# 10 Best AI Receptionists in 2026, Ranked

Source: https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist

> The best AI receptionists of 2026 compared on price, metering, channels, booking, and handoff, with every competitor price sourced. Our pick: InsertChat.

Our pick for the best AI receptionist in 2026 is InsertChat. It answers your calls from your own website and documents, books appointments into your calendar, and logs every call in one shared inbox with website chat, email, SMS, and WhatsApp, from $98 a month. Smith.ai suits buyers who want human backup; Goodcall suits voice-only lines.

**Disclosure:** We make InsertChat, and we rank it first. Our case for it uses product facts you can check on our pricing and product pages. Every other pick’s prices, metering, channels, and limits come from that vendor’s own public pages, linked next to each fact with the date we read them. Competitor details last checked on October 13, 2026.

## Our picks at a glance

1. [InsertChat](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist#pick-insertchat): Best overall AI receptionist
2. [Smith.ai](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist#pick-smith-ai): Best for human backup behind the AI
3. [My AI Front Desk](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist#pick-my-ai-front-desk): Best for fixed per-channel allowances
4. [Goodcall](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist#pick-goodcall): Best for long or repeat callers
5. [Rosie](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist#pick-rosie): Best for low-cost minute bundles
6. [Dialzara](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist#pick-dialzara): Best for a cheap phone-first start
7. [Marlie AI](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist#pick-marlie-ai): Best for call transfer on a budget
8. [Upfirst](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist#pick-upfirst): Best for low call volume
9. [RingCentral AI Receptionist](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist#pick-ringcentral): Best for RingEX phone customers
10. [Newo.ai](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist#pick-newo-ai): Best for pay-as-you-go

## Compare the AI receptionists side by side

| Pick | Best for | Starting price | Channels | Checked |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. InsertChat | Best overall AI receptionist | Pro at $98/month, or $81.67/month billed annually, with 5,000 credits, 3 assistants, and 3 seats | Website chat, phone, email, SMS, and WhatsApp in one shared inbox | [Our pricing](https://insertchat.com/pricing) |
| 2. Smith.ai | Best for human backup behind the AI | Free for 25 calls a month; Pro from $150 for 75 calls; Enterprise from $500 for 300 calls | AI call answering; custom SMS branding on Pro | October 13, 2026 ([source](https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist)) |
| 3. My AI Front Desk | Best for fixed per-channel allowances | $99 per month ($79 per month billed annually), with a 7-day free trial | Voice calls, a web voicebot, web chat, two-way SMS, email drafts, website forms, and outbound calls | October 13, 2026 ([source](https://www.myaifrontdesk.com/pricing)) |
| 4. Goodcall | Best for long or repeat callers | $79 a month for 100 unique customers, with a free demo agent before you connect a number | Phone calls, answered by an AI phone agent | October 13, 2026 ([source](https://www.goodcall.com/pricing)) |
| 5. Rosie | Best for low-cost minute bundles | $49 a month for 250 minutes, with a 7-day free trial | Phone calls and a website chat widget on every plan, texts to callers, and website texting as an add-on | October 13, 2026 ([source](https://heyrosie.com/pricing)) |
| 6. Dialzara | Best for a cheap phone-first start | $29 a month for 60 minutes, with a 7-day free trial | Phone calls, an AI SMS agent, and a website chatbot | October 13, 2026 ([source](https://dialzara.com/pricing.md)) |
| 7. Marlie AI | Best for call transfer on a budget | $49 per month for 250 minutes, with a 14-day free trial | Voice, with SMS and email notifications and reports | October 13, 2026 ([source](https://www.marlie.ai/pricing)) |
| 8. Upfirst | Best for low call volume | $24.95 a month for 30 calls ($20 billed annually), with a 14-day free trial | Phone calls, with texts sent during calls and call summaries by text or email | October 13, 2026 ([source](https://upfirst.ai/pricing)) |
| 9. RingCentral AI Receptionist | Best for RingEX phone customers | $39 per month as a RingEX add-on; $49 per month standalone; 14-day free trial on both | Voice calls and texts | October 13, 2026 ([source](https://www.ringcentral.com/pricing/ai-receptionist.html)) |
| 10. Newo.ai | Best for pay-as-you-go | $0 to start with 50 free units, then $1.75 per unit; AI Receptionist $299 for 200 units, then $1.50 per unit | Inbound voice, web chat, and social messaging on every plan; outbound voice on request | October 13, 2026 ([source](https://newo.ai/pricing)) |

Prices are in USD as each vendor lists them. Vendors change plans, so confirm current terms with the linked source before you buy.

