#1Top pick
AI phone answering for small businesses, from $49/mo
Rosie is an AI answering service that picks up a small business's calls 24/7, answers questions and takes messages. It trains itself from your Google Business profile and website, books appointments on higher plans, and can transfer callers to staff. It works in English and Spanish and includes a website chat widget.
Why it's here
- +Low entry price with minutes included
- +Learns from your website and Google profile
- +English and Spanish
- +iOS and Android apps
Watch out for
- −Calendar booking needs the $149 plan
- −Live transfers not on the cheapest plan
- −Minute caps per plan
#2Free option
AI receptionist with live North America-based receptionists as backup
Smith.ai is an answering service that combines an AI receptionist with human receptionists who can take over calls. The AI answers, qualifies and routes calls, and complex calls can be transferred to a live receptionist at any hour. It connects to CRMs and scheduling tools and is popular with law firms and service businesses.
Why it's here
- +Live receptionists available as backup
- +Free AI plan to start
- +Clio, HubSpot and Salesforce integrations
- +Can take payments via LawPay, Square, PayPal
Watch out for
- −Priced per call, which adds up for busy lines
- −Human plans are much pricier than AI-only rivals
- −Extra CRM integrations cost per call
Free · from $150/moAutonomous
#3Free option
Website live chat with Lyro, an AI agent, and a free plan
Tidio is a live chat and helpdesk tool for small businesses, and Lyro is its AI agent that answers customer questions on your site. The free plan includes 50 Lyro conversations in total, and paid Lyro plans start at $32.50 a month. It is a common pick for small online stores.
Why it's here
- +Free plan with 10 seats
- +Low-cost paid tiers
- +AI and human chat in one inbox
Watch out for
- −Lyro is priced separately from the helpdesk
- −Free Lyro conversations don't refresh
- −Limited for complex workflows
Free · from $24.17/moAutonomous
#4
AI phone agent billed per unique caller, not per minute
Goodcall is an AI phone agent platform that answers business calls, captures leads and handles routine requests. Billing counts unique customers per month rather than minutes or calls, and spam and wrong numbers are not counted. You can build and hear a demo agent free before connecting a number.
Why it's here
- +No per-minute or per-call charges
- +Spam calls not billed
- +Edit the agent in plain English
- +Local number included
Watch out for
- −Overage per extra customer on Starter is high
- −Few external tool connections on Starter
- −Short call history on the base plan
#5
Per-call AI answering service with a no-card free trial
Upfirst is an AI answering service that answers every call, overflow calls or after-hours calls for a small business. It books appointments on Google, Outlook and Calendly, sends call summaries, and can text callers back. Pricing is per call, and spam or calls under 15 seconds are not billed.
Why it's here
- +Free trial needs no credit card
- +35+ languages
- +Spam and short calls not billed
- +Zero data retention option
Watch out for
- −Per-call pricing punishes long-tail volume
- −Base plan only covers 30 calls
- −Fewer deep CRM integrations
#6
Ecommerce helpdesk with an AI agent that resolves Shopify tickets
Gorgias is a helpdesk for online stores with a built-in AI Agent that answers and resolves customer conversations. The AI Agent is available on every plan and is billed only when it resolves a conversation, at about $0.90–$1.00 each. It connects deeply with Shopify so it can look up orders and handle common requests.
Why it's here
- +Deep Shopify integration
- +AI on every plan
- +Cheap entry plan
Watch out for
- −AI resolutions count as tickets
- −Costs climb quickly at volume
- −Less suited outside ecommerce
#7
Business phone system with Sona, an AI agent that answers calls
Quo is a business phone system (formerly OpenPhone) that includes Sona, an AI agent that answers calls 24/7. Sona comes with every plan and uses call credits, with 10 calls included free. It suits teams that want a shared business number and AI answering in the same app.
