# Smith.ai Alternatives (2026): 10 AI and Human Options Compared

> The best Smith.ai alternative depends on why you're switching. For lower-cost AI answering: Upfirst ($24.95/mo), Dialzara ($29/mo) or Rosie ($49/mo). For flat, unlimited calls: NextPhone ($199/mo). For live humans: Ruby ($250/mo) or Abby Connect ($165/mo). For HIPAA, which Smith.ai says it doesn't support: Ruby, AnswerConnect or Upfirst's Custom plan. Nova by 9th Island AI ($500–$1,000/mo flat) is built and managed for appointment-based businesses.

**Live at:** https://www.9thislandai.com/resources/smith-ai-alternatives

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## Why people compare Smith.ai alternatives

We make Nova, one of the services listed. To keep this fair, every competitor price and claim links to that vendor's own website, and we've noted where Nova is the more expensive choice.

Smith.ai is a well-known option with both AI and live-receptionist plans. The reasons buyers look elsewhere usually come from its published terms: billing is per call ($2.00–$3.00 per call on its AI plans, $11.50 per call over the allowance on live-receptionist plans), appointment booking is a $1.50 add-on on the human plans, and Smith.ai states it is not HIPAA-compliant and cannot handle protected health information.

## The alternatives by reason for switching

Lower cost, AI only: Upfirst ($24.95/mo for 30 calls), Dialzara ($29/mo for 60 minutes) and Rosie ($49/mo for 250 minutes).

Predictable bills at higher volume: NextPhone ($199/mo, unlimited calls) or Nova by 9th Island AI ($500–$1,000/mo flat, no overage).

Live humans: Ruby ($250/mo for 50 minutes), Abby Connect ($165/mo, human, AI or both) and AnswerConnect ($350/mo for 200 minutes, human only).

HIPAA: Ruby offers HIPAA-compliant services, AnswerConnect sells HIPAA as an add-on, Upfirst offers a BAA on its Custom plan, and Abby Connect's HIPAA options cover human answering only. Nova by 9th Island AI is HIPAA-aware with full compliance in progress.

Done for you instead of DIY: Nova by 9th Island AI is configured, tested and tuned monthly for your business; most AI tools here you set up yourself.

## Prices compared

Prices checked 2026-10-11 on each vendor's own pricing page, monthly billing unless noted. "Not stated" means we couldn't find it on the vendor's site.

| Service | Type | Starting price | What's included | Billing | HIPAA | Best for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nova by 9th Island AI | AI, custom-built and managed | $500/mo | $500–$800/mo overflow + after-hours; $1,000/mo full replacement | Flat monthly, no overage fees; setup from $2,500 | HIPAA-aware; full compliance in progress (non-PHI pilots until a BAA is signed) | Appointment-based practices that want it built for them | https://www.9thislandai.com/pricing |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | AI (live-agent backup sold separately) | Free (25 calls) | Free: 25 calls; Pro $150/mo: about 75 calls | Per call: $3.00 after the free 25; $2.00 on Pro | Not HIPAA-compliant (per Smith.ai) | Trying AI answering free first | https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist |
| Smith.ai Virtual Receptionists | Human | $300/mo | 30 calls | Per call, $11.50 per call over | Not HIPAA-compliant (per Smith.ai) | Live human intake for professional services | https://smith.ai/pricing |
| Ruby | Human (AI-assisted tools) | $250/mo | 50 minutes | Per minute | HIPAA-compliant services available (per Ruby) | Personalized live receptionists | https://www.ruby.com/pricing/ |
| Rosie | AI | $49/mo | 250 minutes | Per minute | Not stated on pricing or home page | Simple, low-cost AI answering | https://heyrosie.com/pricing |
| Dialzara | AI | $29/mo | 60 minutes | Per minute, $0.48/min over | Claims HIPAA compliance on its own comparison page | Lowest monthly entry price | https://dialzara.com/pricing |
| NextPhone | AI | $199/mo | Unlimited calls | Flat monthly | Does not sign BAAs (per NextPhone) | Predictable flat-rate answering | https://www.getnextphone.com/pricing |
| Goodcall | AI | $79/mo | 100 unique callers per month | Per unique caller, $0.79 each over | "HIPAA compliant" badge; BAA not stated | Local businesses with repeat callers | https://www.goodcall.com/pricing |
| My AI Front Desk | AI | $99/mo ($79 billed annually) | 200 voice minutes | Per minute via credits (about $0.25/min over) | Conflicting statements across its own sites | All-in-one AI front desk | https://www.myaifrontdesk.com/pricing |
| Upfirst | AI | $24.95/mo | 30 calls | Per call, $1.50 per call over | BAA on Custom plan only | Low call volume, per-call billing | https://upfirst.ai/pricing |
| AnswerConnect | Human only | $350/mo | 200 minutes | Per minute, $2.50/min over | HIPAA compliance as a paid add-on | 24/7 live human answering | https://assets.answerconnect.com/answerconnect/us/pdf/AnswerConnectUS_Pricing.pdf |
| Abby Connect | Human, AI, or both | $165/mo | 50 "Abby Minutes" (an AI minute counts as half) | Per minute | HIPAA options for human answering only | Mixing human and AI answering | https://www.abby.com/pricing/ |

