Independent · prices from vendor sites · checked 2026-10-17
Compare AI receptionists for small service businesses
Plumbers, HVAC, electricians, dentists, salons, auto shops and law firms: see what each AI receptionist or answering service costs, how it bills and what it can do — straight from the vendor's own pages. No star ratings, no fake reviews.
- 21 services
- 18 AI or AI + human
- 3 live-human services
- 17 publish prices
All 21 services at a glance
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| Service | Type | Starting price (vendor site) | Billing | Free plan / trial | Vendor site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abby Connect | AI + human option | $165/mo (50 Abby Minutes) | per minute (bundles) | Free trial on every plan; no setup fee | Visit |
| Allo AI Receptionist | AI only | AI Receptionist add-on $32/mo per agent billed yearly, plus an Allo plan (Solo from $10/seat/mo yearly) | per seat + add-on | 7-day free trial | Visit (affiliate link) |
| AnswerConnect | Live humans | Pricing not published (form required) | per minute (monthly plans) | Not stated | Visit |
| Avoca | AI only | Contact sales | contact sales | Not stated | Visit |
| Dialzara | AI only | $29/mo (60 minutes) | per minute (bundles) | 7-day free trial | Visit |
| Goodcall | AI only | $79/mo (100 unique customers) | per unique caller | Free demo agent; pay when you connect a number | Visit |
| Housecall Pro CSR AI | AI only | Pricing not published (Housecall Pro plans from $59/mo billed annually) | add-on to Housecall Pro | Housecall Pro 14-day free trial | Visit |
| Jobber AI Receptionist | AI only | $29/mo add-on (pricing page) on top of a Jobber plan; included with Plus | add-on to Jobber | Jobber free trial (no credit card) | Visit |
| My AI Front Desk (Frontdesk) | AI only | $99/mo or $79/mo billed annually (200 voice minutes) | flat + credits | Pricing page says 'Start for Free'; trial length not stated | Visit |
| NextPhone | AI only | $199/mo (unlimited calls) | flat (unlimited calls) | 7-day free trial | Visit (affiliate link) |
| Numa | AI only | Contact sales | contact sales | Not stated | Visit |
| PATLive | Live humans | $49/mo pay-as-you-go ($2.99/min) or $99/mo for 50 minutes | per minute (bundles) | 14-day free trial | Visit |
| Phonely | AI only | Free (100 minutes/mo); Starter $50/mo | per minute (bundles) | Free plan | Visit |
| Quo Sona (formerly OpenPhone) | AI only | Quo Starter $19/user/mo ($15 yearly) incl. 10 Sona calls; credit tiers from $25/mo (40 calls) | per seat + per call credits | 7-day free trial | Visit |
| RingCentral AI Receptionist (AIR) | AI only | $49/mo standalone (100 minutes) | per minute (bundles) | 14-day free trial | Visit |
| Rosie | AI only | $49/mo (250 minutes) | per minute (bundles) | 7-day free trial | Visit (affiliate link) |
| Ruby | Live humans | $250/mo for 50 receptionist minutes | per minute (bundles) | Not stated on pricing page | Visit |
| Sameday AI | AI only | From $449/mo (500 minutes) | per minute (bundles) | Not stated; sign-up starts with a demo | Visit |
| Simple Phones | AI only | $97/mo for 100 calls | per call (tiers) | 14-day free trial | Visit |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | AI + human option | $0/mo Free plan (25 calls/mo, then $3.00/call); Pro from $150/mo (75 calls) | per call | Free plan (25 calls/mo) | Visit |
| Upfirst | AI only | $24.95/mo (30 calls); $20/mo billed annually | per call | 14-day free trial | Visit |
Alphabetical. Prices are entry prices as published by the vendor on 2026-10-17; most also have higher tiers. Click a name for plans, features, integrations and sources.
Best AI receptionist by profession
Plumbers
AI receptionists and answering services compared for plumbing companies: emergency escalation, job booking, prices checked on vendor sites.
HVAC Companies
AI receptionists for HVAC contractors compared: no-heat/no-cool escalation, ServiceTitan/Jobber booking, published prices and trials.
Electricians
AI receptionists for electrical contractors compared, with escalation for safety calls and booking options.
Dental Offices
AI receptionists and answering services for dental practices compared: HIPAA options, scheduling, human backup and prices.