## 1. InsertChat

**Best for:** Best overall AI receptionist

InsertChat is the most complete AI receptionist a small business can set up itself. It answers your number from your website pages, documents, and FAQs, books into Google Calendar, Outlook, Calendly, Cal.com, or the built-in calendar, and saves a transcript and AI summary of every call to the shared inbox where website chat, email, SMS, and WhatsApp land too. Pro is $98 a month with 5,000 monthly credits, three AI assistants, and three team seats.

**Why it’s our pick:**

- Answers always, after hours, or only when your team doesn’t pick up within the 5 to 60 seconds you set.
- Books, reschedules, and cancels appointments, automatically or after your team approves, with reminders 72 and 24 hours before.
- One knowledge base and one credit allowance cover calls and written conversations, so a caller who texts later gets the same answers.
- Keep your US or Canadian number by forwarding it, and test everything first with a 7-day free trial with 500 credits.

**Watch out for:**

- It doesn’t transfer live calls. Your phone can ring first for 5 to 60 seconds; after that, the AI answers and flags anyone who needs a person, with the details attached.
- Number porting isn’t offered. In the US and Canada you forward your existing number; elsewhere you answer on an InsertChat local or toll-free number.
- SMS, WhatsApp, and extra phone numbers ($10 a month each) can carry charges beyond the plan.

**Key facts:**

- 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))
- 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))
- 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))
- Channels: Website chat, phone, email, SMS, and WhatsApp in one shared inbox ([details](https://insertchat.com/product/inbox))
- Human handoff: Your own team takes over in the shared inbox with the full conversation, on every plan ([details](https://insertchat.com/product/inbox))
- 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))
- 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))

InsertChat facts come from our [pricing](https://insertchat.com/pricing) and [product](https://insertchat.com/product) pages.

## 2. Smith.ai

**Best for:** Best for human backup behind the AI

Smith.ai prices its AI Receptionist per call and lists human-agent backup, so a person can step in when the AI can’t finish a call. It’s the closest thing on this list to a hybrid receptionist service.

**Pick it if:**

- You want live receptionists to take over transferred calls: Smith.ai routes them to its North America-based team, day or night.
- You want to try AI answering on real calls for free: its Free plan covers 25 calls a month.
- You prefer a per-call bill, and your calls run long enough that per-minute pricing would cost more.

**Watch out for:**

- SMS and email start on its paid Pro plan.
- Per-call pricing charges a 30-second hours question the same as a ten-minute intake.

**Key facts:**

- Entry price: Free for 25 calls a month; Pro from $150 for 75 calls; Enterprise from $500 for 300 calls ([source](https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist))
- Pricing model: Free, Pro, and Enterprise plans priced by calls per month ([source](https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist))
- What is metered: Calls: $1.60 to $2.00 per included call on paid tiers; extra calls cost $3.00 on Free and $2.10 to $2.50 on paid tiers ([source](https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist))
- Channels: AI call answering; custom SMS branding on Pro ([source](https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist))
- Human handoff: Transfers calls to a live North America-based receptionist, day or night ([source](https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist))
- Booking: AI scheduling with Calendly and other calendars, from the Free plan ([source](https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist))
- Notable limits: Every answered call counts, with up to 10% removable as spam; cancelling takes 30 days’ notice ([source](https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist))

Checked on October 13, 2026 from [Smith.ai’s public pricing page](https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist). [Compare InsertChat vs Smith.ai](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/smith-ai).

