Ruby vs Smith.ai vs PATLive vs AnswerConnect: Answering Service Pricing 2026

At 100 three-minute calls a month, Ruby costs $1,160, Smith.ai $915, PATLive $479 and AnswerConnect $395 (prices checked October 12, 2026). Smith.ai bills per call; the other three bill per minute.

Ruby vs Smith.ai vs PATLive pricing at a glance

Prices checked against each vendor's own pricing page on October 12, 2026.

Our arithmetic: each vendor's cheapest published plan for that volume plus its published overage, at 3-minute calls. Taxes, pass-through fees, setup fees and add-ons are not included. How we price.

Here is the arithmetic once. 100 three-minute calls are 300 minutes. PATLive sells $479/month for 300 minutes, so the 100 calls cost $479. Ruby's nearest plan is $720/month for 200 minutes, plus 100 minutes at $4.40 a minute. Smith.ai counts calls, not minutes: $810/month for 90 calls, plus 10 calls at $10.50 a call.

AnswerConnect changes the four-way order as volume rises. At 50 calls PATLive costs $293.50 against AnswerConnect's $350. At 100 calls AnswerConnect costs $395 against PATLive's $479. At 200 calls AnswerConnect remains below PATLive: $887.50 against $938.

Where PATLive costs less

Of Ruby, Smith.ai and PATLive, PATLive costs least at 50, 100 and 200 three-minute calls a month. At 100 calls, Ruby costs $681 a month more than PATLive, or 2.4 times as much. Smith.ai costs $436 a month more than PATLive at the same volume.

The reason is the rate per minute. PATLive's 300-minute plan works out to $479 ÷ 300 min = $1.60/min, against $720 ÷ 200 min = $3.60/min on Ruby's 200-minute plan. At 15 calls a month PATLive costs $99, also the least of the three.

Where Smith.ai costs less

Against Ruby, Smith.ai costs less at 20, 50, 100 and 200 three-minute calls a month. At 100 calls, Ruby costs $245 a month more than Smith.ai; at 200 calls, $160 more. See Smith.ai's published pricing.

The gap depends on call length. Every number here assumes 3-minute calls. Longer calls raise Ruby's and PATLive's bills and leave Smith.ai's where it is; shorter calls lower the per-minute bills. Try your own calls and minutes:

Calls a month

Average billed minutes per call

Billed minutes divided by calls, from your last three invoices. Rounding, time billed after the call, spam, taxes, fees and setup are not included.

Live answering services at 100 calls of 5 minutes

Service	Cheapest plan for this volume	Monthly or upfront	Per call	Yearly total
AnswerAmericaprepaid message taking, credits roll over	Prepaid credit packages	$150	$1.50	$1,430
ReceptionHQ MessageExpressmessages only, no transfers	MessageExpress 100	$170	$1.70	$2,040
ReceptionHQ ReceptionistPlus	ReceptionistPlus 100	$260	$2.60	$3,120
Go Answer	Virtual Receptionist 500	$550	$5.50	$6,600
Answering Service Care	Enterprise (500 minutes)	$639	$6.39	$7,668
MAP Communications	Premium (500 minutes)	$649	$6.49	$7,788
Specialty Answering Service	500 Minute	$649	$6.49	$7,788
AnswerForce	Growth (500 minutes)	$669	$6.69	$8,028
PATLive	500 minutes	$759	$7.59	$9,108
AnswerConnect	Standard (400 minutes)	$760	$7.60	$9,120
LEX Reception	Growth (500 minutes)	$775	$7.75	$9,300
AnswerFirst	Pay as you go	$830 to $1,005	$8.30 to $10.05	$9,960 to $12,060
Smith.ai Virtual Receptionists	90 calls	$915	$9.15	$10,980
Posh	Lavish (500 minutes)	$975	$9.75	$11,700
Moneypenny	500 minutes	$985	$9.85	$11,820
Alert Communicationslaw firms only	Alert Go (pay as you go)	$1,250	$12.50	$15,000
Abby Connectlive and AI	Growth (500 Abby Minutes)	$1,380	$13.80	$16,560
Ruby	500 minutes	$1,725	$17.25	$20,700

AnswerAmerica shows the upfront credit purchase needed for these calls. Unused credits roll over; its yearly figure prices the full year's calls from a new account. Quote only (live): Answering Legal, Nexa.

AI answering services at the same volume

Service	Cheapest plan for this volume	Monthly or upfront	Per call	Yearly total
Simple Phones	Entry	$97	$0.97	$1,164
Phonely	Starter	$125 to $155	$1.25 to $1.55	$1,500 to $1,860
My AI Front Desk	Business-in-a-Box	$174	$1.74	$2,088
Moneypenny AI	100 calls	$199	$1.99	$2,388
NextPhone	Pro	$199	$1.99	$2,388
Smith.ai AI Receptionist	Pro (75 calls)	$212.50	$2.13	$2,550
RingCentral AI Receptionist	Standalone	$249	$2.49	$2,988
Go Answer AI Receptionist	AI Receptionist 500	$425	$4.25	$5,100
Sameday AIhome services only	Launch	$449	$4.49	$5,388

Where Ruby costs less

At very low volume. 15 three-minute calls fit Ruby's smallest plan, $250/month for 50 minutes, while Smith.ai's smallest is $300/month for 30 calls. At 15 calls, Smith.ai costs $50 a month more than Ruby. At 20 calls the order turns: Smith.ai $300, Ruby $304. PATLive costs less than both at 15 and 20 calls.

