Wakeman vs Ruby
An AI built for the trades, or a person on every call: price, emergencies and Jobber, side by side.
Comparison · AnswerFirst
AnswerFirst vs Wakeman: live receptionists by the second, or an AI built for the trades
Wakeman is an AI receptionist built only for home-service trades. AnswerFirst is a live answering service with US-based receptionists, 24/7. It charges $30 a month plus $1.60–$1.95 a minute, billed to the second.
- Facts from each company’s own pages
- Checked November 2, 2026
At a glance
| Wakeman | AnswerFirst | |
|---|---|---|
| Who answers | An AI, which says so up front | A person, 24/7 |
| Plans | From $49 a month, 100 minutes | $30 a month plus $1.60–$1.95 a minute |
| Dangerous calls | Safety steps, then it tries your on-call phone | Dispatching listed, not described |
| How you start | Free for 14 days or 500 minutes | No free trial stated; 30 days risk-free |
The full table, and where each fact comes from, is below.
Side by side
| Wakeman | AnswerFirst | |
|---|---|---|
| Who answers | An AI, which says so at the start of every call | A person, 24/7, based in the US |
| Plans | Starter $49 (100 min) · Pro $149 (500 min) · Max $399 (1,500 min). Every plan answers day and night; any plan can be set to answer only while you are closed. | Pay as you go: $30 a month plus $1.60–$1.95 a minute, falling as your usage grows; no minute bundles |
| What is counted | Minutes: each call is rounded up to the next whole minute | Minutes, billed to the second |
| Over your allowance | $0.45 / $0.35 / $0.29 a minute by plan, published, with a monthly spending limit you set | No bundle to go over: every minute is billed at the usage rate |
| Urgent calls | 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: safety steps, then Wakeman tries your on-call phone during the call. No heat, no cooling or a leak that can’t wait is urgent and texted at once. A safety net, not 911 | Lists dispatching services (“relay critical information”); emergency handling isn’t described further |
| A person when needed | 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 | A person answers every call |
| Software it connects to | Jobber, built in on Pro and Max. Housecall Pro is not generally available yet | “Free integrations with most business software”; Jobber, ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro aren’t named on its pricing page |
| Built for | Home-service trades only: plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing, restoration and their neighbours | Every size and type of business; HVAC, electric and roofing are among its listed industries |
| Contract | No minimum term; cancel in the billing portal. The first month’s payment is refunded in full if you ask within 30 days | No contract; cancel any time. A one-time charge may apply for complex needs |
| How you start | Free for 14 days or 500 minutes, whichever comes first. You pick a plan at sign-up; nothing is charged until the trial ends, and you can change the plan or cancel before then | No free trial stated; refunded within 30 days if it can’t deliver as agreed |
Where these facts come from · checked November 2, 2026
Checked November 2, 2026. Prices and policies change; the links are the authority, not this page.
- AnswerFirst pricing — rates, billing, contract, guarantee, integrations
Which one you need
Choose Wakeman if
- You run a 2–15 truck plumbing, HVAC or electrical shop and want a receptionist built only for the trades.
- A gas smell or water near electrics at 2am should get safety steps written in advance, while Wakeman tries your on-call phone during the call.
- You want the price on the page and a free trial before you pay: 14 days or 500 minutes, $0 today.
- You’re happy for an AI to answer, as long as it says so and puts the caller through to your own on-call phone when they need a person.
Choose AnswerFirst if
- Every caller must reach a person, whatever the call. Wakeman is an AI; AnswerFirst is people on every call.
- Your business isn’t a home-service trade. Wakeman is built only for the trades.
Common questions
Comparing more than two? Every option for contractors, on one page.
How much does AnswerFirst cost compared with Wakeman?
AnswerFirst charges $30 a month plus $1.60–$1.95 a minute, billed to the second, with the rate falling as usage grows (checked November 2, 2026). Wakeman’s plans are Starter $49, Pro $149, Max $399 a month with minutes included and a published price for each extra minute, free for 14 days or 500 minutes, with nothing charged until the trial ends.
Is AnswerFirst an AI answering service?
No. AnswerFirst’s pricing page describes US-based customer service professionals answering live, and doesn’t mention AI. Wakeman is an AI: it answers every call and says so, and puts a caller who needs a person through to your own on-call phone, then the owner’s.
More comparisons
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.
Best AI receptionists for contractors
Every option for contractors on one page, with prices from each vendor’s own page.
Somebody’s always awake.
Try it on your own phone tonight. About ten minutes, and $0 today.
Hear it answer