Smith.ai vs Ruby (2026)
Smith.ai and Ruby both answer business calls. Smith.ai sells an AI receptionist (with live-agent backup) and a human-first service, billed per call. Ruby sells live virtual receptionists billed by the minute, plus live chat. We don't pick a winner; the right choice depends on your needs. We have not tested either product hands-on; everything below comes from the makers' own sites.
| Smith.ai | Ruby | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | AI receptionists plus live human agents for call answering, intake and scheduling. | Virtual receptionists and live chat for small businesses, 24/7. |
| Who answers | AI-first plan: AI receptionist, with transfer to a live North America-based agent; or Human-first plan with live agents | Live human receptionists, 24/7 |
| Billing unit | Per call | Per minute (receptionist) or per chat |
| AI receptionist pricing (as of Oct 2026) | Free $0 (25 calls/month, $3/call after); Pro $150/month (75 calls, about $2/call); Enterprise $500/month (300 calls) | No AI-only plan listed |
| Live receptionist pricing (as of Oct 2026) | Human-first Starter $300/month (30 calls), Basic $810 (90 calls), Pro $2,100 (300 calls) | 50 minutes $250/month, 100 minutes $395, 200 minutes $720, 500 minutes $1,725 |
| Chat | Not listed on the Smith.ai pricing pages we read | Live chat from $143/month (10 chats) |
| Contract | AI Receptionist is month to month, 30 days' notice to cancel | See Ruby's terms |
| Official site | https://smith.ai/ | https://www.ruby.com/ |
| Details | Smith.ai page | Ruby page |
Who each one fits
Based on each maker's stated features, not on our own testing.
- Smith.ai: Trades shops and small offices with many short calls, where a flat per-call price is easier to budget, or that want to try an AI receptionist on a free tier first.
- Ruby: Businesses that want every call answered by a person, and that have fewer, longer calls where per-minute billing works out.
Related pages
- Best AI receptionist for small business
- Use case: answer service calls and book jobs with AI
- AI tools for HVAC
- AI tools for plumbing
- Best AI voice agents for business
FAQ
What is the difference between Smith.ai and Ruby?
Smith.ai: AI receptionists plus live human agents for call answering, intake and scheduling. Ruby: Virtual receptionists and live chat for small businesses, 24/7.
Is Smith.ai per call or per minute?
Per call. Smith.ai says it bills by the call rather than by the minute.
Does Ruby have an AI receptionist?
Ruby's pricing page lists live receptionist minutes and live chat plans; it does not list an AI-only plan.
How was this comparison made?
Only from what each product's official site says. We have not run hands-on tests, and we do not score, rank or pick a winner.
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