Ruby's other strengths are in its terms. It asks for no notice period: "You may cancel your Customer Contract at any time by contacting Ruby at billing@ruby.com or 866-611-7829 before your next invoice date." (ruby.com/terms, read October 7, 2026) Ruby is candid about price, too: "We know we're not the least expensive receptionist service option out there" (Ruby help center, read October 7, 2026). See Ruby's published pricing.

Where AnswerConnect fits

AnswerConnect's main pricing page asks for a name, company, email and phone number under the heading "Get your quote." (answerconnect.com/view-pricing, read October 5, 2026). Its direct plans page publishes prices without a form (read October 9, 2026). The table above prices those plans at three call volumes. Our AnswerConnect pricing page covers its full plan list and terms.

Its help center gives its own example: "A call lasting 1 minute and 25 seconds would use 2 minutes." (AnswerConnect help center, read October 7, 2026) In its favor: "You also won't be charged for queue time between a call reaching our system and a receptionist answering it." (same page)

How each one counts a minute, or a call

The four rules, in each vendor's words:

• Ruby: "In all cases, Receptionist Minutes are calculated and billed in 60-second increments and calls are rounded up to the next 60-second mark." (ruby.com/terms, read October 7, 2026)
• PATLive: "All receptionist minutes are billed in six-second increments, with a one-minute minimum." (patlive.com/terms-of-use, read October 7, 2026)
• AnswerConnect: "any partial minutes will be rounded up to the nearest whole minute." (answerconnect.com/termsofservice, read October 7, 2026)
• Smith.ai: "Billing per client call saves you money, and there's no mystery accounting involved." (smith.ai/pricing/receptionists, read October 5, 2026)

A 40-second call bills as one minute at Ruby, PATLive and AnswerConnect, and as one call at Smith.ai. A call of 10 minutes and 10 seconds bills as 11 minutes at Ruby and AnswerConnect, about 10.2 minutes at PATLive, and one call at Smith.ai. Ruby and AnswerConnect then add the receptionist's after-call work; PATLive stops the clock "the moment the receptionist is disconnected from the call" (patlive.com/terms-of-use, read October 7, 2026).

The two sides of the per-call argument

Ruby and Smith.ai each argue against the other's model. Ruby: "Per-call pricing tends to be misleading. This is the 'too good to be true' option." (ruby.com, read October 7, 2026) Smith.ai: "we charge per call, not per minute, so a long new-client call costs the same as a short one" (smith.ai personal injury page, read October 7, 2026).

The fine print sits between the two. Smith.ai limits a call: "Calls that do not fall within this scope may incur additional fees to cover time and effort." Its extended intake "cannot exceed an average of 120 seconds" (smith.ai reasonable use policy, read October 7, 2026). And a per-minute plan does charge more for a long call. More on the models in per-minute vs flat-rate answering service pricing.

What Smith.ai's own comparison page says about PATLive

Answering a question about accountants' answering services, ChatGPT cited Smith.ai's "Smith.ai vs. PATLive" page. That page lists a PATLive starting price and Spanish-language fee that differ from PATLive's own published prices (smith.ai comparison page, undated, read October 9, 2026).

PATLive's own pages say otherwise. Its pricing page starts at $49/month (pay per use at $2.99/min), and its 50-minute plan bills $2.29 a minute past the allowance. Its FAQ says "We offer bilingual English and Spanish-speaking receptionists at no extra charge." (patlive.com/faqs, read October 7, 2026) The Smith.ai page also says "Smith.ai is not affiliated with the company presented for comparison purposes on this page." Check a rival's prices on the rival's own site.

The catch with each

Ruby

1. The overage rate is in the help center, and it is above the plan rate. The pricing page shows no overage. The help center lists it: on the 50-minute plan, $5.40 a minute past the allowance, against $250 ÷ 50 min = $5.00/min inside it (Ruby help center, read October 7, 2026).
2. An upgrade holds for three cycles. "Upgrades are effective immediately and apply to the then-current monthly billing period and at least the subsequent two consecutive billing periods." (ruby.com/terms, read October 7, 2026) One busy month can set your plan for three.

Smith.ai

1. Add-ons are charged on every call, not only the calls that use them. Its help center asks "Why should I pay for this on all calls?" and answers "Per-call pricing gives you a blended average cost of that functionality, proportional to your call plan." (docs.smith.ai, read October 7, 2026) Appointment booking is one such paid add-on (smith.ai/pricing/receptionists, read October 5, 2026).
2. "Month-to-month" with a 30-day notice. The pricing FAQ says "If you ever cancel, we bill for and through the end of the current monthly billing cycle, and then you're done." The terms say "Cancellation must be made at least thirty (30) days prior to the end of the current subscription cycle." (smith.ai/receptionists/terms, read October 7, 2026) The terms are the contract.

