How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Goodcall and Dialzara are the clearest AI-first picks, with flat monthly pricing, calendar booking, and call transcripts included.
- Smith.ai and Abby Connect suit firms that want AI for routine calls and a person for complex or high-value calls.
- Nexa, AnswerForce, Ruby, and Moneypenny sit on the hybrid side, with people leading and AI supporting transcripts, routing, and follow-up.
- Per-call, per-minute, and flat monthly pricing produce very different bills, so estimate your monthly call volume and average call length before you choose.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Smith.ai | Law firms that want AI plus human intake | $1.60 per call | Free trial |
 Goodcall | Small businesses that want a predictable monthly bill | $79 per month | No |
 Dialzara | Low-cost AI answering with a fast setup | $29 per month | Free trial |
 Abby Connect | Businesses that want one human and AI service | See website | Free trial |
 Nexa | Industry-specific playbooks and bilingual cover | See website | No |
 AnswerForce | Small businesses that want live answering plus chat | See website | No |
 Ruby | Human receptionists with AI-assisted tools | See website | No |
 Moneypenny | People, AI, or both under one provider | See website | No |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best AI answering services
#1
Smith.ai
Best for: Law firms that want AI plus human intake
Visit smith.ai
Starting price$1.60 per call
Free planFree trial
Smith.ai starts with a question most answering services skip: what should happen after the call, not just during it. Its AI receptionist answers on the first ring, qualifies the caller, books a consultation, and sends a transcript, summary, and intake data to the firm's CRM. When a call turns complex, a live agent from its North American network can take over. That mix is useful for law firms, where a missed call can mean a lost case, and a rushed intake can mean a wasted consultation slot.
The per-call model is the main point to price carefully. At $1.60 per call for AI-first service, a firm with 100 calls a month pays far less than it would for a full-time receptionist, but a firm with 500 calls needs to compare that total with a flat monthly plan. Smith.ai also offers hybrid plans from $2.50 per call and human-first plans from $7 per call.
What we like- AI-first plan from $1.60 per call
- 25 calls per month free forever on the starter offer
- Human agents can step in on complex calls
- Intake flows by practice area
Watch out for- Pricing is per call, so a high-volume month costs more
- The deepest legal intake features suit law firms more than general businesses
#2
Goodcall
Best for: Small businesses that want a predictable monthly bill
Visit goodcall.com
Starting price$79 per month
Free planNo
For a small business owner, Goodcall has one clear appeal: the bill does not grow because a caller talked for a long time. Plans start at $79 a month, priced by the customers the phone agent helps each month rather than by minutes. The agent, built through a setup assistant called Gabi, answers 24/7, qualifies callers, books appointments, checks stock where a system is connected, and sends lead details by text and email as each call ends.
Setup is the second strength. Instead of writing a script, the owner describes the business in plain words, or hands over a website, and the agent drafts the greeting, questions, and steps. Goodcall suits trades, clinics, real estate teams, and shops that want AI answering without a per-minute meter running.
What we like- Flat monthly pricing with no per-minute charges
- Agent built by describing the business in plain words
- Calendar booking and CRM updates
- Callers are told they are speaking with an AI assistant
Watch out for- No free plan, only paid plans from $79 per month
- Pricing is based on customers helped per month, so the right tier depends on volume
Starting price$29 per month
Free planFree trial
Dialzara is the cheapest entry point on this list, and its pricing page is unusually clear about what that price buys. Business Lite costs $29 per month for 60 minutes, then $0.48 per minute. Business Pro costs $99 per month for 220 minutes, Business Plus costs $199 per month for 500 minutes, and Business Elite costs $349 per month for 1,000 minutes. Every plan includes 24/7 answering, a dedicated number, call recordings and summaries, and unlimited simultaneous calls.
The platform also runs outbound voice agents, two-way SMS agents, and a website chatbot, each trained on the same business context. Dialzara suits a small business testing AI answering for the first time, provided it tracks minutes.
What we like- Plans from $29 per month with 60 minutes included
- 7-day free trial and no contract
- Unlimited simultaneous calls
- Outbound, SMS, and chat agents on the same platform
Watch out for- Overage minutes cost $0.48 per minute on the entry plan
- The low starting price covers only 60 minutes, so busy lines need a higher tier
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Abby Connect, often shortened to Abby, takes a different approach from the AI-first services: it offers one answering service, not two products, and the customer chooses how each call is handled. A call can go to a human receptionist, to the AI receptionist called Abby, or to either one based on call type or rules set by the business. The mix can change anytime, which helps a business that is busy in one season and quiet in the next.
