An AI Receptionist That's Built, Trained & Managed For You
Most AI receptionist apps hand you software and leave the setup to you. We don't. Our Canadian team builds your AI receptionist, trains it on your business, connects it to your phone, calendar and social media, and keeps it updated. You get a 24/7 receptionist that answers calls, texts and DMs, without learning any new tech.
Zara AI
Your Business • AI ReceptionistWhy Is an AI Receptionist Better Than Hiring Staff?
An AI receptionist costs 98% less than a full-time employee while providing 24/7/365 availability. According to IBM, businesses save an average of $8 per customer interaction when using AI versus human agents. Zara-AI answers calls instantly with no hold times, handles unlimited simultaneous calls, and never takes sick days or vacation.
Traditional receptionists cost $3,500+ per month, take breaks, call in sick, and only work business hours. AI receptionists work around the clock for a fraction of the price—and according to McKinsey, 70% of customer inquiries can be fully resolved by AI without human intervention. (Source: McKinsey, 2024)
- Answers calls instantly—no hold times, no voicemail, 0.3 second response time
- Books appointments directly into your calendar—Google, Outlook, Calendly integration
- Handles unlimited simultaneous calls—no busy signals, no missed opportunities
- Every conversation recorded and transcribed for quality assurance and training
How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost vs. Human Staff?
Monthly cost comparisonThe Difference: We Build It. We Manage It. You Run Your Business.
Most AI receptionist apps sell you software and expect you to write the scripts, train the AI, connect your tools and fix it when something changes. Virtual Assistant Canada does all of that for you. Our Canadian team builds your AI receptionist, launches it in 48–72 hours, and keeps it updated every month, so busy business owners get the results without the learning curve.
We learn your business
On your free consultation, we go over your services, common questions, booking rules and how you want urgent calls handled.
We build & test your agent
We write the scripts, train the AI, connect your phone, calendar and social accounts, then test real call scenarios before launch.
We keep it sharp, you stay in control
Need a change? Tell us and it's done. Prefer to tweak it yourself? Your dashboard is always open to you.
Too busy to learn another app? That's exactly who we built this for.
Have Us Build Your AI ReceptionistWhat Channels Does Zara-AI Support?
Every plan includes an AI voice agent that answers your phone line and website voice calls, plus an AI text agent that replies on SMS, website chat, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, WhatsApp, TikTok DMs, and email. We can also automate replies to comments on your Facebook, Instagram and TikTok posts. Every conversation lands in one unified inbox. Your plan decides how many AI replies are included. According to Salesforce, 76% of customers expect consistent interactions across departments—omnichannel AI delivers exactly that. (Source: Salesforce, 2024)
Zara-AI doesn't just answer phones. It manages customer communication across all your channels from a single, unified platform. Research from Aberdeen Group shows businesses with omnichannel engagement retain 89% of customers versus 33% for single-channel businesses.
Unified Inbox
All conversations in one place
How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost in Canada?
Zara-AI receptionist plans cost $99 to $269 CAD per month. Our team builds your AI agent, and you keep full control to update it yourself or let us handle changes. Starter ($99) includes 200 minutes of AI talk time and 30 minutes of support. Professional ($199) includes up to 2 AI agents, 500 minutes of AI talk time, 1,000 AI message replies and 1 hour of support. Unlimited ($269) includes up to 3 AI agents, unlimited AI usage, and up to 2 hours of support. Phone, text and email carrier fees are billed monthly based on use. No contracts.
You stay in full control. Log in and change your agent anytime, or let our team handle builds and updates for you. Either way, you always know exactly what's included and what extra usage costs. Last Updated: October 2026
Starter
For solo operators who mainly need missed and after-hours calls answered.
