The best AI receptionist for contractors in 2026, compared
Wakeman wrote this, and Wakeman is on the list. So every price below comes from the vendor’s own page, checked on October 20, 2026, and every entry — ours included — says who it suits. Where a vendor doesn’t publish something, it says “Not published”.
- A customer calls. You’re busy.
- Wakeman answers as your business.
- You get the job by text.
- A customer calls. You’re busy.
- Wakeman answers as your business.
- You get the job by text.
Which one fits your shop
Shortlist Wakeman for trade-specific intake and Jobber booking; compare your existing software and human-backup needs before choosing.
We publish this guide and sell Wakeman. Jobber’s included Receptionist may fit an existing Plus subscriber; Smith.ai offers staffed escalation; Rosie includes more minutes at its entry price. See the dated sources and how we compare.
- It is built only for home-service trades. It answers in your company’s name, says it’s an AI and that the call is recorded, and asks the questions a plumber, HVAC tech or electrician would.
- For gas, carbon monoxide, a downed power line, fire or smoke, a medical emergency, a child or pet locked in a car, water near electrics, a structural collapse, major flooding and sewage inside, it gives safety steps written in advance and tries your on-call phone during the call. No heat, no cooling and a leak that can’t wait are marked urgent and texted to your on-call phone at once.
- It checks the address, and books into Jobber on Pro and Max once you switch booking on. A caller who asks for a person a second time, is angry or has a complaint is put through to your on-call phone.
- $49 a month (100 minutes), or $149 (500 minutes), day and night on every plan; then 45¢, 35¢ or 29¢ a minute by plan, with a monthly limit you set. Spam is never billed.
- Free for 14 days or 500 minutes, with nothing charged until the trial ends. If the first month isn’t worth it, ask within 30 days of your first payment and it is refunded in full.
What Wakeman works with
- If you’re on Jobber: Jobber’s AI Receptionist listens for keywords you set, such as “no heat”. Wakeman sorts no-heat calls from tune-ups, gives safety steps for ten hazards and tries your on-call phone during the call, and writes booked jobs into Jobber too.
- If you dispatch from ServiceTitan: Wakeman doesn’t write into ServiceTitan today; Avoca and Sameday do.
- If you run Housecall Pro: on Wakeman, Housecall Pro is not generally available yet. Housecall Pro sells its own CSR AI.
- If many of your callers speak Spanish: Wakeman answers in English and Spanish. Rosie answers in Spanish on every plan, and RingCentral’s AI Receptionist in six languages.
- If every caller must reach a person: Ruby is people, not AI, and Smith.ai’s AI can hand a call to a live receptionist.
Every option, side by side
| Price | How it bills | Books into | When a caller needs a person | Who it suits (our read) | Worth knowing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avoca | Quote required; no public price on the reviewed product page | Not published | ServiceTitan (a certified app) | Not published: its pages show an “emergency escalation” step without saying who gets the call | Consider Avoca for a ServiceTitan-centered operation that also needs outbound campaigns, coaching and analytics. Ask for a written integration and pricing scope for your shop. | Starts with a 20-minute demo |
| Dapta | $99 / $499 / $1,499 a month, in credits | Credits shared by calls, texts and chat; how many minutes a credit buys isn’t published | HubSpot, GoHighLevel, Salesforce; Jobber, ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro not named | Not published for its receptionist; its support agent lists “connect to humans” | Teams that want to build their own voice and text agents | A ready AI receptionist, or build your own |
| Dialzara | $29/mo (60 min); $99 (220); $199 (500); $349 (1,000) | Minutes; $0.35–$0.48 over | Calendar and CRM on every plan; Jobber, ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro not named | Lists “call routing” on every plan; transfers aren’t described on its pricing page | Small businesses of every kind | English and Spanish on every plan; 7-day trial |
| Frontdesk | $99/mo (200 min), or $79 billed yearly | Minutes; about $0.25 a minute over, through credits | Zapier; no field-service software named | Can transfer a call, one of the actions you set up for it | Small businesses wanting a general AI receptionist | 7-day free trial |
| Goodcall | $79 / $129 / $299 a month | Unique callers: 100 / 500 / 2,000, then 79¢ / 26¢ / 15¢ each | CRM through Zapier | Transfers to the people you choose | Small businesses with many short, repeat callers | Spam and wrong numbers don’t count |