Why it's here
- +Phone system and AI agent in one bill
- +Low per-user price
- +AI answering included on every plan
Watch out for
- −AI calls are metered on top of seats
- −Fewer AI customization options than voice platforms
- −Per-user pricing grows with team size
From $15/user/moAutonomous
#8Free option
Shared inbox and website chat with an AI agent, flat per workspace
Crisp is a customer messaging platform with website chat, a shared inbox and an AI agent that can handle conversations end to end. Pricing is per workspace rather than per seat, with a free plan for two seats. AI features use included credits, so they require a paid plan.
Why it's here
- +Flat workspace pricing
- +Free plan for basic chat
- +Knowledge base and workflows on Essentials
Watch out for
- −AI requires a paid plan
- −Unclear which tier has the full AI agent
- −Prices exclude VAT
Free · from $45/moAutonomous
#9
Train a support chatbot on your docs and embed it on your site
Chatbase is a tool for building an AI chatbot trained on your website, documents and help content, then embedding it on your site. Plans are priced by monthly message credits, and higher plans add voice, API access and advanced analytics. Each paid plan has a 7-day trial.
Why it's here
- +Setup in minutes from a URL
- +Simple credit-based plans
- +API on Basic plan and up
Watch out for
- −Credits run out fast on busy sites
- −Advanced features need $120+ plans
- −No free plan listed
#10
AI receptionist plus web chat, SMS and a built-in CRM
My AI Front Desk is an AI receptionist that answers calls and also runs web chat, two-way SMS and follow-up sequences from one account. It includes a simple CRM, a knowledge base and outbound calling limits. It supports 20+ languages and claims setup in about five minutes.
Why it's here
- +Phone, chat, SMS and email drafts bundled
- +Built-in CRM and automations
- +Monthly, no contract
- +Partner plan for agencies
Watch out for
- −Usage caps across many channels to track
- −Knowledge base limited to 20 pages
- −Only one self-serve plan
#11
Budget AI receptionist that books, qualifies and routes calls
Dialzara is an AI receptionist that answers calls 24/7, books appointments, qualifies leads and transcribes voicemails. Plans are priced by included minutes, starting at 60 minutes a month. Add-ons cover SMS, a website chatbot and outbound calling.
Why it's here
- +Cheapest entry plan in this list
- +White-glove onboarding on paid plans
- +CRM and calendar integration from the base plan
Watch out for
- −Warm transfer only on the $349 plan
- −Overage around $0.35–$0.48/min
- −Self-editing the prompt needs a higher tier
#12Free option
No-code automation platform connecting thousands of apps, with AI steps
Zapier is a no-code automation platform that connects thousands of apps so events in one trigger actions in another. It includes AI steps, chatbots and Zapier Agents on top of classic multi-step Zaps. The free plan covers 100 tasks a month and Pro starts at $19.99 a month billed annually.
Why it's here
- +Largest app integration catalog
- +Easy for non-technical users
- +Mature, reliable platform
Watch out for
- −Gets expensive at high task volume
- −Less flexible than code-based tools
- −Complex branching gets messy
Free · from $19.99/moAutonomous
#13
AI sales agent that answers inbound leads and books calls
SalesAPE AI is a service that deploys AI sales agents to respond to inbound leads over email, SMS, chat and WhatsApp. The agents qualify leads, answer questions, book sales calls and sync conversation notes into your CRM in real time. Pricing is quoted per business after a call.
Why it's here
- +Replies on the channels leads actually use
- +Real-time CRM sync
- +Free test before buying
Watch out for
- −No published pricing
- −Inbound only, no prospecting
- −Custom setup rather than self-serve
#14
AI agent inside Freshdesk, billed per 100 sessions
Freddy AI Agent is the AI support agent built into Freshworks' Freshdesk helpdesk. Every account gets 500 free sessions once, then sessions cost $49 per 100, with an email thread counting as one session for 72 hours. Freshdesk seats start at $19 per agent per month billed annually.
