Smith.ai vs Ruby: which answering service should you pick?
Updated July 8, 2026
The short answer: Smith.ai is the better value of the two for most small businesses — it blends AI with human receptionists from about $95/month for 50 calls, while Ruby is a pure human answering service at $245/month for just 50 minutes. Ruby wins on white-glove human touch; Smith.ai wins on price per conversation and extras like chat. Both are demo/quote-led services rather than self-serve software.
Choose Smith.ai if
- You want appointment booking handled during the call, not just messages taken.
- You care about cost per conversation — 50 calls for ~$95 beats 50 minutes for $245.
- You want AI to absorb routine calls and humans only for the hard ones.
Choose Ruby if
- You want every caller to reach a real, highly trained human, full stop.
- Your calls are emotional or high-stakes (legal intake, healthcare) and budget is secondary.
- You value Ruby's long track record in human answering above automation features.
Frequently asked questions
Is Smith.ai cheaper than Ruby?
Yes. Smith.ai starts at roughly $95/month for 50 receptionist calls (~$1.90 per call), while Ruby starts at $245/month for 50 minutes (~$4.90 per minute). A typical 3-4 minute call on Ruby's meter costs several times more than the same call on Smith.ai.
Do Smith.ai and Ruby book appointments?
Smith.ai books appointments as part of its receptionist service. Ruby focuses on answering, message-taking, and call transfers — appointment scheduling is not its core workflow.
Can you try Smith.ai or Ruby without a sales call?
Not really — both are sold through demos and quotes rather than self-serve signup. If you want to try an AI receptionist yourself in minutes, that's where self-serve AI products (like Rinqly, from $49/month with 60 free minutes) differ.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Smith.ai and Ruby?
Yes — pure-AI receptionists cost a fraction of human or hybrid services. Rinqly, for example, answers unlimited simultaneous calls 24/7, books appointments, and starts at $49/month for 140 minutes, with a free trial and no sales call required.
The third option
Rinqly — one AI for phone, chat & outbound, from $49/mo
Both Smith.ai and Ruby charge human-service prices because humans are in the loop. If your calls are mostly routine — hours, bookings, FAQs — a pure-AI receptionist does the same job from $49/month: Rinqly answers every call 24/7, books straight into your calendar, and also covers website chat and outbound follow-ups from one agent. Setup takes about 5 minutes, with 60 free minutes to test it on your own business.