How to choose the best AI answering service in 6 checks.
Published by Penny · Updated · Sources and corrections
Describe a job the way your customer would. The follow-up questions should show that the receptionist understands what your office needs. Then check the booking, the call notes, and the handoff to your team.
14 days of Pro, including 100 phone minutes and 300 website conversations. No credit card.
Ask a question from your line of work.
Set up a trial with your service area, offered work, and quoting rules. For an HVAC company, describe an AC that runs without cooling the house. The receptionist should record what the caller reports, ask the intake questions your office needs, and offer only appointments you allow.
Next try a request that needs your approval before booking. Check that the receptionist records it for follow-up rather than inventing a price or an available visit. Include an urgent scenario and compare the result with your approved emergency procedure.
For a roofer, ask for a price before an inspection. For a property manager, request an appliance repair and give the unit number. Check the questions against your office’s procedure. Penny’s industry pages show the reference and rules she starts with.
Check the work left behind by the call.
A good conversation is only part of the result. Verify the saved details and completed actions as well as the answer you hear.
Ask what information is supplied with the service and what you must add. Test a common request against your own intake checklist. Penny combines a trade reference with your website and the business instructions you approve.
Ask for an allowed appointment and check the calendar, time zone, and details. Penny books on Google Calendar or Outlook from Starter. Penny reads the time back before she books it, and you get the email.
Switch between English and Spanish while correcting a number or address. Compare the final record with what you said. Penny includes both languages on every phone plan.
Follow the request into the tool your team uses. Penny books in Google Calendar or Outlook and sends intake to Jobber or Housecall Pro on Pro. Zapier and webhooks connect the call to HubSpot, Salesforce, and other workflows.
Penny’s annual phone plans work out to $29, $99, or $249/month, with included minutes and $0.24–$0.29/minute beyond them. Monthly billing costs more. Include usage and required add-ons when comparing any service.
Review the written rules and test the destination and fallback. Routine intake must not delay the emergency response your policy requires. Penny includes emergency rules in every phone plan, with an on-call rotation from Pro.
Compare Penny with your shortlist.
This Penny buying guide uses published plan details. The right-hand column gives you questions for other providers; we have not run a comparative trial of their call quality.
| What to check | Penny | What to verify with other services |
|---|---|---|
| Trade intake | Trade reference plus website information and business rules | Test the questions and quoting limits your office uses |
| Emergency handling | Trade rules; Pro adds on-call rotation | Inspect the written procedure and unanswered-transfer fallback |
| Calendar booking | Google Calendar or Outlook from Starter | Verify the booked slot and the first plan that supports your calendar |
| English and Spanish | Every phone plan | Check the tier and test language changes during intake |
| Transfers | Single destination from Starter; warm transfers on Pro+ | Try both an answered and an unanswered transfer |
| Integrations | Calendar booking; Pro field-service intake; Zapier/webhooks for other workflows | Inspect the record created in each connected system |
| Pricing | $29–$249/mo billed annually, included minutes plus $0.24–$0.29/min overage | Dialzara lists $29/mo · 60 min and $99/mo · 220 min, with extra-minute rates by plan; source and date below |
| Trial | 14 days of Pro, including 100 phone minutes and 300 website conversations, without a card | Confirm trial length, cancellation terms, and the post-trial plan |
Dialzara figures come from its pricing page, checked 2026-09-07. Providers change pricing without notice. For the full human-and-AI breakdown with every figure sourced, see the answering service cost guide.
If your callers must reach a person from the start, use the small-business guide to compare live receptionist services.
Call Penny and try it
The live demo uses Summit Heating, a fictional HVAC business. Listen to her intake here; test your own trade’s rules in your Penny account.
(630) 324-4620- Give the shared HVAC demo a no-cool appointment request.
- Correct the address and check that Penny confirms it.
- Switch to Spanish. Run your business-specific tests in your own trial account.
Free website chat. Phone answering from $29 a month.
Every paid plan comes with your industry’s knowledge, your intake questions, and calendar booking. Bigger plans add minutes, the on-call schedule, more numbers and locations, field-service connections, and reporting.
Billed annually, ~17% less than month to month.
100 phone minutes a month · $348 billed annually
- Everything in Free
- Live talk time on the phone, counted per second. Screened spam never counts, and the clock stops when Penny hands the call to a person.100 phone minutes a monthLive talk time on the phone, counted per second. Screened spam never counts, and the clock stops when Penny hands the call to a person.
- Your plan’s per-minute rate for talk time past your minutes, added 60 minutes at a time when you choose to keep answering. Unused added minutes carry over. No per-call fee.$0.29/min after that, in 60-minute blocksYour plan’s per-minute rate for talk time past your minutes, added 60 minutes at a time when you choose to keep answering. Unused added minutes carry over. No per-call fee.
