VeraDial vs Reception.ai
Reception by ElevenAgents is an AI receptionist that books appointments, sold in metered minutes on a US number behind a web dashboard. VeraDial is the verified business line itself — a US or Canadian number in a mobile app. Lite includes 50 receptionist and 150 calling minutes; Plus includes unlimited receptionist answering under fair use, 300 calling minutes, and outbound AI. Here's how to decide which one fits.
By Graham Thomson · Updated August 13, 2026
Short Answer
If your deciding feature is a multi-resource scheduler with a public booking page, pick Reception ($22–$99/mo in metered minutes plus $0.40/min overage, US numbers only). Otherwise, VeraDial includes a 24/7 AI receptionist on a verified US or Canadian line you actually own and call from: Lite has 50 receptionist and 150 calling minutes for $14.99/mo; Plus adds unlimited receptionist answering under fair use, 300 calling minutes, outbound AI, live translation, and Google Calendar booking for $29.99/mo.
VeraDialVerified business line with Vera, a 24/7 AI receptionist, built in — answers calls and texts, takes messages, and connects real callers through. A-level caller ID, voicemail transcription, business SMS — all in a mobile-first app from $14.99/mo per line, 50 AI-receptionist minutes on Lite.
ElevenLabs' first-party AI receptionist. Answers inbound calls 24/7 in 70+ languages, books into a built-in calendar, and includes an online booking page — managed from a web dashboard on a US number. Metered plans from $22/mo (verified on reception.ai 2026-07-06).
Bottom Line
Which should you pick?
Pick VeraDial if...
You want the receptionist and the business line in one product. Vera Lite includes 50 AI-receptionist minutes and 150 calling minutes for $14.99/mo. Vera Plus includes unlimited receptionist answering under fair use, 300 calling minutes, outbound AI calling, live translation, and Google Calendar booking for $29.99/mo.
Pick Reception.ai if...
Your deciding feature is a built-in booking system — Reception by ElevenAgents supports services, staff, and resources and includes a public online booking page, answering in 70+ languages with up to 10 simultaneous calls on its $99 Premium tier. Vera Plus books straightforward 30-minute appointments into Google Calendar instead. Reception's plans are minute-metered: $22/mo (60 min), $55/mo (200 min), $99/mo (500 min), then $0.40/min, US numbers only (verified on reception.ai 2026-07-06).
The short version
Reception by ElevenAgents is an inbound AI receptionist with a built-in multi-resource booking system, sold in metered minutes ($22–$99/mo + $0.40/min overage) behind a web dashboard on a US number. VeraDial is the verified business line itself: Lite includes 50 AI-receptionist minutes and 150 calling minutes for $14.99/mo; Plus includes unlimited receptionist answering under fair use and 300 calling minutes for $29.99/mo, plus Google Calendar booking, outbound AI calling, and live translation. Pick Reception for its broader booking system and language coverage; pick VeraDial for a line you can call and text from.
Feature comparison
Side by side
Reception facts verified from reception.ai, its published FAQ, and its signup flow on 2026-07-06. VeraDial facts reflect the live product as of July 2026 — Vera, the built-in 24/7 AI receptionist, is included on every plan.
| Feature | VeraDial | Reception.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Fully autonomous inbound call handling (24/7) | ||
| Autonomous appointment booking on a calendar | Yes (Vera Plus · Google Calendar) | |
| Public online booking page included | ||
| AI answers inbound texts (SMS assistant, reads photos) | ||
| AI-powered outbound calling (estimates, follow-ups) | Yes (Vera Plus) | |
| Live two-way call translation | Yes (Vera Plus) | |
| Answers callers in 70+ languages | ||
| Call and text from the number yourself (app dialer) | ||
| STIR/SHAKEN A-level outbound caller ID attestation | Not published | |
| Native iOS / Android apps | ||
| Call summaries, transcripts, recordings | ||
| Canadian numbers | ||
| 50 AI-receptionist minutes on Lite, no overage | ||
| Entry pricing | From $14.99/mo per line | $22/mo +tax (60 min, then metered) |
| Free trial | 7 days, all features of your plan | 14 days / 30 min, Basic tier only |
Honest concession
Where Reception is genuinely the better pick
Reception has shipped capabilities that VeraDial does not have today. For the buyers below, Reception is the right product — not VeraDial.
