BT AI Receptionist
alternatives
BT launched AI Receptionist in October 2026 as part of its "AI from BT" range. It is a voice AI that answers your calls live, talks to the caller, answers common questions from information you give it, and can book appointments. If you are weighing it up, this page sets out how it works, what it costs, and where Cuppa takes a different approach.
Everything about BT here comes from BT's public pages on 21 October 2026. BT does not list a standard monthly price on its public product page, so treat any price you see quoted elsewhere with care and get a current quote from BT.
What BT AI Receptionist offers
- Answers calls 24/7, or only during hours you set, and can handle several calls at once.
- Answers common questions using your website, FAQs or uploaded documents.
- Captures leads, transcribes calls and can book appointments into Google Calendar or Outlook.
- Routes callers to the right person when a human is needed.
- Two versions: AI Receptionist for BT Cloud Work customers, and AI Receptionist Everywhere, which works on any UK fixed or mobile network with your existing number.
What it costs
- Billed on inbound call minutes, in bundles from 100 to 14,000 minutes a month. Monthly rolling contract, no early termination charge.
- Extra minutes cost more; overage is off by default and you can set a spend cap. You get usage alerts at 80% and 100%, and the service stops at 100% unless you top up or enable overage.
- BT is running a launch offer of 50% off the 100 and 300-minute bundles for six months, advertised from 2 October to 20 November 2026.
- An optional one-hour guided setup session costs £150 one-off.
How Cuppa is different
BT's product answers the call and holds the conversation. Cuppa does not answer your calls at all. When you miss a call, your divert sends it to Cuppa, and Cuppa texts the caller on WhatsApp within seconds, asks what they need and sends you their words in one message. You read it and reply when it suits you.
| BT AI Receptionist | Cuppa | |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | An AI voice answers live and talks to the caller | The missed call gets a WhatsApp text within seconds; the caller's needs land in your WhatsApp |
| Your number | Keep it (Everywhere version, any UK network) | Keep it; a divert on EE, O2, Vodafone or Three sends missed calls to Cuppa |
| Phone system | Standalone, or built into BT Cloud Work | No phone system at all; it runs over your existing mobile divert |
| Price | Minute bundles from 100 to 14,000 minutes a month; no public headline price, get a quote | £20 a month, no contract, cancel any time from your WhatsApp chat |
| Setup | Trained on your website, FAQs or documents; optional £150 guided session | Turn on one divert setting; guided in chat |
| Bookings | Can schedule into Google Calendar or Outlook | Captures what the caller needs; you book it yourself |
| Contract | Monthly rolling | No contract |
Where BT AI Receptionist is likely the better fit
- You want calls answered live by a voice, not followed up by text.
- You want appointments booked end to end into your calendar without you replying.
- You are already a BT Cloud Work customer, or you want a big-brand supplier with a support organisation behind it.
- You get enough calls that a minute bundle makes sense, and you are happy to watch usage so it does not stop mid-month.
Where Cuppa is likely the better fit
- You miss calls because you are on a job, not because you want a robot answering them.
- You want the caller's details in your WhatsApp seconds after the missed call, so you can ring back the ones that matter.
- You want one flat price, £20 a month, with nothing to meter and nothing that switches off at a limit.
- You do not want to change phone systems, learn a portal or maintain a knowledge base.
Other routes worth a look
- Human answering services: a real person answers in your business name, usually priced per call or per minute. More personal, and usually the most expensive option per call.
- Other AI receptionist apps: several UK and US services offer similar call answering. Compare the same things as above: price model, whether you keep your number, what happens after the call, and contract terms.
- Your network's voicemail, done well: a clear greeting that asks callers to text you instead costs nothing, and some customers prefer it.
BT features and prices checked against BT's public pages on 21 October 2026. Check BT's site for current terms before you decide. Cuppa is £20 a month, no contract, and if we cannot get it working on your phone you get your money back.