At a glance
AI Receptionist: free for 25 calls, Pro from $150 for 75 calls. Live receptionists from $300 for 30 calls.
Per-call billing adds up, live agent help costs $3 a call, and the BBB rates Smith.ai F.
Zinng: $49 for 300 minutes, billed per minute not per call, extra minutes in buckets from $25.
The short answer
Smith.ai sells two products: an AI Receptionist (free for 25 calls a month, then $150 a month for 75 calls on Pro) and human Live Receptionists (from $300 a month for 30 calls). Both bill per call, which gets expensive as your call volume grows, and having a live agent step into an AI call costs $3 extra.
If you mainly need every call answered well, Zinng starts at $49 a month for 300 minutes, billed by the minute rather than per call. Below are Smith.ai's verified prices, what reviews say, and the Smith.ai alternatives worth comparing.
Smith.ai pricing (checked October 2026)
Smith.ai has operated since 2015 from Los Altos, California, and says it has more than 500 North American live agents. Its newer AI Receptionist answers calls around the clock, detects English or Spanish automatically, books through Calendly and similar tools, and has native integrations with Clio and Zapier.
Smith.ai AI Receptionist
Best for AI with live human backup
Per-call AI receptionist with a free tier; calls can be escalated to Smith.ai's live agents for $3 extra. Native Clio integration.
"I do appreciate that our calls get answered 24/7. Occasional missed calls generally go to a voicemail."
"They required a upfront payment at $2500 for a six month contract... we requested to cancel our contract... because the account is on a long-term plan, our policy does not allow..."
Checked October 2, 2026 on smith.ai. Prices change; confirm before you buy.
A few pricing details matter more than the headline rates:
- Live agent help is extra. When a caller asks for a person, or a live agent verifies a new caller or books on a calendar that isn't connected, Smith.ai adds a flat $3 to that call. Transfers to your own business and escalations by its AI system aren't billed.
- Spam allowance. You can remove up to 10% of your calls from each bill as spam.
- Month-to-month, with notice. Smith.ai says the AI Receptionist is month-to-month but needs 30 days' notice to cancel. It also sells a prepaid 6-month plan; one Trustpilot reviewer says they couldn't get a refund on it after canceling.
Smith.ai's human Live Receptionists are priced separately, starting at $300 a month for 30 calls ($11.50 per extra call). We cover them in our best live answering services comparison.
Why people look for Smith.ai alternatives
Smith.ai is a legitimate company with far more reviews than most AI receptionists. These are the reasons businesses still compare it:
- Per-call pricing adds up. Every call costs the same whether it lasts 20 seconds or 10 minutes. At 200 calls a month, Smith.ai's Pro plan works out to roughly $385 (the 150-call tier at $1.80 a call plus 50 extra calls at $2.30). If those calls average 3 minutes, they fit inside Zinng's $99 Pro plan with 700 minutes.
- Live agent help costs $3 a call. The human safety net is a real strength, but it's an extra line on the bill each time it's used.
- A BBB F rating. The BBB rates Smith.ai F for failing to respond to two complaints, which sits oddly next to its strong Trustpilot and G2 scores.
- No published HIPAA details. Smith.ai doesn't publish HIPAA or BAA terms for the AI Receptionist, which matters for medical and dental practices.
- Prepaid plans can be hard to exit. The 6-month plan is cheaper per call, but at least one customer reports no refund after canceling.
Smith.ai vs the alternatives: comparison table
Entry plans side by side, checked against each company's pricing page. Scroll sideways on a phone to see every column.