| Housecall Pro CSR AI | Not published | Not published | Housecall Pro | Sends the call to a number you choose, or to a Housecall Pro Assist rep | Housecall Pro shops | Answers calls and chats around the clock |
| Jobber AI Receptionist | Included with unlimited usage on Plus; $29/month for 30 conversations on eligible other plans, then $0.79 each | Conversations: 30 or 100 included (its help pages differ); one says $0.79 each after | Jobber, through Online Booking | When it hears a trigger word you set, it transfers to your one escalation contact or texts you | Try Jobber’s own Receptionist first if you already pay for Plus and its call, text, booking and escalation settings meet your needs. The $29 add-on also needs a qualifying Jobber subscription. | Needs a Jobber phone number; you can forward your own to it |
| LeadTruffle | Not published (“sales-led pricing”) | Voice credits; each answered call rounded up to a whole minute | Jobber and Housecall Pro (native); ServiceTitan listed | Lists AI call transfer; which plans include it isn’t clear | Home-service contractors answering paid leads by phone and text | Month to month; no free trial stated |
| NextPhone | $199/mo (Pro); $299 (Growth); $599 (Scale) | Flat: unlimited calls, no per-minute or extra-call charge | Google or Outlook calendar on every plan; Jobber directly on Growth ($299); ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro through Zapier | Transfers to you or your team, or takes a message if nobody is free | Law firms and service businesses that want one flat bill | 7-day free trial on Pro |
| RingCentral AI Receptionist | $49/mo standalone (100 min); $39 as a RingEX add-on | Minutes; $0.50 a minute over, in 30-second steps | Not published | Routes harder calls to someone on your team | Businesses already on RingCentral | Several languages; 14-day free trial |
| Rosie | Professional $49 (250 minutes); Scale $149 (1,000); Growth $299 (2,000) | Minutes; moves you up a plan when you go over | Your calendar, on Scale and up. Logs callers and calls in Jobber and Housecall Pro, without booking the job there; Zapier | Warm and live transfers from the $149 plan; the $299 plan tries several numbers | Consider Rosie when message taking and more included minutes at the entry price matter most. Direct calendar booking and transfers start on Scale. | 7-day free trial |
| Ruby (people, not AI) | $250/mo (50 min) to $1,725 (500 min) | Minutes; each call rounded up to 60 seconds, hold time counts | Not named on its pricing page | A person answers every call | Callers who must reach a person | People on every call; optional AI features |
| Sameday | Launch from $449 (500 minutes); Scale from $789 (1,000); Enterprise custom | Minutes; overage not published | Lists ServiceTitan, Jobber, Housecall Pro and others | Not published | Consider Sameday for ServiceTitan scheduling, several locations or a wider office workflow. Launch covers after-hours and weekends; Scale adds 24/7 coverage. Confirm usage rates in your quote. | Starts with a demo; English and Spanish on Launch and Scale |
| Smith.ai | Free: 25 calls/month; Pro from $150 for 75 calls; Enterprise from $500 for 300 | Per call; $2.10–$3.00 an extra call | Lists Jobber (via Zapier), ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro | Can hand the call to a live receptionist, any hour | Consider Smith.ai when a caller needs a staffed receptionist behind the AI. Its FAQ advertises live North American escalation; confirm that availability and its cost for your selected plan. | Known spam isn’t counted; up to 10% of calls can be removed as spam |
| Upfirst | $24.95/mo (30 calls); $59.95 (90); $159.95 (300); $299 (600) | Per call; $0.70–$1.50 an extra call. Spam, calls under 15 seconds and silent callers aren’t billed | Google or Outlook calendar, Calendly and others; Zapier. No field-service software named | A live, warm handoff to you or your team, on every plan | Small businesses of every kind, with contractor pages | 14-day free trial, no card |
| Wakeman (our entry) | $49/mo (100 min); $149 (500); $399 (1,500), day and night | Minutes included; then $0.29–$0.45/min by plan, with a monthly limit you set. Spam is never billed | Jobber on Pro and Max, once you switch booking on | Puts the caller through to your own people: your on-call phone, then the owner’s if nobody picks up. It does this on a dangerous call, a complaint or an angry caller, or when someone asks for a person twice. The AI answers every call; there’s no call center | 2–15 truck plumbing, HVAC and electrical shops that want trade questions, safety steps and an on-call ring for dangerous calls. Works with Jobber, not ServiceTitan; answers in English and Spanish | Free for 14 days or 500 minutes, $0 today |
Where these prices come from · checked October 20, 2026
Checked October 20, 2026. Prices and policies change; the links are the authority, not this page.