## 3. My AI Front Desk

**Best for:** Best for fixed per-channel allowances

My AI Front Desk bundles voice minutes, chats, texts, and email drafts into one plan with published overage rates, so it’s easy to see what a month will cost.

**Pick it if:**

- You want AI outbound calls and website forms in the same plan: Business-in-a-Box lists 20 outbound calls a day and 300 form submissions a month.
- You want fixed allowances per channel, with overage rates published in credits.
- You want the built-in CRM and sequence automations on its plan.

**Watch out for:**

- Each channel has its own allowance, so a busy phone line can run into overage while chat allowance sits unused.
- WhatsApp isn’t among its listed channels.

**Key facts:**

- Entry price: $99 per month ($79 per month billed annually), with a 7-day free trial ([source](https://www.myaifrontdesk.com/pricing))
- Pricing model: Business-in-a-Box at $99 per month, or $79 per month billed annually, with per-channel allowances; Partner and Enterprise are custom ([source](https://www.myaifrontdesk.com/pricing))
- What is metered: Per-channel allowances: 200 voice minutes, 100 chatbot conversations, 400 SMS, and 500 email drafts a month; overage draws a 1,000-credit pool at 25 credits per minute and 4 per SMS (1 credit = $0.01) ([source](https://www.myaifrontdesk.com/pricing))
- Channels: Voice calls, a web voicebot, web chat, two-way SMS, email drafts, website forms, and outbound calls ([source](https://www.myaifrontdesk.com/pricing))
- Human handoff: Call transfer is one of its agent actions; Business-in-a-Box includes 2 of each ([source](https://www.myaifrontdesk.com/pricing))
- Booking: Booking and appointments; calendars connect through Zapier ([source](https://www.myaifrontdesk.com/pricing))
- Notable limits: Business-in-a-Box allows 2 editor seats, 3 notification recipients, 20 outbound calls a day, and the last 200 logs ([source](https://www.myaifrontdesk.com/pricing))

Checked on October 13, 2026 from [My AI Front Desk’s public pricing page](https://www.myaifrontdesk.com/pricing). [Compare InsertChat vs My AI Front Desk](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/my-ai-front-desk).

## 4. Goodcall

**Best for:** Best for long or repeat callers

Goodcall meters unique customers instead of minutes, so a caller who rings five times or talks for twenty minutes counts once. Businesses with long consultations get the most from that model.

**Pick it if:**

- The phone is your only channel and you want a dedicated AI phone agent.
- Your calls run long or callers ring back often: Goodcall bills each caller once a month and never meters minutes.
- You want calls transferred to the people you choose during the call.

**Watch out for:**

- Voice only: website chat, email, and messaging aren’t included.
- Each agent is priced separately, which adds up across locations.

**Key facts:**

- Entry price: $79 a month for 100 unique customers, with a free demo agent before you connect a number ([source](https://www.goodcall.com/pricing))
- Pricing model: Starter $79, Growth $129, or Scale $299 a month, priced by unique customers; Enterprise is custom ([source](https://www.goodcall.com/pricing))
- What is metered: Unique customers (100, 500, or 2,000 a month), then 79¢, 26¢, or 15¢ each; minutes are not metered ([source](https://www.goodcall.com/pricing))
- Channels: Phone calls, answered by an AI phone agent ([source](https://www.goodcall.com/pricing))
- Human handoff: Transfers calls to the people you choose; transfers do not count toward limits ([source](https://www.goodcall.com/pricing))
- Notable limits: Plans cap workers (5 to 20), external tools (1 to 15), team members (1 to 10), and call history (30 days to unlimited) ([source](https://www.goodcall.com/pricing))

Checked on October 13, 2026 from [Goodcall’s public pricing page](https://www.goodcall.com/pricing). [Compare InsertChat vs Goodcall](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/goodcall).

## 5. Rosie

**Best for:** Best for low-cost minute bundles

Rosie sells phone answering in prepaid minute bundles with a low entry price and large top tiers, which suits owner-operators whose main problem is unanswered calls.

**Pick it if:**

- You want warm or live call transfers to your team: Rosie lists both from its $149 Scale plan.
- Phone is your main channel and you want a $49 entry price for 250 minutes.
- You want native iOS and Android apps, which Rosie lists on every plan.

