The full picture
Headline numbers across the five most-searched receptionist services for small businesses. Sources: each provider's own public pricing page, March 2026.
| Feature | Clara | Rosie AI | Smith.ai Hybrid | Ruby Human | AnswerConnect Human |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service type | AI receptionist | AI receptionist | Humans + AI assist | Human receptionists | Human receptionists |
| Starting price (US) | $49.99/mo | $49/mo | $293/mo | $235/mo | $279/mo |
| Minute / call caps on base plan | No caps | 250 min/mo | 30 calls/mo | Plan-capped + overage | Plan-capped + overage |
| 24/7 coverage | Always included | Always included | Higher tiers only | Add-on | Most plans |
| Markets served | US · UK · Canada | US only | US-focused | US only | US · UK |
| Setup | ~10 min self-serve | Self-serve from website | Onboarding call | Onboarding call | Onboarding call |
| Free trial | 7 days, no card | 7 days | Limited | Limited | Limited |
| Built for | Tradespeople & field-based SMB | Local service biz | Law firms · agencies | Law · healthcare | Service biz · contractors |
| Contract | Monthly, cancel anytime | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly |
Pricing reflects the cheapest published paid plan in USD as of March 2026. Caps, included features, and trial terms change frequently, so check each provider's pricing page before committing.
Quick answers
What's the cheapest AI receptionist?
Clara and Rosie both start at around $49/month. Clara is $49.99/mo with no minute cap on the base plan; Rosie is $49/mo capped at 250 minutes. Goodcall and similar AI services land in the same $40–$60 range. Human services (Smith.ai, Ruby, AnswerConnect) all start above $230/month.
Which AI receptionist works outside the US?
Clara is the only AI receptionist on this list with native support for the US, UK, and Canada, with locale-aware voices, copy, and number formats. Rosie is US-only. Among human services, AnswerConnect covers the US and UK; Ruby and Smith.ai are US-focused.
AI receptionist vs human receptionist, which is better?
AI is the better fit for high-volume small businesses that need 24/7 coverage at a flat low price, typically $40–$60/month. Human receptionists win on nuanced industries like legal and healthcare where script training and live transfers matter, but pricing starts at $230+/month with per-call or per-minute caps.
Deep dive on each competitor
Compare
Clara vs Ruby Receptionist
Live virtual receptionist service for small businesses. from $235/month.
Compare
Clara vs Smith.ai
Virtual receptionists with AI assist for service businesses. from $293/month.
Compare
Clara vs AnswerConnect
24/7 live receptionist service for small businesses. from $279/month.
Compare
Clara vs Rosie
AI phone answering for local service businesses. from $49/month.
