How Much Does an Auto Attendant Recording Cost in the UK? (2026 Prices)

If you are looking for a professional recording for your auto attendant, virtual receptionist, or phone menu, you have probably noticed that pricing is all over the place. Some providers charge per word, some charge per prompt, some want a monthly subscription. It is hard to compare.

This guide breaks it all down so you know exactly what to expect.

The Three Pricing Models

Most IVR and auto attendant recording providers in the UK use one of three pricing structures:

**Per-word pricing** is common among voice marketplace sites. The typical rate is around 85p per word. A standard 60-word welcome greeting would cost about £51, which sounds reasonable on its own. But a full set of 8 recordings (welcome greeting, menu options, on-hold message, voicemail, out-of-hours, plus a few department greetings) could easily run to 500+ words, putting you at £425 or more.

**Flat-fee packages** bundle a set number of recordings for a fixed price. This is the model Lucy uses, and it tends to offer the best value. You know exactly what you are paying upfront, and there are no surprises.

**Monthly subscriptions** charge an ongoing fee, typically starting around £29.99 per month. These often include access to a library of voices or an AI voice generator. The monthly cost looks small, but over 12 months you have spent £360, and you usually do not own the recordings. Stop paying and you lose access.

What Affects the Price?

A few factors influence what you will end up paying:

**Number of prompts.** A sole trader might only need a single voicemail greeting. A multi-department business might need 15 or more recordings covering their auto attendant, phone tree, on-hold messages, and department greetings.

**Turnaround time.** Standard delivery is usually 24-48 hours. If you need same-day or rush delivery, some providers charge extra. Lucy includes same-day priority with her Enterprise package at no extra cost.

**File formats.** Most providers deliver WAV and MP3 as standard. If you need platform-specific formats (like u-Law for Gamma Horizon or files under 2 MB for Cisco Webex), check whether that is included or costs extra. Lucy delivers platform-specific formats at no additional charge.

**Script writing help.** Some providers charge extra for script writing. Lucy includes script guidance with every order.

**Revisions.** Check how many revisions are included. If the pronunciation or pace is not quite right, you want to know you can get it fixed without paying more.

Lucy Ernest IVR Pricing

Here is what Lucy charges. These are one-off fees with no contracts, no recurring charges, and no hidden costs:

**Starter Package - £49.** Up to 2 prompts. 48-hour turnaround. Perfect for sole traders and micro businesses who need a professional voicemail greeting or a simple welcome message for their automated phone system.

**Business Package - £149.** Up to 10 prompts. 24-hour turnaround. This covers most small businesses. It gives you enough recordings for a full auto attendant setup: welcome greeting, phone menu options, on-hold message, out-of-hours greeting, voicemail, and a few department-specific prompts.

**Enterprise Package - £349.** Unlimited prompts. Same-day priority. For larger businesses with complex phone trees, multiple departments, or multi-site setups. Also includes seasonal and holiday messages.

Every package includes WAV and MP3 delivery, platform-specific formats on request, commercial usage rights, and script guidance.

How Does This Compare to Competitors?

Here is a rough comparison based on what other UK providers charge:

A typical flat-fee competitor charges around £175 for a similar scope to Lucy's Business package. Some charge £200-300 for 5-8 prompts.

Per-word providers are cheaper for a single short prompt but much more expensive for a full set of recordings.

Subscription services cost £30-50 per month. Over a year, that is £360-600. Over three years, you have spent over £1,000 for something that Lucy would charge £149 for as a one-off.

The key difference with Lucy's pricing is simplicity. One payment, you own the files forever, and you can use them on as many phone systems as you like.

Is Professional Recording Worth It?

This is really what it comes down to. Can you justify the cost?

Consider this: your auto attendant, virtual receptionist, or phone menu is the first thing every caller hears. It handles more interactions than any member of your team. It works 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including bank holidays.

A professional recording that costs £149 and lasts 3-5 years works out at about 14p per day. For that, every caller gets a polished, consistent first impression of your business.

Compare that to the cost of a single missed customer because they hung up on a muffled voicemail, or called a competitor because your auto attendant sounded unprofessional.

It is one of the cheapest, highest-impact investments any business can make.