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AI answering service or a person on the phone: what each costs per call
We make Uptonica, one of the services on this list. Most “best AI answering service” lists are written by a vendor and compare only AI. This one also puts human answering services next to them, because that is the choice most small businesses are making, and says where each one falls short, ours included.
Quick answer
- Lowest cost per minute: Marlie or Uptonica, about 20 to 25 cents a minute on the cheapest plan.
- Paying per call, with a free trial: Upfirst, from $24.95 a month for 30 calls.
- AI first, a live receptionist when it gets complex: Smith.ai.
- Only people, no AI: PATLive or Ruby.
- People and AI on the same plan: Abby.
How we chose
We read the pricing pages of every service on 15 November 2026. Prices are the cheapest monthly plan, in the currency each site shows. Human services charge by the minute of a receptionist’s time, AI services by the minute or by the call, so the table shows what is included and what you pay above it.
The seven services side by side
| Service | Who answers | Cheapest plan | Included | Above the limit | Books appointments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PATLive | People | $99 a month | 50 minutes | $2.29 a minute | Yes |
| Ruby | People | $250 a month | 50 minutes | Not stated | Yes |
| Abby | People, AI or both | $164 a month | 50 minutes with people, or 100 with AI | At your plan’s rate | Not stated on the pricing page |
| Smith.ai | AI, with a live receptionist for complex calls | $150 a month (Pro); free plan with 25 calls | 75 calls | $2.50 a call | Yes |
| Upfirst | AI | $24.95 a month ($20 billed yearly) | 30 calls | $1.50 a call | Yes |
| Marlie | AI | $49 a month | 250 minutes | $0.35 a minute | From the $99 plan |
| Uptonica | AI | €59 a month (€49 billed yearly), Core | 260 minutes, plus 5,000 chat replies | €0.15 a minute | Yes |
Prices from each vendor’s own site, checked on 15 November 2026. PATLive also has a $49 plan with no minutes included, at $2.99 a minute. A typical call lasts two to three minutes, so compare the price per call, not only the monthly fee.
Each service
PATLive
A US answering service where every call is answered by a person, in English or Spanish at no extra cost. Good for: businesses that want only people on the phone. Watch for: every minute costs about $2 or more, and the $49 plan includes no minutes.
Ruby
Live receptionists who answer, take messages and transfer calls, with Spanish available. Good for: businesses whose calls need a personal touch. Watch for: it is the most expensive per minute here, at $250 for 50 minutes.
Abby
Live receptionists, AI or both on the same plan, with English and Spanish included. Good for: businesses that want people for some calls and AI for others. Watch for: the cheapest plan is $164 a month, and the pricing page doesn’t show the cost of a minute above the limit.
Smith.ai
An AI receptionist that answers, qualifies and books, and passes complex calls to a live receptionist. Good for: businesses that want AI with people behind it. Watch for: it charges per call, $2.50 above the plan, and the free plan has no live support.
Upfirst
An AI answering service that answers, books appointments and transfers calls to you, in more than 35 languages. Good for: small businesses with few calls a month. Watch for: it charges per call, and the $24.95 plan covers 30 calls.
Marlie
An AI answering service priced by the minute, with transfers and booking on the higher plans. Good for: businesses with many short calls. Watch for: the $49 plan doesn’t transfer calls or book appointments.
Uptonica
AI that answers your phone in 7 languages, books appointments and passes calls to up to five people by topic. The same AI answers WhatsApp and your website chat. Good for: shops, restaurants, salons and local businesses whose customers call and write. Watch for: there are no live receptionists of its own, so calls it can’t handle go to your team, and prices are in euros.
How to choose
Count your calls and how long they last. A per-minute plan is cheaper for short calls, a per-call plan for long ones.
Decide which calls need a person. AI handles questions, bookings and messages; a complaint or a sale may need someone from your team or a live receptionist.
Check the languages. If your customers call in Spanish, check that it is included and not charged as an extra.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI answering service?
A service where an AI answers your business phone, takes messages, books appointments and transfers calls to you when needed.
Is an AI answering service cheaper than a human one?
Usually yes: on the cheapest plans here, AI costs from about 20 cents a minute, or $0.83 to $2 a call; people cost about $2 to $5 a minute.
Can an AI answering service answer in Spanish?
Many can: Upfirst works in more than 35 languages and Uptonica in 7. Among human services, PATLive and Abby include Spanish.