Honest comparisons

Thinking of switching? See how we stack up.

AI receptionists, answering services and business phone apps, compared honestly. Each page shows what the other tool does well, with sources, and where Fast Response fits better.

New · 10 tools pricedBest AI Receptionist for Small Business (2026)10 tools priced for the same 100-call month, with booking and transfers.See the comparison →
Cost of a 100-call monthchecked Oct 2026
Fast Response AI$56 to $72
Goodcall$79+ your phone line
Quo + Sona$82
RingCentral AI$99 + phone plan
Rosie$149+ your phone line
Smith.ai AI~$200 to $225+ your phone line
Ruby (humans)$720
Smith.ai (humans)$915

What's different from forwarding calls to an AI receptionist?

Most AI receptionists just forward the calls you miss to their AI, so they only ever see those. Fast Response is the business line itself, so every call lands in one place.

Forwarding to an AI
Only the calls the AI takes are logged
Calls your team answers on a cell leave no record
Automations only fire on the calls the AI took
Your phone line and their AI dashboard stay separate
Fast Response
AI-answered and team-answered calls and texts in the same inbox
Every call recorded, transcribed, summarized and filed on the contact
Native automations that take action on their own
Ask anything about your data, with Ask Fast Response or our MCP connector for Claude, ChatGPT and other AI assistants
See how every call gets recorded and transcribed →

Every comparison, in one place

16 honest comparisons, grouped by what the tool actually is. Pick the one you're weighing.

Business phone apps

A phone line for your team, but the AI answering is bolted on or missing.
vs RingCentralRingCentral is a full communications suite, and its AI Receptionist is a separate add-on.Compare vs QuoQuo, formerly OpenPhone, is a clean business phone priced per user, with its AI agent Sona billed per call.Compare vs PodiumPodium is a broad platform for reviews, payments, messaging and AI, sold by custom quote.Compare vs NextPhoneNextPhone is a solid AI receptionist with flat, unlimited-call pricing.Compare vs NextivaNextiva is a business phone and contact-center suite. Our roundup prices 8 alternatives side by side.Compare

AI receptionists

AI that answers your phone. Most only ever see the calls you forward to them.
vs GoodcallGoodcall is an AI phone agent priced by unique callers.Compare vs EliseAIEliseAI is an AI leasing platform built for multifamily portfolios, sold by demo.Compare vs PhonelyPhonely builds capable AI voice agents.Compare vs BesideBeside is a capable AI business phone.Compare vs Reception.aifrom ElevenLabsReception.ai, from ElevenLabs, is an AI receptionist built around booking and orders.Compare vs DialzaraDialzara is a solid AI answering service.Compare vs RosieRosie is a well-priced inbound AI answering service.Compare vs My AI Front DeskMy AI Front Desk packs an AI receptionist, CRM and workflows into one plan.Compare vs Avoca AIAvoca is a strong AI front office for larger home-service shops on ServiceTitan.Compare

Human answering services

Live agents who take a message, usually billed per call or per minute.
vs Smith.aiSmith.ai pairs an AI receptionist with its own live agents and bills per call.Compare vs Phone TendersA human answering service built for property managers. See what changes when the AI answers every call and text, and your own team can step in.Compare

Not sure how the numbers shake out? See what an answering service costs →

Stop sending customers to voicemail

Get your AI business line answering calls, texts, and chats in about five minutes.

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