A broader built-in booking system is the product core
Reception books callers into its built-in calendar with services, staff availability, rooms, and equipment while the caller is still on the line. Vera Plus books straightforward 30-minute appointments into Google Calendar. If your operation needs multi-staff or resource scheduling and a built-in booking system, Reception's product shape fits better.
A public booking page, synced with the phone agent
Every Reception plan includes an online booking page tied to the same receptionist, so customers can call or book on the web and the schedule stays in sync. VeraDial doesn't provide a booking page — you bring your own booking link and Vera shares it on request. For appointment-driven storefronts that want one synced front door, that's a genuine Reception advantage.
70+ languages and 2,000+ voices on every plan
Built on ElevenLabs' voice stack, Reception answers callers in English, Spanish, and 70+ more languages with a large voice library. VeraDial is English-first with Spanish-capable voice options, plus live two-way call translation across 13 languages on Vera Plus — but as a many-language inbound receptionist, Reception's coverage is broader today.
Concurrency and multi-location sold as explicit tiers
Reception's Plus tier handles up to 3 simultaneous calls and Premium handles 10, with multi-location routing across up to 3 numbers on one account. If you're a multi-branch office where several callers hit the same number at once and you want that capacity spelled out on the pricing page, Reception markets it directly.
Where VeraDial wins
Where VeraDial is the better pick
VeraDial covers the whole front desk — the line, the texts, the outbound — not just the inbound answer. If any of these is your bottleneck, VeraDial is the right tool.
A real business line in an app — not a dashboard with a number
Reception assigns a US number for its agent to answer, managed from a web dashboard; there's no app on the App Store or Play Store and no dialer — you can't call or text customers from the number. VeraDial is the line itself: a verified US or Canadian number in a native iOS/Android app where you place calls with STIR/SHAKEN A-level caller ID, send business SMS, and get voicemail transcription — with Vera answering whatever you don't pick up.
Included allowances without per-minute overage charges
Reception sells 60, 200, or 500 minutes, then charges $0.40/min overage. Vera Lite is $14.99/mo with 50 AI-receptionist and 150 calling minutes; Plus is $29.99/mo with unlimited receptionist answering under fair use and 300 calling minutes. VeraDial does not add per-minute overage charges.
The rest of the front desk: texts, outbound AI, translation
Reception is inbound voice. VeraDial's AI SMS assistant answers inbound texts 24/7 — it even reads photos customers send, like a broken part or a job site. Vera Plus ($29.99/mo) adds outbound AI calling (estimate follow-ups, appointment confirmations, supplier calls) and live two-way call translation across 13 languages. Those are categories Reception doesn't sell at any tier.
Hear it working before you pick a plan
When we walked Reception's signup on July 6, 2026, plan selection came right after the website scan — before you ever hear the agent take a call. VeraDial runs it the other way: build your receptionist from your website or business name at veradial.com/demo and talk to it live, before creating an account or choosing a plan. You know exactly what you're buying before you're asked to buy it.
The signup difference
Hear the receptionist before you pick a plan
Both products build your receptionist from your website in about a minute. The difference is what happens next. In Reception's signup (walked 2026-07-06), plan selection comes right after the scan — before you hear the agent take a call. With VeraDial, you build your receptionist from your website or business name and talk to it live, before creating an account or choosing anything. Try it now — it takes under two minutes.
Reception pricing
Reception's current tier structure
Tier names, prices, minute caps, and trial terms verified from reception.ai and its in-product signup flow on July 6, 2026 — prices show "+ tax" at signup. Quoted here for buyer reference — please verify with Reception before purchasing.
