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Ruby receptionist alternatives (2026 prices)

Short answer. Ruby costs $395 a month for 100 receptionist minutes, or $3.95 a minute. PATLive's 100-minute plan is $189. Abby Connect's is $329. AI receptionists cover 100 minutes for $49 to $99 a month, with Rosie and Marlie at the low end. We read all nine pricing pages on October 26, 2026.

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What Ruby charges

Plan	Price a month	Cost per minute
50 minutes	$250	$5.00
100 minutes	$395	$3.95
200 minutes	$720	$3.60
500 minutes	$1,725	$3.45

Ruby says it charges no fees for setup, onboarding, or after-hours coverage. Calls are 100% live. Ruby does not list an overage rate, so ask before you sign. Source: Ruby pricing, checked October 26, 2026. See our Ruby receptionist pricing guide.

Live alternatives at 100 minutes

Service	Plan	Price a month	Extra minute
PATLive	100 minutes	$189	$2.09
Abby Connect	Essential, 100 Abby Minutes	$329	Billed at the plan rate
Ruby	100 minutes	$395	Not listed

PATLive works out to $1.89 a minute and Abby to $3.29. PATLive lists taxes and fees on top. Abby says you double your Abby Minutes when you choose its AI receptionist. Smith.ai's live service bills by the call, from $300 a month for 30 calls. Source: PATLive pricing, Abby Connect pricing, and Smith.ai pricing, checked October 26, 2026.

AI alternatives at 100 minutes

Tool	Plan	Price a month	Minutes included
Dialzara	Lite, plus 40 minutes at $0.48	$48.20	60
Rosie	Professional	$49	250
Marlie	Basic	$49	250
My AI Front Desk	Monthly	$99	200
Dialzara	Pro	$99	220
Smith.ai AI	Pro	$150	75 calls

Source: each vendor's pricing page, listed at the end, checked October 26, 2026.

Live or AI

Pick live if callers expect a person, or calls need judgment like quoting a big job. PATLive costs less than Ruby per minute at 100 minutes.
Pick AI if most calls are booking, hours, or service area questions. A $49 plan covers 250 minutes.
Mix both. Abby sells a human plus AI plan. Smith.ai sells AI and live plans on separate price lists.

Read AI receptionist vs virtual receptionist for a side-by-side on cost and fit.

Compare Ruby: Ruby receptionist pricing · Smith.ai vs Ruby · Abby Connect pricing

FAQ

What is cheaper than Ruby receptionist? PATLive's 100-minute plan is $189 against Ruby's $395. AI receptionists like Rosie and Marlie start at $49 a month for 250 minutes.

How much does Ruby cost per minute? $5.00 a minute on the 50-minute plan, down to $3.45 on the 500-minute plan. That is our math from Ruby's listed prices.

Does Ruby charge setup fees? No. Ruby's page says it charges no fees for activation, onboarding, setup, or after-hours coverage.

Is Abby Connect cheaper than Ruby? At 100 minutes, yes. Abby Essential is $329 and Ruby is $395. At 50 minutes, Abby Starter is $164 and Ruby is $250.

Can an AI receptionist replace Ruby? For routine calls, yes. AI plans cost a fraction of Ruby per minute. For calls that need a person, keep a live service or a human plus AI plan.

Checked 2026-10-26. Prices and policies change. Confirm on the source before you buy.