The short answer
If you need live human receptionists, compare Ruby and AnswerConnect. If an AI receptionist is enough and price matters most, look at Rosie, Dialzara or Goodcall. If you want the call to become a quote, a booking and a delivery brief in a CRM, compare GPT Business. If you need Smith.ai’s mix of AI and staffed handling, stay.
What Smith.ai costs today
Smith.ai has two product lines. AI Receptionist: a free plan with 25 calls ($3.00 per extra call), Pro starts at $150/month for 75 calls, with larger 150- and 300-call tiers ($2.17–$2.50 per extra call) and Enterprise from $500/month. Human virtual receptionists: Starter $300/month for 30 calls ($11.50 per extra call), Basic $810/month for 90 calls ($10.50) and Pro $2,100/month for 300 calls ($8.50). Plans are month-to-month with 30 days’ notice; a 12-month commitment takes 10% off the human plans. AI pricing and human pricing, reviewed October 9, 2026.
That works out to about $10 a call on the human Starter plan and $7 on human Pro, before overage.
What to test before switching
- Volume. Model included calls and overages against a typical month and a busy month.
- Call quality. Test a routine enquiry, a confused caller, an out-of-scope request and a handoff to your team.
- Billing. Ask how spam, short calls, transfers and add-ons affect the total.
- Commitment. Confirm notice periods and any prepaid-term conditions before moving your number.
Smith.ai alternatives compared
| Alternative | Type | Starting price (official) | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruby | Live human receptionists | $250/month for 50 receptionist minutes | Not stated |
| AnswerConnect | Live human answering, 24/7 | $350/month for 200 minutes, plus $49.99 setup | Not stated |
| Goodcall | AI agent, billed per unique caller | $79/month for 100 unique customers | Free demo agent |
| My AI Front Desk | Phone, chat, SMS, CRM and sequence automations | $99/month, or $79/month billed annually; 200 voice minutes | 7 days |
| Rosie | AI answering for small service businesses | $49/month for 250 minutes | 7 days |
| Dialzara | Low-cost AI receptionist | $29/month for 60 minutes advertised; confirm current offer | Confirm with provider |
| GPT Business | AI Manager and workforce with a connected CRM; calls are one part of the job | $249 first month, then $499/month (250 calling minutes) | Free live demo |
The linked sources were reviewed on October 9, 2026. USD unless marked €. Billing terms and allowances differ. Confirm the current offer, extras and renewal terms with the vendor before buying.
Smith.ai cost calculator: what does a call cost you?
Enter your monthly calls. The calculator uses Smith.ai’s published human receptionist plans and compares the three displayed monthly plans at your volume, including overage. It does not quote custom or annual plans.
Taxes, add-ons and annual discounts are not included. Compare the result with the per-minute and flat plans in the table above, using your average call length.
Should you switch from Smith.ai? A 30-second fit check
Where GPT Business fits, and where it does not
GPT Business is not a drop-in answering service and it does not provide staffed receptionists. It is for owners whose call is only the start: you can test a draft response and job brief in the demo, then confirm supported CRM, booking and follow-up actions during assisted activation. A draft is not a confirmed appointment or a sent quote. If you only need calls answered and messages taken, an AI receptionist from the table above is cheaper. GPT Business Launch is $249 for the first month, then $499/month, with up to 2 team logins and 250 included calling minutes. Scale is $649 for the first month, then $1,299/month, with up to 4 team logins and 1,100 calling minutes. Premier is $1,249 for the first month, then $2,499/month, with up to 10 team logins and 2,400 calling minutes. Plans are month-to-month, and Enterprise is by quote. Live calling follows assisted activation and the connections confirmed for your plan.
When to stay with Smith.ai
Smith.ai is a good keep if some callers must reach a trained human, your volume sits inside a plan’s included calls, and you value having AI and staffed handling from one vendor.
For a side-by-side test plan, read GPT Business vs Smith.ai. Related: AI receptionist for small business, AI receptionist pricing and calling capacity, after-hours AI answering and AI receptionist vs AI workforce.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Smith.ai alternative?
For live human answering, Ruby and AnswerConnect are the usual comparisons. For a cheaper AI receptionist, Rosie, Dialzara and Goodcall. For turning calls into sales and delivery work in a CRM, GPT Business.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Smith.ai?
At the AI tier, Dialzara starts at $29/month and Rosie at $49/month against Smith.ai Pro from $150/month. For staffed answering, Ruby starts at $250/month against Smith.ai Starter at $300/month, though Ruby bills by the minute rather than by the call.
Does GPT Business offer live human receptionists?
No. GPT Business uses AI roles directed by an AI Manager. If you need staffed handling, keep a human service for those calls.
Can I keep my phone number if I switch?
Most providers support forwarding or porting. With GPT Business, the phone setup is confirmed during assisted activation.
How we checked these facts
The GPT Business editorial team checked the prices and plan details on this page against each vendor’s published pricing and help pages on October 9, 2026. We compared published pricing and documentation; we did not buy or run paid trials of these products. Where a vendor does not publish a price, or its own pages disagree, the page says so instead of estimating. We recheck these pages every month. If you spot an error, email Support@GPTBusiness.io and we will correct it.
Test your own workflow first
Give the Manager a real task from your business and review the draft before you switch anything. The demo does not contact customers or change your tools.