Cheapest for 40 calls a month of about 3 minutes
- 1.Upfirst Starter, per call $39.95/mo$1 a call
- 2.Smith.ai AI Receptionist Free, per call $45/mo$1.13 a call
- 3.Rosie Professional, per minute $49/mo$1.23 a call
Job and tenant calls tend to be longer than a sales inquiry, so per-minute pricing matters more here. If you already pay for Jobber, its receptionist add-on is $29 a month for 30 conversations. Compare the whole field in the full comparison.
What it costs at 20, 40 and 80 calls a month
We may earn a fee if you sign up with some providers in this table. It never changes the prices we show or what we recommend.
| Service and what it bills per | 20 callsa month | 40 callsa month | 80 callsa month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfirst ↗ AI answers, billed per call Visit Upfirst | $24.95Starter | $39.95Starter | $59.95Premium |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist ↗ AI answers, billed per call Visit Smith.ai AI Receptionist | $0Free | $45Free | $162.50Pro |
| Rosie ↗ AI answers, billed per minute Visit Rosie | $49Professional | $49Professional | $49Professional |
| Dialzara ↗ AI answers, billed per minute Visit Dialzara | $29Business Lite | $57.80Business Lite | $108Business Pro |
| RingCentral AI Receptionist ↗ AI answers, billed per minute Visit RingCentral AI Receptionist | $49Standalone | $59Standalone | $119Standalone |
| Goodcall ↗ AI answers, billed per caller Visit Goodcall | $79Starter | $79Starter | $79Starter |
| My AI Front Desk ↗ AI answers, billed per minute Visit My AI Front Desk | $99Business-in-a-Box | $99Business-in-a-Box | $109Business-in-a-Box |
| Smith.ai ↗ People answer, billed per call Visit Smith.ai | $300Starter | $415Starter | $810Basic |
| Ruby ↗ People answer, billed per minute Visit Ruby | $395100 minutes | $720200 minutes | $1,725500 minutes |
| Jobber AI Receptionist ↗ AI answers, billed per call A paid Jobber plan: the add-on is for "select plans" and is included on the Plus plan; not in the price shown Visit Jobber AI Receptionist | $29Add-on | $36.90Add-on | $68.50Add-on |
Regular monthly prices for an average call of 3 minutes, from each provider's own pricing page (checked Oct 27, 2026; ↗ opens it). The cheapest published plan that covers the volume. Sorted by the cost at 40 calls. Promotions and taxes are not included.
We may earn a fee if you sign up with some providers in this table. It never changes the prices we show or what we recommend.
What each one says it does with a call
For an emergency or an urgent tenant call, the question is whether the service can pass the caller to a person, not only take a message.
| Service | Transfers a live call | Books appointments | Texts the caller |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.ai ↗ | Yes | Extra cost | Extra cost |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist ↗ | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| My AI Front Desk ↗ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Goodcall ↗ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dialzara ↗ | Yes | Not stated | Not stated |
| Rosie ↗ | Some plans | Some plans | Some plans |
| Upfirst ↗ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ruby ↗ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jobber AI Receptionist ↗ | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| RingCentral AI Receptionist ↗ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
From each provider's own pages. "Not stated" means the pages we read do not say, not that the service cannot do it. "Extra cost" means it is billed on top of the plan.
If you use Jobber
Jobber™’s help center says the receptionist is included on the Plus plan with unlimited usage, and can be added to select plans for $29 a month, which includes 30 conversations. Beyond that it charges $0.79 per additional conversation. Jobber counts calls and texts as conversations, and does not count conversations tagged as no conversation or spam. Which plans besides Plus can add it is not stated on the pages we read, so check your plan in Jobber.
Visit JobberWe may earn a fee if you sign up. It never changes the prices we show or what we recommend.
Before you choose
- Count your real calls. The months with storms, freezes or lease turnovers are the ones that cost extra. The calculator on the comparison page lets you try a high month.
- Check what counts. Goodcall counts different phone numbers and never meters minutes. Upfirst says it does not bill calls under 15 seconds. Dialzara, Rosie, My AI Front Desk and RingCentral bill by the minute.
- Test a call yourself. Most offer a trial or a free tier, listed on the pricing page. Call it from your own phone at night before you point your business number at it.
Get told when Jobber AI Receptionist's fees change
Providers change fees with little notice. Alerts start soon, and we'll send nothing else.
Common questions
How much does an answering service cost for a contractor or property manager?
For 40 calls a month of about 3 minutes each, the AI services that publish a full price charge from $39.95 to $99 a month at their regular prices. The people-answered services cost more: Ruby's cheapest plan that covers it is $720 a month and Smith.ai's is $415. A contractor with fewer, longer calls pays more at the services that bill per minute.
Does Jobber have an AI receptionist?
Yes. Jobber's help center says Receptionist is included on the Plus plan with unlimited usage, and can be added to select plans for $29 a month, which includes 30 conversations. Beyond that Jobber charges $0.79 per additional conversation. It is an add-on to a Jobber plan, not a separate service.
What should a property manager ask an answering service?
Ask whether it can transfer an urgent call to your on-call person while the caller is still on the line, what counts as a billable call or minute, whether spam and wrong numbers are free, and what a month with more calls than your plan costs. The services differ on each, and the table above shows what each one says on its own pages.