Vise vs Smith.ai
Both answer your business calls with AI. Smith.ai bills per call and can hand a call to a live receptionist; Vise bills by the minute, is built for contractors and is set up for you. Here is how they line up, using only what each company publishes.
Smith.ai facts are from their public pages as of October 21, 2026. See sources.
Who each one is for
Smith.ai
Smith.ai sells an AI Receptionist with Free, Pro and Enterprise plans, plus a separate live, human receptionist service. Its AI can transfer a call to a live North America-based receptionist when something complex comes up.
Vise
Vise is an AI receptionist built for contractors and home service companies. We build it, tune it to your trade and run it. Booking estimates on your calendar is a separate offer, Booked Estimates.
Side by side
Smith.ai plans, as published on October 21, 2026:
Free
$0/mo
25 calls a month, then $3.00 per call
Pro
$150/mo
75 calls a month ($2.00 per call); higher call tiers available; extra calls $2.50
Enterprise
$500/mo
300 calls a month ($1.67 per call); full-service setup and ongoing optimization
Vise AI Receptionist: Starter $99/mo (150 minutes) or Receptionist $299/mo (800 minutes). $0.29/min overage. No setup fee.
| Smith.ai | Vise | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing model | Per call (calls included per plan) | Per minute (minutes included per plan) |
| Entry price | $0/mo for 25 calls | $99/mo for 150 minutes |
| Overage | $3.00 per call on Free; $2.50 per call on Pro at 75 calls | $0.29 per minute |
| Who sets it up | Free and Pro: you set it up (Pro adds dedicated onboarding). Enterprise: full-service setup | Done for you on every plan, live within 7 days |
| Live human backup | Yes, transfer to a live receptionist | No. Urgent calls go to you or whoever you pick |
| Books appointments | AI Scheduling (Calendly and more) listed on every plan | AI Receptionist: no. Booking estimates is Booked Estimates, a separate offer |
| Contract | Month to month, 30 days notice to cancel | Month to month |
| Guarantee on the Receptionist plan | Not listed on the AI Receptionist pricing page | Not happy in your first 30 days? Your first month back. |
Where Smith.ai is stronger
- A free plan, so you can try it before paying.
- A live human receptionist can take over a call the AI cannot handle.
- Scheduling is listed on every AI plan, and it has native integrations such as Clio and Zapier.
- Enterprise adds multi-location support and a dedicated success manager.
Where Vise is different
- Done for you on every plan: we build it from your Google listing and your notes, tune the questions to your trade and run it.
- Per-minute billing with a simple overage ($0.29/min) instead of per-call tiers.
- A 30-day guarantee on the $299 Receptionist plan.
- Booking is its own offer. If you want estimates put on your calendar, that is Booked Estimates, set up and priced on its own page.
- More than voice: we also build estimating, scheduling and back-office automation for contractors.
Vise does more than just AI voice agents. See automation.
Who should pick which
Smith.ai is the better fit if
- You want a live person available behind the AI.
- You want to start on a free plan and set it up yourself.
- You run several locations and want an enterprise plan with a success manager.
Vise is the better fit if
- You run a trade business and want it built and tuned for you.
- You want a predictable per-minute plan with a guarantee.
- You want urgent calls sent to you and every other lead texted to you.
Questions
Is Vise cheaper than Smith.ai?
It depends on your calls. Smith.ai bills per call and Vise bills per minute, so short, frequent calls and long calls work out differently. Compare your own monthly call count and average length against both pricing pages.
Does Vise have a free plan like Smith.ai?
No. Vise has no free plan. The $299 Receptionist plan has a 30-day guarantee. Not happy in your first 30 days? Your first month back.
Can Vise transfer to a live person?
It sends urgent calls to you or whoever you pick. It does not hand calls to an outside receptionist team.
Does the Vise AI Receptionist book appointments?
No. It answers, finds out the job and where, sends urgent calls to you and texts you the lead. Booking estimates is Booked Estimates, a separate offer.
Where do these Smith.ai numbers come from?
From Smith.ai's public pricing pages, read on October 21, 2026. Prices change, so check their page before you decide.
More comparisons: Vise vs Goodcall, Vise vs Rosie, AI receptionist vs answering service.
Not sure which fits?
30 minutes on how your calls come in today. If something else fits better, we will say so.