2000 and now employs more than 1,250 people across UK and US offices. In the US it absorbed VoiceNation.
Clients get a named receptionist team, and AI features are added on top of the live service.
Best for: Growing firms that want a named team and AI capabilities
6. Posh — Affordable US Receptionists Managed From An App
Posh’s receptionists work from its Virginia Beach headquarters and do not offshore calls. Its app lets you change your status and call handling on the fly.
Posh positions itself as a lower-cost alternative to premium providers, on flexible 30-day terms.
Best for: Owners who want live receptionists on month-to-month terms
7. PATLive — Reliable Virtual Receptionists With A Long Track Record
PATLive has offered virtual receptionists from Tallahassee since 1990. It handles call screening, appointment booking and message taking around the clock.
No long-term contracts and accessible per-minute plans keep it popular with solo professionals.
Best for: Solo professionals and small offices
8. Nexa — Phoenix-Based Receptionists For Home Services, Legal And Medical
Nexa, founded in 2015 in Phoenix, Arizona, provides virtual receptionists with particular experience in plumbing and other home services, as well as legal and medical calls.
Bilingual answering is available for businesses serving Spanish-speaking customers.
Best for: Home services, legal and medical businesses
How To Choose A Virtual Receptionist Service
What Tasks Beyond Messages Do You Need?
List the jobs you want covered: booking, intake, transfers, payments, chat. Then check each provider’s plan for those features rather than assuming they are included.
Do You Want A Dedicated Team?
Some services assign a small, consistent team; others route calls to whichever receptionist is free. Dedicated teams learn your business faster.
Is AI Part Of The Plan?
Hybrid plans can lower costs on routine calls. Decide which calls must always reach a person and confirm the service can enforce that.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a virtual receptionist?
A virtual receptionist is a remote receptionist, human or AI, who answers your calls in your company name, screens and transfers callers, books appointments and takes messages.
What is the difference between a virtual receptionist and an answering service?
The terms overlap. Virtual receptionist services usually do more front-desk work, such as live transfers, scheduling and intake, while basic answering services focus on taking messages.
Which virtual receptionist service is best?
Ruby and AnswerConnect lead for live receptionists, and Smith.ai and Abby Connect lead for AI and human hybrids.
Conclusion
Ruby and AnswerConnect set the bar for live virtual receptionists, with Smith.ai and Abby Connect leading the AI-plus-human hybrids. Moneypenny brings named teams at scale, while Posh, PATLive and Nexa offer reliable coverage for smaller budgets and specialist industries.
For more rankings and guides on outsourced call handling, explore our Answering Services hub.
