Compare Smith.ai’s live receptionists with Penny’s intake for your trade.
Published by Penny · Updated · Sources and corrections
Penny asks the questions your trade needs and books the visit while you work. Smith.ai’s live service puts a person on the line. Compare the intake, booking, and bill below; this page covers Smith.ai’s live plans, separately from its AI offering.
14 days of Pro, including 100 phone minutes and 300 website conversations. No credit card.
Start with who you want answering.
Choose a live receptionist if having a person handle the conversation is a requirement. Smith.ai offers human receptionists as well as a separate AI product; ask for the live-service quote when using this comparison.
Penny is an AI receptionist with a reference for your trade and your business rules. For an electrician, that means recording which outlet stopped working and any reported warning signs without walking the caller through an electrical repair. She can book an allowed visit on Google Calendar or Outlook during the call.
What the two plans include.
Smith.ai facts come from the live-service pricing page linked below. Penny’s higher-tier features are marked where they appear.
| Penny (AI) | Smith.ai (live plans) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who answers | AI receptionist | Human receptionists on the live plans compared here |
| Call instructions | Trade knowledge pack, website information, and your business rules | Custom lead criteria and business-specific intake |
| Entry subscription | $29/mo billed annually; $35 monthly; 100 min | $300/mo · 30 calls |
| Overage | $0.24–$0.29/minute depending on plan | $11.50/call Starter; $10.50 Basic; $8.50 Pro |
| Appointment booking | Google Calendar or Outlook on Starter and higher | Scheduling offered as a per-call add-on |
| English and Spanish | Both on every phone plan; can switch during the call | Bilingual answering available; dedicated Spanish line priced separately |
| 24/7 | Every phone plan; no separate after-hours surcharge | Included on live plans without an after-hours premium |
| Spam | Screens spam; phone usage follows the plan’s minute allowance | No charge for qualifying spam when forwarded caller ID is passed through |
| Transfers | Single destination on Starter; warm transfer and on-call rotation on Pro+ | Included destinations vary by plan; additional routing available |
Smith.ai pricing as of 2026-09-07, from Smith.ai live receptionist pricing. Providers change pricing without notice; spot an outdated number and we will fix it.
Count calls for Smith.ai. Count minutes for Penny.
Smith.ai’s live entry plan is $300/mo · 30 calls; extra-call rates are $11.50/call Starter; $10.50 Basic; $8.50 Pro, as of 2026-09-07. Its pricing page also lists per-call feature add-ons. Use billable call count and the features you need when estimating the total.
Penny’s annual plans work out to $29, $99, or $249/month with 100, 375, or 1050 minutes. Additional minutes cost $0.24–$0.29 each, depending on plan. Longer calls and a busy month can raise that total.
Compare a normal month and your busiest month on both services. Use call count for Smith.ai and talk time for Penny, including the charges beyond each allowance.
See the full breakdown of human and AI pricing in the answering service cost guide, or compare more options on the compare hub.
Choose the live service when you want a person answering.
A human receptionist may suit conversations that require discretion or a more flexible intake discussion. Compare Smith.ai’s live plan with the call count, add-ons, and transfer destinations your office needs.
A per-call allowance can also suit longer conversations. Check the provider’s reasonable-use terms before assuming any call length is included.
Let callers book during your next service visit.
Penny suits an owner who wants routine intake and calendar booking handled during the call. She asks for the required details, checks the appointment rules, and writes an available slot to your connected calendar. When a visit needs your approval first, she records the request.
Use Pro or higher for an on-call rotation and a warm handoff. Configure the people who receive calls, then test the transfer and the unanswered-call fallback before forwarding your main line.
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- Ask the shared HVAC demo about an AC that runs without cooling the house.
- Ask for an appointment and listen for the available time and confirmation.
- Switch to Spanish during the conversation. Test your own trade during the Pro trial.
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.
Before switching from Smith.ai’s live service.
Listen to the shared HVAC demo, then test your own business during the Pro trial.
Start with the type of service you need. This page compares Penny’s AI receptionist with Smith.ai’s live receptionists. Penny is a candidate if you want trade intake and calendar booking handled by AI; a live service fits if every call must begin with a person. Smith.ai also has AI offerings, which need their own plan comparison.
How Penny handles calls in your trade.
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.
Or start with the AI answering service overview to hear how Penny handles a call.
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.