# PATLive Alternatives & Pricing vs InsertChat Source: https://insertchat.com/alternatives/patlive > Human-only US receptionists around the clock, from $49 pay-as-you-go, with live chat and outbound calls as separate plans. InsertChat is a PATLive alternative for businesses that want AI to answer calls and messages on one plan. PATLive says it does not use AI: people answer 24/7, from $49 a month plus $2.99 per minute, or $349 for 200 minutes. InsertChat covers calls, website chat, email, SMS, and WhatsApp from $98 per month, with your team taking over. Competitor details checked on October 13, 2026 from [PATLive’s public pricing page](https://www.patlive.com/pricing/). Prices are in USD as listed; vendors change plans, so confirm current terms with each linked source. ## Our verdict on InsertChat vs PATLive ### Choose InsertChat if - You want website chat on the same plan as your calls, instead of a separate chat plan billed per chat. - You want email, SMS, and WhatsApp answered from your knowledge in the same inbox. - You want answers drawn from your website pages, documents, and FAQs rather than a script. - You want a fixed monthly price: Pro is $98 per month with 5,000 monthly AI credits shared across channels. ### Stay with PATLive if - You want every call answered by a person: PATLive says it does not use AI to answer calls. - You need calls screened and transferred to your team while the caller waits. - Your volume is low and uneven: pay-as-you-go is $49 a month plus $2.99 a minute. - You want people on live chat and outbound callbacks, sold as their own plans. New customers can try Pro free for 7 days with 500 credits. A card is required at checkout, and the Pro plan starts when the trial ends unless you cancel first. ## InsertChat vs PATLive at a glance | Compared | InsertChat | PATLive | | --- | --- | --- | | Pricing model | Pro, Growth, Scale, and Enterprise plans with monthly AI credits included. Annual billing costs ten monthly payments, paid upfront. ([details](https://insertchat.com/pricing)) | Live call answering plans from $49 pay-as-you-go to $6,899 for 5,000 minutes, with separate live chat and outbound call plans ([source](https://www.patlive.com/pricing/)) | | What is metered | AI credits from one monthly allowance. Use depends on the model, conversation length, knowledge processing, and tools; calls round up to whole minutes. ([details](https://insertchat.com/pricing#channel-costs)) | Minutes receptionists are live on your calls (after-call notes and wrap-up are not charged); extra minutes cost $2.99 down to $1.49 ([source](https://www.patlive.com/pricing/)) | | Channels | Website chat, phone, email, SMS, and WhatsApp in one shared inbox ([details](https://insertchat.com/product/inbox)) | Phone, live web chat staffed by people, and outbound calls; business texting through its free phone system add-on ([source](https://www.patlive.com/pricing/)) | | Human handoff | Your own team takes over in the shared inbox with the full conversation, on every plan ([details](https://insertchat.com/product/inbox)) | Human only: PATLive does not use AI to answer calls; call screening and transfers on every plan ([source](https://www.patlive.com/pricing/)) | | Knowledge sources | Website URLs, documents, questions and answers, audio and video files, and product information (1,000 sources on Pro) ([details](https://insertchat.com/product/knowledge)) | Not verified | | Booking | Books into the built-in calendar, Google Calendar, Outlook, Calendly, or Cal.com, automatically or after your team’s approval ([details](https://insertchat.com/product/scheduling)) | Appointment scheduling on every plan ([source](https://www.patlive.com/pricing/)) | | Entry price | Pro at $98/month, or $81.67/month billed annually, with 5,000 credits, 3 assistants, and 3 seats ([details](https://insertchat.com/pricing)) | $49 per month pay-as-you-go at $2.99 per minute; $99 for 50 minutes ([source](https://www.patlive.com/pricing/)) | | Notable limits | Additional phone numbers, SMS, WhatsApp, and other connected services can carry their own charges; analytics and reports start on Scale ([details](https://insertchat.com/pricing#channel-costs)) | Prices are plus taxes and fees; outbound calls run 8 am to 6 pm ET on weekdays; texting activation is a one-time $50 fee ([source](https://www.patlive.com/pricing/)) | “Not verified” means our check did not confirm this detail. Ask the vendor before deciding. ## Switch from PATLive in a day Keep PATLive answering while you build and test InsertChat. When the answers sound right, point your call forwarding at InsertChat; you can change it back at any time. 1. **Add your knowledge.** Import the website pages, documents, and FAQs your PATLive setup answers from, then test the common questions. 2. **Set the voice and routing.