How Much Does a Med Spa Answering Service Cost? About $150 to $810 a Month, or Sharrk from $99
By Sharrk Team · October 17, 2026
A med spa answering service costs about $150 to $810 a month for a typical small spa, based on the published prices of Smith.ai, PATLive and Ruby checked on October 17, 2026. Sharrk answers every call 24/7 with an AI receptionist that books consults onto your calendar, starting at $99 a month on Sharrk Core.
The spread comes from two things: whether a person or an AI answers, and whether you pay by the minute, by the call or by a flat monthly plan. Below are the real numbers, what med spa callers actually need, and how to keep those calls private.
What does a med spa answering service cost per month?
Here are published prices from each company's own pricing page, plus Sharrk's plans.
| Service | Monthly price | What's included | Extra usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharrk Core | $99/mo ($990/yr) | 47,500 credits a month (about 316 AI call minutes if used only on calls), 1 phone number, every feature | Credit packs to top up |
| Sharrk Complete | $449/mo | 185,000 credits a month, a done-for-you build every month, priority support | Credit packs to top up |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist (Pro) | From $150/mo | 75 calls | $2.50 per extra call on that tier |
| PATLive live answering | $189/mo or $349/mo | 100 or 200 minutes | $2.09 or $1.99 per extra minute |
| Smith.ai human receptionists (Starter / Basic) | $300/mo or $810/mo | 30 or 90 calls | $11.50 or $10.50 per extra call |
| Ruby virtual receptionist | $395/mo or $720/mo | 100 or 200 minutes | Not listed on the pricing page |
Prices checked October 17, 2026. PATLive notes its prices exclude government taxes and fees.
Sharrk also has a free plan: Sharrk Free gives you 2,500 one-time credits to build and test unlimited agents with Mako, no card needed. There are no contracts and no setup fees, and the first payment has a 30-day money-back guarantee (minus what you've used).
What does that look like for a real month?
Take an example spa that gets 120 calls a month averaging 2 minutes each, or 240 minutes. This is an illustration, not a benchmark.
- Sharrk Core: 240 minutes x 150 credits = 36,000 credits, inside the 47,500 included. $99.
- Smith.ai AI Receptionist: Pro is $150 for 75 calls, plus 45 extra calls at $2.50 = about $263.
- PATLive: the 200-minute plan is $349, plus 40 extra minutes at $1.99 = about $429.
- Ruby: the 200-minute plan is $720 before any extra minutes, so $720 and up.
- Smith.ai human receptionists: the 90-call Basic plan is $810, plus 30 extra calls at $10.50 = about $1,125.
Per-minute and per-call plans punish busy weeks, like a Botox promo or a holiday gift-card rush. A credit plan with room to spare keeps the bill flat.
What do med spa callers need from an answering service?
Med spa calls are mostly about booking, not emergencies. A good answering setup handles these well:
- Booking consultations. New clients want a consult for injectables, laser, body contouring or facials. The agent should offer open times and put the appointment on your calendar during the call.
- Pricing questions. "How much is Botox?" is one of the most common calls. Give the agent your approved answers, such as per-unit pricing, starting prices or "pricing is set at your consult," so every caller hears the same thing.
- Rescheduling and cancellations. Moving an appointment should take one call, and the agent should mention your cancellation policy.
- After-hours calls. Many clients call in the evening, after work. An answering service should pick up when the front desk is closed. For the booking side of that, see our guide to booking med spa appointments after hours.
- Handoff to staff. Questions about a reaction or a post-treatment concern should go to a person. Live transfer sends the caller to your team, and anything else gets a clear summary.
If you're still deciding between a person and an AI on the phone, our breakdown of a virtual receptionist vs. an answering service walks through the tradeoffs.
How should a med spa keep answering service calls private?
Collect only what you need to book. HHS describes HIPAA's minimum necessary standard as limiting uses and disclosures of health information to "the minimum necessary to accomplish the intended purpose." Whether HIPAA applies to your spa depends on your business, so check with your advisor, but the habit is smart either way.
In practice:
- Ask for booking details only: name, phone number, the service they're interested in and a preferred time.
- Save medical history for the consult. Instruct the agent not to ask about medications, conditions or past treatments.
- Route clinical questions to staff. Transfer or take a short callback request instead of discussing symptoms.
- Ask every vendor about their privacy terms before you sign, including where call recordings and transcripts are stored.
An example intake line you can adapt (example only):
"Thanks for calling [Company]. I can book a consultation for you. Can I get your first name, the best number to reach you, and which treatment you're interested in? Your provider will go over health history at your visit."
Which pricing model fits a med spa best?
- Per minute (PATLive, Ruby): predictable if call volume is steady, but long pricing conversations add up.
- Per call (Smith.ai): simple to read, but a slow day of short "what are your hours?" calls costs as much as a full booking.
- Monthly credits (Sharrk): one flat plan covers calls, texts and email follow-up, so a consult request that comes in by phone can get a text confirmation from the same plan.
For most single-location spas, the deciding question is whether the service can actually book the consult, not just take a message. A message still needs someone to call back the next morning.
How does Mako set up a med spa receptionist?
Mako is the AI assistant inside Sharrk that builds your agent for you. Describe your spa in plain English, for example "answer calls for our med spa, book 30-minute consults on our calendar, quote Botox from our price list, transfer reaction questions to the front desk," and Mako builds it. Before it changes anything, Mako shows you an Apply card with exactly what it will do, so you stay in control. You can test the agent in your browser before you go live, and ask Mako to adjust prices, hours or wording any time.
How does Sharrk handle med spa calls?
Sharrk answers every call 24/7, books consults onto Sharrk's calendar, Calendly or Cal.com (and connects Google Calendar), and transfers live to your team when a caller needs a person. New web form leads get a text, call or email in under 30 seconds, and follow-up Strikes keep reaching out to clients who asked about a treatment but didn't book. Sharrk Core is $99 a month with every feature included.
See how it works on our AI receptionist for med spas page, or Start free and build your agent with Mako today. Prefer a walkthrough? Book a demo.
Sources
- PATLive pricing (checked October 17, 2026)
- Ruby pricing (checked October 17, 2026)
- Smith.ai AI Receptionist pricing (checked October 17, 2026)
- Smith.ai receptionists pricing (checked October 17, 2026)
- HHS: Minimum Necessary Requirement (checked October 17, 2026)
Related on Sharrk: AI receptionist for med spas · AI answering service · Pricing
Frequently asked questions
How much does a med spa answering service cost?
A med spa answering service costs about $150 to $810 a month at published prices from Smith.ai, PATLive and Ruby (checked October 17, 2026). Sharrk Core is $99 a month and answers every call 24/7 with an AI receptionist that books consults.
Is a live answering service or an AI receptionist cheaper for a med spa?
An AI receptionist is usually cheaper. Smith.ai's human plans start at $300 a month for 30 calls, while Sharrk Core is $99 a month for about 316 AI call minutes.
Can an answering service book med spa consultations?
Yes, if it connects to your calendar. Sharrk books consults onto Sharrk's calendar, Calendly or Cal.com during the call, and connects Google Calendar.
What information should an answering service collect from med spa callers?
Only what you need to book: name, phone number, the treatment they're interested in and a preferred time. Save health history for the consult and route clinical questions to your staff.
Are there setup fees or contracts with Sharrk?
No. Sharrk has no contracts and no setup fees, and the first payment comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee minus what you've used.