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Choose Goodcall if repeat callers are common, Dialzara if calls are short and predictable, and Smith.ai if you want the option of live agents. All three publish entry-level plans, and each counts usage differently.
That billing difference matters more than the headline price. Every detail below was checked against each vendor's documentation on 9 November 2026 and can change.
This article is part of our AI Front Desk guide. It is general information, not legal or medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Goodcall bills per unique customer each month, Dialzara bills minutes and Smith.ai bills calls.
- Goodcall starts at $79 a month, Dialzara at $29 and Smith.ai at $0 for 25 calls.
- Dialzara names warm and blind transfers on its Business Elite plan, so check lower plans.
- Smith.ai says it is not HIPAA-compliant and cannot handle calls involving PHI.
- Goodcall's home page says "HIPAA compliant" with no explanation, so ask about a BAA.
The plans
| Vendor | Unit | Plans | Over the limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goodcall | Unique customers | $79 for 100; $129 for 500; $299 for 2,000 | 79¢, 26¢ or 15¢ per customer |
| Dialzara | Minutes | $29 for 60; $99 for 220; $199 for 500; $349 for 1,000 | $0.48 down to $0.35 per minute |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | Calls | $0 for 25; Pro from $150 for 75; Enterprise from $500 for 300 | $3.00 down to $2.10 per call |
Sources: Goodcall pricing, Dialzara pricing and Smith.ai AI pricing. Dialzara's Done for You plan starts at $1,500 or more a month and is quoted individually.
How each counts usage
Goodcall's page defines a customer as one phone number once a month. It says "We never meter minutes." Repeat callers in the same month count once, and it says spam and wrong numbers do not count.
Dialzara counts minutes against your plan, then charges an overage rate. Smith.ai says "Every call answered by your AI Receptionist counts toward your call quota by default." Smith.ai's AI Receptionist page says overages are off by default, so ask what happens when you reach your limit.
Transfers and live help
Goodcall's home page says "Transfers go to the right person, with a backup if they don't pick up." It says the default is to transfer to your business line, and you can choose other routes.
Dialzara's home page says you can specify transfer numbers and conditions. Its pricing page names blind and warm transfers on Business Elite and Done for You, so check lower plans.
Smith.ai's page says AI calls can be routed to your own team with context. It also offers live North America-based receptionists as a per-call add-on on any plan.
Booking and integrations
Goodcall's home page says it checks your calendar before offering times, and it shows Google Calendar and HighLevel as connected tools. Its pricing page allows 1, 5 or 15 external tools by plan.
Dialzara's scheduling page says Google Calendar is the native integration. It says "Custom calendar integrations (Outlook, Apple Calendar) are available on the Business Plus plan."
Smith.ai's AI Receptionist page says it natively integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot and Clio, plus other apps. Its Free plan lists AI Scheduling with Calendly and more.
HIPAA and BAA
Smith.ai's FAQ says "Smith.ai is not HIPAA-compliant, so we cannot handle calls that involve protected health information (PHI)." It does work with some practices on non-PHI calls.
Goodcall's home page lists "HIPAA compliant" alongside "SOC 2 compliant" without explaining either. Neither its pricing page nor Dialzara's pricing page mentions a BAA. Get any answer in writing before patient information reaches these tools.
A worked example
This is our own arithmetic, not a vendor quote. It assumes 200 calls a month, three minutes each, or 600 minutes.
| Plan | Estimated monthly cost | How we got there |
|---|---|---|
| Goodcall Growth | $129 | Assumes 500 or fewer unique callers |
| Dialzara Business Plus | $239 | $199 for 500 minutes, plus 100 minutes at $0.40 |
| Smith.ai Pro, 150-call tier | About $385 | 150 calls at $1.80, plus 50 at $2.30 |
Your numbers will change with call length and how many callers ring back. Pull a month of real logs before choosing. For the wider market, see our AI receptionist pricing guide.
How to decide
These are our suggestions, not vendor claims.
- Repeat callers: Goodcall's unit favors them, since a repeat caller counts once a month.
- Short, predictable calls: Dialzara's minute bundles are easy to plan around.
- Want a person available: Smith.ai adds live agents on a per-call basis.
Next step
Estimate your unique callers, minutes and calls for one month, then price all three. If you want a custom build instead, see our AI agent development service.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the cheapest AI answering service?
Smith.ai has a free plan for 25 calls, Dialzara starts at $29 and Goodcall at $79, as of 9 November 2026. The cheapest for you depends on your call pattern.
Does Goodcall charge by the minute?
No. Goodcall says "We never meter minutes" and bills by unique customers each month. Extra customers bill at your plan's rate.
Can Dialzara book into Outlook?
Dialzara says Outlook and Apple Calendar are custom integrations on the Business Plus plan. Google Calendar is its native integration.
Can I use Smith.ai for a medical practice?
Only for calls that don't involve protected health information. Smith.ai's FAQ says it is not HIPAA-compliant and cannot handle PHI calls. Ask in writing before you start.
Do these services have a free trial?
Smith.ai has a free plan, Goodcall says you can start free with a demo agent, and Dialzara lists a 7-day free trial. Check each vendor's current terms.
