Smith.ai is an AI phone receptionist backed by a network of live receptionists in North America who can take calls the AI should not handle. It is worth it when a mishandled call is costly, and its free plan of 25 real calls a month is the best way to try an AI receptionist at no cost. Per call pricing makes it more expensive than most rivals at volume.
What Smith.ai is
Smith.ai answers your business phone with AI, around the clock, including weekends and holidays Smith.ai ↗. It qualifies and screens callers using criteria you set, books appointments, routes callers to the right person with context, and sends a structured summary after each call Smith.ai ↗. Every call is recorded and transcribed, and callers are told they are speaking with AI Smith.ai ↗.
Its difference is people. Smith.ai runs a Live Agent Network of more than 500 receptionists based in North America Smith.ai ↗. You can choose which calls go to humans, and the AI can hand a call to a live receptionist at any time Smith.ai pricing ↗ Smith.ai ↗.
The AI speaks English and Spanish Smith.ai ↗. Smith.ai says it has handled more than 25 million calls over 10 years and serves more than 5,000 businesses, including law firms, home services, contractors, insurance and medical and wellness practices Smith.ai ↗.
What it does well
The free plan is real. It covers 25 real calls a month, plus 25 test calls and 50 simulated calls so you can tune the script before customers hear it Smith.ai pricing ↗. Known spam from more than 20 million numbers is filtered before the AI answers and does not count toward your quota Smith.ai pricing ↗.
Human backup protects important calls. A law office taking a new client or a clinic with a confused patient can get a person on the line instead of a dead end Smith.ai ↗. If the AI escalates a call on its own, Smith.ai says there is no fee Smith.ai ↗.
It has good tools for checking quality. Quality Studio lets you run simulated scenarios and review transcripts before going live, and an AI Quality Index scores how well the AI follows your call standards Smith.ai ↗.
It connects to common business tools. Smith.ai names Salesforce, HubSpot, Clio Grow, Clio Manage, Calendly and Zapier, and claims more than 5,000 apps through Zapier and Make Smith.ai ↗. It has the largest body of user reviews among our receptionist picks: 4.4 out of 5 from 374 reviews on Trustpilot Trustpilot ↗.
Where it falls short
It costs more per call than most rivals. The Pro plan is $150 a month for 75 calls, or $2.00 a call, and extra calls cost $2.50 each Smith.ai pricing ↗. A business with heavy call volume will pay far more than with minute based tools.
Live agents are not free. Smith.ai lists live agents as a per call add on on every plan, and using them to verify information or schedule costs extra Smith.ai ↗. The pricing page does not state the add on price Smith.ai pricing ↗.
It does not name industry booking systems. Scheduling runs through Calendly and similar tools, with no named links to salon, med spa or field service platforms Smith.ai pricing ↗ Smith.ai ↗. The AI receptionist pages do not list HIPAA compliance or a business associate agreement, so medical practices should not let it collect health details without one Smith.ai pricing ↗ Smith.ai ↗.
Some users are unhappy. Trustpilot reviewers mention calls handled poorly and one describes a $2,500 upfront six month contract they could not get refunded Trustpilot ↗. The current AI plans are month to month, but read any contract before you sign Smith.ai pricing ↗. Hands on testing is in progress; we will update this review with results.
Pricing and plans
Free: $0 for 25 real calls, 25 test calls and 50 simulated calls a month, with 24/7 answering, recordings, transcripts, summaries, lead qualification, AI scheduling and integrations. Extra calls cost $3.00 each Smith.ai pricing ↗.
Pro: $150 a month for 75 calls, with options for 150 or 300 calls at lower per call rates. Overage runs from $2.50 down to $2.17 a call. Pro adds dedicated onboarding, an account manager, live phone, email and chat support and custom SMS branding Smith.ai pricing ↗.
Enterprise: from $500 a month for 300 calls, with 500 or 1,000 plus call options. It adds full service setup, custom AI prompting, custom integrations, multi location support and priority support Smith.ai pricing ↗.
Plans are month to month with 30 days' notice to cancel Smith.ai pricing ↗.
Who should (and shouldn't) use it
- Good fit: law firms, clinics and other businesses where a botched call costs real money Smith.ai ↗.
- Good fit: solo owners who miss only a few calls a week and can live within 25 free calls Smith.ai pricing ↗.
- Skip it if: you get many short calls, where per minute plans cost less Rosie pricing ↗.
- Skip it if: you need bookings to land directly in a salon, med spa or field service platform Smith.ai pricing ↗ Boulevard ↗.
- Skip it if: the AI must handle patient health details without a signed BAA Smith.ai pricing ↗.
Alternatives worth a look
- Upfirst: our top pick for most small businesses, with Starter at $24.95 a month for 30 calls Upfirst pricing ↗.
- Rosie: bills by minutes, with 250 minutes for $49 a month Rosie pricing ↗.
- My AI Front Desk: $99 a month with voice minutes, texting, a website chatbot and a CRM My AI Front Desk pricing ↗.
- Boulevard AI Receptionist: our pick for med spas, built into the Boulevard booking system Boulevard ↗.
Where it appears
Best free optionThe Best AI Answering Service for Home Service BusinessesBest free optionThe Best AI Booking Assistant for SalonsComparedThe Best AI Receptionist for Dental OfficesBest free optionThe Best AI Receptionist for Med SpasUpgrade pickThe Best AI Receptionist for Small BusinessesBudget pickThe Best AI Tools for Insurance AgentsWhat’s good
- Live human backup
- Free plan with 25 calls
- Many user reviews
What to know
- High cost per call on paid plans
- User complaints about longer contracts and AI handling
Key features
- 24/7 AI call answering with recordings, transcripts and summaries
- Lead qualification and call routing
- AI scheduling through Calendly and other tools
- Transfer to live receptionists
- English and Spanish
- Analytics and call history
Works with
Questions people ask
Is Smith.ai free?
Yes. The free plan covers 25 real calls a month, plus test and simulated calls, with extra calls at $3.00 each Smith.ai pricing ↗.
How much does Smith.ai cost?
Pro is $150 a month for 75 calls and Enterprise starts at $500 for 300 calls Smith.ai pricing ↗.
Does Smith.ai use real people?
Yes. More than 500 North America based receptionists can take calls, as a per call add on Smith.ai ↗.
Is Smith.ai worth it?
When a missed or mishandled call is costly, yes. It scores 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot, though it costs more per call than most rivals Smith.ai pricing ↗ Trustpilot ↗.
Where this comes from
Checked Oct 9, 2026. Vendor pages describe their own products; independent sources add outside views. Hands on testing is in progress.
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