AI receptionists
Frontdesk alternatives
You are shopping Frontdesk alternatives because $99 still has no human, the 200-minute meter bites, Basic $20 is a trap, or Housecall Pro booking is not the job. Here are the live options we actually review, with monthly cash, and when to stay on Frontdesk.
Direct answer
Stay on Frontdesk at $99/mo Business-in-a-Box when Housecall Pro booking on the base plan matters and 200 voice minutes is close to a real month. Leave when you need a human (Smith.ai or Ruby), cheaper pickup without Housecall Pro (Rosie $49), a Jobber dispatch brain (not Frontdesk), or you almost bought Basic $20 thinking it answers calls.
| Alternative | Verdict | Monthly cash | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontdesk (baseline) | Situational, 6 | $99/mo | Housecall Pro plumbers/HVAC near 200 voice min |
| Rosie | Situational, 7 | $49/mo (Scale $149) | Solo home-service 24/7 pickup; $49 does not book |
| OnCrew | Situational, 7 | $49/mo (100 calls) | 1-15 truck home-service with urgent on-call text |
| Dialzara | Situational, 6.5 | $29 Lite / $99 Pro | Testing AI pickup; Pro is first plan that books |
| Voksha | Situational, 6.5 | $14 Starter / $99 Premium | Very low volume; booking waits for Premium |
| Smith.ai | Solid, 7.5 | $150 AI Pro / $300 human Starter | Law and high-ticket trades; AI-first or capped human |
| Ruby | Situational, 7 | $250/mo (50 min live US) | Low-volume offices that need a person on every pickup |
| AnswerConnect | Situational, 6 | $350/mo (200 min live) | Businesses that want humans and will accept a 90-day floor |
When Frontdesk is still the buy
Frontdesk is the 2026 name for My AI Front Desk. Same product, live domain myaifrontdesk.com. You forward the existing business number. An AI greets inbound callers 24/7, qualifies them, can book a live calendar, SMS-confirms, and can warm-transfer. There is no human receptionist behind the bot.
Official monthly cash on Business-in-a-Box: $99 for 200 voice minutes, 400 SMS, then $0.25/min. Native Housecall Pro and Google Calendar booking sit on that plan. Do not publish $79 as monthly. That is annual prepaid teaser math ($948). Basic $20 has zero voice minutes and does not answer calls. Buy Business when you already run Housecall Pro, AI-only is acceptable, and 200 minutes is honest for your month. Skip when a 2 a.m. emergency needs a person, when Jobber is the OS, or when you were about to trial Basic.
Best Frontdesk alternatives by job
Need cheaper pickup without Housecall Pro booking: Rosie Professional at $49 for 250 minutes. Calendar booking starts at Scale $149. Full pairwise: Rosie vs Frontdesk.
Need urgent text to the on-call tech with a clear overage dollar: OnCrew Starter at $49 for 100 calls, then $0.99 each. Aimed at one to fifteen truck HVAC and plumbing.
Testing the aisle on a small budget: Voksha from $14 or Dialzara from $29. Budget $99 the day you need booking. Cheap is not the same as best for best AI receptionist for small business.
Need a human net or a person on every greeting: Smith.ai AI Pro at $150 for 75 bot-first calls, or human Starter at $300 for 30 calls. Ruby at $250 for 50 live US minutes when a model is not allowed to greet. More exits: Smith.ai alternatives and Ruby alternatives.
Need a bigger live-minute bucket and will sign a floor: AnswerConnect Entry at $350 for 200 minutes. Marketing says cancel anytime. Terms lock 90 calendar days.
Wrong aisle entirely: if you wanted Google reviews or two-way text after the job, that is review management, not a Frontdesk swap. If the ring already hits voicemail and you need a text back, start at missed-call text-back. If Jobber dispatch is the real buy, start at Jobber vs Housecall Pro.
Stay on Frontdesk
$99 for Housecall Pro booking when 200 voice minutes covers the month and AI-only is fine.
Switch
Rosie for $49 pickup without HCP. OnCrew for on-call text. Smith.ai or Ruby when a person has to greet.
The catch
Frontdesk alternatives pages that only dunk on the $99 card are affiliate bait. The honest fork is the job: base-plan Housecall Pro booker, cheaper pickup-and-text, on-call text, or a human desk. Cash above is from our live cards. Ignore $79 monthly teasers and the Basic $20 plan that answers nothing.
FAQ
What is the best Frontdesk alternative if I need a human on the line?
Smith.ai AI Pro at $150 for 75 bot-first calls with a human net, or Ruby at $250 for 50 live US minutes when a model is not allowed to greet. Frontdesk is AI-only.
Is Rosie a cheaper Frontdesk alternative?
On the sticker, yes. Rosie Professional is $49 for 250 minutes of pickup and a text. It does not book the calendar. Frontdesk at $99 books Housecall Pro and Google Calendar on the base plan. Full pairwise: Rosie vs Frontdesk.
What is the cheapest Frontdesk alternative on our aisle?
Voksha Starter at $14 for 15 answered calls, or Dialzara Lite at $29. Booking waits for the $99 cards. Cheap is not best for best AI receptionist for small business.
Should I leave Frontdesk for a Jobber dispatch brain?
Yes when Jobber is the shop OS and you need dispatch, not a Housecall Pro booker. Frontdesk Jobber help is a 404. Start at the shop OS aisle and Jobber vs Housecall Pro, not a receptionist swap alone.
Full aisle: AI receptionists. Compare: Rosie vs Frontdesk. Siblings: Rosie alternatives, Smith.ai alternatives, Ruby alternatives. Citeable phone stats: Missed call statistics 2026. Done for you: installs or start.