Best AI receptionist for missed calls (local service businesses, US & Canada)
Quick answer: If you only miss a few calls, start with a low-cost plan that has a small call allowance, such as Upfirst or Rosie, and forward only missed and after-hours calls to it. If calls are frequent, compare included calls or minutes and overage charges before you pick a plan. Canadian service businesses can look at ReturnCall.ai, which describes itself as built in Canada and prices in CAD. Starting prices and the date each was checked are in the table below.
AI answering services for plumbers, contractors and other local businesses that miss calls: pricing, billing model, Canada availability and a 10-minute setup. Use the matcher for a personalized shortlist.
Comparison
Comparison of the picks, from the PickMyStack tool database
Pick order: fit for local service businesses first, then published (verified) price, then lowest starting price. Currencies differ (ReturnCall.ai is in CAD; Upfirst states USD; other pages show only a $ sign), so confirm the currency and billing period on each vendor's pricing page.
How to choose
Start with your own numbers, not a vendor's estimate. Open your phone bill or call log for last month and count three things: calls you missed, calls that came in after hours, and calls that were from customers rather than spam. Those counts tell you which plan size to look at.
A handful of missed calls: a small plan is usually enough. Check the included calls or minutes and what each extra call costs.
Frequent missed calls or busy seasons: compare overage charges closely, because the price per extra call or minute can matter more than the headline monthly price.
Calls you must always catch (emergencies, urgent jobs): look at how each tool routes or transfers urgent calls, and test it before you rely on it.
Also check how each tool bills (per call, per minute or a flat monthly plan), whether it books into your calendar, and whether there is a free trial. Forward only missed and after-hours calls at first; you can widen it later.
Set it up in 10 minutes
Start a free trial where the vendor offers one and enter your business name, hours, services and common questions.
Get the number the service gives you for forwarded calls.
On your carrier account or phone settings, set up conditional call forwarding (often called forward when busy or no answer) to that number. Carriers use different menus and dial codes, so follow your carrier's instructions.
Call your business number from another phone and let it ring through. Check the greeting, the message the service takes and the summary it sends you.
Review the first week of calls and adjust the instructions.
Canada and US notes
Tell callers the call may be recorded. Most of these tools record and transcribe calls, so say so in the greeting. In the US, recording laws vary by state and some states require everyone on the call to agree. In Canada, privacy law (PIPEDA) generally expects you to tell people when you collect their personal information. Check with a lawyer or your provider for your situation.
Follow-up texts need consent. In Canada, a text or email that promotes your business is generally a commercial electronic message under CASL, which requires consent, clear identification of who is sending it and a working unsubscribe. In the US, the TCPA generally requires prior consent for marketing texts and auto-dialled calls, and carriers and states add rules. Whether a reply to someone who just called you needs more than that depends on the message and your jurisdiction, so check with a lawyer.
AI receptionist priced by call volume that answers 24/7, books appointments and texts you call summaries
Price: No free plan (14-day free trial, no credit card); paid from $24.95/mo billed monthly (Starter, 30 calls; $20/mo billed annually; USD) · pricing page
Start the 14-day free trial
Set your business info, FAQs and when it should answer
Forward missed or after-hours calls to your Upfirst number
Check the call summaries and adjust the instructions
Upfirst's site does not say which countries it supports, so confirm Canadian phone-number support with the vendor. Canada: commercial emails/texts must follow CASL (consent + unsubscribe). Tell callers calls may be recorded.
Recording laws vary by state, and some require all parties to consent. Get consent before recording.
AI answering service for small businesses that answers calls, books appointments and texts you the details
Price: No free plan (7-day free trial); paid from $49/mo (Professional, 250 minutes; monthly or annual billing; currency not stated on page) · pricing page
Start the 7-day free trial
Add your business hours, services and FAQs
Forward missed or after-hours calls to your Rosie number
Review call summaries and recordings, then refine
Rosie describes its service for US small and medium businesses, so confirm Canadian numbers and callers with the vendor first. Canada: commercial emails/texts must follow CASL (consent + unsubscribe). Tell callers calls may be recorded.
Recording laws vary by state, and some require all parties to consent. Get consent before recording.
AI receptionist for Canadian trades and service businesses (answers 24/7, books jobs, gives price-range quotes from your pricebook)
Price: No free plan (14-day free trial); paid from CAD $124/mo billed annually (Starter, ~150 calls; monthly-billed price not listed) · pricing page
Start the 14-day free trial
Enter your services, pricebook and calendar
Forward missed or after-hours calls to your ReturnCall.ai number
Review the SMS summaries and call recordings
Canadian vendor (Ontario) priced in CAD; it says call-recording disclosure is built into every call and that its servers are in the United States. Canada: commercial emails/texts must follow CASL (consent + unsubscribe).
Recording laws vary by state, and some require all parties to consent. Get consent before recording.
Price: No free plan; paid from $300/mo billed monthly (Starter, 30 calls) · pricing page
Sign up
Write call-handling instructions
Forward your line
Review call logs
Email: CAN-SPAM requires accurate sender info and a working opt-out. Texting or auto-dialled calls to consumers: the TCPA generally requires prior consent, and carriers and states add rules. Confirm with your broker or counsel. Recording laws vary by state, and some require all parties to consent. Get consent before recording.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI receptionist for a small business?
In our database, Upfirst (AI receptionist priced by call volume that answers 24/7, books appointments and texts you call summaries) is listed first (we order by fit for local service businesses, then published price, then lowest starting price); the other tools in the table are alternatives. Count your missed calls first, then compare included calls or minutes and overage charges.
How much does an AI answering service cost?
Starting prices from our last check: Upfirst: $24.95/mo billed monthly (Starter, 30 calls; $20/mo billed annually; USD) (checked 2026-10-19); Rosie: $49/mo (Professional, 250 minutes; monthly or annual billing; currency not stated on page) (checked 2026-10-19); Goodcall: $79/mo (Starter) (checked 2026-10-16); ReturnCall.ai: CAD $124/mo billed annually (Starter, ~150 calls; monthly-billed price not listed) (checked 2026-10-19); Ruby Receptionists: $143/mo (Live chat, 10 chats) or $250/mo (receptionist, 50 min), billed monthly (checked 2026-10-16); Smith.ai: $300/mo billed monthly (Starter, 30 calls) (checked 2026-10-16). Plans, billing periods and currencies differ, so confirm on the vendor's pricing page before you buy.
Is there a free trial for AI answering services?
Among the picks, Upfirst: No free plan; 14-day free trial; Rosie: No free plan; 7-day free trial; ReturnCall.ai: No free plan; 14-day free trial. Confirm the current terms on the vendor's pricing page.
Is there an AI answering service that works in Canada?
ReturnCall.ai describes itself as an AI receptionist for Canadian service businesses and prices in CAD. Rosie describes a service for US businesses, and the other vendors' pages we checked do not state Canadian availability, so confirm Canadian numbers and callers with the vendor before you sign up.
Do I need to tell callers I record calls or send follow-up texts?
Generally yes to both: tell callers a call may be recorded, and get the right consent before marketing texts (CASL in Canada, the TCPA in the US). This is general information, not legal advice, so check with a lawyer or your provider.
Generated from the PickMyStack tool database. Always confirm current pricing on the vendor site. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Some links are affiliate links and are labelled; read the disclosure.