Does Google Voice Have an Auto Attendant? Yes, on Standard and Premier
By Sharrk Team · October 30, 2026
Yes. Google Voice has an auto attendant, but only on the Voice Standard and Premier plans, according to Google's Workspace Help pages; Voice Starter doesn't include one. Google's Voice page lists Standard at $20 and Premier at $30 per user per month, and Starter at $10.
An auto attendant is a press-1 menu: it plays a message and sends callers where they choose. If you want calls answered by something that actually talks with the caller, asks your questions, books the job and transfers emergencies, that's an AI receptionist, and Sharrk does that 24/7 for home-service and local businesses. You can keep your Google Voice number and send calls to Sharrk.
Which Google Voice plans include an auto attendant?
Google's comparison table (last updated October 26, 2026) shows this:
| Google Voice plan | Price (Google's Voice page) | Auto attendants | Ring groups | Users |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter (standalone) | $10/month | No | No | 1 |
| Starter (Workspace add-on) | $10/user/month | No | No | Up to 10 |
| Standard (standalone) | $20/month | Yes | No | 1 |
| Standard (Workspace add-on) | $20/user/month | Yes | Yes | Unlimited |
| Premier (Workspace add-on) | $30/user/month | Yes | Yes | Unlimited |
Google's auto attendant setup article says the feature "is available with the Voice Standard and Premier subscriptions." Google describes Standard as adding "multi-level automated attendants, ring groups, AI note-taking, and desk phones," and Premier as adding "advanced reporting with BigQuery and automatic call recording."
What does a Google Voice auto attendant do?
Google says an auto attendant "plays messages and lets callers choose options." You build a menu of keypad choices, and each one can:
- Open a submenu
- Repeat the menu
- Play a message, then repeat or hang up
- Send the caller to voicemail (copies can go to up to 10 email addresses)
- Transfer the caller to a licensed user, a ring group, another auto attendant or an outside phone number
Ring groups sit behind the menu. If nobody in a ring group answers within 30 seconds, Google lets you keep ringing, play a message and disconnect, forward the caller to another number, or send them to voicemail. After hours, a ring group can forward to a user, an auto attendant, another ring group or a phone number.
That's useful routing. But every path still ends in one of three places: a person who might be busy, voicemail, or a hang-up. The menu itself can't answer a question or take down a job. If you're sending callers into a long ring, check how many rings before answering makes sense for your business.
Does Google Voice have AI call answering?
Not on the Google Voice pages we checked. Google's Voice product page says Voice "uses Google AI to help save you time" by blocking spam calls and transcribing voicemail. Google's admin help also describes Gemini note-taking in Voice calls: the person who turns it on gets "the recording, transcript, and generated notes" by email or in call logs. It needs Voice Standard or Premier on an eligible Workspace edition, and works in English only.
Those features help you after a call you answered. None of the Google Voice help pages we reviewed describe an AI that picks up and talks with callers.
Press-1 menu vs. AI receptionist: what's the difference?
| Sharrk AI receptionist | Google Voice auto attendant | |
|---|---|---|
| How callers interact | Talk normally, in their own words | Press keys on a menu |
| Answers questions | Yes, from your own knowledge base | Plays recorded messages |
| Collects job details | Asks the questions you set | No; routes to a person or voicemail |
| Books appointments | Yes: Sharrk's calendar, Calendly, Cal.com or ServiceTitan | No |
| Transfers | Live transfer to a person, e.g. emergencies | Transfers to users, ring groups or a number |
| Hours | 24/7 | Follows your menu and hours settings |
| Price | Free to build; Core $99/month | Standard $20/user/month; Premier $30/user/month |
A menu sorts calls. An AI receptionist handles them. For a plumber at 9 p.m., the difference is a voicemail you return tomorrow versus a booked job with the address, problem and callback number already written down.
Can I keep my Google Voice number and forward calls to an AI receptionist?
Yes, and Google's own help points the way. Its linked-numbers article says that "forwarding calls from your Google Voice number to an automated system is unsupported," and adds: "Sign up for Google Workspace to use an auto attendant if you need to forward calls to an automated system." So the supported route runs through a Workspace auto attendant or ring group, not your personal linked numbers.
