10 ranked · data checked October 26, 2026
Best AI Receptionist for Clio 2027
NextPhone is the best-scoring AI receptionist for Clio (79.5 of 95), one of 4 with a native connection; 6 more connect through Zapier (checked October 27, 2026). Native connections rank first, then score; prices checked October 26, 2026.
The ranking
Prices checked against each vendor's own pricing page on October 26, 2026; integrations checked October 27, 2026. Each row carries its own read date.
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| # | Service | 100 calls/mo | 200 calls/mo | Clio | Evidence | Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NextPhone | $199 | $199 | Native | Listed in Clio's own app directory | 79.5 /95 | getnextphone.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 2 | Upfirst | $69.95 | $159.95 | Native | Listed in Clio's own app directory | 74.9 /95 | upfirst.ai read October 26, 2026 |
| 3 | Smith.ai AI Receptionist | $212.50 | $385 | Native | Listed in Clio's own app directory | 52.8 /95 | smith.ai read October 26, 2026 |
| 4 | Go Answer AI Receptionist | $270 | $510 | Native | The vendor's own docs | 31.0 /95 | goanswer.io read October 26, 2026 |
| 5 | Goodcall | $79 | $129 | Through Zapier | Zapier's app directory, plus the vendor's Zapier docs | 70.2 /95 | goodcall.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 6 | Phonely | $75 to $85 | $150 | Through Zapier | Zapier's app directory, plus the vendor's Zapier docs | 55.6 /95 | phonely.ai read October 26, 2026 |
| 7 | My AI Front Desk | $114 | $189 | Through Zapier | Zapier's app directory, plus the vendor's Zapier docs | 55.4 /95 | myaifrontdesk.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 8 | Dialzara | $135 | $239 | Through Zapier | Zapier's app directory, plus the vendor's Zapier docs | 52.3 /95 | dialzara.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 9 | Rosie | $149 | $149 | Through Zapier | Zapier's app directory, plus the vendor's Zapier docs | 50.2 /95 | heyrosie.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 10 | Moneypenny AI Answering (US) | $199 | $418 | Through Zapier | The vendor's own docs | 28.1 /95 | moneypenny.com read October 26, 2026 |
Ordered by how the vendor connects to Clio (native first, then through Zapier), then by score. Costs are each vendor's cheapest published plan for that volume plus its published rate past the allowance, at 3-minute calls; taxes, setup and add-ons are not included. The score weighs price, bill predictability, integrations (on this page: Clio, MyCase, Lawmatics), contract terms and spam billing; test-call scores are coming. How we rank.
A logo on a vendor’s integrations page is not an integration. This list counts only connections the vendor or the Clio App Directory documents, with the page and the date, and puts native connections ahead of Zapier ones. A native connection is built and kept working by the vendor; a Zapier connection works, but you build it, you usually pay for Zapier, and it breaks when a field changes on either side.
Why each vendor ranks where it does
Each entry adds how the connection works, in the vendor’s or the directory’s own words, with the page and the date.
Rank 1
NextPhone
79.5 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Both connect to Clio natively; 4.6 points ahead of Upfirst: it gains 10 on bill predictability, 6.7 on integrations and 1 on contract terms and gives up 13.1 on price.
- Where it loses
- At 100 calls it costs $199, the 7th lowest of the 10 here.
- Clio connection
- Native, listed in Clio's own app directory. “the AI checks your real-time Clio calendar availability and books the consultation as a calendar entry on your chosen calendar, creates the caller as a…” (clio.com, read October 27, 2026).
- MyCase and Lawmatics
- MyCase and Lawmatics native.
Rank 2
Upfirst
74.9 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Both connect to Clio natively; 22.1 points ahead of Smith.ai AI Receptionist: it gains 22.8 on price, 5 on spam-call billing and 1 on contract terms and gives up 6.7 on integrations.
- Where it loses
- Its bill rises $90 a month when calls double from 100 to 200.
- Clio connection
- Native, listed in Clio's own app directory. “books appointments right on your Clio calendar” (clio.com, read October 27, 2026).
- MyCase and Lawmatics
- MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier.
Rank 3
Smith.ai AI Receptionist
52.8 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Both connect to Clio natively; 21.8 points ahead of Go Answer AI Receptionist: it gains 10.8 on price, 5 on integrations, 3 on bill predictability and 3 on spam-call billing.
- Where it loses
- 30 days of notice to cancel. “If you ever cancel, we need 30 days' notice, and then you're done.” (smith.ai, read October 5, 2026).
- Clio connection
- Native, listed in Clio's own app directory. “Smith.ai automatically syncs call summaries, contact information (name, email, phone number), and call duration/length (if applicable) to Clio” (clio.com, read October 27, 2026).
- MyCase and Lawmatics
- MyCase and Lawmatics native.
Rank 4
Go Answer AI Receptionist
31.0 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Connects to Clio natively; Goodcall connects through Zapier.
- Where it loses
- At 100 calls it costs $270, the most of the 10 here.