PATLive

1. Spam calls are billed; spam chats are not. "You will not be billed for spam or junk chats, as determined by PATLive." (patlive.com/terms-of-use, read October 7, 2026) No such line covers calls, and each answered call carries the one-minute minimum.
2. Port your number before you cancel. "Any phone numbers remaining on the Account become property of PATLive and may not be available for porting or reuse once a cancellation is effective." (patlive.com/terms-of-use, read October 7, 2026)

AnswerConnect

1. "No fixed contract" against a 90-day minimum. Marketing: "No fixed contract. We don't need a commitment" (answerconnect.com/why, read October 7, 2026). Terms: "This Agreement will be in effect for a minimum period of 90 calendar days." (answerconnect.com/termsofservice, read October 7, 2026)
2. Overage can be charged mid-month. AnswerConnect says it charges before the end of a billing cycle when overage reaches its stated threshold (AnswerConnect help center, read October 7, 2026).
3. Calls can leave the US at peak times. "During peak hours, calls may overflow to other regions (such as the UK or Canada)" (AnswerConnect help center, read October 7, 2026).

Who owns what

None of the four shares an owner with another. AnswerConnect does share one with two other brands: its terms name "AnywhereWorks, Inc. dba AnswerConnect" (answerconnect.com/termsofservice, read October 7, 2026), the same company behind LEX Reception and AnswerForce, with the same 90-day minimum and whole-minute rounding. Neither is an alternative to AnswerConnect.

Ruby's terms share a liability clause with MAP Communications, Posh, Nexa and Alert Communications, but no page we read states a common owner. The full map is in who owns which answering service.

Which one to pick

• Pick PATLive if you want the lowest bill of the three at 50 to 200 three-minute calls: $293.50, $479 and $938. It may not fit if your line draws spam: every answered call bills at least a minute.
• Pick Smith.ai if your calls run long or vary, and you want one price per call: $9.15 a call at 100 calls. It may not fit if you need several add-ons, each charged on every call, or a quick exit, given the 30-day notice in its terms.
• Pick Ruby if you take about 15 calls a month and want no notice period: it costs $250 there, less than Smith.ai, though PATLive costs $99. At 50 calls and up it costs the most of the three: $1,160 at 100.
• Pick AnswerConnect if you want queue time unbilled and the first 30 calls under 30 seconds free each month, and accept a 90-day minimum. At 100 calls its published plan costs $395, less than PATLive.

Alternatives to all four

At 50, 100 and 200 three-minute calls a month, each of these four costs less than PATLive, the lowest-cost of Ruby, Smith.ai and PATLive. Go Answer and Specialty Answering Service bill by the second; MAP Communications rounds up to the whole minute.

If you want Smith.ai's per-call model for less, ReceptionHQ's ReceptionistPlus also bills per call and costs less than Smith.ai at 50, 100 and 200 calls. Its transfers cost extra (receptionhq.com terms, read October 7, 2026). For every service at the same volumes, see answering service cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Smith.ai cheaper than Ruby?

At 100 three-minute calls a month, yes: Smith.ai costs $915 and Ruby $1,160, each on its cheapest plan for that volume. Smith.ai also costs less at 20, 50 and 200 calls. At 15 calls Ruby costs less: $250 against $300. Longer calls widen Smith.ai's lead, because it bills per call and Ruby per minute.

Which is cheaper: Ruby, Smith.ai or PATLive?

PATLive, at every volume we priced from 15 to 200 three-minute calls a month. At 100 calls PATLive costs $479, Smith.ai $915 and Ruby $1,160 (prices checked October 12, 2026). Taxes, fees and add-ons are extra at all three.

Does Smith.ai charge per call or per minute?

Per call. Its live receptionist plans start at $300/month for 30 calls, then $11.50 a call. Call length does not change the price of a call within Smith.ai's reasonable use policy, which says extended intake "cannot exceed an average of 120 seconds".

How much does AnswerConnect cost?

The published plans start at $350/month (200 minutes) on its direct plans page, read October 9, 2026. At 100 three-minute calls, the cheapest published plan costs $395 before fees. Its terms set a 90-day minimum and round each call up to the whole minute, after-call work included.

Do Ruby, Smith.ai, PATLive and AnswerConnect charge for spam calls?

Each has its own rule. Smith.ai does not count spam or wrong numbers on lines that pass caller ID. AnswerConnect does not charge for the first 30 calls under 30 seconds each month, spam included, and bills the rest. Ruby does not bill robocalls caught by its opt-in filter. PATLive's terms exempt spam chats but not spam calls.

Do Ruby, Smith.ai, PATLive or AnswerConnect require a contract?

PATLive is month-to-month and can be cancelled by phone at any time. Ruby's contract is 30 days and renews automatically, with no notice period. Smith.ai's terms ask for cancellation 30 days before the cycle ends, or the next month is billed. AnswerConnect's terms set a 90-day minimum, then written notice.