The short answer
An AI receptionist for estheticians built on HighLevel Voice AI costs about $0.24 per answered call, or $29 a month for 120 calls averaging 3 minutes, phone line included. Roughly 42 of those calls (35%) would come outside office hours, which is where an AI answering service earns its keep. Emergencies, complaints and anything needing judgment should go to a person.
What the AI should handle
Suggest a starting service
Uses the studio's written guide to suggest a consultation or starter facial based on the caller's main concern, without diagnosing any skin condition.
Book treatments and series
Books single services or the first session of a series and notes the planned spacing so the esthetician can schedule the rest.
Answer pricing
Gives prices for facials, peels, waxing, add-ons and series packages from the studio menu, and explains what a package saves compared with single sessions.
Take product orders
Takes product requests for pickup at the client's next visit, or texts a purchase link when the studio sells products online.
What to send to a person
- Reactions, burns or unusual redness after a treatment
- Questions about medical skin conditions or prescription products
- Contraindications such as pregnancy or recent isotretinoin use
- Complaints and refund requests
HighLevel's voice agents can transfer a live call, create a task, or trigger a workflow that texts the owner. Set the handoff rules before the agent goes live.
Cost per call and per month
Assumptions for a typical esthetics studio: 120 calls a month answered by the AI, averaging 3 minutes. Phone minutes are billed per call and rounded up, so each call bills 3 phone minutes at $0.01165.
| Setup | AI cost | Phone line | Per month | Per call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay per use, Standard voice, GPT-4.1 Mini | $24.48 | $4.19 | $29 | $0.24 |
| Pay per use, ElevenLabs voice, GPT-4.1 Mini | $31.68 | $4.19 | $36 | $0.30 |
| Pay per use, speech-to-speech (OpenAI) | $72.00 | $4.19 | $76 | $0.63 |
| AI Employee Unlimited, $97 flat | $97.00 | $4.19 | $101 | $0.84 |
The breakdown of every Voice AI charge is in our Voice AI pricing guide. Agencies can price this as a monthly service with the calculator's Price a client tab, preloaded for a esthetics studio.
Compared with staff time
Those 120 calls take about 6 hours of talk time a month. At the US median receptionist wage of $18.27 an hour (May 2025, Bureau of Labor Statistics), that talk time alone is worth about $110, before hold time, breaks, benefits and the calls that come in after hours. An AI receptionist does not replace a good front desk; it catches the overflow and the evenings, and frees staff for the people in front of them.
Sample call
AI AGENTHi, thank you for calling Glow Theory Skin Studio. I'm the studio's virtual assistant. How can I help?
CALLERI have a lot of dark spots from the summer. What would you recommend?
AI AGENTRachel starts new clients with a skin consultation facial, where she looks at your skin and builds a plan. It's 75 minutes and 120 dollars. Would you like to book one?
CALLERYes. Is that the same as a peel?
AI AGENTA peel may be part of your plan, but Rachel decides that after seeing your skin. She has Wednesday at 4 or Friday at 11.
CALLERFriday at 11.
AI AGENTYou're booked for Friday at 11. I'm texting you an intake form about your skin and products. Please list any medications, since some affect which treatments Rachel can do.
CALLEROkay, will do.
Prompt tips
- Tip 1Write a short guide that maps common concerns, like breakouts, dryness or dark spots, to a consultation or starter service, and tell the AI to recommend only from that guide.
- Tip 2List the contraindications the studio screens for and tell the AI to note them without deciding whether a treatment is safe.
- Tip 3Include series pricing and spacing so the AI can explain why a package is booked over several weeks instead of in one visit.
Rules to watch
Stay within your license. State boards license estheticians and decide which treatments that license covers, and the limits differ between states. List only services your license allows in the AI's knowledge base, and have it refer medical questions, such as whether a rash is rosacea, to a dermatologist or the client's doctor.
Honest reviews and results. The FTC's reviews rule bans fake reviews and testimonials and bars rewards for reviews that express a particular sentiment. Use real client reviews only, keep before-and-after photos genuine, and do not let the AI promise results a treatment cannot reliably deliver.
Consent for product and promo texts. FCC rules require consent for autodialed texts to cell phones and written consent for marketing texts. Collect consent on the intake form, and send product promotions only to clients who agreed to marketing messages.
General information, not legal advice.
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Questions
How much does an AI receptionist cost for a esthetics studio?
Can an AI receptionist recommend facials?
How should the AI handle calls about a skin reaction?
Can the AI book a series of treatments?
Should an esthetician pay for a premium AI voice?
Sources
- FTC Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule: Questions and answers
- FCC consumer guide: Stop unwanted robocalls and texts
- HighLevel: how to edit a Voice AI agent's voice (help center)
- HighLevel AI product pricing (help center)
- HighLevel pricing
- HighLevel AI product pricing (help center)
- AI Voice Agents overview
- HighLevel Phone System pricing and billing guide
- BLS Occupational Outlook: Receptionists (May 2025 pay)