**Watch out for:**

- Web chat is an add-on billed per conversation.
- Its pricing page lists no overage rate, so ask what happens when a bundle runs out.

**Key facts:**

- Entry price: $49 a month for 250 minutes, with a 7-day free trial ([source](https://heyrosie.com/pricing))
- Pricing model: Professional $49, Scale $149, or Growth $299 a month by included minutes; annual billing gives 2 months free ([source](https://heyrosie.com/pricing))
- What is metered: Call minutes (250, 1,000, or 2,000 a month); the website texting add-on counts conversations ([source](https://heyrosie.com/pricing))
- Channels: Phone calls and a website chat widget on every plan, texts to callers, and website texting as an add-on ([source](https://heyrosie.com/pricing))
- Human handoff: Warm and live call transfers from Scale; waterfall transfers on Growth ([source](https://heyrosie.com/pricing))
- Booking: Texts appointment links on Professional; books directly on your calendar from Scale ([source](https://heyrosie.com/pricing))
- Notable limits: No minute overage rate is listed; website texting is $50 for 25 conversations, then $1 each ([source](https://heyrosie.com/pricing))

Checked on October 13, 2026 from [Rosie’s public pricing page](https://heyrosie.com/pricing). [Compare InsertChat vs Rosie](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/rosie).

## 6. Dialzara

**Best for:** Best for a cheap phone-first start

Dialzara’s smallest minute plan is among the lowest entry prices we found, and voice, SMS, and web chat share one knowledge base.

**Pick it if:**

- You get few calls and want a $29 entry price for 60 minutes.
- You want published per-minute overage, from $0.48 down to $0.35.
- You want AI outbound calling, which Dialzara sells from $750 a month.

**Watch out for:**

- SMS is a paid add-on with a per-message fee.
- Email and WhatsApp aren’t among its channels.

**Key facts:**

- Entry price: $29 a month for 60 minutes, with a 7-day free trial ([source](https://dialzara.com/pricing.md))
- Pricing model: Business Lite $29, Pro $99, Plus $199, or Elite $349 a month by included minutes ([source](https://dialzara.com/pricing.md))
- What is metered: Call minutes (60 to 1,000 a month), with overage from $0.48 down to $0.35 per minute; AI texts at $0.05 each ([source](https://dialzara.com/pricing.md))
- Channels: Phone calls, an AI SMS agent, and a website chatbot ([source](https://dialzara.com/pricing.md))
- Booking: Appointment booking with CRM and calendar integration, including in-chat booking ([source](https://dialzara.com/pricing.md))
- Notable limits: With a voice plan, the chatbot is free for 100 sessions a month, then $0.15 each; SMS carrier fees pass through at $0.0083 per segment ([source](https://dialzara.com/pricing.md))

Checked on October 13, 2026 from [Dialzara’s public pricing page](https://dialzara.com/pricing.md). [Compare InsertChat vs Dialzara](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/dialzara).

## 7. Marlie AI

**Best for:** Best for call transfer on a budget

Marlie AI adds call transfer from its second tier and lowers its per-minute overage as plans grow, which suits busy phone lines that still need a person on some calls.

**Pick it if:**

- Phone is your only channel and you want a low entry price: $49 for 250 minutes.
- You want calls transferred to your team, which Marlie AI includes from Standard at $99.
- You handle high call volume and want overage that falls to $0.25 per minute on Premium.

**Watch out for:**

- Document uploads and a knowledge base start on its higher tiers.
- Voice only; SMS and email carry notifications and reports.

