Independent buyer's guide to AI receptionists. Prices checked Nov 7, 2026 on each vendor's own site.
Best AI receptionist for small business

Best AI Receptionist for Small Business

There's no single best one. There's the one that matches how your calls look, what you need it to do, and what you'll pay at your busiest. Here's a shortlist by situation, from published plan details.

See the shortlist
How this list was made. We read each vendor's pricing page on Nov 7, 2026 and matched plans to common situations. We didn't test these tools, and the order isn't a ranking. Try any of them on a free trial with your own calls before you commit.
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Shortlist by vendor

Smith.ai AI Receptionist

From $0Per call
Fits if: you want to trial an AI receptionist with no time limit before paying
  • Spam from known spammers filtered before the AI answers
  • Native integrations listed include Clio, Zapier and Calendly scheduling
  • Month-to-month; 30 days' notice to cancel

Trial: Free plan, 25 calls/mo, no time limit. Source: vendor pricing page, checked Nov 7, 2026.

See Smith.ai AI Receptionist pricing
Lowest paid entry price

Upfirst

From $24.95/moCalls per month
Fits if: you get a modest number of calls and want texting and transfers from day one
  • Two-way texting, warm and waterfall transfers and scheduling on every plan
  • Calendars listed: Google Calendar, Outlook, Calendly, Acuity, Square, Clio
  • Calls under 15 seconds, or where the caller never speaks, aren't billed
  • Extra agents $9.95/mo each

Trial: 14 days or 100 calls, no card required. Source: vendor pricing page, checked Nov 7, 2026.

See Upfirst pricing
Small minute bundles

Dialzara

From $29/moMinutes per month
Fits if: calls are short and you want to start at 60 minutes a month
  • Appointment booking, call routing and CRM/calendar integration from the Lite plan
  • AI SMS agent free with any inbound voice plan
  • Blind and warm transfer listed on Elite
  • Monthly billing, no setup fees

Trial: 7-day free trial. Source: vendor pricing page, checked Nov 7, 2026.

See Dialzara pricing
Bilingual callers

Rosie

From $49/moMinutes per month
Fits if: many callers speak Spanish, or you want a mobile app to follow calls
  • English and Spanish on every call; iOS and Android apps
  • Calendar booking, warm and live transfers, and texting callers mid-call start on Scale
  • Professional sends appointment links by text and includes 2 message-taking scenarios
  • Zapier (1,000+ apps); annual billing advertised as 2 months free

Trial: 7-day free trial. Source: vendor pricing page, checked Nov 7, 2026.

See Rosie pricing
Repeat callers

Goodcall

From $79/moPer unique caller per month
Fits if: the same customers call often, so per-caller billing beats per-minute
  • Bills per unique phone number per month, not per minute; spam and wrong numbers don't count
  • Local number included, or forward your existing number
  • External tools via API, MCP server or custom code; Zapier for existing agents
  • Call history: 30 days (Starter), 90 days (Growth), unlimited (Scale)

Trial: Free demo agent; pay when you connect a number. Source: vendor pricing page, checked Nov 7, 2026.

See Goodcall pricing
Calls plus texts and chat

My AI Front Desk

From $99/moMinutes plus usage credits
Fits if: you want voice, SMS, web chat and a simple CRM under one plan
  • One self-serve plan plus custom Partner/Enterprise pricing
  • Voice, web chat, two-way SMS, a built-in CRM and automations
  • Monthly pool of 1,000 credits ($10) for overage; unused credits expire
  • Zapier integration; 2 editor seats

Trial: 7-day free trial. Source: vendor pricing page, checked Nov 7, 2026.

See My AI Front Desk pricing
How to choose

Five questions before you sign up

What should happen to an urgent call?
If a burst pipe or no-heat call must reach you, you need live or warm transfer on the plan you buy.
Should it book, or just take a message?
Booking needs a calendar the tool connects to and rules about job length and travel time.
How long are your calls?
This decides whether minutes, calls or callers is the cheaper way to pay.
Do you want texting?
Texting a booking link or a missed-call reply often closes the loop faster than a callback.
Where do leads need to land?
Check the integration list for your calendar, CRM or field-service software, or a Zapier route.
Who writes the script?
Several vendors offer done-for-you setup on higher plans. On entry plans, budget an afternoon to set it up well.

Know what a missed call costs you first

Five numbers, one estimate of monthly revenue at stake.

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Questions

Questions owners ask

Which AI receptionist is best for a small business?

It depends on your calls. Per-call plans (Upfirst, Smith.ai) suit fewer, longer calls; minute bundles (Rosie, Dialzara) suit short calls; Goodcall bills per unique caller. Start with a free trial using your real calls.

Can an AI receptionist book appointments?

Many can. On the pricing pages we checked, booking appears on Upfirst's plans, on Dialzara from Business Lite, and on Rosie from the Scale plan; Rosie's Professional plan texts a booking link instead.

Do I need a new phone number?

Usually not. Goodcall and Upfirst say you can use your own number or one they provide; most tools work by forwarding unanswered or after-hours calls.