Here are the setups an admin can use on Voice Standard or Premier:
- Make the AI receptionist a menu option. Add an auto attendant option such as "Press 1 to book a service call" that transfers to an outside phone number: the number your Sharrk agent answers.
- Catch unanswered calls. In your ring group, set unanswered calls (after 30 seconds) to "Forward the caller" to that same number, so nobody hits voicemail.
- Cover after hours. Set custom opening hours on the ring group and choose "Forward the caller" to a phone number as the after-hours action.
Your customers keep dialing the same Google Voice number. If you also use a cell phone or another carrier line, our guide to forwarding calls to an answering service covers conditional forwarding codes.
A simple greeting that works with option 1:
"Thanks for calling [Business]. To book service or get a quote, press 1. For billing, press 2. For an emergency, press 1 and tell us it's urgent."
Point option 1 at Sharrk and you've turned a menu into a receptionist.
How Sharrk handles calls from your Google Voice line
Once calls reach Sharrk, an AI voice agent answers every one, 24/7. It asks the questions you set, answers from your own knowledge base, books onto Sharrk's calendar, Calendly or Cal.com, or straight into ServiceTitan, and live-transfers urgent calls to a person. Sharrk's calendar sends a confirmation email or text and a 24-hour reminder. New web, Angi or Thumbtack leads get a reply by AI call, text and email in under 30 seconds, and Strikes keep following up until the lead replies or asks to stop.
You don't need to build any of this by hand. Tell Mako, Sharrk's AI assistant, what you want in plain English, like "answer calls for my HVAC company, book tune-ups and transfer no-heat calls to me." Mako drafts the agent, shows each change on an Apply card, waits for your OK, and lets you undo.
Sharrk Free costs $0 with 2,500 one-time credits to build and test, no card needed. Sharrk Core is $99/month with 47,500 credits. There are no contracts or setup fees. See the AI receptionist page for more.
Start free with Sharrk or schedule a demo.
On Nextiva instead? See whether Nextiva has an AI receptionist.
Related on Sharrk: AI Receptionist · AI Answering Service · Pricing
Sources
- Google Workspace Help, "Set up a Voice automated attendant for your organization" (no date shown): https://support.google.com/a/answer/9204988?hl=en (checked October 30, 2026)
- Google Workspace Help, "Compare Voice subscriptions" (last updated October 26, 2026): https://support.google.com/a/answer/9229433?hl=en (checked October 30, 2026)
- Google Workspace, "Google Voice: Business Phone Number & Systems" (no date shown): https://workspace.google.com/products/voice/ (checked October 30, 2026)
- Google Workspace Help, "Edit ring groups" (last updated August 26, 2026): https://support.google.com/a/answer/9839752?hl=en (checked October 30, 2026)
- Google Workspace Help, "Let Google Voice take AI notes for my users" (last updated October 26, 2026): https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/voice/let-google-voice-take-ai-notes-for-my-users (checked October 30, 2026)
- Google Voice Help, "Set up your phone to make & receive Google Voice calls" (no date shown): https://support.google.com/voice/answer/165221?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop (checked October 30, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Does Google Voice have an auto attendant?
Yes, on the Voice Standard and Premier plans. Google's Workspace Help says auto attendants are available with Standard and Premier; the Starter plan doesn't include them.
How much does Google Voice with an auto attendant cost?
Google lists Voice Standard at $20 per user per month and Premier at $30 per user per month. Starter, at $10, doesn't include auto attendants.
Does Google Voice Starter have ring groups?
No. Google's comparison table shows ring groups only on the Voice Standard and Premier Workspace add-ons, not on Starter or the standalone Standard plan.
Can Google Voice answer calls with AI?
Not according to the Google Voice pages we checked. Google describes AI spam blocking, voicemail transcription and Gemini note-taking during calls, but no AI that answers and talks with callers.
Can I forward my Google Voice calls to an AI receptionist?
Yes, through a Workspace auto attendant or ring group. Google says forwarding to an automated system through personal linked numbers is unsupported, and suggests a Workspace auto attendant instead, which can transfer callers to an outside phone number.
How does Sharrk work with a Google Voice number?
Sharrk answers the calls your Google Voice auto attendant or ring group sends to it, 24/7. It asks your questions, answers from your knowledge base, books appointments and live-transfers urgent calls, and you can build it free with Mako.