Beside alternative
Beside vs Leap: two AI receptionists, compared.
Beside and Leap both answer calls with AI, learn from your website, and follow up by text. The differences are the product around the receptionist and how each one bills.
Beside and Leap are both AI receptionists. As of October 5, 2026, Beside's site says its receptionist answers 24/7, learns your website, books callers, and follows up by text and email, inside a phone and workspace product. Leap is a receptionist only. It forwards from your existing number, for $149 a month, first 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call.
Both answer calls. Beside and Leap both answer in a natural voice, learn from your website, and follow up by text, so compare scope and billing.
5 min. Leap goes live in about five minutes, self-serve, with your existing number forwarded and no port.
Editable knowledge. Leap builds its knowledge base from your website, Google listing, and documents you upload, and you can edit every fact.
Flags gaps. When Leap doesn't have an answer, it says so, takes the caller's name and number, tells you, and saves the question.
Call record. Each call Leap answers comes with a recording, transcript, and plain-English summary, so you can see what was said.
$149/mo. Leap's founding rate is $149 a month, first 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call, billed monthly with no contract.
Beside vs Leap: what is actually different?
On the basics, they match. Both answer calls with AI, both learn from your website, both handle booking, both follow up by text, and both work with the number you already have through forwarding. Beside's site lists all of that as of October 5, 2026.
The differences are scope and billing. Beside is a phone app and workspace with an AI receptionist inside it, with plans set by call count. Leap is only a receptionist, with no phone app to adopt, and costs $149 a month, first 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call.
Where Leap focuses
Leap is an AI receptionist and nothing else. It answers in a natural voice, works from a knowledge base you can see and edit, captures booking requests, and can text back callers it misses.
Knowledge you can edit
Leap learns hours, services, and policies from your site, Google listing, and documents, and you can change any fact it learned.
Says when it doesn't know
Leap tells the caller it doesn't have that answer, takes their details, and saves the question so you can add it.
Full call record
A recording, transcript, and summary for each call Leap answers, so you don't rely on memory.
Clear pricing
$149 a month, first 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call. Month to month, no contract, cancel from the dashboard.
How to compare two AI receptionists fairly
Put both in front of a real call. Ask each the kind of question your customers ask: your Saturday hours, whether you take a specific insurance, the price of a common service. Then check what each one does with a booking request and with a question it can't answer.
Price both at your real volume. As of October 5, 2026, Beside lists a $29 Phone plan with 30 AI receptionist calls and a $99 Unlimited plan, so it costs less than Leap to start. Check Beside's pricing page for current terms.
Leap vs Beside, side by side
| Feature | Leap | Beside |
|---|---|---|
| Answers calls in a natural voice | Yes | Yes |
| Learns from your website | Yes | Yes |
| Handles booking requests | Yes | Yes |
| Text follow-up with callers | Missed-call text-back | Text and email |
| Call summaries and transcripts | Yes | Yes |
| Keeps your existing number (forwarding) | Yes | Yes |
| Also a phone app and workspace | Receptionist only | Yes |
| Self-serve setup time | ~5 minutes | Not stated |
| Entry pricing | $149/mo, 100 calls included | $29/mo for 30 calls; $99 unlimited |
Beside details checked against their public site on . Plans change, so confirm current pricing with them.
Beside and Leap cover much of the same ground, and Beside costs less to start. Choose Beside if you also want its phone app and workspace. Choose Leap if you want a receptionist-only product, priced at $149 a month, first 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call. Try both on a real call.
Frequently asked questions
Is Leap a good alternative to Beside?
If you want a receptionist-only product, priced at $149 a month with 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call, Leap is worth a try. Beside also answers with AI and costs less to start, so compare both on a real call.
What is the difference between Leap and Beside?
Both are AI receptionists that answer calls, learn from your website, handle booking, and follow up by text. Beside comes inside a phone app and workspace and prices plans by call count. Leap is only a receptionist, with a monthly fee that includes calls and a per-call price after that.
Can I keep my phone number with Leap?
Yes. Leap works through call forwarding from your existing number, so there is no port. Your number stays the same and the calls you send to Leap ring through to it.
How long does Leap take to set up?
About five minutes. Paste your website, review the knowledge base Leap builds from it, set your transfer rules, and forward your number. No hardware and no onboarding call.
Does Leap book appointments during the call?
Leap captures the booking the caller wants (name, number, what, and when) and texts them your booking link. Once you connect a calendar, it can write the appointment to it directly.
What happens when Leap does not know an answer?
Leap tells the caller it doesn't have that answer, takes their name and number, lets you know, and saves the question so you can add the answer. You can also set rules to transfer the call to a person.
How much does Leap cost compared to Beside?
As of October 5, 2026, Beside's pricing page lists a Phone Baseline plan at $29 a month with 30 AI receptionist calls and an Unlimited plan at $99 a month. Leap is $149 a month, first 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call, month to month with no contract.
Does Leap text back missed callers?
Leap can text back callers it misses. It is on by default for most businesses and you can switch it off. Beside also follows up by text and email.
Can Leap handle two calls at once?
Yes. Leap answers more than one call at the same time, so callers aren't stuck in a queue during a rush. Each call it answers is logged and summarized.
Keep exploring
Never miss another call.
Paste your website. Leap builds your receptionist from your hours, services, and policies while you watch. Live in five minutes for $149/month.