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AI answering service for small business: how it works and what it costs
An AI answering service picks up your business line with a natural-sounding voice, answers common questions, takes the caller's details and, on many plans, books the appointment or texts you a summary. Here's how it compares with a live answering service and with voicemail.
| AI answering service | Live answering service | Voicemail | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who answers | AI voice agent | A person at a call center (sometimes AI-assisted) | Nobody. The caller leaves a message. |
| Hours | 24/7 | Depends on the plan | 24/7, but nobody responds |
| Typical pricing | Monthly plan with minutes, or per minute | Usually higher monthly plans with fewer minutes | Free |
| Good at | Common questions, taking details, booking, after-hours calls | Tricky or emotional calls, complex intake | Nothing, if the caller hangs up and calls a competitor |
What to check before you sign up
- Minutes. How many are included, and what overage costs.
- Call transfer. Can it hand an urgent call (a burst pipe, no heat) to your cell?
- Booking. Does it connect to the scheduling app you already use (Jobber, Housecall Pro, Google Calendar)?
- Spanish and other languages, if your customers need them.
- A free trial, so you can call it yourself before customers do.
AI answering services with published prices (lowest first)
| Service | Starts at | Minutes on entry plan | Free trial / plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI-Receptionist.com | From $14/mo | 75 | 7-day free trial, no card |
| Upfirst | From $24.95/mo | Not published | Free trial offered |
| Dialzara | From $29/mo | 60 | 7-day free trial |
| Jobber | From $29/mo | Not published | Free trial, no card |
| Rosie | From $49/mo | 250 | 7-day free trial |
| ViFi | From $49/mo | 100 | 7-day free trial, no card |
| Housecall Pro | From $59/mo | Not published | 14-day free trial, no card |
| Goodcall | From $79/mo | Not published | Free demo agent (pay when you connect a number) |
See every service, including the quote-only ones, in our AI receptionist pricing table.
Want a person on the line? Live answering options we list: Ruby.
Prices come from each company's own pricing page, last checked 2026-10-14. They change, so confirm before you buy.