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Best AI receptionist for small business (2026): picks by situation
The "best" AI receptionist is the one that fits your call volume, budget and trade. Here are 12 picks, each for a specific situation, using real prices from the 21 services we track.
How we picked: from what each company publishes on its own website (checked 2026-10-14), not from hands-on testing. We have not run test calls on these tools yet, and there are no ratings or reviews here because we haven't earned them. See how we review.
Paid links: some links on this site may earn us a commission at no cost to you. It never changes which tools we pick or what we say. Disclosure.
Quick picks
| If you need… | Look at | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest entry price | AI-Receptionist.com | From $14/mo |
| Best free way to start | Smith.ai AI Receptionist | Free to start |
| Most minutes for under $50 | Rosie | From $49/mo |
| Lowest overage on a budget plan | ViFi | From $49/mo |
| Long calls, flat price | Goodcall | From $79/mo |
| Low-volume, pay by the call | Upfirst | From $24.95/mo |
| Phone + text follow-up in one | My AI Front Desk (Frontdesk) | From $99/mo |
| Already using Jobber | Jobber | From $29/mo |
| Established trade shop on ServiceTitan | Sameday AI | From $449/mo |
| Sit-down restaurants | Slang.ai | From $399/mo |
| Takeout-heavy restaurants | Loman | Price on request |
| You want people, not a bot | Ruby | From $250/mo |
The picks, with the catches
AI-Receptionist.com
From $14/moWhy it fits: $14/mo for 75 minutes is the cheapest paid entry plan we track, with a 7-day free trial and no card. Extra minutes are $0.25 and don't expire.
The catch: The 75-minute plan is small. Busy shops will outgrow it.
Source: AI-Receptionist.com pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
Smith.ai AI Receptionist
Free to startWhy it fits: A real free plan with 25 calls a month, and callers can be handed to live North America-based receptionists.
The catch: Per-call billing gets expensive at volume ($2.00/call on Pro, $3.00 per extra call on Free), and it needs 30 days' notice to cancel.
Source: Smith.ai AI Receptionist pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
Rosie
From $49/moWhy it fits: $49/mo includes 250 minutes, the most included minutes at that price in our data. English and Spanish on every plan.
The catch: Direct calendar booking and transfers need the $149 Scale plan.
Source: Rosie pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
ViFi
From $49/moWhy it fits: $49/mo for 100 minutes with $0.15 per extra minute on Starter. 7-day trial, no card. Names HVAC, plumbing and electrical on its site.
The catch: Integrations aren't listed on its pricing page.
Source: ViFi pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
Goodcall
From $79/moWhy it fits: Billed per unique caller, not per minute, so a 15-minute call costs the same as a 1-minute call. Repeat callers count once a month.
The catch: Starter caps at 100 unique customers, then $0.79 each.
Source: Goodcall pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
Upfirst
From $24.95/moWhy it fits: $24.95/mo for 30 calls, and spam calls aren't billed. Names HVAC, plumbing, landscaping and restaurants.
The catch: Only 30 calls on Starter, then $1.50 per extra call.
Source: Upfirst pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
My AI Front Desk (Frontdesk)
From $99/moWhy it fits: $99/mo for 200 voice minutes, with web chat, two-way SMS and a built-in CRM. 20+ languages.
The catch: No permanently free plan. Extra minutes are $0.25.
Source: My AI Front Desk (Frontdesk) pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
Jobber
From $29/moWhy it fits: Jobber's own Receptionist add-on is $29/mo for 30 conversations, so calls land straight in the app you run jobs from.
The catch: $0.79 per extra conversation, and Jobber's own Core plan ($29/mo) is billed annually.
Source: Jobber pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
Sameday AI
From $449/moWhy it fits: Built for home services and works with ServiceTitan phones. Launch plan from $449/mo for 500 minutes.
The catch: Expensive for a small shop.
Source: Sameday AI pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
Slang.ai
From $399/moWhy it fits: Built for reservations, with text confirmations and VIP call handling.
The catch: $399+/mo per location.
Source: Slang.ai pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
Loman
Price on requestWhy it fits: Takes orders and payments by phone and lists Toast, Square, Clover, OpenTable and more.
The catch: Pricing is by request.
Source: Loman pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
Ruby
From $250/moWhy it fits: 100% live receptionists, 24/7 including holidays, with bilingual answering.
The catch: $250/mo for 50 minutes, far more per minute than AI.
Source: Ruby pricing page, checked 2026-10-14
How to choose in 10 minutes
- Count your minutes. Calls per month × average call length. Our cost estimator does the math against published plans.
- Decide on the must-haves: booking into your calendar, transfers to your cell for emergencies, Spanish, or a live person.
- Check where the features start. Booking, transfers and Spanish are often on the second plan, not the entry plan.
- Use the free trial. Forward your line after hours for a week and listen to the recordings.
Questions owners ask
What is the best AI receptionist for a small business?
There isn't one winner. It depends on how many calls you get, how long they run, and whether you need booking, Spanish or a person to take over. Start with the pick that matches your situation above, then use its free trial and call it yourself before customers do.
What is the cheapest AI receptionist?
AI-Receptionist.com at $14/mo (75 minutes) is the lowest paid entry price we track. Smith.ai AI Receptionist has a free plan with 25 calls a month.
Which AI receptionists speak Spanish?
Based on what they publish: Rosie (English and Spanish on every plan), Dialzara (bilingual on Pro and up), and multilingual tools like Upfirst, My AI Front Desk (Frontdesk) and AI-Receptionist.com. Ruby offers bilingual live receptionists.
Did you test these AI receptionists?
Not yet. These picks are based on each company's published prices and features. When we run real test calls, we'll say so on the page and show the date.