- Jobber pricing — $29 add-on; Plus includes it
- Jobber help: Receptionist — 30 conversations, $0.79, escalation contact, Jobber number
- Jobber help: add-ons — 100 conversations a month
- Housecall Pro CSR AI
- Avoca — no public pricing page
- Dapta pricing
- LeadTruffle pricing — plans, Jobber and Housecall Pro, voice credits
- Upfirst pricing
- Sameday pricing
- Sameday integrations
- Rosie pricing — and its terms, for going over
- Smith.ai AI Receptionist pricing
- Smith.ai and Jobber — through Zapier
- Goodcall pricing
- NextPhone pricing
- NextPhone for HVAC — emergencies, Jobber on Growth, ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro through Zapier
- RingCentral AI Receptionist pricing
- Dialzara pricing
- Frontdesk pricing
- Ruby plans and pricing
- Ruby billing basics — 60-second rounding, hold time
Each option, in a paragraph
Avoca
Built for larger home-services operators, with a ServiceTitan certified app. It publishes no price and starts with a 20-minute demo, so allow for a sales process.
Dapta
A platform for voice and text agents: a ready AI receptionist, or one you build yourself. Plans are $99, $499 and $1,499 a month in credits that calls, texts and chat share, and it doesn’t publish what a minute of calls costs. It names HubSpot, GoHighLevel and Salesforce, not Jobber, ServiceTitan or Housecall Pro. Home services is one of many industries it lists.
Dialzara
$29 a month for 60 minutes, up to $349 for 1,000, then $0.35–$0.48 a minute. Calendar and CRM connections, English and Spanish are on every plan, with a 7-day trial. A general small-business receptionist rather than one set up for the trades; its pricing page names no field-service software.
Frontdesk
A general AI receptionist at $99 a month for 200 minutes, or $79 billed yearly, with overage through credits at about $0.25 a minute and a 7-day trial. Its pricing page names Zapier and no field-service software, so ask before choosing it for a trades shop.
Goodcall
Minutes aren’t metered, but plans are capped by unique callers: 100 on the $79 plan, then 79¢ each. Spam and wrong numbers don’t count. Suits a business whose callers are few and repeat; it connects to CRMs through Zapier.
Housecall Pro CSR AI
Housecall Pro’s own AI, at a price it doesn’t publish. It answers calls and chats around the clock and books jobs into Housecall Pro, and it can send a call to a number you choose or to one of Housecall Pro’s own reps. Made for shops that run Housecall Pro.
Jobber AI Receptionist
Included on Jobber Plus; otherwise a $29 a month add-on. It books through your Online Booking settings, listens for trigger words you set such as “no heat”, then texts you or transfers the call to your escalation contact. It runs on a Jobber phone number.
LeadTruffle
Built for home-service contractors, answering calls and texts from paid leads. It lists native connections to Jobber and Housecall Pro and a ServiceTitan booking connection. It publishes no prices (“sales-led pricing”), bills calls in voice credits rounded up to the minute, and runs month to month.
NextPhone
One flat price with unlimited calls: $199 a month on Pro, which you set up yourself, or $299 on Growth and $599 on Scale, which NextPhone sets up. Its HVAC page says Jobber connects directly on Growth, and ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro through Zapier, and that no-heat and gas calls go to your on-call tech. A 7-day free trial. Built for law firms and service businesses, with an HVAC page.
