Comparison · research-based · editorial opinion marked
NextPhone vs Smith.ai AI Receptionist
Two AI receptionists that both court law firms and service businesses, with opposite pricing models: NextPhone is flat-rate unlimited; Smith.ai is per call, with a free tier and live-agent backup.
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Cost at the same workload
| Vendor | 50 calls/mo (150 min) | 100 calls/mo (300 min) | 200 calls/mo (600 min) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NextPhone AI · Flat (unlimited calls) | $199 Pro | $199 Pro | $199 Pro | pricing page Oct 21, 2026 |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist AI + live backup · Per call | $75 Free | $212.50 Pro 75 | $385 Pro 150 | pricing page Oct 21, 2026 |
On published prices, Smith.ai's free tier and Pro 75 plan are cheaper at low volume, while NextPhone's flat $199 becomes cheaper once you pass roughly 75 to 100 calls a month, and the gap widens as volume grows.
Plans
NextPhone
| Plan | Price | Included | Overage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro | $199/mo | Unlimited calls | None |
| Growth | $299/mo | Unlimited calls | None |
| Vendor builds and tunes the agent for you. | |||
| Scale | $599/mo | Unlimited calls | None |
Source: www.getnextphone.com/pricing, checked Oct 21, 2026
Smith.ai AI Receptionist
| Plan | Price | Included | Overage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 25 calls | $3 per call |
| Pro 75 | $150/mo | 75 calls | $2.50 per call |
| Pro 150 | $270/mo | 150 calls | $2.30 per call |
| Price computed from the published $1.80/call rate x 150 calls. | |||
| Pro 300 | $500/mo | 300 calls | $2.17 per call |
| Price computed from the published $1.67/call rate x 300 calls. | |||
Source: smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist, checked Oct 21, 2026
Differences beyond price
- Human escalation: Smith.ai says complex calls can be transferred to a live North America-based receptionist. NextPhone transfers to your own team or anyone you choose.
- Legal integrations: NextPhone lists Clio Manage, Clio Grow and MyCase. Smith.ai lists native integrations including Clio.
- Setup: NextPhone's Growth plan ($299) has the vendor build and tune the agent. Smith.ai's Enterprise plan includes full-service setup and custom prompting.
- Cancellation: NextPhone is month-to-month. Smith.ai's AI Receptionist is month-to-month with 30 days' notice.
- Spam: Smith.ai filters known spammers before answering and lets you remove up to 10% of calls for selected spam. NextPhone labels spam and blocks callers, with unlimited calls making spam billing moot.
Editorial opinion
Under about 75 calls a month, Smith.ai's per-call pricing (or free tier) costs less, and the live-agent backup is a real differentiator for sensitive calls. Above about 100 calls a month, NextPhone's flat rate is the more predictable bill.
Profiles: NextPhone · Smith.ai AI Receptionist
Last updated Oct 21, 2026. Found an error? Tell us and we will correct it.