- 1 custom AI voice agentBuilt by our team, editable by you
- 30 min of support / monthGood for most updates & small changes
- Appointment booking to your calendar
- Call forwarding & urgent-call routing
- Missed-call text-back (automated SMS)
- AI text agent on all your channelsPay as you go: $0.10 per AI reply
- AI review replies
Extra AI talk time: $0.49 CAD/min • AI replies: $0.10 each
Get StartedProfessional
For busy businesses that want calls and messages handled by AI.
- Everything in Starter
- Up to 2 custom AI agentsVoice or text, built by our team, editable by you
- 1 hour of support / monthUpdates, new FAQs, script & workflow changes
- 1,000 AI message replies / monthAll supported social & text channels
- AI replies to your Google reviews
- Automated review requests
Extra AI talk time: $0.39 CAD/min • Extra AI replies: $0.10 each
Get StartedUnlimited
For high-volume businesses that never want to watch a meter.
- Everything in Professional
- Up to 3 custom AI agentsVoice or text, e.g. by department, language or after-hours
- Up to 2 hours of custom support / monthBy phone & email, priority response
- Unlimited AI message repliesAll supported social & text channels
- Unlimited AI review replies
No AI overage charges. Subject to fair use.
Get StartedIncluded in Every Plan
What Your Plan Covers vs. Usage Fees
Your plan pays for the AI: its "brain," its talk time, and our team. The phone carrier charges for every call, text and phone number, so those fees are billed monthly based on what you actually use.
Covered by your plan
- AI talk time on calls (up to your plan's limit)
- AI replies on SMS, chat, social & email (up to your plan's limit)
- AI review replies (Professional & Unlimited)
- Your agent build, dashboard & monthly support
Usage fees, billed monthly
| Local phone number | $2.00 / month |
| Incoming calls | 2.5¢ / min |
| Outgoing calls | 3.5¢ / min |
| SMS text messages | 1.5¢ / segment |
| Picture messages (MMS) | 3.5¢ each |
| Email sending | $1.25 / 1,000 |
| Meta's fees + 20% |
Example: A business that takes 300 calls a month averaging 2.5 minutes would pay about $19 in call fees plus $2 for the phone number, on top of its plan. Most small businesses pay $5–$25 a month in usage fees.
What does monthly support cover?
Updates to hours, services, prices and FAQs, script tweaks, and workflow changes. Prefer to do it yourself? Edits you make in your dashboard never use your support time. Unused time doesn't roll over.
What's AI talk time?
Minutes the AI spends live on a call with your customer. Most receptionist calls take 2–3 minutes. Call carrier fees are billed separately.
What's an AI message reply?
Each SMS, chat, social DM or email response your AI text agent writes. Messages you send yourself don't count toward your AI limit. Carrier fees (SMS, WhatsApp, email) are billed separately.
What if I go over?
Your AI keeps answering, so you never miss a lead. Extra AI usage is billed at your plan's rates. Unlimited has no AI overage, only usage fees.
No long-term contracts • Cancel anytime • Upgrade or downgrade anytime • Unused AI minutes don't roll over • Phone, text & email usage billed monthly • All prices in CAD, plus applicable taxes
Common Questions About AI Receptionists
Everything you need to know about Zara-AI and AI phone answering services.
Can the AI Book Appointments Automatically?
Yes, Zara-AI integrates directly with popular calendar systems including Google Calendar, Outlook, Calendly, and industry-specific booking software. The AI checks real-time availability and books appointments during phone calls, SMS conversations, or chat sessions without any human intervention.
Are AI Receptionist Calls Recorded?
Yes, every call is automatically recorded and transcribed. You can review recordings and transcripts in your dashboard anytime. This is valuable for training, quality assurance, compliance, and maintaining records of customer interactions.
How Do I Get Started with AI Receptionist Services?
Getting started takes 3 simple steps: Book a free consultation to discuss your needs, we custom-build your AI receptionist with your business information and FAQs, and you go live within 48-72 hours. Setup is included free with all plans.
Can the AI Handle Complex Questions?
