This article is part of our AI Front Desk hub. Want help applying it? Talk to eSEOspace.
0 entries
The right AI receptionist for a small business depends on how you bill, what you need booked and which phone system you keep. These seven vendors publish enough to compare, and they are listed in no ranked order.
We did not test these products, and eSEOspace is not ranked here. Every entry comes from the vendor's own pages, opened on 9 November 2026. Prices can change.
This list is part of our AI Front Desk guide. It is general information, not legal or medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Entries were chosen from vendors with a public page we could open and enough published detail to compare.
- Vendor pages were the only source, so treat their claims as claims.
- Pricing units differ across these tools, so compare the billing unit before the headline price.
- Quo Sona and Jobber Receptionist are tied to their own platforms.
- Smith.ai says it is not HIPAA-compliant and cannot handle calls involving PHI.
How we chose
An entry needed a live vendor page we could open on 9 November 2026. That page had to state a price or a clear way to get one. The tool also had to serve a small business without a developer doing the build.
We left out developer platforms such as Retell, Vapi and Bland, covered in our platform comparison. Ruby is covered separately because it uses live receptionists. Podium and Weave sell by quote and are in their own comparison.
We have no test results and quote no accuracy figures. Order on this page is not a ranking.
Comparison at a glance
| Tool | Billing unit | Starting published price | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | Calls | $0 for 25 calls | Live agents as a per-call add-on |
| Dialzara | Minutes | $29 for 60 minutes | Native Google Calendar booking |
| Goodcall | Unique customers | $79 for 100 customers | Says it never meters minutes |
| Quo Sona | Calls | 10 calls on every Quo plan | Built for use in Quo only |
| GoHighLevel Voice AI | Minutes plus platform | $97 platform, plus usage | Pay-per-use or AI Employee plans |
| Jobber Receptionist | Conversations | $29 a month add-on | Tied to a Jobber account |
| RingCentral AI Receptionist | Minutes | $49 for 100 minutes | Standalone or add-on license |
1. Smith.ai AI Receptionist: AI answering with a human backup
Smith.ai's AI answers, qualifies and books calls, and it can route callers to your own team. Live agents are a per-call add-on.
Best for: Small firms that want the option of a person on hard calls.
Pricing: Free for 25 calls, Pro from $150 a month for 75, Enterprise from $500 for 300. Overage runs $3.00 down to $2.10 per call.
Pros:
- Published plans with call counts.
- Native integrations named, including Salesforce, HubSpot and Clio.
- Month-to-month service.
Cons:
- Says it is not HIPAA-compliant and cannot handle PHI calls.
- Overages are off by default, so plan for what happens at your limit.
Checked against Smith.ai's pricing page on 9 November 2026. The PHI statement is in Smith.ai's legal FAQ.
2. Dialzara: minute bundles with a low entry price
Dialzara's plans cover answering, booking, lead qualification and routing, according to its pricing page. It also sells text and website chat products.
Best for: Businesses with short, predictable calls.
Pricing: $29 for 60 minutes, $99 for 220, $199 for 500 and $349 for 1,000. Done for You starts at $1,500 or more a month.
Pros:
- Low starting price.
- Google Calendar is a native integration.
- 7-day free trial.
Cons:
- Blind and warm transfers are named on Business Elite and Done for You, so check lower plans.
- Its pricing page does not mention a BAA.
Checked against Dialzara's pricing page on 9 November 2026.
3. Goodcall: a customer-based bill
Goodcall answers at any hour and can book onto your calendar. It bills per unique customer each month, not per minute.
Best for: Businesses where the same people call more than once.
Pricing: $79 for 100 customers, $129 for 500 and $299 for 2,000.
Pros:
- Repeat callers in one month count once.
- It says spam and wrong numbers do not count.
- Connects with HighLevel and Google Calendar, according to its home page.
Cons:
- External tools are capped by plan at 1, 5 or 15.
- Its home page says "HIPAA compliant" without explaining what that covers.
Checked against Goodcall's pricing page on 9 November 2026.
4. Quo Sona: AI inside your business phone
Sona answers inbound calls inside Quo, takes messages and can text a scheduling link during a call.
Best for: Teams already on Quo that want simple coverage.
Pricing: 10 calls on every Quo plan, then $25 for 40 calls up to $199 for 600.
Pros:
- Published per-call tiers.
- You can cap usage.
- Transfers to a teammate or department.
Cons:
- Works only inside Quo.
- Answers inbound calls only.
Checked against Quo's Sona page on 9 November 2026.
5. GoHighLevel Voice AI: usage-based AI inside a CRM
GoHighLevel adds Voice AI on top of its CRM and marketing platform. Its help center lists a per-minute engine rate plus voice and token costs.
Best for: Businesses or agencies already running on HighLevel.
Pricing: $97 to $497 a month for the platform, plus usage. See our cost breakdown.
Pros:
- Published per-minute rates.
- Booking inside HighLevel calendars.
- AI Employee plans can include Voice AI.
Cons:
- Phone charges apply separately.
- Several cost layers to add up.
Checked against HighLevel's AI pricing guide on 9 November 2026.
6. Jobber Receptionist: built into field service software
Jobber Receptionist answers calls and texts at any hour, books visits and can route urgent callers to you.
Best for: Home service businesses already on Jobber.
Pricing: Included on Plus, or a $29 monthly add-on on select plans. The newest help page says that includes 30 conversations, then $0.79 each.
Pros:
- Connects directly to your Jobber schedule.
- You choose urgent keywords.
- Published add-on price.
Cons:
- Needs a Jobber dedicated phone number.
- Jobber's pages disagree on the conversation allowance.
Checked against Jobber's help article on 9 November 2026.
7. RingCentral AI Receptionist: AI inside RingCentral
RingCentral's tool answers calls at any hour, routes by name or department, and books by connecting to your calendar system.
Best for: Businesses that want AI answering tied to RingCentral.
Pricing: From $49 a month standalone with 100 minutes, or $39 plus a $30 RingEX Core plan with 100 minutes. Extra minutes are $0.50.
Pros:
- Standalone or add-on license in the US and Canada.
- Names Salesforce, HubSpot and Zoho.
- Lists six languages.
Cons:
- Extra minutes cost $0.50 each, billed in 30-second increments.
- Some integrations are marked "Coming soon."
Checked against RingCentral's AI Receptionist page on 9 November 2026.
How to decide
Start with your billing unit, then confirm booking and transfers on your actual plan. Use our buyer's checklist to run a real test.
Next step
Pick two tools, get written answers on price and limits, and make test calls before a go-live date. For custom builds, see our AI agent development service.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI receptionist for a small business?
There is no single best tool. It depends on your call pattern, the software you already run and what must be booked. This list compares published facts, not test results.
Did you test these products?
No. We checked each vendor's own pages on 9 November 2026. Vendor statements are claims, so confirm what matters with a demo and written answers.
Why isn't eSEOspace on this list?
We sell services in this area, so we did not rank ourselves. The entries are vendors with their own products.
Are these tools safe for medical practices?
Check before using any tool for patient calls. Smith.ai says it cannot handle PHI calls. Get a written BAA position from any vendor you consider.
Can these prices change?
Yes. We read each page on 9 November 2026, so confirm the current figure on the vendor's site before you buy.
Think your company belongs on this list? Ask us to review it. If it meets our quality standard, we will add it.
How companies are reviewed: we also write independent, fact-checked reviews of companies, with strengths and weaknesses, in Company Spotlight.