**Key facts:**

- Entry price: $49 per month for 250 minutes, with a 14-day free trial ([source](https://www.marlie.ai/pricing))
- Pricing model: Basic $49, Standard $99, Pro $199, and Premium $399 per month by included minutes; Enterprise is custom ([source](https://www.marlie.ai/pricing))
- What is metered: Minutes: 250 to 2,000 included, then $0.35 down to $0.25 per minute ([source](https://www.marlie.ai/pricing))
- Channels: Voice, with SMS and email notifications and reports ([source](https://www.marlie.ai/pricing))
- Human handoff: Call transfer to one number on Standard; to multiple people and departments from Pro ([source](https://www.marlie.ai/pricing))
- Booking: Calendar sync, availability checks, and rescheduling from Standard; cancellations from Pro ([source](https://www.marlie.ai/pricing))
- Notable limits: Basic has no call transfer and one action per call; document uploads start at $199 ([source](https://www.marlie.ai/pricing))

Checked on October 13, 2026 from [Marlie AI’s public pricing page](https://www.marlie.ai/pricing). [Compare InsertChat vs Marlie AI](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/marlie-ai).

## 8. Upfirst

**Best for:** Best for low call volume

Upfirst sells calls in small bundles, so a business that gets a handful of calls a week pays for little more than that.

**Pick it if:**

- You get few calls and want a $24.95 entry price for 30 calls.
- You want live, warm call transfers, which Upfirst lists on every plan.
- You need a BAA and can use Upfirst’s Custom plan, where it is offered.

**Watch out for:**

- Voice only, with texting during calls.
- A BAA is offered only on its Custom plan.

**Key facts:**

- Entry price: $24.95 a month for 30 calls ($20 billed annually), with a 14-day free trial ([source](https://upfirst.ai/pricing))
- Pricing model: Starter, Premium, Pro, and Scale plans by included calls; annual billing saves 20% ([source](https://upfirst.ai/pricing))
- What is metered: Calls (30 to 600 a month), with extra calls from $1.50 down to $0.70; spam and calls under 15 seconds are not billed ([source](https://upfirst.ai/pricing))
- Channels: Phone calls, with texts sent during calls and call summaries by text or email ([source](https://upfirst.ai/pricing))
- Human handoff: Live, warm call transfers to you or your team on every plan ([source](https://upfirst.ai/pricing))
- Booking: Books into Google, Outlook, Clio, Acuity, Calendly, Square, and more ([source](https://upfirst.ai/pricing))
- Notable limits: Each additional AI agent is $9.95 a month; a BAA is offered only on the Custom plan ([source](https://upfirst.ai/pricing))

Checked on October 13, 2026 from [Upfirst’s public pricing page](https://upfirst.ai/pricing). [Compare InsertChat vs Upfirst](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/upfirst).

## 9. RingCentral AI Receptionist

**Best for:** Best for RingEX phone customers

RingCentral’s AI Receptionist adds AI answering to a RingCentral phone system, with routing and transfers that keep the call’s context.

**Pick it if:**

- You already use RingEX and want AI answering added to it for $39 a month.
- You want callers routed by name, location, or keyword to people in your phone system.
- You prefer per-minute billing in 30-second increments, with a 14-day free trial.

**Watch out for:**

- Minutes beyond the included allowance are billed per minute.
- Website chat, email, and WhatsApp aren’t part of it.

**Key facts:**

- Entry price: $39 per month as a RingEX add-on; $49 per month standalone; 14-day free trial on both ([source](https://www.ringcentral.com/pricing/ai-receptionist.html))
- Pricing model: $49 per month standalone, or $39 per month as a RingEX add-on, each with 100 minutes included ([source](https://www.ringcentral.com/pricing/ai-receptionist.html))
- What is metered: Minutes: after the included 100, $0.50 per minute, billed in 30-second increments ([source](https://www.ringcentral.com/pricing/ai-receptionist.html))
- Channels: Voice calls and texts ([source](https://www.ringcentral.com/pricing/ai-receptionist.html))
- Human handoff: Routes calls by name, location, or keyword, and passes complex requests to a team member with context ([source](https://www.ringcentral.com/pricing/ai-receptionist.html))
- Booking: Schedules or reschedules appointments through a connected calendar ([source](https://www.ringcentral.com/pricing/ai-receptionist.html))
- Notable limits: Usage past the included 100 minutes is billed at $0.50 per minute; extra minute bundles are sold separately ([source](https://www.ringcentral.com/pricing/ai-receptionist.html))

Checked on October 13, 2026 from [RingCentral AI Receptionist’s public pricing page](https://www.ringcentral.com/pricing/ai-receptionist.html). [Compare InsertChat vs RingCentral AI Receptionist](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/ringcentral).