** Pick a voice and greeting, and choose when the AI answers: always, after hours, or when your team doesn’t pick up. 3. **Test, then forward your number.** Place test calls. In the US and Canada, forward your existing number to InsertChat; elsewhere, use an InsertChat number. Porting is not offered. ## How much does PATLive cost? PATLive’s pricing page lists live call answering from $49 a month pay-as-you-go at $2.99 per minute, $99 for 50 minutes, and $349 for 200 minutes, up to $6,899 for 5,000, plus taxes and fees. Live chat and outbound calls are separate plans. InsertChat Pro is $98 per month with 5,000 monthly AI credits for calls and messages. ## Does PATLive offer an AI receptionist? No. PATLive’s pricing page says it does not use AI to answer calls and that real people staff its web chat. InsertChat answers with AI from your business knowledge, and your team takes over in the shared inbox when a customer needs a person. ## Can InsertChat transfer a caller to my phone like a receptionist? Not during the call: InsertChat does not transfer live calls. Your phone can ring first instead. With the “AI when unanswered” setting, calls ring your number for 5 to 60 seconds before the AI receptionist answers. When a caller needs a person, the assistant takes the details, marks the conversation needs-you, and emails your team. ## PATLive compared with other vendors - [Ruby vs PATLive](https://insertchat.com/compare/ruby-vs-patlive): Two human answering services billed by the minute: Ruby from $250 for 50, PATLive from $49 pay-as-you-go. ## Other comparisons - [InsertChat vs Smith.ai](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/smith-ai): AI receptionist billed per call, with a 25-call free plan and live-receptionist backup. - [InsertChat vs My AI Front Desk](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/my-ai-front-desk): AI receptionist with separate voice, chat, SMS, and email allowances on one $99 plan, plus overage credits. - [InsertChat vs Goodcall](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/goodcall): AI phone agent billed by unique callers, not minutes, from $79 a month. - [InsertChat vs Rosie](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/rosie): AI phone answering sold by the minute from $49, with a website chat widget on every plan. - [InsertChat vs Dialzara](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/dialzara): AI receptionist billed by the minute from $29, with an SMS agent and website chatbot on one knowledge base. - [InsertChat vs Upfirst](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/upfirst): AI phone answering sold by the call from $24.95, with warm transfers and calendar booking. - [InsertChat vs RingCentral AI Receptionist](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/ringcentral): AI receptionist for any phone system, $49 standalone or $39 on RingEX, with 100 minutes included. - [InsertChat vs Sophiie](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/sophiie): AI receptionist and office manager for trade businesses, with prices quoted on a demo call. - [InsertChat vs Ruby](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/ruby): Human receptionists and live chat agents, priced by minutes and by chats. - [InsertChat vs Chatbase](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/chatbase): AI agent builder metered by message credits, from $40 a month. - [InsertChat vs Tidio](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/tidio): Customer chat with the Lyro AI agent, priced by human and Lyro conversations. - [InsertChat vs Intercom Fin](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/intercom-fin): AI agent priced at $0.99 per outcome, alongside Intercom’s per-seat plans. - [InsertChat vs AnswerConnect](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/answerconnect): Human receptionists around the clock, billed by whole minutes from $350 for 200, with live chat on Growth and Standard. - [InsertChat vs Abby Connect](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/abby-connect): US-based receptionists with an AI option, priced in Abby Minutes from $165 for 50; AI calls use half the minutes. - [InsertChat vs Nexa](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/nexa): Live virtual receptionists on Nexa 100, 300, and 500 voice-minute plans, with prices given on request. - [InsertChat vs Moneypenny](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/moneypenny): People and AI call answering in the US, with minute plans from $165 and call plans from $69; voicenation.com now redirects here. - [InsertChat vs Davinci Virtual](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/davinci-virtual): Live receptionist plans from $129 for 50 minutes, billed by the second, with scheduling on Premium plans. - [InsertChat vs