Zara-AI is trained on your specific business information, FAQs, and procedures. For questions beyond its training, it can seamlessly forward the call to a human team member or take a message. According to McKinsey, 70% of customer inquiries can be fully resolved by AI.
Does It Sound Like a Real Person?
Zara-AI uses advanced natural language processing to have natural, conversational interactions. Many callers don't realize they're speaking with AI. The voice is professional, warm, and customized to match your brand personality.
What Happens If There's an Urgent Call?
You can set up rules for urgent calls to be forwarded immediately to you or your team. The AI can identify urgent situations based on keywords and caller intent, ensuring critical matters reach a human right away.
Can I Use My Existing Phone Number?
Yes, you can keep your existing business phone number. We can set up call forwarding from your current number to Zara-AI, or port your number directly. There's also the option to get a new dedicated number for the AI.
Who Builds and Maintains My AI Agent?
We do, and you stay in full control. Our Canadian team builds your AI agent around your business and connects it to your phone, calendar and social accounts. You get your own dashboard, so you can update scripts, FAQs and settings yourself anytime without using support time. When you'd rather hand it off, our team is here. Each plan includes support time for updates and changes: 30 minutes on Starter, 1 hour on Professional, and up to 2 hours of custom phone and email support on Unlimited.
Which Social Media Channels Can the AI Reply On?
Your AI text agent can reply on SMS, website chat, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, WhatsApp, TikTok DMs, and email. All channels are included on every plan. AI replies are $0.10 each on Starter, 1,000 per month are included on Professional, and they're unlimited on Unlimited.
Which Plan Is Right for My Business?
Most solo operators who mainly need calls answered while they're busy start on Starter. If you also get regular texts, website chats, or social media messages, Professional is the best value. If you take more than about 250 calls a month, need more than two agents, or want more hands-on support, choose Unlimited. We'll recommend a plan on your free consultation.
What Happens If I Use More Than My Included AI Minutes?
Your AI keeps answering, so you never miss a call. Extra AI talk time is billed at $0.49 CAD/min on Starter and $0.39 CAD/min on Professional. Unlimited has no AI overage. If you go over regularly, we'll suggest moving up a plan. Unused AI minutes don't roll over.
Are Phone and Text Fees Included?
No. Your plan covers the AI and our team. Phone carrier usage is billed monthly based on what you use: $2.00/month for your local number, 2.5¢/min for incoming calls, 3.5¢/min for outgoing calls, and 1.5¢ per SMS segment. Most small businesses pay $5 to $25 a month in usage fees. This applies to every plan, including Unlimited.
Is There a Long-Term Contract?
No long-term contracts required. All plans are month-to-month with no cancellation fees. You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel anytime. We believe in earning your business every month through excellent service.
"The AI receptionist market is projected to reach $12.9 billion by 2028, growing at 23.4% annually. Early adopters are already seeing 40% reduction in missed calls and 35% improvement in appointment bookings. This isn't the future—it's happening now."— Dr. Lisa Chen, AI & Business Automation Researcher, University of Toronto, specializing in customer service AI applications
What Our Clients Say
Zara-AI is built and managed by the Virtual Assistant Canada team, the same people behind our Canadian virtual assistant service. Here's what clients say about working with us.
"I've been using Virtual Assistant Canada for a few years now. Excellent company and assistants. No complaints here. We just hired a second VA from them for one of my other companies."
"Virtual Assistant Canada has raised the bar with a professionalism and skill set that is as unique as they come. Their combination of experience, innovation, and technical knowledge makes them a must-hire."
"Awesome service, my assistant is always ready for more work, I finally have time for my family and friends!! Virtual Assistant Canada is recommended."
Skip the Setup. Get an AI Receptionist That Just Works.
You don't need to be a tech expert or find time to learn new software. Book a free consultation, tell us how your business runs, and our Canadian team will build, launch and manage your AI receptionist. You'll be live within 48–72 hours, with real people behind it every month.
Powered by Zara-AI • Natural language understanding • Omnichannel support • Last Updated: October 2026