| Service | Starts at | Includes | Billing | Setup | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | Free | 25 calls | Per call | Self-serve + help | Free plan (25 calls) |
| Zinng | $49/mo | 300 minutes | Per minute + extra-minute buckets ($25 for 150) | Self-serve + free help | 7 days |
| Rosie | $49/mo | 250 minutes | Minute plans (auto-upgrade) | Self-serve | 7 days |
| Goodcall | $79/mo | 100 unique callers | Per unique caller | Self-serve | Not published |
| Dialzara | $29/mo | 60 minutes | Per minute | Self-serve | 7 days |
| Aira | $24.95/mo | 30 calls | Per call | Self-serve + help | Not published |
| Allo | $64/mo | See card | Per seat + AI agent | Self-serve | 7 days (card required) |
| My AI Front Desk (Frontdesk AI) | $99/mo | 200 minutes | Per minute (credits) | Self-serve | 7 days |
| SkipCalls | $19.99/mo | Unlimited minutes | Flat rate | Self-serve | 7 days |
The best Smith.ai alternatives
1. Zinng: per-minute pricing instead of per call
Zinng is the clearest Smith.ai alternative if you want a predictable bill. It charges by the minute, so short calls cost less, and there's no per-call fee for transfers or booking.
- $49 for 300 minutes, with call transfers to your team included on every plan.
- Live calendar booking (Google Calendar, Outlook, Cal.com, Calendly) on the $99 Pro plan with 700 minutes.
- Extra minutes in buckets instead of per-call overage: 150 for $25, 300 for $50, 600 for $100 or 1,200 for $200.
- English and Spanish, full call recordings and transcripts, and free setup help for every customer.
The trade-off: Zinng is AI only. If you need a human agent to take over certain calls, Smith.ai's live backup is the main reason to stay. Zinng can transfer those calls to you or your team instead.
Zinng plans: $49 (300 minutes), $99 (700), $149 (1,000) and $249 (2,000), all with a 7-day free trial and no contract.
Rosie
Best for quick self-serve setup
Self-serve AI receptionist trained from your Google Business Profile and website. Live booking and transfers start on the $149 Scale plan.
"Rosie is the best AI answering service I've tried... I called the trial number and was surprised how well it answered queries about my business (Transistor), even questions it wasn't trained on."
Checked October 2, 2026 on heyrosie.com. Prices change; confirm before you buy.
Compared with Smith.ai: Rosie bills by minutes, not calls, and sets itself up from your website in about 10 minutes. There's no live-agent backup, and booking and transfers start on its $149 plan. See our Rosie alternatives review.
Goodcall
Best for customizable call flows
Self-serve AI phone agent with a call-flow builder, billed per unique caller with unlimited minutes. US only.
"Their on time Customer Services Their numerios Features best part it is easy to use"
"Service started out at $59 then no notice moved in $99 a month and then this last month they now they are charging me $130 a month with no notice."
Checked October 2, 2026 on goodcall.com. Prices change; confirm before you buy.
Compared with Smith.ai: Goodcall gives unlimited minutes and bills by unique caller, with a call-flow builder for detailed routing. It lists HIPAA compliance, though it doesn't publish BAA terms either. See our Goodcall reviews.
Dialzara
Best for the lowest entry price
Per-minute AI receptionist from $29/month for 60 minutes; warm transfers, calendar sync and Spanish start on the $99 plan.
"Working with Adam and his AI phone system has honestly been one of the most impressive experiences we've had integrating technology into our real estate business."
"Customer service is terrible. Trying to even get a response is really hard."
Checked October 2, 2026 on dialzara.com. Prices change; confirm before you buy.
Aira
Best for a built-in CRM with per-call pricing
Per-call AI receptionist (getaira.io) with a free number, transfers, texting and a built-in CRM. Its plans match Upfirst's exactly.
Checked October 2, 2026 on getaira.io. Prices change; confirm before you buy.
Allo
Best if you also need a new phone system
Business phone system with an AI receptionist add-on, native CRM sync and free porting. You pay for a phone seat plus the AI agent.
"I have not only a AI power dialer but an AI receptionist. I can't say enough about the AI receptionist. Very easy to set up, can handle questions and also book appointments."
"after cancelling my contract with them they continue to take out money and will not refund or respond"
Checked October 2, 2026 on withallo.com. Prices change; confirm before you buy.
My AI Front Desk (Frontdesk AI)
Best for an all-in-one front office
All-in-one AI front office (now branded Frontdesk AI): phone, web chat, two-way texting, email drafts and a built-in CRM on one plan.
