AI answering service for contractors: what it costs
Short answer. Most AI answering plans for contractors cost $0.50 to $1 per call. Smith.ai AI Pro costs $2.00 per call. Upfirst starts at $24.95 a month for 30 calls. Rosie starts at $49 a month for 250 minutes. Jobber users can add Receptionist for $29 a month for 30 conversations. A live human receptionist costs more. Smith.ai starts at $300 a month for 30 calls, and Ruby starts at $250 a month for 50 minutes. We read each pricing page on October 24, 2026.
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AI answering services
| Service | Entry plan | What it includes | Over the limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfirst Starter | $24.95/mo, or $20/mo on annual | 30 calls | $1.50 per call |
| Upfirst Premium | $59.95/mo, or $48/mo on annual | 90 calls | $1 per call |
| Upfirst Pro | $159.95/mo, or $128/mo on annual | 300 calls | $.75 per call |
| Rosie Professional | $49/mo | 250 minutes | See Rosie page |
| Rosie Scale | $149/mo | 1,000 minutes | See Rosie page |
| Jobber Receptionist add-on | $29/mo | 30 conversations | $0.79 per conversation |
| Markate Kate | $1 per call | Pay per call, spam deducted | Not applicable |
| Joist AI Receptionist add-on | From $49/mo, billed monthly | Limits not listed | Not listed |
| Smith.ai AI Free | $0 | 25 calls | $3.00 per call |
| Smith.ai AI Pro | $150/mo | 75 calls | $2.50 per call |
Sources: Upfirst pricing, Rosie pricing, Jobber Receptionist help article, Markate pricing, Joist pricing, Smith.ai AI receptionist pricing, checked October 24, 2026. Upfirst saves 20% on annual billing. Rosie gives 2 months free on annual billing. Jobber includes Receptionist with unlimited usage on its Plus plan.
Live human answering services
| Service | Plan | Price | Overage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.ai receptionists Starter | 30 calls | $300/mo | $11.50 per call |
| Smith.ai receptionists Basic | 90 calls | $810/mo | $10.50 per call |
| Smith.ai receptionists Pro | 300 calls | $2,100/mo | $8.50 per call |
| Ruby | 50 minutes | $250/mo | Not listed |
| Ruby | 100 minutes | $395/mo | Not listed |
| Ruby | 200 minutes | $720/mo | Not listed |
| Ruby | 500 minutes | $1,725/mo | Not listed |
Sources: Smith.ai receptionist pricing, Ruby plans and pricing, checked October 24, 2026. Smith.ai charges $1.50 per call to book appointments on your calendar.
Cost per call or minute
| Service | Unit cost on the plan |
|---|---|
| Upfirst Starter / Premium / Pro / Scale | $0.83 / $0.67 / $0.53 / $0.50 per call |
| Jobber Receptionist add-on | $0.97 per conversation |
| Markate Kate | $1 per call |
| Rosie Professional / Scale | $0.20 / $0.15 per minute |
| Smith.ai receptionists Starter / Basic / Pro | $10 / $9 / $7 per call |
| Ruby 50 / 200 / 500 minutes | $5.00 / $3.60 / $3.45 per minute |
Our math: plan price divided by the calls, conversations, or minutes it includes.
What 100 calls a month costs
| Service and plan | Math | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Upfirst Premium | $59.95 plus 10 calls at $1 | $69.95 |
| Jobber Receptionist add-on | $29 plus 70 conversations at $0.79 ($55.30) | $84.30 |
| Markate Kate | 100 calls at $1 | $100 |
| Smith.ai AI Pro | $150 plus 25 calls at $2.50 | $212.50 |
| Smith.ai receptionists Basic | $810 plus 10 calls at $10.50 | $915 |
Our math, monthly billing, before add-ons. Rosie Professional covers 100 calls for $49 if calls average 2.5 minutes or less. Ruby prices by the minute, so your cost depends on call length.
How to choose
- You use Jobber: start with the Receptionist add-on. It books into the tool you run.
- You want a flat per call cost: Upfirst or Markate Kate.
- Your calls run long: compare Rosie minutes against per call plans.
- You need a person to answer: Smith.ai prices by call, Ruby by minute. Smith.ai Starter costs $10 per call on the plan.
Related: AI receptionist cost, Jobber AI receptionist cost, AI tools for contractors, AI receptionist for plumbers, AI receptionist for roofing companies, AI receptionist price table, Rosie AI pricing, Sameday AI pricing, Abby Connect pricing, Smith.ai vs Ruby, Trillet pricing, Marlie AI pricing, Phonely pricing, Cheapest AI receptionist, Goodcall vs Rosie, AI receptionist vs virtual receptionist, AI answering service cost, Answering service cost.
FAQ
How much does an AI answering service cost for a contractor? Entry plans run $24.95 to $49 a month. Upfirst Starter is $24.95 for 30 calls. Rosie Professional is $49 for 250 minutes.
Is a live answering service worth more than AI? Live plans cost $7 to $10 per call on Smith.ai receptionist plans by our math. Most AI plans in our table cost $1 or less per call. A person may handle complex calls better. Test AI on overflow calls first.
What is the cheapest AI answering option? Smith.ai AI Free costs $0 for 25 calls a month, then $3.00 per call. Upfirst Starter costs $24.95 for 30 calls.
Does Jobber have an AI answering service? Yes. Receptionist costs $29 a month for 30 conversations as an add-on, then $0.79 per conversation. It is included with unlimited usage on Jobber Plus.
Which answering service works for construction companies? Any of these can answer calls for a builder or remodeler. Pick by call volume and call length. Use the 100 call table above to compare.
Checked 2026-10-24. Prices and policies change. Confirm on the source before you buy.
Sources
- https://heyrosie.com/pricing
- https://upfirst.ai/pricing
- https://help.getjobber.com/en/articles/receptionistpowered-by-jobber-ai/
- https://www.markate.com/pricing
- https://www.joist.com/pricing/
- https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist
- https://smith.ai/pricing/receptionists
- https://www.ruby.com/plans-and-pricing/
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