- One visitor session counts as one conversation, and the count resets every month. On a paid plan you can choose to keep answering past your allowance: we add 100 conversations for $10 and email you. Added conversations you don’t use carry over.300 chat conversations a month, without the Penny markOne visitor session counts as one conversation, and the count resets every month. On a paid plan you can choose to keep answering past your allowance: we add 100 conversations for $10 and email you. Added conversations you don’t use carry over.
- Penny checks open slots and your booking rules before adding an appointment to Google Calendar or Outlook during a call or chat.Calendar booking in Google or Outlook, on phone and chatPenny checks open slots and your booking rules before adding an appointment to Google Calendar or Outlook during a call or chat.
- Edit your industry’s emergency rules in plain English. Penny tries the number you choose. If nobody answers, she takes a message and emails it to you.Your industry’s emergency rules and a transfer numberEdit your industry’s emergency rules in plain English. Penny tries the number you choose. If nobody answers, she takes a message and emails it to you.
- Every call and chat with its transcript in your dashboard. Send call, lead, and appointment details to your own system with a signed webhook, or through Zapier to Slack, Microsoft Teams, HubSpot, Salesforce, and other apps.Call log with transcripts; Zapier and webhooksEvery call and chat with its transcript in your dashboard. Send call, lead, and appointment details to your own system with a signed webhook, or through Zapier to Slack, Microsoft Teams, HubSpot, Salesforce, and other apps.
375 phone minutes a month · $1,188 billed annually
- Everything in Starter
- Live talk time on the phone, counted per second. Screened spam never counts, and the clock stops when Penny hands the call to a person.375 phone minutes a monthLive talk time on the phone, counted per second. Screened spam never counts, and the clock stops when Penny hands the call to a person.
- Your plan’s per-minute rate for talk time past your minutes, added 60 minutes at a time when you choose to keep answering. Unused added minutes carry over. No per-call fee.$0.27/min after that, in 60-minute blocksYour plan’s per-minute rate for talk time past your minutes, added 60 minutes at a time when you choose to keep answering. Unused added minutes carry over. No per-call fee.
- One visitor session counts as one conversation, and the count resets every month. On a paid plan you can choose to keep answering past your allowance: we add 100 conversations for $10 and email you. Added conversations you don’t use carry over.1,000 chat conversations a monthOne visitor session counts as one conversation, and the count resets every month. On a paid plan you can choose to keep answering past your allowance: we add 100 conversations for $10 and email you. Added conversations you don’t use carry over.
- Set who is on call by day and hour. Penny rings that person and, with announce on, tells them about the call before connecting the caller. If nobody picks up, Penny comes back on the line, takes a message, and emails it to you.On-call schedule and warm transferSet who is on call by day and hour. Penny rings that person and, with announce on, tells them about the call before connecting the caller. If nobody picks up, Penny comes back on the line, takes a message, and emails it to you.
- Send intake records to Jobber or Housecall Pro for your office to review and schedule. Penny sends one after each call or chat where she takes a message, lead, request, booking or voicemail. Housecall Pro needs its Max plan.Jobber or Housecall ProSend intake records to Jobber or Housecall Pro for your office to review and schedule. Penny sends one after each call or chat where she takes a message, lead, request, booking or voicemail. Housecall Pro needs its Max plan.
- Up to 3 locations and 3 Penny numbers under one account. Each location has its own number, hours, greeting, service area, transfer contacts and alert email. Your services, prices, house rules and answers are shared.Multiple numbers and locationsUp to 3 locations and 3 Penny numbers under one account. Each location has its own number, hours, greeting, service area, transfer contacts and alert email. Your services, prices, house rules and answers are shared.
1,050 phone minutes a month · $2,988 billed annually
- Everything in Pro
- Live talk time on the phone, counted per second. Screened spam never counts, and the clock stops when Penny hands the call to a person.1,050 phone minutes a monthLive talk time on the phone, counted per second. Screened spam never counts, and the clock stops when Penny hands the call to a person.
- Your plan’s per-minute rate for talk time past your minutes, added 60 minutes at a time when you choose to keep answering. Unused added minutes carry over. No per-call fee.$0.24/min after that, in 60-minute blocksYour plan’s per-minute rate for talk time past your minutes, added 60 minutes at a time when you choose to keep answering. Unused added minutes carry over. No per-call fee.
- One visitor session counts as one conversation, and the count resets every month. On a paid plan you can choose to keep answering past your allowance: we add 100 conversations for $10 and email you. Added conversations you don’t use carry over.2,500 chat conversations a monthOne visitor session counts as one conversation, and the count resets every month. On a paid plan you can choose to keep answering past your allowance: we add 100 conversations for $10 and email you. Added conversations you don’t use carry over.