Salons & Spas
AI receptionists for salons, barbers and spas compared: booking links by text, calendar booking, prices and trials.
Auto Repair Shops
AI receptionists for auto repair shops and dealership service departments compared, with prices from vendor sites.
Law Firms
AI receptionists and answering services for law firms and solo attorneys compared: intake, Clio integration, human backup and prices.
Home Service Businesses
AI receptionists for contractors, cleaners, landscapers and other home service businesses, compared on price and booking.
Medical Offices & Clinics
AI receptionists for clinics, chiropractors and medical practices compared, with HIPAA notes and prices from vendor sites.
Real Estate Agents
AI receptionists for real estate agents and brokerages compared: lead capture, CRM sync and prices.
Property Managers
AI receptionists for property managers compared: maintenance requests, after-hours routing, prices.
Best for…
Cheapest AI Receptionists (Published Prices, 2026)
Lowest published entry prices for AI receptionists, from official vendor pricing pages.
Free AI Receptionists and Free Trials (2026)
AI receptionists with a free plan or free trial, according to vendor pricing pages.
AI Receptionists with Live Human Backup (2026)
Services that combine AI answering with live human receptionists, plus human-only services.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) AI Receptionists (2026)
AI receptionists and answering services that state English and Spanish support.
Flat-Rate and Per-Caller AI Receptionists (No Per-Minute Billing)
AI receptionists that don't bill by the minute: flat unlimited plans and per-caller pricing.
HIPAA-Ready AI Receptionists (BAA Options, 2026)
AI receptionists that state HIPAA compliance or offer a BAA, per their official pages.
Head-to-head comparisons
Rosie vs Smith.ai AI Receptionist
$49/mo (250 minutes) vs $0/mo Free plan (25 calls/mo, then $3.00/call); Pro from $150/mo (75 calls)
Rosie vs Goodcall
$49/mo (250 minutes) vs $79/mo (100 unique customers)
Dialzara vs Rosie
$29/mo (60 minutes) vs $49/mo (250 minutes)
Upfirst vs Rosie
$24.95/mo (30 calls); $20/mo billed annually vs $49/mo (250 minutes)
Smith.ai AI Receptionist vs Ruby
$0/mo Free plan (25 calls/mo, then $3.00/call); Pro from $150/mo (75 calls) vs $250/mo for 50 receptionist minutes
Jobber AI Receptionist vs Housecall Pro CSR AI
$29/mo add-on (pricing page) on top of a Jobber plan; included with Plus vs Pricing not published (Housecall Pro plans from $59/mo billed annually)
NextPhone vs Smith.ai AI Receptionist
$199/mo (unlimited calls) vs $0/mo Free plan (25 calls/mo, then $3.00/call); Pro from $150/mo (75 calls)
Ruby vs PATLive
$250/mo for 50 receptionist minutes vs $49/mo pay-as-you-go ($2.99/min) or $99/mo for 50 minutes
My AI Front Desk (Frontdesk) vs Rosie
$99/mo or $79/mo billed annually (200 voice minutes) vs $49/mo (250 minutes)
Goodcall vs Dialzara
$79/mo (100 unique customers) vs $29/mo (60 minutes)
FAQ
What is an AI receptionist?
Software that answers your business phone with a conversational AI voice. Depending on the service, it can answer common questions, take messages, book appointments, send texts and transfer calls to you.
How much does an AI receptionist cost?
Of the 21 services we list, 17 publish a price. Entry plans we found range from free plans with tight limits (Smith.ai: 25 calls/month; Phonely: 100 minutes/month) to $449/month (Sameday). Billing units differ — per minute, per call, per unique caller or flat — so compare at your real call volume.
AI receptionist or live answering service?
AI services are usually cheaper per call and answer instantly, any hour. Live services (AnswerConnect, PATLive, Ruby) put a person on every call and bill by the minute. Some services (e.g., Smith.ai, Abby Connect) combine both.
Can I keep my existing phone number?
With most services, yes: you forward calls (all calls, after hours, or unanswered calls) from your current number to the service. Check each vendor's page.
Do you rank products by star ratings?
No. We don't publish star ratings or reviews. Tables are alphabetical; profession pages explain which facts make a service relevant.
How current is this data?
Every price and feature was checked on the vendor's official page on 2026-10-17. Each product page lists the exact source URLs.
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