Last updated: October 20, 2026. Every price below was re-checked on the provider’s own pricing page on that date.
An AI receptionist answers your business line when you can’t: it greets the caller, answers common questions, takes details, books the appointment or transfers the call. For a small business the main question isn’t which one sounds most human. It’s how the provider charges, because the same 120 calls a month can cost under $90 with one service and over $250 with another.
This guide compares seven options on real 2026 prices, explains the three billing models, and works through the cost for a typical month. If you want a quick estimate of what missed calls cost you today, try our free missed call cost calculator first.
AI receptionist comparison (2026 prices)
| Service | Entry plan | Billed by | Overage | Live humans? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aira | $24.95/mo for 30 calls | Completed call | $1.50/call (Starter) | No (call transfer to you) | Low volume, many languages (31 listed) |
| Dialzara | $29/mo for 60 minutes | Minute | $0.48/min (Lite) | No | Short calls, booking on the entry plan |
| Rosie | $49/mo for 250 minutes | Minute | Not published | No | Longer calls; direct calendar booking from $149 |
| Goodcall | $79/mo for 100 unique callers | Unique caller per month | $0.79/caller (Starter) | No | Repeat customers who call several times |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | Free for 25 calls; Pro $150/mo for 75 calls | Call | $2.50/call (Pro) | Optional, on separate plans | Trying AI for free, then upgrading |
| Smith.ai Virtual Receptionists | $300/mo for 30 calls | Call | $11.50/call (Starter) | Yes | Legal, medical and other high-stakes intake |
| Ruby | $250/mo for 50 minutes | Minute | Plan-based | Yes (human-first) | Businesses that want a person on every call |
Monthly billing shown. Several providers offer a discount for annual billing. Plans and minutes change often, so confirm on the provider’s site before you sign up.
The three billing models, and why they matter
- Per minute (Dialzara, Rosie, Ruby). Cheap if calls are short, such as “are you open Saturday?” Expensive if callers explain a problem at length, like a burst pipe or a legal issue.
- Per call (Aira, Smith.ai). Call length doesn’t matter, so the bill is easy to predict. Watch the overage rate, which is where per-call plans get expensive.
- Per unique caller (Goodcall). One phone number counts once a month however many times it calls, and Goodcall says spam and wrong numbers aren’t counted. This favors businesses whose customers call back several times about the same job.
Worked example: 120 calls a month
Take a small service business that gets 120 calls a month from about 80 different people, with an average call of 3 minutes (360 minutes in total). Using each provider’s published plans and overage rates, the cheapest way to cover that volume is roughly:
| Service | Cheapest fit | Approx. monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Goodcall | Starter: 80 unique callers, within the 100 included | $79 |
| Aira | Premium: 90 calls + 30 extra at $1.00 | $89.95 |
| Rosie | Scale: 1,000 minutes included (Professional’s 250 is not enough) | $149 |
| Dialzara | Pro: 220 minutes + 140 extra at $0.45 | $162 |
| Smith.ai AI | Pro: 75 calls + 45 extra at $2.50 | $262.50 |
| Ruby (human) | 360 minutes needs the 500-minute plan | $1,725 |
Change the assumptions and the ranking changes. With 1-minute calls, the per-minute services become the cheapest. With 120 different callers, Goodcall needs its $129 plan. Do this calculation with your own call log (most phone providers show call count and duration) before you choose.
The options in more detail
Aira has the lowest entry price and bills per completed call, with 31 languages listed on every plan, which helps if many customers call in Spanish. Calls can be transferred to you, but there are no live agents behind it.
Dialzara includes appointment booking and calendar or CRM integration from its $29 plan, which is unusual at that price. The 60 included minutes run out quickly, so most businesses will end up on the $99 plan.
Rosie gives the most minutes for the money (250 for $49), but on that plan it only texts the caller a booking link. Booking directly on your calendar starts on the $149 Scale plan.
Goodcall doesn’t meter minutes or calls at all, only unique callers, which makes it predictable for HVAC companies, salons and other businesses with a steady customer base.
Smith.ai is two products. The AI Receptionist has a free plan (25 calls a month), which is the easiest way to test the idea. Its Virtual Receptionists are real people and cost far more per call, which can still be worth it when one badly handled call costs you a client.
Ruby is a human answering service, not AI. It’s on this list as the premium benchmark: if a person on every call matters more than cost, this is the reference point.
Two other routes are worth knowing. If you use Jobber for job management, its AI Receptionist is a $29/month add-on (included on the Plus plan). If you use the Quo business phone system, its AI agent is sold as credit packs on top of the phone plan. Both avoid adding a separate tool.
How to choose
- Want to test for free: Smith.ai AI Receptionist free plan.
- Low volume, tight budget: Aira Starter or Dialzara Lite.
- Customers call back often: Goodcall.
- Long calls, high volume: Rosie Scale.
- Legal, medical or high-value intake: Smith.ai Virtual Receptionists or Ruby.
- Already on Jobber or Quo: try the built-in add-on first.
Contractors and plumbers have specific needs, like emergency calls at night; see our guides to AI tools for contractors and AI tools for plumbers.
Frequently asked questions
Will callers know they’re talking to AI?
Often, yes, and most providers recommend saying so in the greeting. What matters to callers is getting an answer or a booking instead of voicemail.
Can an AI receptionist book appointments into my calendar?
Yes, but check the plan. Dialzara includes booking on its entry plan; Rosie only from Scale. Test the booking flow yourself with a few calls during the trial.
Do I have to change my phone number?
Usually not. Most services work by forwarding your existing number when you don’t answer, or after a set number of rings.
What happens with an emergency or an angry caller?
Set up a transfer rule: certain keywords or caller requests send the call straight to your mobile. Every AI service in this list supports some form of transfer or message escalation.
Once calls are answered, the details need to go somewhere. Our AI CRM comparison covers where to keep leads so none slip through.