Basic
$22/mo
60 minutes by phone / month
1 phone number, 1 call at a time, Zapier integration. The only tier with a free trial — 14 days or 30 included minutes, no card required.
Plus (Most Popular)
$55/mo
200 minutes by phone / month
1 phone number, up to 3 calls at once, Zapier, webhook, and MCP integrations. $0.40/min overage. No trial — straight subscribe.
Premium
$99/mo
500 minutes by phone / month
3 phone numbers, up to 10 calls at once, multi-location support, Zapier, webhook, and MCP integrations. $0.40/min overage. No trial.
All plans include 2,000+ voices in 70+ languages, call summaries, transcripts, and recordings. Overage $0.40/min. Numbers are US-only; Reception's FAQ notes additional setup for businesses outside the US.
FAQ
VeraDial vs Reception.ai, answered
What is Reception by ElevenAgents (reception.ai)?
Reception is ElevenLabs' first-party AI receptionist for small businesses, launched at reception.ai. It answers inbound calls 24/7, answers questions from a scan of your website, books appointments into a built-in calendar, and includes a public online booking page. Plans are minute-metered — $22/mo (60 min), $55/mo (200 min), $99/mo (500 min), with $0.40/min overage — on a US phone number managed from a web dashboard. Facts verified on reception.ai on 2026-07-06.
Which is cheaper — Reception.ai or VeraDial?
VeraDial, and the gap widens with call volume. Reception's $22/mo Basic includes 60 minutes — a few days of inbound for a busy line — and its FAQ-listed overage rate is $0.40/min, so 200 minutes of real usage lands around the $55 Plus tier plus tax. VeraDial's Vera Lite is $14.99/mo with 50 AI-receptionist minutes on a verified line you own; Vera Plus is $29.99/mo and adds outbound AI calling and live translation. There's no per-minute overage charge on either VeraDial plan.
Does VeraDial book appointments on a calendar like Reception?
Yes. On Vera Plus, Vera can offer and confirm 30-minute appointments during inbound calls and add them to a separate VeraDial Bookings calendar connected to Google Calendar. VeraDial does not include a public booking page or Reception's multi-staff and resource scheduling. Choose based on whether straightforward Google Calendar booking or a broader built-in scheduling system fits your operation.
Can Reception answer my texts or make calls for me?
Reception is built around inbound voice — answering, booking, message-taking — with texting mentioned as part of its booking-page channel sync rather than as an AI texting product. It doesn't market outbound AI calling. VeraDial includes an AI SMS assistant that answers inbound texts (and reads photos customers send) on every plan, and Vera Plus adds outbound AI calling — estimate follow-ups, confirmations, supplier coordination — with transcripts of every call.
Does Reception.ai work in Canada?
Reception is sold globally but assigns US phone numbers only — its FAQ notes businesses outside the US need additional setup to connect their number, which means forwarding into the US number it gives you. VeraDial provisions both US and Canadian local numbers (Canadian numbers with voice and SMS), so a Canadian business gets a local line customers recognize, not a US number fronting a forward.
How do the free trials compare?
Reception's trial exists on the Basic tier only — 14 days or 30 included minutes, whichever runs out first, no card required. Its Plus and Premium tiers ($55 and $99/mo) have no trial at all, so webhook integrations and higher concurrency can't be tested before subscribing. VeraDial's 7-day free trial covers the full plan you pick — and you can talk to your receptionist live at veradial.com/demo before starting any trial. Trial terms verified in Reception's signup flow on 2026-07-06.
Keep digging
Related guides and comparisons
Try VeraDial
Verified business line. AI receptionist included.
From $14.99/mo per line, 50 AI-receptionist minutes on Lite. Vera answers your calls and texts 24/7, plus voicemail transcription, business SMS, and STIR/SHAKEN A-level caller ID. 7-day free trial, no contract.
Hear Vera in action.
Play a short sample call, follow the transcript, and move into a personalized live demo when you're ready.