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AI receptionist tools for garages and mechanics in the UK

Garages get a constant stream of calls: MOT bookings, 'is my car ready?', and price questions, all while you're under a car. An AI receptionist that books MOTs and takes repair details stops the phone from running the workshop.

Prices were re-checked on each provider's own page; the date is next to each one. Rules and figures from GOV.UK are linked where they're used.

MOT bookings

Take the registration, make and model, preferred day and a contact number. The maximum MOT fee for a car is £54.85, with no VAT on the fee (GOV.UK), so the receptionist can quote your MOT price confidently.

'Is my car ready?'

Most calls are from existing customers. If your job system can't be read by the receptionist, have it take the registration and promise a text update.

Repair enquiries

Ask symptoms, warning lights, when it started and whether the car is drivable. Don't let it diagnose or estimate.

The options, with prices

Tool	Price and free plan	UK notes and source
Upfirst An AI receptionist that answers, summarises and transfers calls and books appointments.	Starter: $24.95 a month for 30 calls ($20 billed annually), then $1.50 a call. Premium: $59.95 for 90 calls ($48 annually), then $1 a call. Pro: $159.95 for 300 calls ($128 annually). Scale: $299 for 600 calls ($240 annually). 14-day free trial. No free plan; 14-day free trial with all features.	US company, priced in dollars. Source, checked 15 October 2026
Smith.ai AI Receptionist An AI receptionist that answers calls 24/7, qualifies leads and books appointments, with live human backup available.	Free: 25 calls a month, then $3.00 a call. Pro: $150 a month (75 calls, about $2.00 a call). Enterprise: from $500 a month. 25 calls a month with 24/7 answering, recordings, transcripts, summaries and calendar booking.	US company, priced in dollars; confirm UK number support. Source, checked 15 October 2026
Moneypenny AI Receptionist A UK answering company offering an AI receptionist with the option of real receptionists.	From £49 a month according to its AI Receptionist page; you get a quote for your needs. No call or minute allowance published. No free plan.	UK company. Source, checked 15 October 2026
Goodcall An AI phone agent billed per unique customer rather than per minute.	Starter: $79 a month for 100 unique customers, then 79¢ each. Growth: $129 a month. Scale: $299 a month. Free demo agent; you pay when you connect a number. Build and test a demo agent free; you pay when you connect a number.	US company, priced in dollars. Source, checked 15 October 2026
Rosie An AI answering service that takes messages, sends booking links and, on higher plans, books and transfers calls.	Professional: $49 a month for 250 minutes. Scale: $149 a month for 1,000 minutes. Growth: $299 a month for 2,000 minutes. 7-day free trial. No free plan; 7-day free trial.	Confirm UK number support before signing up. Source, checked 15 October 2026

What to check before you choose

Registration and booking capture.
Integration with your booking diary.
Volume pricing: garages get many short calls.
UK number.

A prompt to start with

Paste this into ChatGPT or Claude, or use it as your AI receptionist's instructions, filling in the brackets:

You answer the phone for [garage name] in [area]. For MOTs: registration, make and model, preferred day, phone number. Our MOT price is £[x]. For repairs: registration, symptoms, warning lights, when it started, and whether it's safe to drive. For 'is my car ready?' calls, take the registration and say we'll text an update. Don't diagnose or estimate repairs.

Free tools

Price a job with the quote and VAT calculator (20%, 5%, 0% and reverse charge), or work out your day rate (see how much to charge per hour). When you do pick up yourself, see how to answer the phone professionally. Before paying for a tool, check it pays for itself with the AI tool break-even calculator.

Questions

What's the most a garage can charge for an MOT?

£54.85 for a car and £29.65 for a standard motorcycle, with no VAT on the fee (GOV.UK, checked 15 October 2026).

What's the cheapest option?

Smith.ai lists a free plan with 25 calls a month, then $3.00 a call; Upfirst starts at $24.95 for 30 calls. Checked 15 October 2026.

Are these prices in pounds?

Not all. Where a provider only publishes US dollar prices we show dollars, so check the price in pounds at checkout.

Do you get paid if I sign up?

Some links may become affiliate links, and we'll label them when they do. It doesn't change what we list. See how we make money.

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