Smith.ai alternative
The Smith.ai alternative: $149 a month with 100 calls included.
Smith.ai offers live agents and an AI receptionist, both billed per call. Leap is an AI receptionist for $149 a month with the first 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call.
Smith.ai is a virtual receptionist company with two products: live North American agents who answer, qualify, and book, and an AI receptionist billed per call. Leap is an AI receptionist for $149 a month with 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call. It answers from a knowledge base built out of your website, captures booking requests, and can text back callers it misses.
100 calls included. Leap charges $149 a month with 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call, month to month.
24/7. Leap answers the calls you forward to it at night, on weekends, and on holidays, at the same price as daytime.
Built from your site. Leap learns your hours, services, and prices from your website, and you can edit every fact it uses.
More than one call. Leap answers more than one call at a time, so callers aren't stuck in a queue during a rush.
5 min. Leap is self-serve and goes live in about five minutes, keeping your existing number with no port.
Texts back. Leap can text callers it misses your booking link or a reply, so a missed call still has a next step.
Is Smith.ai an answering service or an AI receptionist?
Both. Smith.ai started with live receptionists: North American agents who answer around the clock, follow your intake instructions, qualify leads, and can book into your calendar. It also sells an AI receptionist with self-serve signup. It is a respected option, especially for law firms and agencies that want a human voice on the line.
The main difference is the billing model. Smith.ai's human and AI plans are priced per call, and on the human plans booking, text follow-up, and recording are per-call add-ons. Leap is $149 a month with 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call, with recordings, transcripts, summaries, and text-back in the price.
Where Leap is different
Leap is an AI receptionist only. It answers in a natural voice, pulls answers from a knowledge base built out of your website, captures booking requests, and can text back callers it misses. Each call Leap answers leaves a recording, transcript, and summary.
The short version: Smith.ai gives you a choice of people or AI, priced per call. Leap gives you an AI receptionist that already knows your hours, services, and policies, for $149 a month with 100 calls included.
100 calls included
$149 a month with 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call.
Knows your business
Leap answers real questions about services, hours, and pricing from your own site.
Answers more than one call
Leap answers more than one call at a time, so callers aren't stuck in a queue.
Self-serve setup
Live in about five minutes with your existing number, no onboarding call required.
Should you pick live receptionists or AI?
Pick Smith.ai's live receptionists if a human voice and human judgment on nuanced calls is worth a live-agent rate per call to you. That is Smith.ai's genuine strength.
Pick Leap if you want an AI receptionist that answers day or night, already knows your business, and costs $149 a month with 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call. You can read the transcript and summary of each call Leap answers.
Leap vs Smith.ai, side by side
| Feature | Leap | Smith.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Who answers the call | AI receptionist | Live agents or AI |
| Billing model | $149/mo, 100 calls included, then $0.99/call | Per call |
| After-hours and weekend coverage | Yes | Yes |
| Answers questions from your website | Yes | Your intake instructions |
| Booking requests | Yes | Add-on on human plans |
| Missed-call text-back | Yes | Paid add-on |
| Keeps your existing number | Yes | Yes |
| Setup | Self-serve, ~5 minutes | Self-serve (AI), onboarding (human) |
| Recording, transcript, and summary | Yes | Add-on (human), included (AI) |
Smith.ai details checked against their public site on . Plans change, so confirm current pricing with them.
If you want real people handling high-touch, nuanced calls and a live-agent rate per call is worth it to you, Smith.ai is a strong choice, and it also sells an AI tier. If you would rather pay $149 a month with 100 calls included for an AI receptionist that already knows your business from your website, Leap fits better.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Smith.ai alternative for small businesses?
Leap is a strong alternative if you want 100 calls included for $149 a month and $0.99 a call after that. As of October 5, 2026, Smith.ai's human plans start at $300 a month for 30 calls, then $11.50 a call. Leap is an AI receptionist that answers from a knowledge base built out of your own website, captures booking requests, and can text back callers it misses.
Does Leap use live human receptionists like Smith.ai?
No. Leap is an AI receptionist that answers in a natural voice. It answers more than one call at a time, already knows your hours, services, and policies from your site, and costs $149 a month with 100 calls included.
How does Leap pricing compare to Smith.ai?
Leap is $149 a month, first 100 calls included, then $0.99 a call, with no contract. As of October 5, 2026, Smith.ai's human receptionist plans start at $300 a month for 30 calls, then $11.50 a call, and its AI receptionist is free for 25 calls, then $3 a call. Compare both against your real call volume.
Can Leap book appointments like a Smith.ai receptionist?
Leap captures booking requests during the call (name, number, what, and when) and texts the caller your booking link. Once you connect a calendar, it can write the appointment directly. Each call comes with a transcript and summary so you can confirm what was asked.
Can I keep my number if I switch from Smith.ai to Leap?
Yes. Leap forwards from your existing number, so there is no port and no downtime. You point your line at Leap and keep the number your customers already call.
How long does Leap take to set up?
About five minutes. Paste your website, review the knowledge base it builds, and forward your number. There is no onboarding call or scripting project.
What happens if Leap does not know the answer?
Leap says it does not know rather than guessing. It takes the caller's name and number, tells you, and saves the question so you can add the answer. You can also have it transfer to a person you designate.
Does Leap text back missed callers?
It can. Missed-call text-back is on by default for most businesses and you can switch it off. For health practices, Leap signs a Business Associate Addendum and keeps text-back off unless that HIPAA setup covers texting.
Is there a contract with Leap?
No. Leap is month to month at the founding rate. You can keep your existing number and cancel anytime from the dashboard.
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.