Alternatives, checked 10/11/2026
What are the alternatives to Smith.ai?
Smith.ai sells AI call answering on plans at $0, $150 and from $500 a month, and live North America-based agents from $300 a month, all metered per call. The alternatives split into flat-priced AI like Foreman ($495 per location per month, with quote and customer-list follow-up) and other live-answering services like Ruby. Prices below are as listed on 10/11/2026.
How do Smith.ai & Foreman compare?
Smith.ai facts come from smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist & smith.ai/pricing/receptionists as read on 10/11/2026. They are list prices, not quotes.
| Smith.ai | Foreman | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Businesses that want calls answered by AI or by live North America-based agents, on a plan you can start free. | Local businesses that want leads answered, quotes chased & the customer list worked, not only calls answered. |
| AI plans, as listed | Free: $0, 25 calls a month, then $3.00 a call. Pro: $150 a month at $2.00 a call. Enterprise: from $500 a month at $1.67 a call. | One AI operator plan: $495 per location per month. |
| Live-agent plans, as listed | Starter $300 for 30 calls, Basic $810 for 90, Pro $2,100 for 300; overage $11.50, $10.50 & $8.50 a call. 24/7, 30-day money-back guarantee, no setup fees. | No live-agent tier. Sensitive or distressed callers go to your team. |
| How it is metered | Per call. | Flat per location. 150 voice minutes & 2,000 texts included, then $0.25 a minute & $0.03 a text. |
| Booking & text follow-up | AI plans list AI scheduling (Calendly & others). On live plans, booking is $1.50 a call & text & email follow-up $0.50 a call as add-ons. | Books into your real calendar & follows up by text as part of the plan. |
| Multiple locations | Multi-location support is listed on Enterprise. | $395 for each extra location on Operator. |
| Quotes & customer list | Lead qualification & call routing are listed. The pages we read do not describe quote follow-up or customer-list campaigns. | Follows up on every quote & works the dormant list in the owner's voice. |
| Contract | Live plans list a 30-day money-back guarantee. A 6-month enterprise plan with rollover calls is offered. | No contract. Cancel with 30 days notice. |
What does a per-call price come to at your volume?
Worked example on list rates, not a quote. On the Pro plan, 75 calls a month is $150 at $2.00 a call, and the pricing page shows 10% off at 150 calls and 17% off at 300, which works out to roughly $270 and $500 (Enterprise lists $500 a month at $1.67 a call for 300). Past 25 calls on the Free plan each call is $3.00. A live-agent plan at 90 calls is $810 before booking ($1.50 a call) and text follow-up ($0.50 a call). Foreman is $495 per location per month with 150 voice minutes included, so the comparison turns on how many minutes your calls actually use. Pull your last month of calls before you decide.
When should you pick people over AI?
Choose live agents when a caller is likely to be upset, when the call is intake that needs judgment, or when your customers expect a person. Smith.ai lists live agents on every live plan, 24/7. An AI operator is the better fit when most calls are routine (hours, price range, book a slot) and the larger loss is the follow-up nobody does. Many businesses need only one of the two.
Where does Foreman differ?
Foreman answers every lead by text, voice, email and chat in under 60 seconds, follows up on every quote, works the customer list and sends one six-line report each Monday. It is priced per location, not per call, so a busy month does not raise the bill until usage passes the included minutes and texts. The trade-off: no human agents on the line, and a smaller promise on things it was not built for, such as a custom workflow written by Smith.ai's technical team on its Enterprise plan. Foreman's own custom setup is done by us during onboarding.
Questions owners ask
What else do owners ask about Smith.ai alternatives?
What are good alternatives to Smith.ai?
For AI answering at a flat price, Foreman ($495 per location per month) and Goodcall ($79 to $299 a month). For home services, Sameday AI from $449. For live people, Ruby. The right one depends on whether you want calls answered or the whole follow-up job done.
How much does Smith.ai cost?
As listed on 10/11/2026: AI plans at $0 (25 calls), $150 a month (Pro, $2.00 a call) and from $500 a month (Enterprise, $1.67 a call); live-agent plans at $300, $810 and $2,100 a month for 30, 90 and 300 calls. Booking and follow-up are extra on live plans.
Is a per-call price cheaper than a flat price?
Only below a certain volume. On the list rates, Pro at 75 calls a month is $150 ($2.00 a call), and the page shows 10% off at 150 calls and 17% off at 300, so roughly $270 and $500. Foreman is a flat $495 per location while usage stays inside the included minutes and texts. Count your own calls first.
When is a live receptionist better than AI?
When callers are distressed, the call is sensitive intake, or a person's judgment is the product. Smith.ai and Ruby both staff live agents for that. Foreman hands those calls to your team rather than answering them itself.
Does Foreman replace Smith.ai?
It replaces the AI plans for most local businesses and adds quote and list follow-up. It does not replace a live-agent service.
Where do these numbers come from?
- Smith.ai, AI Receptionist plans: Free ($0, 25 calls a month, then $3.00 a call), Pro ($150 a month at $2.00 a call), Enterprise (from $500 a month at $1.67 a call).
- Smith.ai, live receptionist plans: Starter $300 a month (30 calls), Basic $810 (90 calls), Pro $2,100 (300 calls), overage $11.50, $10.50 & $8.50 a call. Appointment booking is listed at $1.50 a call & text & email follow-up at $0.50 a call.
Checked 10/11/2026. Vendor studies are directional, not audited. Where a figure is called an industry estimate, we could not trace it to a primary study. Your own phone log beats every number on this page.