## 10. Newo.ai

**Best for:** Best for pay-as-you-go

Newo.ai lets you start without a monthly fee and bills calls and texts from one pool of units, which suits seasonal or unpredictable call volume.

**Pick it if:**

- You want to start without a monthly fee: Pay As You Go includes 50 free units once, then $1.75 per unit.
- Most of your calls are short: one unit covers a call of 30 seconds to 3 minutes, and spam and immediate hang-ups cost nothing.
- You want social messaging handled by the same agent, which Newo lists on every plan.

**Watch out for:**

- Each plan covers one agent at one location.
- Calls longer than three minutes bill in 3-minute increments.

**Key facts:**

- Entry price: $0 to start with 50 free units, then $1.75 per unit; AI Receptionist $299 for 200 units, then $1.50 per unit ([source](https://newo.ai/pricing))
- Pricing model: Pay As You Go from $0, AI Receptionist at $299 per month, and custom Enterprise ([source](https://newo.ai/pricing))
- What is metered: Units shared by voice and text: 1 unit per call of 30 seconds to 3 minutes, longer calls in 3-minute increments, 0.5 units per 15 agent messages ([source](https://newo.ai/pricing))
- Channels: Inbound voice, web chat, and social messaging on every plan; outbound voice on request ([source](https://newo.ai/pricing))
- Booking: Books and updates records in connected tools such as Calendly, Square, Housecall Pro, ServiceM8, Open Dental, and Dentrix ([source](https://newo.ai/))
- Notable limits: One agent at one location per plan; unused units don’t roll over; white label is Enterprise-only ([source](https://newo.ai/pricing))

Checked on October 13, 2026 from [Newo.ai’s public pricing page](https://newo.ai/pricing). [Compare InsertChat vs Newo.ai](https://insertchat.com/alternatives/newo-ai).

## How we evaluated

We read the pages that rank for “best ai receptionist”, kept the products a small business can actually buy, and read each vendor’s own pricing and product pages, most recently on October 13, 2026. We don’t give star ratings or scores, and we didn’t buy every plan: these are documented facts, not hands-on test results. Anything a vendor doesn’t publish is left out rather than guessed. InsertChat is first because we build it for this job; the others are ordered by how well they fit the buyer this page is for.

- **Answers from your knowledge.** Can it answer pricing, hours, and service questions from your website and documents, or does it only take messages?
- **Books appointments.** Which calendars it writes to, whether it reschedules and cancels, and whether your team can approve bookings first.
- **Reaches a person.** How a caller gets to your team: a live transfer, a callback, or a flagged conversation with the full transcript.
- **Covers more than calls.** Whether website chat, texts, email, and WhatsApp share the same answers, or need separate tools.
- **Publishes its price.** Whether pricing is public, and what is metered: minutes, calls, callers, units, or credits.
- **Keeps your number.** Whether you can forward your existing number and set everything up without a sales call.

## How to choose an AI receptionist

Start with your calls, not the feature list. Pull two weeks of call logs and note how many calls came in, how long they lasted, how many arrived after hours, and what callers wanted. Those four numbers tell you which pricing model is cheapest and which features you’ll use.

### Match the pricing model to your calls

Per-minute plans favor short calls; per-call and per-caller plans favor long ones. Credit plans such as InsertChat’s share one allowance across calls and written conversations. Check the rounding too: InsertChat rounds each call up to a whole minute, RingCentral bills in 30-second increments, and Newo.ai bills longer calls in 3-minute steps.

### Test it on your real questions

Give every trial the ten questions your callers ask most, plus two it shouldn’t answer. A good AI receptionist answers from your information, takes a clean message when it can’t, and never invents a price. Call at night and on a weekend, the way customers do.

### Decide how a caller reaches a person

Some products transfer live calls; others flag the call for a fast callback. If live transfer matters, confirm which plan includes it. If you’d rather keep the context, look for a transcript and summary your team can act on, which InsertChat saves for every call.