RingCentral AI Receptionist
$49 a month on its own for 100 minutes, or $39 as an add-on to RingCentral’s phone system, then $0.50 a minute in 30-second steps. Several languages and a 14-day trial. A general receptionist for every kind of business.
Rosie
From $49 a month for 250 minutes, with English and Spanish on every plan and a 7-day trial. Booking into your calendar and call transfers start on the $149 plan, and going over your minutes moves you up a plan. A general AI receptionist for every kind of business, with a home-services page.
Ruby (people, not AI)
People, not AI: live receptionists from $250 a month for 50 minutes up to $1,725 for 500, with each call rounded up to 60 seconds and hold time counted. For callers who must reach a person.
Sameday
Built for home services, from $449 a month for 500 minutes and $789 for 1,000; overage isn’t published. It lists ServiceTitan, Jobber and Housecall Pro, and starts with a demo.
Smith.ai
An AI receptionist with live receptionists behind it, billed per call: a free plan with 25 calls, then Pro from $150 for 75 calls at $2.00 each. Known spammers aren’t counted, and you can remove up to 10% of calls as spam. It lists Jobber (through Zapier), ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro.
Upfirst
A general AI receptionist billed per call: $24.95 a month for 30 calls up to $299 for 600, then $0.70–$1.50 a call. Spam, calls under 15 seconds and silent callers aren’t billed, and every plan can hand a caller to you or your team. It books into calendars and connects through Zapier; its pages name no field-service software. A 14-day trial with no card.
Wakeman (our entry)
Built only for home-service trades. It asks the questions a plumber or HVAC tech would and checks the address. For gas, carbon monoxide, a downed power line, fire or smoke, a medical emergency, a child or pet locked in a car, water near electrics, a structural collapse, major flooding and sewage inside it gives safety steps written in advance and tries your on-call phone during the call; no heat, no cooling and a leak that can’t wait are texted to your on-call phone at once. It books into Jobber on Pro and Max once you switch booking on. Day and night from $49 a month, or $149 on Pro, free for 14 days, with nothing charged until the trial ends. It writes into Jobber, not ServiceTitan, and answers in English and Spanish.
Wakeman next to each one
Other AI receptionists
- Wakeman vs Smith.ai: An AI built for the trades, priced by the minute, next to AI with people behind it, priced per call.
- Wakeman vs RingCentral: An AI receptionist built for plumbing, HVAC and electrical calls, next to one for every kind of business.
- Wakeman vs Rosie: Built only for the trades, next to a receptionist for every kind of business: emergencies, Jobber and what a busy month costs.
- Wakeman vs Goodcall: Built only for the trades and billed by the minute, next to an AI agent for every kind of business, billed by the caller.
- Wakeman vs NextPhone: Built only for the trades, with minutes included, next to one flat monthly price with unlimited calls for law firms and service businesses.
- Wakeman vs Upfirst: Built only for the trades and billed by the minute, next to an AI receptionist for every kind of business, billed by the call.
- Wakeman vs Dialzara: Built only for the trades, next to a small-business AI receptionist from $29 a month: minutes, emergencies and Jobber.
- Wakeman vs Dapta: A platform for building voice and text agents, priced in credits, next to a ready receptionist built for the trades.
- Wakeman vs My AI Front Desk: Built only for the trades and billed by the minute, next to an AI receptionist for calls, texts, email and chat, priced in credits.
Built for home services
- Wakeman vs Jobber AI Receptionist: Jobber’s listens for keywords you set. Wakeman sorts no-heat calls from tune-ups and tries your on-call phone for a gas smell.
- Avoca alternatives: Avoca publishes no price and starts with a demo. Ten alternatives, Wakeman first, with prices from each vendor’s own page.
- Wakeman vs Avoca: Wakeman is built for the 2–15 truck shop, with the price on the page. Avoca sells to larger operators through a demo.
- Wakeman vs Sameday: Both are built for home services. Wakeman starts with a free trial, Sameday with a demo.
- Wakeman vs LeadTruffle: Both answer calls for contractors. Wakeman’s price is on the page with a free trial; LeadTruffle prices through sales.
- Wakeman vs Netic: An AI revenue platform for service enterprises, sold through a demo, next to a receptionist built for trade shops with its price on the page.
