// virtual receptionist vs ivr
Virtual receptionist vs IVR (auto attendant)
// the short answer
An IVR, or auto attendant, is the automated menu that greets callers and lets them “press 1 for sales, 2 for support”. A virtual receptionist is the wider capability of greeting, screening and routing calls to the right person or to voicemail. For a small business the two overlap — and with LineHQ both come with the higher packages.
These terms are often used for the same feature, but they’re slightly different in scope. Here’s how to think about it.
Last reviewed July 2026
| Virtual receptionist | IVR / auto attendant | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Greets, screens and routes callers | Plays a menu and routes by keypress |
| Caller experience | A professional greeting + smart routing | “Press 1 for sales, 2 for support” |
| Departments / menus | Yes — with a spoken greeting | Yes — numbered options |
| Out-of-hours handling | Yes — greeting + voicemail-to-email | Yes — route to voicemail |
| Best for | Sounding established & routing to a team | Directing callers to the right option |
| With LineHQ | Included from the £19.99 tier | Included — build a menu per number |
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between a virtual receptionist and an IVR?
An IVR (auto attendant) is the automated menu that answers a call and routes it by keypress — “press 1 for sales”. A virtual receptionist is the broader capability of greeting, screening and routing callers to the right person or to voicemail. In practice they overlap, and LineHQ includes both.
Does a small business need an IVR?
If you route calls to more than one person or department, a simple menu helps callers reach the right place and makes you sound established. A sole trader may not need one; a small team usually benefits. With LineHQ you can add a menu per number and change it any time.
Is a virtual receptionist a real person?
With LineHQ, the virtual receptionist is an automated greeting-and-routing feature, not a live answering service — it plays your greeting, offers menu options and routes or takes a message, included from the £19.99 tier.
Can I have a greeting and a menu on the same number?
Yes. You can play a spoken greeting and then present menu options, route to a person or team, and fall back to voicemail-to-email out of hours — all configured per number.
Try LineHQ
A UK number that rings your existing mobile, with recording, voicemail-to-email and a receptionist. From £4.99/mo, no contract, cancel anytime.