### Check how deep booking goes

Ask which calendar it writes to, whether it can reschedule and cancel, how it handles buffers and appointment lengths, and whether your team can approve a booking first. InsertChat supports all of that, plus reminders 72 and 24 hours before the appointment.

### Count every channel your customers use

Callers text back, email photos, and message on WhatsApp. A receptionist that only answers the phone leaves those conversations to you; one front desk for every channel keeps the answers consistent.

### Plan the number switch

Forwarding keeps your number with your phone provider; porting moves it. InsertChat uses forwarding in the US and Canada, and you can start with after-hours or unanswered calls before forwarding everything. The call forwarding guides list the steps for each carrier.

## What is the best AI receptionist for a small business?

We rank InsertChat first, and we make it: it answers calls from your own knowledge, books appointments, and puts every call in one shared inbox with website chat, email, SMS, and WhatsApp, from $98 a month. Smith.ai fits buyers who want human-agent backup, and Goodcall fits voice-only lines with long calls.

## How much does an AI receptionist cost?

It depends on what the vendor meters. This list includes minute bundles (Rosie, Dialzara, Marlie AI), call bundles (Upfirst, Smith.ai), per-caller pricing (Goodcall), units (Newo.ai), and InsertChat’s credit allowance. InsertChat Pro is $98 a month with 5,000 monthly credits, and each pick above shows its sourced entry price.

## Can an AI receptionist transfer calls to my phone?

Some can: RingCentral lists routing and transfers with context, and Marlie AI includes call transfer from its Standard plan. InsertChat doesn’t transfer live calls. Your phone can ring first for 5 to 60 seconds, and when the AI answers, it flags anyone who needs a person and confirms a callback by text or email.

## Can I keep my business number with an AI receptionist?

Usually, by forwarding. With InsertChat, US and Canadian businesses forward their existing number for every call, missed calls, or after-hours calls; elsewhere you answer on a local or toll-free InsertChat number. Porting isn’t offered. Check each vendor’s number options before you switch.

## How do I test an AI receptionist before switching?

Start a trial, add your website and FAQs, and place test calls with your most common questions. With InsertChat, the 7-day free trial with 500 credits lets you forward only after-hours or unanswered calls first, then compare the transcripts with how your team handles the same calls.

## Keep researching

- [AI receptionist](https://insertchat.com/product/phone): How InsertChat answers calls, books appointments, and logs every call.
- [After-hours answering](https://insertchat.com/product/after-hours): Answer only when you’re closed or busy, on your own schedule.
- [Scheduling](https://insertchat.com/product/scheduling): Booking into Google Calendar, Outlook, Calendly, Cal.com, or the built-in calendar.
- [Pricing](https://insertchat.com/pricing): Plans, credits, and a usage estimate for your call volume.
- [AI receptionist cost guide](https://insertchat.com/blog/ai-receptionist-cost): Per-minute, per-call, and flat pricing explained with examples.
- [Keep your number](https://insertchat.com/call-forwarding): Carrier steps to forward your existing number to InsertChat.

## More buyer’s guides

- [The 10 best AI answering services in 2026](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-answering-service)
- [The 10 best virtual receptionist services in 2026](https://insertchat.com/best/best-virtual-receptionist-services)
- [The 8 best answering services for small businesses in 2026](https://insertchat.com/best/best-answering-service-for-small-business)
- [The 8 best after-hours answering services in 2026](https://insertchat.com/best/best-after-hours-answering-service)
- [The 9 best AI phone agents for businesses in 2026](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-phone-agent)
- [The 9 best AI receptionists for home service businesses in 2026](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist-for-home-services)
- [The 9 best AI receptionists for law firms in 2026](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist-for-law-firms)
- [The 9 best AI receptionists for medical practices in 2026](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist-for-medical-practices)
- [The 9 best AI receptionists for real estate in 2026](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-receptionist-for-real-estate)
- [The 10 best AI chatbots for small businesses in 2026](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-chatbot-for-small-business)
- [The 9 best AI customer service tools for small businesses in 2026](https://insertchat.com/best/best-ai-customer-service-software-for-small-business)