"The AI receptionist has been a huge help for managing incoming calls. It answers quickly, handles customer questions, qualifies leads, and can book appointments"
"I signed up for the 7-day trial, which required a credit card. During the trial period I emailed support several times with questions but did not receive a response. On day 8, I was charged $299."
Checked October 2, 2026 on myaifrontdesk.com. Prices change; confirm before you buy.
SkipCalls
Best for the lowest price
Low-cost AI receptionist with unlimited minutes (fair usage) for $19.99/month or $199/year, from a two-person team.
Checked October 2, 2026 on skipcalls.com. Prices change; confirm before you buy.
Compared with Smith.ai: SkipCalls costs a small fraction of Smith.ai with unlimited minutes under a fair use policy and native CRM integrations like HubSpot and Salesforce. It has no live agents, no independent reviews yet, and says it isn't HIPAA compliant. See our SkipCalls alternatives review.
Breezy used to be a popular $50 flat-rate alternative, but it shut down in July 2026. If you were a Breezy customer, our Breezy shutdown guide covers how to move your number.
The best Smith.ai alternative for healthcare
For medical, dental and therapy practices, the deciding question is HIPAA. Smith.ai doesn't publish HIPAA or Business Associate Agreement terms for its AI Receptionist, so you'd need to confirm them with sales.
Zinng offers HIPAA compliance on its Medical plan, which is separate from the standard plans listed above. Whichever provider you choose, get a signed BAA before you route patient calls to it, and don't send patient details by text message.
Who should pick which
- Stay with Smith.ai if you need a real person available on certain calls, like legal intake, and the per-call pricing fits your volume. Its Clio integration is also a genuine strength for law firms.
- Pick Zinng if you want per-minute billing, call transfers on every plan, and extra minutes without per-call overage.
- Pick Rosie for quick self-serve setup.
- Pick Goodcall for customizable call flows.
- Pick Dialzara for the lowest entry price.
- Pick Aira for a built-in CRM with per-call pricing.
- Pick Allo if you also need a new phone system.
- Pick My AI Front Desk (Frontdesk AI) for an all-in-one front office.
- Pick SkipCalls for the lowest price.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Smith.ai cost?
Smith.ai's AI Receptionist has a free plan for 25 calls a month ($3 per extra call), a Pro plan from $150 a month for 75 calls ($2 per call, $2.50 per extra call), and an Enterprise plan from $500 a month for 300 calls. Its human Live Receptionists start at $300 a month for 30 calls, with $11.50 per extra call.
Does Smith.ai charge extra when a live agent takes the call?
Yes. On the AI Receptionist, live agent involvement costs a flat $3 per call, only when it's used, on top of your plan and any overage. Smith.ai says escalations by its own AI system and transfers to your business aren't billed.
Is Smith.ai legit?
Yes. Smith.ai has operated since 2015 from Los Altos, California, with more than 500 North American live agents. Its AI Receptionist rates 4.8 on G2 and the company rates 4.4 on Trustpilot, but the BBB gives it an F for not responding to two complaints.
What is the best Smith.ai alternative for healthcare?
Smith.ai doesn't publish HIPAA or BAA details for its AI Receptionist. If you're a medical or dental practice, look for a provider that offers HIPAA compliance with a signed BAA, such as Zinng on its Medical plan, and get the BAA in writing before sending patient calls.
What is the best Smith.ai alternative?
For most small businesses, Zinng is the best Smith.ai alternative: $49 a month for 300 minutes, billed by the minute instead of per call, with call transfers included and extra minutes in buckets from $25. Goodcall suits businesses that want a call-flow builder, and Rosie suits owners who want a fast self-serve setup.
Sources
- Smith.ai: AI Receptionist pricing, the help center article on live agent billing (updated November 2025), and the bilingual answering page, checked October 2, 2026. Live Receptionist pricing checked September 29, 2026.
- Reviews: Trustpilot, G2 (AI Receptionist) and the BBB, checked October 2, 2026.
- Alternatives: each card shows the date we checked it and links to that company's pricing page. We don't use affiliate links.
Compare more options on our AI receptionist alternatives page.