The human side is backed by 20 years of answering experience and small dedicated teams of 10 to 20 receptionists per client, based in Las Vegas. The AI side answers on the first ring, shares information, takes messages, and transfers calls, with human quality assurance reviewing conversations. A free trial is offered, and pricing is custom. Abby Connect suits businesses that like AI answering but are not ready to hand every call to an automated agent.
What we like- One service with human, AI, or both, and the mix can change anytime
- U.S.-based in-house receptionist teams
- Portal and app with transcripts, sentiment scores, and call ratings
Watch out for- Pricing is custom, so the cost of a human-heavy mix is only clear after a quote
- The service is best known for human answering, so AI-only buyers should confirm the AI plan scope
#5
Nexa
Best for: Industry-specific playbooks and bilingual cover
Visit nexa.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Nexa describes itself as a people and AI-driven provider, and its homepage puts industry playbooks first. Instead of a single generic script, Nexa builds call handling around the sector, with booking, lead qualification, emergency dispatch, and appointment scheduling tuned to that sector. Receptionists are bilingual in English and Spanish, and the service covers nights, weekends, and holidays.
Nexa also follows up on online lead forms, which is a useful extra for businesses that get form inquiries as well as calls. A fast response to a form can matter as much as answering a call, and Nexa treats both as part of the same conversion job. Pricing is custom, so a business should ask for a quote based on call volume, hours, and whether it needs dispatch or outbound sales as well as inbound answering.
What we like- 40 years of experience behind its people and AI platform
- Industry playbooks for legal, health care, home services, and real estate
- Bilingual English and Spanish receptionists
- Lead form follow-up as well as call answering
Watch out for- Pricing is custom and not published on the homepage
- Businesses that want a self-serve AI setup will find a more managed service here
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
AnswerForce is a human-led answering service with a technology layer, and it earns a place here for businesses that want AI support around human calls rather than a fully automated agent. Its toolkit covers scheduling, video meetings, team messaging, a business phone line, and live chat, and every call or chat produces a summary. Plan minutes can also be spent on callbacks or outbound lead follow-up, which turns idle minutes into prospecting time.
The service suits small businesses and contractors, including franchises such as Mathnasium and Ace Handyman, where a real person at midnight or on a weekend can reassure a caller. The main question to ask before signing is how much of the work is automated: transcription, routing, and summaries are standard, but the answering itself is human.
What we like- Live receptionists with a tech toolkit including scheduling, video meetings, team messaging, and live chat
- Call summaries for every call or chat
- Plan minutes can be used for callbacks and outbound lead follow-up
Watch out for- The homepage leads with human answering rather than AI, so AI-first buyers should confirm what automation is included
- Pricing is custom
#7
Ruby
Best for: Human receptionists with AI-assisted tools
Visit ruby.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Ruby is included with a clear label: it is a human receptionist service with AI assistance, not an AI answering service in the pure sense. Its own homepage states that a trained human receptionist answers the call, while AI supports the experience behind the scenes through transcripts, sentiment analysis, and information gathering. For a business that wants the warmth of a person and the record-keeping of AI, that combination can be the right answer.
Ruby receptionists can answer common questions, capture leads, schedule appointments, collect payments, and connect callers, and the service reports more than 1.6 million leads captured per year for small businesses. Plans are based on monthly receptionist minutes, so a solo business and a growing team do not buy the same amount of cover. Ruby suits firms that distrust fully automated answering but still want transcripts and CRM-ready notes from every call.
What we like- Trained human receptionists answer every routed call
- AI supports transcripts, sentiment analysis, and call flows
- 24/7 cover including weekends and holidays
- Bilingual English and Spanish handling
- Managed live chat
Watch out for- Ruby states plainly that an AI agent does not independently conduct calls, so this is not an AI-first service
- Pricing is based on monthly receptionist minutes and is custom
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Moneypenny is listed here through its VoiceNation address, which now presents the Moneypenny US brand. The service offers phone answering plans staffed by real people and AI answering plans described as highly realistic, with escalation to real people built in. That structure lets a business start with AI for routine calls and keep a person in the loop for calls that need judgment, without changing providers.
Moneypenny reports 25 years as a provider, more than 1,000 US and UK team members, and more than 40,000 calls handled every day. Pricing is custom, so the quote should state whether the plan is people-led, AI-led, or a mix, and what escalation costs.