- Wakeman vs Broccoli AI: AI agents for calls, booking and follow-up, sold through sales, next to a receptionist built for trade shops with its price on the page.
- Wakeman vs Hatch: AI CSRs for calls, texts and email, priced per location on annual plans, next to a receptionist built for trade shops with its price on the page.
Answering services with people
- Wakeman vs Ruby: An AI built for the trades, or a person on every call: price, emergencies and Jobber, side by side.
- Wakeman vs AnswerConnect: A 24/7 live answering service priced by quote, next to an AI receptionist for the trades with its price on the page.
- Wakeman vs VoiceNation (Moneypenny): VoiceNation is now Moneypenny: people or AI, priced by the minute or the call, next to an AI receptionist built for the trades.
- Wakeman vs AnswerForce: A 24/7 live answering service for service businesses, prices behind a form, next to an AI receptionist for the trades with its price on the page.
- Wakeman vs PATLive: Live receptionists on every call, billed by the minute, next to an AI receptionist built for the trades with minutes included.
- Wakeman vs Abby Connect: US-based receptionists, an AI or both, priced in Abby Minutes, next to an AI receptionist built for the trades with minutes included.
- Wakeman vs AnswerFirst: Live receptionists, 24/7, billed by the second, next to an AI receptionist built for the trades with minutes included.
- Wakeman vs MAP Communications: Live receptionists in English and Spanish, by the minute, next to an AI receptionist built for the trades with minutes included.
- Wakeman vs Posh: Live virtual receptionists in English and Spanish, by the minute, next to an AI receptionist built for the trades with minutes included.
- Wakeman vs Ambs Call Center: Live agents in English and Spanish, AI or both, billed by work time, next to an AI receptionist built for the trades with minutes included.
- Wakeman vs Specialty Answering Service: Live operators billed by the second or by the call, next to an AI receptionist built for the trades with minutes included.
How this list was compiled
Every price, plan and feature above comes from the vendor’s own pricing, product and help pages, checked on October 20, 2026. Where a vendor’s pages disagree with each other, both versions are shown. We have not run a hands-on test of every product here; “who it suits” is our read of what each vendor publishes, and it says so. Found something out of date? Email info@wakeman.ai and we’ll correct it and change the date at the top.
Six questions to ask any of them
- What is the overage rate once the included minutes, calls or conversations run out?
- Can the cheapest plan actually book a job, or does it only text the caller a link?
- Are spam and robocalls billed?
- How is a spend limit enforced — does the call that crosses it finish above it?
- Which field-service software does it write jobs into, and is that a direct connection or Zapier?
- What does it say to a caller who smells gas — and does it ring anyone while they’re on the line?
Then listen to it. Most of these services offer a trial or a demo number; call it with the kind of job your shop actually gets, and check what it wrote down.
What Wakeman works with
Works with
See one call, start to finish, or start free for 14 days, $0 today.
Head to head: Jobber · Avoca · Sameday · Rosie · Smith.ai · Ruby · RingCentral · Goodcall · NextPhone · My AI Front Desk
Choosing an AI receptionist
What is the best AI receptionist for contractors?
For a 2–15 truck plumbing, HVAC or electrical shop, Wakeman: it is built only for the trades, asks the questions a dispatcher would, gives safety steps and tries the on-call phone during a dangerous call, writes booked jobs into Jobber, and answers day and night from $49 a month, free for 14 days. If you dispatch from ServiceTitan, Wakeman does not write into it today; Avoca and Sameday do.
How much does an AI receptionist cost for a contractor?
General AI receptionists start at $29–$99 a month, with overage around $0.25–$0.50 a minute where it is published. Home-services specialists cost more: Sameday starts at $449 a month and Avoca publishes no price. Wakeman is $49, $149 or $399 a month. Prices from vendors' own pages, checked 24 September 2026.
Why is Wakeman on its own list?
Because we wrote it, and leaving ourselves off would be its own kind of spin. To keep it useful, every price comes from the vendor's own page with the date we checked it, and every entry — ours included — says who it suits and who it does not.
Somebody’s always awake.
Try it on your own phone tonight. About ten minutes, and $0 today.
Hear it answer