# Receptionist vs AI agent calculator

Compare the real annual cost of a person at reception with an AI phone agent, and how many hours a year the phone goes unanswered in each case.

- Human version: https://rubitec.co/tools/ai-receptionist-vs-receptionist-calculator
- All tools: https://rubitec.co/tools
- llms.txt: https://rubitec.co/llms.txt

Free tool by Rubitec. No sign-up required and the calculation runs in the browser.

## What it asks for

| Input | Default value |
| --- | --- |
| Receptionist gross annual salary | 22,000 € |
| Employer social security | 32% |
| Workspace and other annual costs | 1,500 € |
| Opening hours per week | 45 |
| Do you cover holidays and sick leave with a replacement? | No, the phone goes unanswered on those days |
| Monthly cost of the AI agent | 250 € |

## Example with default values

| Result | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Annual cost of the receptionist | €30,540 |
| Annual cost of the AI agent | €3,000 |
| Difference per year | €27,540 |
| Hours a year covered by the person | 2,012 h |
| Hours a year with nobody on the phone | 6,748 h |
| Cost per hour covered by a person | €15.18 |
| Cost per hour covered by AI | €0.34 |

## How it is calculated

The cost of the person is gross salary plus employer social security plus workspace. If you cover holidays and sick leave with a replacement, an extra 14% is added, which is what 22 working days of holiday plus average absenteeism represent over 220 working days.

Coverage is measured against the 8,760 hours in a year. A full-time receptionist in a business open 45 hours a week covers around 2,340 hours, barely a quarter of the year. The rest is nights, weekends and public holidays.

Cost per covered hour divides each option's annual cost by the hours it actually answers. That is the honest comparison: not who is cheaper, but what each answered hour costs.

> **Notice.** An AI agent does not replace a receptionist in everything. It does not greet visitors, sign for deliveries or handle delicate situations face to face. This comparison covers phone handling only, which in many businesses is most of the job but never all of it.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does a receptionist cost per year in Spain?

On a €22,000 gross salary, employer social security adds around €7,000. Including workspace, the real cost is about €30,500 a year, rising to roughly €34,500 if you cover holidays and sick leave with a replacement.

### Can an AI agent replace my receptionist?

In most businesses the sensible move is not replacing but combining. The agent takes every call at once, covers nights and weekends and filters the repetitive work, while the person keeps what adds value: in-person service and cases that need judgement. Full replacement makes sense only where the job is answering the phone and booking.

### Do you have to disclose that an AI is answering?

Yes. Article 50 of the EU AI Act requires clear disclosure that the person is interacting with an AI system, and it applies from 2 August 2026. In practice it is enough for the agent to say so at the start of the call.

## Related links

- [How an AI virtual receptionist works](https://rubitec.co/agente-secretaria-virtual)
- [What unanswered calls are costing you](https://rubitec.co/tools/missed-calls-cost-calculator)
- [Full comparison: AI virtual receptionist](https://rubitec.co/insights/recepcionista-virtual-ia-vs-recepcionista)