What we like- Phone answering plans with real people, AI answering plans with escalation to people, and live chat
- 25 years as a provider and tens of thousands of business clients
- Industry coverage from legal and health care to home services and real estate
Watch out for- The voicenation.com address now presents Moneypenny US, so buyers should confirm the plan name and terms on the quote
- Pricing is custom
How we chose
We compared vendor homepages, pricing pages, and public reviews, focusing on services that answer business calls around the clock and use AI either to conduct calls or to support them with transcripts, routing, and follow-up. A service earned a place when its homepage confirmed it was live in 2026, described call answering as a core service, and offered booking, lead capture, or message taking beyond simple voicemail. We included AI-first services, hybrid services, and human-led services with AI support, and we labeled each one honestly, so readers can tell an AI voice agent from a human receptionist with AI tools. Prices are starting prices where a vendor publishes a figure, and See website means pricing is custom by call volume, hours, and features, so a quote is the final check.
What to check before you buy an AI answering service
Start with disclosure. Several providers, including Goodcall, tell callers they are speaking with an AI assistant, and Smith.ai lets firms set disclosure to fit their rules. In some states and sectors, disclosure is required, and in all sectors it builds trust. Ask each provider how disclosure works, whether the agent ever claims to be human, and how a caller can reach a person. A service that hides its AI nature is a risk to a business reputation, even if it books more appointments in the short term.
Test the agent on your hardest calls
A demo that handles a simple booking tells you little. Test the agent on a caller who asks for a price, a caller who is angry, a caller with an emergency, and a caller who gives incomplete information. Listen for how it handles pauses, interruptions, and questions it cannot answer. Goodcall offers practice calls on tricky cases, and Dialzara offers a 7-day free trial, so use that period on real call types, not just friendly test calls. Check the transcript after each test, and confirm the lead details, booking, and follow-up action are correct.
Price by minutes, calls, and customers helped
The three pricing models on this list are not comparable at a glance. Smith.ai charges per call, Dialzara charges per minute with overage rates, and Goodcall charges a flat monthly fee based on customers helped. Pull your last three months of call logs, count calls and total minutes, and run each model against those numbers. Also ask what counts as a billable minute or call, whether spam calls are filtered before billing, and whether transfers, callbacks, and outbound follow-up draw from the same allowance.
Confirm booking, CRM, and escalation paths
Answering is only half the job. Confirm that the service books into the calendar your team actually uses, updates the CRM with notes and next steps, and sends a text or email the moment a call ends. Confirm escalation too: what happens when the AI cannot answer, when a caller asks for a person, or when a call is urgent. Smith.ai, Abby Connect, and Moneypenny all offer a path to a person, while Dialzara and Goodcall offer transfers to a business line. Get the escalation rules in writing, and test them before the service goes live.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI answering service?
An AI answering service uses a voice agent to answer business calls, hold a conversation, qualify the caller, book appointments, and capture lead details, usually around the clock. Hybrid services add human agents for complex calls, while human-led services use AI for transcripts and routing. The right choice depends on how much judgment your calls need.
How much does an AI answering service cost?
Prices on this list range from $29 per month for Dialzara Business Lite and $79 per month for Goodcall, to $1.60 per call for Smith.ai AI-first service, with other providers quoting custom prices. The cheapest headline price is not always the cheapest bill, because per-minute overage and per-call charges add up. Price each option against your real call volume before deciding.
Will callers know they are talking to AI?
It depends on the provider and your settings. Goodcall tells callers they are speaking with an AI assistant, and Smith.ai lets firms set disclosure to fit their rules. Ask each provider how disclosure works, and choose a setting that fits your sector rules and your brand. Callers are usually comfortable with AI answering when the service is fast, accurate, and offers a path to a person.
Can an AI answering service book appointments?
Yes, most services on this list book appointments. Goodcall checks the calendar before offering times, Dialzara books from the call, Smith.ai books consultations live on the call, and Nexa, Abby Connect, and Ruby offer scheduling as part of their receptionist service. Confirm the calendar connection works with your system, and test a booking, a reschedule, and a cancellation before launch.
What happens when the AI cannot handle a call?
A good service transfers the call to a person, takes a detailed message, or schedules a callback, and tells you what it heard so you can fix the gap. Smith.ai hands complex calls to live agents, Abby Connect and Moneypenny offer human escalation, and Goodcall and Dialzara transfer to a business line. Ask for the escalation rules in writing, and test them with a hard question during the trial.
Is an AI answering service better than a human receptionist?
Neither is better in every case. AI answers instantly, handles many calls at once, and costs less at low to medium volume. Humans handle anger, nuance, and complex negotiations better, and some callers prefer a person. Hybrid services such as Smith.ai, Abby Connect, and Moneypenny try to give a business both, with AI for routine calls and people for the calls that matter most.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://smith.ai
- https://goodcall.com
- https://dialzara.com
- https://abbyconnect.com
- https://nexa.com
- https://answerforce.com
- https://www.ruby.com
- https://voicenation.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.