Posh](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/posh): Live receptionists billed by the minute, from $65 a month with no minutes included to $1,900 for 1,000. - [InsertChat vs MAP Communications](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/map-communications): Answering service with 24/7 coverage on every plan, from $49 pay-as-you-go to $649 for 500 minutes. - [InsertChat vs Vapi](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/vapi): Developer voice AI platform: $0.05 per minute for hosting, plus models and carrier fees at provider cost. - [InsertChat vs Retell AI](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/retell-ai): Pay-as-you-go voice and chat agent platform, from $0.07 to $0.31 per minute depending on the model and voice. - [InsertChat vs Bland AI](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/bland-ai): Voice agent platform with all-in per-minute rates: $0.14 on Start, or $0.12 on Build with a $299 monthly fee. - [InsertChat vs Voiceflow](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/voiceflow): Platform for building voice and chat agents, billed in usage credits, with business pricing on request. - [InsertChat vs ElevenLabs Agents](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/elevenlabs-agents): Voice agent plans with included call minutes, $0.08 per extra minute, and LLM usage billed on top. - [InsertChat vs Slang.ai](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/slang-ai): AI phone assistant for restaurants, priced per location from $399, with OpenTable, SevenRooms, Yelp, and Resy integrations. - [InsertChat vs Trillet](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/trillet): Inbound AI receptionist at $49 for 150 minutes, from a voice platform that also sells white-label plans to agencies. - [InsertChat vs Newo.ai](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/newo-ai): AI receptionist billed in shared voice and text units: pay as you go, or $299 a month for 200 units, one location per plan. - [InsertChat vs Quo Sona](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/quo-sona): AI agent in the Quo (formerly OpenPhone) phone system, billed per call: 10 calls a month included, then monthly credit tiers. - [InsertChat vs Dialpad AI Receptionist](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/dialpad): AI receptionist built on Dialpad AI Agents, priced by conversation from a pool of credits whose price is not published. - [InsertChat vs Nextiva AI Receptionist](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/nextiva): XBert AI receptionist for Nextiva plans: $99 a month for 100 resolutions across calls, texts, and chat, then $0.99 each. - [InsertChat vs Marlie AI](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/marlie-ai): AI answering service in minute plans from $49 for 250 minutes, with call transfer and document knowledge on higher tiers. - [InsertChat vs CallRail Voice Assist](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/callrail): AI voice agent from the CallRail call-tracking platform, from $95 a month plus Lead Tracking, then $1 per extra call. - [InsertChat vs Zendesk](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/zendesk): Helpdesk suite priced per agent, with AI agents billed per automated resolution. - [InsertChat vs Crisp](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/crisp): Customer messaging suite priced per workspace, with AI credits for automated conversations and a free plan. - [InsertChat vs LiveChat](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/livechat): Live chat sold as Text plans per user, with AI Agent resolutions included; ChatBot.com lists the same plans. - [InsertChat vs Freshchat](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/freshchat): Messaging helpdesk priced per agent, with Freddy AI Agent sessions sold in packs of 100. - [InsertChat vs Botpress](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/botpress): AI agent platform priced by conversations, with a free plan and AI usage included per conversation. - [InsertChat vs CustomGPT.ai](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/customgpt): Knowledge-based AI agent builder priced by monthly queries, with 10 agents on its entry plan. - [InsertChat vs SiteGPT](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/sitegpt): Website AI chatbot priced by plan and message volume, with WhatsApp and branding removal as add-ons. - [InsertChat vs Chatling](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/chatling): AI chatbot builder priced by monthly AI credits, with a free plan and branding removal on its top plan. - [InsertChat vs Gorgias](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/gorgias): Ecommerce helpdesk priced by monthly tickets, with an AI Agent billed per automated interaction.