Comparison · 2026 · Written by HelloZay
The best AI receptionists for small business in 2026, compared
For most small service businesses, the best AI receptionist is the one whose limit you won't hit. Compared here: HelloZay ($59/mo, unlimited minutes), Rosie ($49/mo, 250 minutes), Goodcall ($79/mo per agent, 100 customers), My AI Front Desk ($99/mo, 200 minutes) and Smith.ai ($300/mo, 30 calls).
What each one costs is taken from their own published pricing pages and dated. Where a company doesn’t publish a figure, this page says so instead of guessing.
Published pricing, side by side
| Service | Entry price | Free trial | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|
| RosieBest for: The lowest entry price, if your calls stay under 250 minutes a month | $49 / moProfessional | 7 days | 250 minutes per month |
| HelloZayBest for: Owners who still answer their own phone and want every missed call caught, with no minute limit | $59 / moSingle line, plus tax | 14 days | Unlimited minutes. Answer calls yourself or let HelloZay take them. 24/7 answering, instant text call summaries, lead capture, custom business greeting |
| GoodcallBest for: Businesses that want unlimited minutes across several agents or team members | $79 / moStarter, per agent · $66 billed annually | Not stated | Unlimited minutes, 100 unique customers per month, then $0.50 each |
| My AI Front DeskBest for: Businesses that want voice, chat, SMS and a CRM in one plan | $99 / moBusiness-in-a-Box · $79 billed annually | 7 days | 200 voice minutes per month. The $20 plan is chat and SMS only, no voice |
| Smith.aiBest for: Businesses that want the option of human receptionists | $300 / moStarter | None — 30-day money-back guarantee | 30 calls per month, then $11.50 per extra call |
Scroll the table sideways on a phone. Prices as published on each company’s own pricing page, checked September 2026.
What the numbers actually mean
The prices above aren’t measuring the same thing, and that’s the part worth understanding before you choose.
- Per-minute plans — Rosie gives you 250 minutes for $49. If your calls run long, or you get a busy week, minutes are the thing that runs out.
- Per-call plans — Smith.ai’s Starter is 30 calls for $300, then $11.50 for each one after. That works out to $10 a call before you go over.
- Per-agent plans — Goodcall bills $79 per agent and doesn’t meter minutes, but caps unique customers at 100 a month on Starter.
So the honest question isn’t “which is cheapest” — it’s which limit you’ll hit first. A shop taking 40 calls a month has already blown past Smith.ai’s Starter plan.
HelloZay doesn’t meter minutes. At $59 a month it answers every call, however many come in and however long they run, so there’s no allowance to watch and no overage to be surprised by.
Why Smith.ai costs so much more
Smith.ai prices its AI and its human receptionists identically — the same Starter plan at $300 for 30 calls either way. If you specifically want people answering your phone, that’s what it costs. If what you need is every call picked up and the details captured, you’re paying human-service rates for it.
Where HelloZay fits
HelloZay is $59 a month for one business line. It answers around the clock, captures the caller’s name, number and reason for calling, and texts you a summary of every call so nothing depends on you checking a dashboard.
It’s built for the business where the phone is the front door and the owner is on a job, on a ladder, or with a customer — not for a call centre. There’s a live demo you can talk to before deciding, which most of the services above don’t offer.
You don’t have to hand over the phone. HelloZay isn’t all-or-nothing. Take the calls yourself when you’re free and let HelloZay pick up the ones you can’t — after hours, on a roof, or when you’re already on the other line. It’s a safety net under your own phone, not a replacement for it.
What it isn’t: HelloZay answers the phone. It isn’t a CRM, it doesn’t run marketing campaigns, and it doesn’t staff a team of human receptionists. If you need those, one of the larger platforms above will suit you better.
Common questions
What is the best AI receptionist for a small business?
It depends on which limit you'd hit first. For a service business where the owner still answers the phone and wants every missed call caught, HelloZay at $59 a month with unlimited minutes is built for that. For very low call volume, Rosie's $49 plan is cheaper; if you want human receptionists as an option, Smith.ai offers them.
Which is cheapest?
On the headline number, Rosie at $49 is lowest and HelloZay is next at $59. But Rosie's $49 buys 250 minutes; HelloZay's $59 isn't metered. If your calls run past about four hours a month, the $59 plan is the cheaper one.
Is there really no minute limit?
Correct — the single-line plan is $59 a month with unlimited minutes. Every other service on this page meters something: minutes, calls, or unique customers.
Can I hear it before I buy?
Yes. You can talk to HelloZay live from your browser, or have it call you.
Do I have to let it answer everything?
No. You can answer calls yourself and leave HelloZay to catch the ones you miss. Most owners use it that way — they pick up when they can, and HelloZay covers after hours, busy signals and the calls that come in mid-job.
Do any include human receptionists?
Smith.ai does, at the same price as its AI plans. The rest, HelloZay included, are AI answering services.
Sources
Operated by DAS LLC.