- Everything Pro does for multiple locations, for up to 10 locations and 10 Penny numbers.Up to 10 locations and numbersEverything Pro does for multiple locations, for up to 10 locations and 10 Penny numbers.
- Call volume, outcomes, leads, and bookings over time, with a read API and export for your own reporting.Analytics and reporting; API and exportCall volume, outcomes, leads, and bookings over time, with a read API and export for your own reporting.
- Choose how long Penny keeps conversations. Older ones are deleted automatically, except those with an appointment still to come.Retention controlsChoose how long Penny keeps conversations. Older ones are deleted automatically, except those with an appointment still to come.
- Front-of-the-line support and a guided setup session that tunes Penny to how your office runs.Priority support and guided setupFront-of-the-line support and a guided setup session that tunes Penny to how your office runs.
14 days of Pro, including 100 phone minutes and 300 website conversations. No credit card.
Chat on your website. 100 conversations a month.
- One visitor session counts as one conversation, and the count resets every month. On a paid plan you can choose to keep answering past your allowance: we add 100 conversations for $10 and email you. Added conversations you don’t use carry over.100 chat conversations a monthOne visitor session counts as one conversation, and the count resets every month. On a paid plan you can choose to keep answering past your allowance: we add 100 conversations for $10 and email you. Added conversations you don’t use carry over.
- The free widget carries a small “answered by Penny” mark. Starter removes it.A small “answered by Penny” mark on the widgetThe free widget carries a small “answered by Penny” mark. Starter removes it.
- A visitor asks for a time, Penny takes the request, and the email gives you what you need to confirm it with them. Live booking onto your calendar begins on Starter.Appointment requests you confirmA visitor asks for a time, Penny takes the request, and the email gives you what you need to confirm it with them. Live booking onto your calendar begins on Starter.
- Penny notices the caller’s or visitor’s language and switches, mid-conversation if needed, at no extra charge.English and SpanishPenny notices the caller’s or visitor’s language and switches, mid-conversation if needed, at no extra charge.
- Penny reads your site for services, hours, and service area, and starts with a working reference on your line of work.Answers from your website and your industry’s knowledgePenny reads your site for services, hours, and service area, and starts with a working reference on your line of work.
- The details each visitor shares, their question, and the outcome, in your inbox as the conversation ends.Lead capture, with an email after every conversationThe details each visitor shares, their question, and the outcome, in your inbox as the conversation ends.
Phone answering, live booking, and call transfers begin on Starter.
Try Penny freeFrom $3,000 a year, with custom volume and a named account team.
- Everything in Business
- Minutes sized to your call volume, on a contract you negotiate with the account team.Custom phone volumeMinutes sized to your call volume, on a contract you negotiate with the account team.
- What talk time past your contract’s minutes costs is agreed with the account team and written into your contract.Overage set in your contractWhat talk time past your contract’s minutes costs is agreed with the account team and written into your contract.
- Website conversations sized to your traffic, set in your contract along with your minutes.Custom website chat volumeWebsite conversations sized to your traffic, set in your contract along with your minutes.
- A named team that knows your setup, with contractual response times.A dedicated account team and SLAsA named team that knows your setup, with contractual response times.
- Connectors built for your systems and a hands-on onboarding for your team.Custom integrations and onboardingConnectors built for your systems and a hands-on onboarding for your team.
Billed annually on a custom contract.
Talk to usNo setup fee. Keep your number and cancel from billing. Enterprise uses a custom annual contract.
More reading before you choose.
See how Penny works as an AI answering service, compare what she costs against human services in the answering service cost guide, weigh her against other options on the compare hub, or read what she knows about your trade on the industries pages. The free plan is website chat, 100 conversations a month; phone plans are $29–$249/mo billed annually, with included minutes and $0.24–$0.29/minute overage. The 14-day Pro trial, including 100 phone minutes and 300 website conversations, needs no card.
Penny asks whether the furnace starts and quits or never starts at all, then puts the caller’s answer on the booking.
Penny records the property, unit, and access instructions together, so the maintenance coordinator can act on the request.
A slow-drain request includes which fixture is affected and whether other drains are backing up, so your plumber can prepare for the visit.
Choosing an AI answering service.
Start with the shared HVAC demo. Use your own trial account for the trade tests above.
The best fit handles your calls accurately, completes the allowed actions, and leaves a record your team can use. Test your own intake, calendar, languages, and transfers before choosing. This is a buying guide from Penny, not an independent ranking or a claim that we tested every service.
Give Penny a call before you forward yours.
Try the HVAC demo, then set up Penny for your business. Your account starts with 14 days of Pro, including 100 phone minutes and 300 website conversations; Free keeps your website chat after the trial.
14 days of Pro, including 100 phone minutes and 300 website conversations. No credit card.