Short answer
The best AI receptionist depends on where your leads come from and what software you already use. If you already run Jobber, its AI Receptionist add-on (about $29/month) is the easiest start. If you mainly need phones answered cheaply, Rosie starts at $49/month. If you want a person on the line, Smith.ai starts around $300/month. If you're a solo contractor missing texts, web, and Facebook leads — and want the AI to quote and book, plus a website — ServiceHQ bundles that from $250/month.
Key takeaways
- Already on Jobber? Its AI add-on is the simplest start.
- Phone-only on a budget? Look at Rosie or Goodcall.
- Leads from texts, web, and Facebook too? Pick a multi-channel agent.
1How we compared them
Disclosure: we make ServiceHQ. We've tried to be fair: prices come from each company's public website (checked September 2026), and we say where a competitor is the better fit. Confirm current prices on their sites before you buy — this market changes fast.
We compared on what matters to a small home service business: which lead channels it covers, whether it can quote and book (not just take a message), how it's priced, and who it's built for.
2AI receptionists at a glance
| Tool | Starting price | Channels | Books jobs | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ServiceHQ | $250/mo (all-in-one) | SMS, web, Google, Facebook, email | Yes, and drafts quotes | Solo/small crews wanting AI + website + CRM |
| Jobber AI Receptionist | $29/mo add-on* | Calls & texts | Yes | Existing Jobber users |
| Housecall Pro CSR AI | Add-on (price not public) | Calls | See Housecall Pro | Existing Housecall Pro users |
| Rosie | $49/mo (250 min) | Calls, web chat | From $149/mo plan | Phone-first, budget |
| Goodcall | $79/mo per agent | Calls | Via workflows / Zapier | Phone answering with custom flows |
| Smith.ai | $300/mo (30 calls) | Calls, chat (AI + humans) | Yes ($1.50/booking) | Wanting live humans backing the AI |
3ServiceHQ
ServiceHQ's AI agent, Aria, replies to texts, web forms, Google and Facebook leads in under 30 seconds, asks your qualifying questions, drafts a quote from your pricing for your approval, and books an open slot. It's part of a bigger bundle: a branded storefront website, CRM, job board, Stripe invoicing, and (on higher plans) follow-up emails and ad tools.
Choose it if you're an owner-operator losing leads across several channels and don't have a website that books jobs. Skip it if you mainly need live phone answering, or you're happy with your current field service software and just want to add AI to it.
4Jobber AI Receptionist
Jobber's Receptionist answers calls and texts 24/7, books visits using your existing online-booking settings, creates work requests when it can't book, and escalates on keywords like "emergency." It's an add-on on most Jobber plans and included on Plus.
Choose it if you already run your business on Jobber — it plugs straight into your schedule. See our full ServiceHQ vs Jobber comparison.
5Housecall Pro CSR AI
Housecall Pro offers an AI answering add-on (CSR AI) across its plans; the price isn't published on its pricing page. Choose it if your team already dispatches in Housecall Pro. See ServiceHQ vs Housecall Pro.
6Rosie
Rosie is a phone-first AI receptionist. The $49/month Professional plan includes 250 minutes, message-taking, and texting appointment links; direct calendar booking and live transfers start on the $149/month Scale plan. There's a 7-day free trial.
Choose it if your leads are mostly phone calls and you want the lowest starting price for a standalone tool.
7Goodcall
Goodcall prices per agent from $79/month with no per-minute fees — it counts unique callers instead (100 a month on Starter, then $0.50 each). It's flexible for building custom call flows and connects to other tools through Zapier.
Choose it if you want unlimited-minute phone answering and don't mind setting up your own workflows.
8Smith.ai
Smith.ai combines AI with live human receptionists. Plans start at $300/month for 30 calls, with per-call overage and $1.50 per booked appointment. It's the priciest option here, but you get people on the line for tricky calls.
Choose it if you want a human safety net and your jobs are valuable enough to justify per-call pricing.
9How do you choose?
- Where do your leads come from? If it's mostly phone calls, a phone-first tool is enough. If texts, web, and Facebook matter, you need multi-channel.
- Do you want it to quote, or just book? Quoting saves the most back-and-forth but needs your pricing rules.
- What do you already pay for? An add-on to software you already use can beat a new tool.
- Run the numbers. Use the missed-call calculator: if one extra job a month covers the fee, the tool pays for itself.
New to the category? Start with what an AI receptionist does and whether it's worth it.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest AI receptionist for contractors?
Among the tools compared here, Jobber's AI Receptionist add-on (about $29/month, for Jobber users) and Rosie ($49/month for 250 minutes) have the lowest starting prices as of September 2026.
Which AI receptionist can quote jobs?
ServiceHQ drafts quotes from your pricing rules and asks for your approval before sending. Most phone-first receptionists take details and book, but leave pricing to you.
Do AI receptionists answer texts and Facebook messages?
Some do. Jobber's handles calls and texts; ServiceHQ handles texts, web forms, Google and Facebook leads. Many phone-first tools only answer calls, sometimes with a website chat widget.
Is an AI receptionist better than an answering service?
For routine, high-volume leads, usually yes: it's cheaper, answers instantly 24/7, and can book the job. For complex or sensitive calls, a live person is still better — which is why some services, like Smith.ai, combine both.
Jeremy Dingman
Founder, ServiceHQ
Jeremy Dingman is the founder of ServiceHQ, the AI office for home service businesses, and a B2B marketing leader with 15 years of experience turning complex products into revenue. He has led marketing and demand generation at Honeywell, TE Connectivity, and Aitech Systems, influencing more than $1 billion in revenue and pipeline. Having grown up with a dad in construction, he built ServiceHQ to replace the stack of subscriptions and tools service pros juggle with one simple system, so they spend less time on software and more time on the job.