Smith.ai alternatives
Smith.ai sells human, AI and hybrid answering priced per call; the right alternative depends on which of those three you actually use, and what a call costs you today.
Smith.ai is a strong service and a big one, hundreds of North American live agents, an AI receptionist, and integrations with most of the tools a firm runs on. People leave it for three reasons that we hear repeatedly: per-call pricing that climbs with volume, wanting a person on every call rather than an AI, or wanting an AI on every call at a flat price. The list below is ordered by how many of those situations each option covers, and our own entry sits where it honestly belongs.
Example call
Incoming call
New caller
(757) 555-0134
Outerbanks HVAC line
Sent to voicemail. That is the call you lose.
- Thank you for calling Outerbanks HVAC. This is Eryn, an AI receptionist.
- I can help with scheduling service, questions about your heating or cooling system, or an existing appointment.
- How can I help you today?
- Hi. My AC stopped cooling this morning. Can someone come out today?
- I can help with that. Are you a new or an existing customer?
- New. I found you online.
- Welcome. May I have your name and the best number to reach you?
- Dana Reyes. 757-555-0134.
- Thanks, Dana. What is the address for the visit?
- 412 Bay Street, Chesapeake.
- Got it. Is this urgent, or is later this week fine?
- Urgent. It is 88 degrees in the house. Any time after 2 today works.
- Understood. The diagnostic visit is $89. I will send your details to the service team now, and they will confirm the window with you.
- Can I talk to a person before I hang up?
- Of course. Transferring you to the team now.
- Transferred to a person. The human desk is the backup on every call.
- Message sent to your inbox
- Transcript and recording saved
Answered by aiReceptionist. It says it is an AI at the start of every call.
The shortlist
- 1
Ruby
Ruby is our escalation partner, and in our view the most human and empathetic receptionist option available. Live virtual receptionists with 24/7 phone and website coverage, including after-hours, weekends and holidays, plus managed live chat and a mobile app. Receptionist plans from $250/month for 50 minutes to $1,725/month for 500 minutes.
Best for: Businesses where the impression on the call matters most and every caller should reach a person.
An AI receptionist that answers every call itself, in your words, at any hour, and transfers the calls that need a person to one you name. Plans from $99/month with 200 minutes, additional minutes from $0.60, no long-term contract, and a free trial that includes everything in the plan you choose.
Best for: Businesses whose calls are mostly routine, hours, bookings, quotes, messages, and who want a flat, published price with a person as the backup.
A US-based receptionist team with human and AI answering on the same plan. Plans from $165/month for 50 Abby Minutes to $1,380/month for 500; an AI-answered minute counts as half an Abby Minute. Month-to-month, no setup fee, free trial included with every plan, 24/7 available with custom hours.
Best for: Businesses that want people on some calls and AI on the rest without running two services.
24/7/365 live call answering with US-based receptionists. Pay-as-you-go from $49/month at $2.99 per minute, or minute bundles from $99/month for 50 minutes ($2.29 per additional minute) up to $1,499/month for 1,000 minutes. No contracts and a 14-day free trial; bilingual support, appointment scheduling and lead collection included.
Best for: Low or unpredictable call volume where you want a person on the line and no commitment.
A 24/7 human answering service with a public "People, Not Bots" pledge and receptionists working from home across the United States. Plans from $350/month for 200 minutes (Entry, $49.99 setup) to $575/month for 400 minutes (Standard); additional minutes $2.50 on Entry and $1.85 on the other plans; monthly rolling contracts.
Best for: Businesses that have decided they do not want AI on their phones at all.
An AI phone agent for small businesses, priced per agent rather than per minute: Starter $79/month, Growth $129/month, Scale $249/month, with unlimited minutes on every tier and an allowance of customers per month ($0.50 per customer beyond it).
Best for: Owners who want to build and run an AI agent themselves and never think about minutes.
- 7
Nexa
24/7 call answering and virtual receptionist services from Phoenix, Arizona, with bilingual English/Spanish receptionists, "Voice + AI" options that blend automation and people, and HIPAA-compliant options for healthcare. Pricing is not disclosed on the homepage.
Best for: Home-services, legal and healthcare businesses that want an industry-specific human desk and are happy to get a quote.
When Smith.ai is still the right choice
Smith.ai is still the right choice if you are a law firm that needs intake done by people who have done it before: its site is explicit that its 500-plus North American live agents are trained on legal intake, and the consultations get booked live on the call. It is also the right choice if you want to keep both options open, a human on some calls and AI on others, under one account, with a 30-day money-back guarantee behind the decision.
If your objection is only price, check the arithmetic before you move. At low volume the free AI tier (25 calls a month) may cost you nothing at all, and the per-call model can be kinder than per-minute billing when your calls are long.
Questions people ask
- Why is Ruby at the top of a list written by aiReceptionist?
- Because it belongs there. Ruby is our escalation partner, and for a business that wants a person on every call we think its receptionists are the most human and empathetic option available. We would rather say that than pretend an AI is the answer to every call.
- What does Smith.ai charge?
- Its virtual receptionist plans are $300/month for 30 calls, $810/month for 90 and $2,100/month for 300, with per-call overage from $11.50 down to $8.50. The AI receptionist is free for 25 calls a month and $3.00 per call after that, or $2.00 per call on the Pro tier.
- Which of these are AI and which are people?
- Ruby, PATLive, AnswerConnect and Nexa put a person on the call. aiReceptionist and Goodcall answer with AI. Abby Connect and Smith.ai offer both on one plan.
- Can I keep Smith.ai for some calls and use an AI for the rest?
- Yes. A common shape is the AI answering first and transferring the calls that need a person to a human desk, Smith.ai, Ruby or your own team. Escalation destinations are yours to set.
- How were these ranked?
- By how well each covers the reasons people leave Smith.ai: cost at volume, wanting a person on every call, or wanting AI at a flat price. Every figure is quoted from the vendor’s own site and dated below.
Try aiReceptionist on your own calls
The free trial includes everything in the plan you choose. Run it alongside what you have today.