## The Smith.ai alternatives in brief

### Nova by 9th Island AI
- **Type:** AI, custom-built and managed · from $500/mo
- **Best for:** Appointment-based practices that want it built for them
- Configured per business on your services, scheduling rules and tone, rather than self-serve. Books into your calendar, warm-transfers to staff with context, switches between ten languages mid-call, and pairs with Mirror Call for outbound reminders and no-show recovery. 30 days free after go-live. The most expensive AI option here: you're paying for the build and ongoing tuning.
- **Source:** https://www.9thislandai.com/pricing

### Ruby
- **Type:** Human (AI-assisted tools) · from $250/mo
- **Best for:** Personalized live receptionists
- The long-standing human option. Scheduling and outbound call assistance are offered, with no activation or setup fees stated. AI is used for transcripts and call flows, not to answer calls.
- **Source:** https://www.ruby.com/pricing/

### Rosie
- **Type:** AI · from $49/mo
- **Best for:** Simple, low-cost AI answering
- Quick self-serve setup with a 7-day trial. Calendar booking is listed on the Scale plan ($149/mo, 1,000 minutes) and up.
- **Source:** https://heyrosie.com/pricing

### Dialzara
- **Type:** AI · from $29/mo
- **Best for:** Lowest monthly entry price
- No setup fee and a 7-day trial. Books appointments; outbound calling is a separate product starting at $750/mo.
- **Source:** https://dialzara.com/pricing, https://dialzara.com/compare/dialzara-vs-upfirst

### NextPhone
- **Type:** AI · from $199/mo
- **Best for:** Predictable flat-rate answering
- Flat price regardless of call volume, no setup fee, 7-day trial. Books into Google, Outlook, Calendly, Acuity and similar.
- **Source:** https://www.getnextphone.com/pricing, https://www.getnextphone.com/terms

### Goodcall
- **Type:** AI · from $79/mo
- **Best for:** Local businesses with repeat callers
- Billing counts unique callers, not calls or minutes, so repeat callers in a month cost nothing extra. Books to your calendar.
- **Source:** https://www.goodcall.com/pricing, https://www.goodcall.com/

### My AI Front Desk
- **Type:** AI · from $99/mo ($79 billed annually)
- **Best for:** All-in-one AI front desk
- Voice answering bundled with booking and limited outbound calling (20 per day on the entry plan). 7-day trial.
- **Source:** https://www.myaifrontdesk.com/pricing

### Upfirst
- **Type:** AI · from $24.95/mo
- **Best for:** Low call volume, per-call billing
- Cheapest entry price here, 14-day trial, 20% off annually. Books into Google, Outlook, Clio, Acuity, Calendly and Square.
- **Source:** https://upfirst.ai/pricing

### AnswerConnect
- **Type:** Human only · from $350/mo
- **Best for:** 24/7 live human answering
- States it uses no AI agents. Pricing comes from AnswerConnect's own pricing PDF; the web pricing page sits behind a form.
- **Source:** https://assets.answerconnect.com/answerconnect/us/pdf/AnswerConnectUS_Pricing.pdf

### Abby Connect
- **Type:** Human, AI, or both · from $165/mo
- **Best for:** Mixing human and AI answering
- No setup fee, free trial on every plan, and scheduling on every plan. You can route calls to people, AI, or both.
- **Source:** https://www.abby.com/pricing/

## Before you switch

Pull your last three months of call volume and average call length from Smith.ai, then price each alternative at that volume, not at its entry plan.

Ask every vendor to book a real appointment into your actual calendar during the demo, and to show what happens when a caller asks something it can't answer.

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## Frequently Asked

**What is the best alternative to Smith.ai?**
It depends on why you're switching. For lower cost, Upfirst, Dialzara and Rosie start at $24.95–$49/mo. For flat unlimited calls, NextPhone is $199/mo. For live humans, Ruby ($250/mo) and Abby Connect ($165/mo). For a managed AI receptionist with no per-call billing, Nova by 9th Island AI is $500–$1,000/mo flat.

**Is there a cheaper alternative to Smith.ai?**
Yes, at most volumes. Upfirst starts at $24.95/mo for 30 calls, Dialzara at $29/mo for 60 minutes and Rosie at $49/mo for 250 minutes. Smith.ai's own AI plan is free for 25 calls, so at very low volume it is hard to beat; beyond that, its $2.00–$3.00 per call adds up.

**Is Smith.ai HIPAA compliant?**
No. Smith.ai states it is not HIPAA-compliant and cannot handle protected health information. If you need HIPAA, Ruby offers HIPAA-compliant services, AnswerConnect sells HIPAA as an add-on and Upfirst offers a BAA on its Custom plan. Nova by 9th Island AI is HIPAA-aware with full compliance in progress.

**What's the difference between Smith.ai and Ruby?**
Both offer live receptionists. Smith.ai bills per call ($300/mo for 30 calls) and also sells AI-only plans. Ruby bills per minute ($250/mo for 50 minutes), uses AI only for features like transcripts and call flows, and offers HIPAA-compliant services, which Smith.ai does not.

**How does Nova by 9th Island AI compare to Smith.ai?**
Smith.ai's AI plans are self-serve and billed per call, from free (25 calls) to $150/mo (about 75 calls). Nova is built and managed for you at a flat $500–$1,000/mo with no per-call charges, plus setup from $2,500. Nova costs more at low volume; the flat rate matters most when call volume is high or unpredictable.

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## Hear Nova Before You Decide
- **Talk to Nova live:** https://www.9thislandai.com/nova
- **Book a call:** https://www.9thislandai.com/contact