That is the whole answer. The rest of this page shows the real published prices, what moves the number up or down, and the fees most pricing pages don't mention.
The published prices (Malaysia, 2026)
These are prices the providers publish themselves. I keep this table honest: if a provider hides its price, I say so rather than guess.
| Provider | Monthly price | Billing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| iCRM | RM150/mo | MYR | CRM plus WhatsApp AI. Budget floor. |
| ForwardChat | RM299 / RM499 / RM999 | MYR | Free setup, live in ~24 hours. The transparent benchmark. |
| WATI / SleekFlow / respond.io | ~RM280 to RM330/mo | USD-billed | DIY platforms. You build the flows yourself. |
| DentalBot AI | RM399 / RM799 / RM1,599 | MYR | Dental-focused, Google Calendar sync, 14-day trial. |
| CliniqueX AI | Undisclosed | n/a | Heavier clinic admin suite. |
| aireceptionist.my | Undisclosed | n/a | Voice-led, calls plus WhatsApp. |
| My AI Receptionist (stegg.dev) | RM99 / RM349 | MYR | Free onboarding, build it free and pay to publish, live in 48 hours, no WhatsApp API. |
Rough Malaysian market bands for reference: entry tools RM80 to RM250, growth-stage RM350 to RM900, managed or done-for-you RM1,200 and up.
What actually changes the price
Five things move an AI receptionist quote in Malaysia:
- Who builds the flows. DIY platforms (WATI, SleekFlow, respond.io) look cheap because you do the setup, the training, and the maintenance. A done-for-you system costs more on paper because the work is done for you.
- Booking vs replying. A bot that just answers questions is cheaper than one that nurtures an enquiry into a confirmed booking and logs it. Booking-first systems sit higher.
- WhatsApp API or not. Tools built on the official WhatsApp Business API pay Meta per conversation. Since mid-2025 that runs roughly RM0.30 to RM0.45 per marketing message, on top of the subscription. At volume this is the fee that surprises people.
- Currency. USD-billed platforms move with the exchange rate. A "USD 65/mo" plan is not a fixed cost in ringgit.
- Support model. A support queue is cheaper to run than a named operator who answers you directly. You pay for the difference in responsiveness.
The two hidden costs to check before you sign
- Per-message fees. Ask directly: "Do you charge per WhatsApp conversation or message?" If the answer is yes, work out your real monthly cost at your actual enquiry volume, not the base plan.
- USD billing. Ask: "Is this billed in USD or MYR?" A USD plan can drift 5 to 10 percent on currency alone across a year.
A flat MYR price with no per-message fee and no API dependency is the cleanest structure to compare against. That is deliberately how I price mine.
How I price it, and why
My AI receptionist is RM99 (Lite) or RM349 (Standard) per month, billed in ringgit, cancel anytime. Onboarding is free on both plans, you build it free and only pay to publish, and you are live in 48 hours. There is no WhatsApp API, so there are no Meta per-message fees and no USD subscription. Standard includes the booking flow, an email handback, and a revenue dashboard that shows enquiries, bookings, conversion rate, and your busiest hours.
I run this on OpenAI frontier-class models, the same class of technology behind the world's leading AI assistants, and the API cost is already inside the price.
I am not going to claim a booking number I can't show you. Instead you can test it yourself: message my own receptionist, book a fake appointment, and watch it appear on my live dashboard. That is the demo, and it is the honest version of a case study.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an AI receptionist cost in Malaysia?
Most cost RM150 to RM1,600 per month depending on features and support. Small businesses usually pay RM250 to RM500 per month, billed monthly with no lock-in.
Is there a setup or onboarding fee?
It varies. Some charge a setup fee; ForwardChat and my own service do free onboarding. Always ask whether setup is one-time and whether it is refundable.
Do AI receptionists charge per WhatsApp message?
Some do. Tools built on the official WhatsApp Business API pass through Meta's per-conversation fee, roughly RM0.30 to RM0.45 per marketing message since mid-2025. Systems that do not use the API, including mine, have no per-message fee.
What is the cheapest AI receptionist in Malaysia?
Budget CRM-plus-chat tools start around RM150 per month. Cheaper is not always lower total cost once USD billing or per-message fees are added, so compare the all-in monthly number.
Can I use the MDEC SME grant to pay for it?
Some platforms qualify through approved vendors. Many boutique providers, including mine, do not. If a grant matters to you, compare the grant-eligible option against the flat all-in monthly cost of a non-grant option before deciding.
How fast can it go live?
The fastest providers go live in around 24 to 48 hours. Mine is 48 hours.