Short answer: Upfirst is the best value at $24.95/mo. Frontdesk is the best all-in-one for calls, texts and chat at $99/mo. Smith.ai is best if you want real humans as backup, with a free plan to start.
| Agent | Best for | Starting price | Pricing model | Free trial | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upfirst | Small firms with modest call volume | $24.95/mo | Plan + per-call overage | 14 days, no card | Lowest entry price and 35+ languages |
| Dialzara | Budget-conscious small businesses | $29/mo | Plan + per-minute overage | 7 days | Free AI texting agent with voice plans |
| Rosie | Solo operators and local services | $49/mo | Monthly tiers by minutes | 7 days | Trains itself from your Google profile and website |
| Goodcall | High-call-volume local businesses | $79/mo | Per agent + $0.50 per extra caller | 14 days | Unlimited minutes on every plan |
| Frontdesk | Calls, texts and web chat in one | $99/mo | Plan + $0.25/min overage | 7 days | Calls, texts, web chat and CRM in one plan |
| Smith.ai | Law firms and service businesses | Free plan; Pro $150/mo | Plan + per-call overage | Free plan (25 calls/mo) | Real human receptionists as backup |
| Sona by Quo | Teams already on Quo phone lines | Quo plan + Sona from $0 (10 calls) | Phone plan + call credits | 7 days (card required) | Built into the Quo business phone app |
| Allo | Sales teams on HubSpot or Pipedrive | $32/mo per agent (yearly) | Flat per agent | Yes | Syncs calls to HubSpot, Pipedrive, Attio and Salesforce |
| Retell AI | Developers and agencies | Pay as you go, $0.07–$0.31/min | Per minute | $10 free credit | Fully custom agents in 70+ languages |
| Synthflow | Enterprises and call centers | From $30,000/yr | Annual contract | Free to build | Hands-on engineers for complex call flows |
Prices in USD from each vendor’s official pricing page, checked October 1, 2026. Some links are affiliate links; that never changes our picks.
The sticker price matters less than how you’re billed for extra calls. Most small businesses spend $25 to $160 a month. Pick the model that matches how busy your line is.
You pay for a set number of calls, then a fee per extra call.
Examples: Upfirst ($0.70–$1.50 per extra call), Smith.ai
Best for: Quiet lines with short, predictable calls
A plan with included minutes, then a per-minute rate.
Examples: Dialzara ($0.35–$0.48/min), Frontdesk ($0.25/min), Retell ($0.07–$0.31/min)
Best for: Businesses with mixed call lengths
Flat price, billed by how many different people call.
Examples: Goodcall ($79/mo, $0.50 per extra caller)
Best for: Busy lines with long calls
The AI comes inside a business phone system you pay for.
Examples: Sona by Quo, Allo
Best for: Teams that also need new phone lines
AI receptionist
Best for: small firms with modest call volume
Per-call AI receptionist with wide calendar support and 35+ languages.
AI receptionist
Best for: budget-conscious small businesses
Low-cost AI phone answering with booking, routing and an AI SMS agent.
AI receptionist
Best for: solo operators and local services
Mobile-first answering service trained from your Google profile and website.
AI phone agent
Best for: high-call-volume local businesses
Unlimited-minute AI phone agent, priced by unique callers each month.
AI receptionist, chat and SMS
Best for: calls, texts and web chat in one
AI phone receptionist bundled with two-way texting, web chat and a built-in CRM.
AI with live-agent backup
Best for: law firms and service businesses
AI answers and books calls, and can hand callers to North America-based human receptionists.
AI agent in a business phone app
Best for: teams already on Quo phone lines
AI agent built into Quo's phone system that answers, routes and texts callers.
AI receptionist add-on
Best for: sales teams on HubSpot or Pipedrive
AI receptionist add-on for Allo's phone system with CRM sync and SMS follow-ups.
Voice agent builder
Best for: developers and agencies
Platform for building custom AI voice agents, billed by the minute.
Enterprise voice AI platform
Best for: enterprises and call centers
Enterprise voice AI with custom routing, integrations and hands-on engineers.
No agents match all of these filters. Try removing one.
Start with your call volume and what callers need. If most calls are bookings, pick a tool that syncs with your calendar and books directly instead of texting a link. Per-call plans suit quiet lines, while per-minute or unlimited plans suit busy ones. Check human transfer and Spanish support, then call the demo line yourself. Run a free trial with real calls for a week before you commit, and skip annual contracts until the AI handles your common questions well.
Most small-business AI receptionists cost $25 to $160 a month. Entry plans start at $24.95 (Upfirst), $29 (Dialzara), $49 (Rosie) and $79 (Goodcall). Overage usually runs $0.25 to $0.48 per minute or $0.70 to $3.00 per call. Smith.ai has a free plan with 25 calls a month.
Usually, yes. Upfirst connects to Google, Outlook, Calendly, Acuity, Clio and Square, and Smith.ai books through Calendly and other tools. Some tools limit booking by plan. Rosie books directly only from its $149 plan; cheaper plans text a booking link instead. Check that your calendar is supported before you buy.
Many won't notice at first, because today's voices sound natural and handle interruptions well. Unusual questions or long calls make it more obvious. Some states and industries require you to disclose AI or call recording, so a short greeting that says it's an AI assistant is the safe choice.
AI is much cheaper and answers every call at once, day and night. A human service like Ruby starts at $250 a month for 50 minutes, while most AI plans cost $25 to $160. People still handle sensitive or complex calls better. A hybrid like Smith.ai, with AI first and paid human backup, gives you both.
It varies, and the fine print matters. Upfirst, for example, offers a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement only on its Custom plan. If you handle patient information, ask the vendor for a signed BAA before you forward any calls.
Usually, yes. Most AI receptionists work by forwarding calls from your current number, so callers dial the same number they always have. Some phone-system products like Quo and Allo can also give you new numbers.
Vendors quote anywhere from under 5 minutes (Frontdesk) to about 15 minutes (Smith.ai, Dialzara). Enterprise platforms like Synthflow take weeks. Plan an extra hour to add your services, hours and common questions.
Most can handle Spanish. Upfirst covers 35+ languages with automatic switching, Frontdesk 20+ and Retell 70+ for custom builds. Rosie, Dialzara and Smith.ai list English and Spanish.
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