Why it's here
- +Lower seat price than Zendesk
- +500 free AI sessions to test
- +Email sessions bundle replies
Watch out for
- −Free sessions are one-time, not monthly
- −Session packs get pricey at volume
- −No free plan
From $19/agent/moAutonomous
#15
AI receptionist inside Weave's patient communication platform
Weave AI Receptionist is an AI agent in Weave's practice communication platform that answers calls and texts around the clock. It books appointments, answers common questions and captures appointment requests. It suits healthcare practices that already use or want Weave for phones and texting.
Why it's here
- +Phones, texting and AI in one system
- +Handles calls and texts
- +Built for practices
Watch out for
- −Pricing not public
- −Most useful if you adopt the whole Weave platform
- −Fewer customization options than voice platforms
#16Free option
Prospecting, customer, content and data agents inside HubSpot
HubSpot Breeze agents are AI agents built into the HubSpot CRM through its Agent Hub. They include a Prospecting Agent, Customer Agent, Content Agent, Data Agent and others, plus an Agent Builder for custom agents. Agents run on HubSpot Credits, which come with paid Starter, Professional and Enterprise plans and can be topped up.
Why it's here
- +Agents use your CRM data directly
- +Covers marketing, sales and service
- +Starts on low-cost Starter plans
Watch out for
- −Most useful only if HubSpot is your CRM
- −Credit usage can be hard to predict
- −Best agents sit on Professional and up
#17Free option
Visual automation platform with AI agents, priced on credits
Make is a visual automation platform where you build scenarios on a canvas to move data between apps, now with AI agents and the Maia AI assistant. It handles branching and data transformation well, which suits more complex flows than simple triggers. A free plan includes 1,000 credits a month.
Why it's here
- +Visual canvas shows the whole flow
- +Strong data mapping and routing
- +Generous free plan
Watch out for
- −AI modules use variable credits
- −Steeper learning curve than Zapier
- −Fewer integrations than Zapier
#18Free option
Free AI notetaker that records, transcribes and summarizes video calls
Fathom is an AI meeting assistant that records, transcribes and summarizes Zoom, Google Meet and Teams calls and can send notes to your CRM. Its free plan is free forever. Premium costs $20 a month ($16 billed annually), with Team and Business plans for groups.
Why it's here
- +Strong free plan
- +Fast summaries after calls
- +CRM sync on paid plans
Watch out for
- −Recorder joins the call
- −Advanced AI features on paid tiers
- −Fewer analytics than enterprise tools
Free · from $20/moTask agent
#19Free option
AI data analyst that turns spreadsheets into charts and answers
Julius is an AI data analyst that lets you upload spreadsheets or connect data sources and ask questions in plain language, returning charts, tables and written analysis. It writes and runs code behind the scenes. There is a limited free plan and paid plans for regular use.
Why it's here
- +No coding needed
- +Shows the code it runs
- +Good chart output
Watch out for
- −Free plan is very limited
- −Pricing model changed in 2026
- −Large datasets need higher tiers
#20
AI bookkeeping agent for QuickBooks Online and Xero
Booke AI is an AI bookkeeping tool that categorizes and reconciles transactions inside QuickBooks Online and Xero and helps clean up books. It suits small businesses and accounting firms that want to keep their existing accounting software. The Business plan costs $129 per business a month.
Why it's here
- +Works inside your current accounting software
- +White-label option for firms
- +Automates reconciliation
Watch out for
- −Only QuickBooks Online and Xero
- −Pricey for a single small business
- −Still needs a human to review
#21Free option
ClickUp's built-in AI and agents for tasks, docs and project updates
ClickUp Brain is the AI built into ClickUp that answers questions about your work, writes updates and docs, and runs agents that handle tasks like triage and standups. It is included in every ClickUp plan with a monthly credit pool. Paid plans start at $9 per user a month billed yearly.
Why it's here
- +Included in every plan
- +Works across tasks, docs and chat
- +Low entry price
Watch out for
- −Credit pool limits heavy use
- −ClickUp itself has a learning curve
- −Agents only act within ClickUp's world
Free · from $9/moTask agent