There are now dozens of AI receptionists and answering services, and their websites tend to sound alike. The differences that matter show up in how they're set up, how they bill, and what happens when a call goes sideways. Use these questions on any provider, including us.
Setup and control
- Who builds it? Some tools are self-serve: you describe your business and configure the agent yourself. Others are done for you. Neither is better; it depends on your time and comfort.
- Who approves what it says? You should see and sign off on the greeting, the questions and the answers before real callers hear them.
- How do changes happen? New hours, a holiday, a new service. Can you change it yourself, or do you ask someone, and how fast?
- Can you keep your number? Most services work through conditional call forwarding, so your phone rings first. Ask whether you need a new number or can forward your existing one.
Billing models, explained
Providers bill in very different ways, and the right one depends on your call pattern. Here are the models in use, with examples from providers' own pricing pages as of November 2026:
| Model | How it works | Example (provider's own page) | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per minute | Plans include a number of minutes | Ruby plans differ by receptionist minutes | Long calls use up the plan quickly |
| Per call | Each answered call counts | Smith.ai's AI receptionist bills per call | How spam and wrong numbers are counted |
| Per unique caller | Each different caller per month counts once | Goodcall bills per unique customer | Overage rates past the plan limit |
| Quoted / flat | A set monthly price for your setup | Common with done-for-you services. RaheemAI is $249/month, month to month (pricing) | What's included, and the cancellation terms |
Whatever the model, ask: what counts as usage, what happens when you go over, and how you cancel.
How it handles real calls
- Does it say it's an AI? We think it always should. Ask what it says when a caller asks "am I talking to a person?"
- How does it hand off? Can it transfer live, to whom, and what happens if nobody picks up?
- What does it do with questions it can't answer? The right answer is "take a message," not "guess."
- How does it treat emergencies? For trades, property managers and health offices, ask exactly how urgent calls are defined and routed.
Records, privacy and compliance
- What do you get after each call? A summary, a transcript, a recording? Where is it sent?
- Is the call recorded, and is there a notice? Recording laws vary by state; see our New Jersey guide.
- What data does it collect? Health practices should ask whether a business associate agreement is available, and keep the AI away from data it doesn't need.
Test before you commit
- Can you try it on your own calls? Use the trial to run a test plan: call it yourself at least ten times with real questions, a confused caller, a price question, an emergency, a wrong number, and someone who asks to talk to a person. Read every summary.
If you're comparing specific providers, our side-by-side pages cover Smith.ai, Ruby, Goodcall, AnswerConnect and Rosie, using what each says on its own website.
Sources
- Ruby: Plans and pricing
- Smith.ai: AI Receptionist pricing
- Goodcall: Pricing
- HHS: Business associates under HIPAA
This guide is general information, not legal or technical advice for your specific setup.