- Clio connection
- Native, the vendor's own docs. “Clio: ... Go Answer ensures seamless data transfer, automated task creation” (goanswer.io, read October 7, 2026).
- MyCase and Lawmatics
- MyCase native.
Rank 5
Goodcall
70.2 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Both connect to Clio through Zapier; 14.6 points ahead of Phonely: it gains 8 on spam-call billing, 7 on bill predictability and 0.6 on price and gives up 1 on contract terms.
- Where it loses
- It connects to Clio only through Zapier, which you set up and pay for.
- Clio connection
- Through Zapier: you build and pay for the connection. Zapier lists its “Call Complete” trigger and Clio's “Create Person Contact” action. Its docs: “you can select from a Call Complete or Flow Complete (message or contact form) as “triggers”” (help.goodcall.com, read October 27, 2026).
- MyCase and Lawmatics
- MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier.
Rank 6
Phonely
55.6 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Both connect to Clio through Zapier; 0.2 points ahead of My AI Front Desk: it gains 5.2 on price and gives up 5 on contract terms.
- Where it loses
- It connects to Clio only through Zapier, which you set up and pay for.
- Clio connection
- Through Zapier: you build and pay for the connection. Zapier lists its “New Call” trigger and Clio's “Create Person Contact” action. Its docs: “Send post-call data to a Zapier webhook.” (docs.phonely.ai, read October 27, 2026).
- MyCase and Lawmatics
- MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier.
Rank 7
My AI Front Desk
55.4 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Both connect to Clio through Zapier; 3.1 points ahead of Dialzara: it gains 4.1 on price and gives up 1 on contract terms.
- Where it loses
- It connects to Clio only through Zapier, which you set up and pay for.
- Clio connection
- Through Zapier: you build and pay for the connection. Its docs: “Create Person Contact” (zapier.com, read October 27, 2026).
- MyCase and Lawmatics
- MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier.
Rank 8
Dialzara
52.3 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Both connect to Clio through Zapier; 2.1 points ahead of Rosie: it gains 3 on bill predictability and 2 on contract terms and gives up 2.9 on price.
- Where it loses
- It connects to Clio only through Zapier, which you set up and pay for.
- Clio connection
- Through Zapier: you build and pay for the connection. Zapier lists its “New DialZara Call” trigger and Clio's “Create Person Contact” action. Its docs: “Popular CRMs supported out of the box; everything else via Zapier, Make, or webhooks.” (dialzara.com, read October 27, 2026).
- MyCase and Lawmatics
- MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier.
Rank 9
Rosie
50.2 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Both connect to Clio through Zapier; 22.1 points ahead of Moneypenny AI Answering (US): it gains 16.7 on price, 6 on contract terms, 3.3 on integrations and 2 on spam-call billing and gives up 6 on bill predictability.
- Where it loses
- It connects to Clio only through Zapier, which you set up and pay for.
- Clio connection
- Through Zapier: you build and pay for the connection. Zapier lists its “New Call” trigger and Clio's “Create Person Contact” action. Its docs: “Zapier integration - connect to 1,000+ apps” (heyrosie.com, read October 27, 2026).
- MyCase and Lawmatics
- MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier.
Rank 10
Moneypenny AI Answering (US)
28.1 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Last on this list by its order rule.
- Where it loses
- It connects to Clio only through Zapier, which you set up and pay for.
- Clio connection
- Through Zapier: you build and pay for the connection. Its docs: “You will need a suitable Zapier account” (moneypenny.com, read October 7, 2026).
- MyCase and Lawmatics
- none documented.
Which one fits your situation
Lowest cost with a native Clio connection
Upfirst costs $69.95 a month at 100 calls.
Why it may not fit: Its bill rises $90 a month when calls double from 100 to 200.
Listed in Clio's own directory
NextPhone, Upfirst and Smith.ai AI Receptionist are listed in Clio's own app directory, the strongest public evidence.
Why it may not fit: NextPhone: At 100 calls it costs $199, the 7th lowest of the 10 here. Smith.ai AI Receptionist: Cancelling takes 30 days of notice.
Lowest cost through Zapier
Phonely costs $75 to $85 a month at 100 calls.
Why it may not fit: It connects to Clio only through Zapier, which you set up and pay for.
What a Clio connection should do
At minimum: create or match the contact, attach the call summary or transcript to the right matter, and flag new leads for intake. Ask each vendor whether it writes to Clio Manage or Clio Grow, which fields it maps, and whether a returning client is matched or duplicated.
What to check before you sign
- Whether the connection writes to Clio Manage, Clio Grow or both.
- The field map, and how returning clients are matched.
- Who maintains the connection, and whether it costs extra.
- Notice to cancel and what happens to your phone number when you leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which AI receptionists integrate with Clio?
NextPhone, Upfirst, Smith.ai AI Receptionist and Go Answer AI Receptionist document a native Clio connection, and Goodcall, Phonely, My AI Front Desk, Dialzara, Rosie and Moneypenny AI Answering (US) connect through Zapier, per the integration pages we read (checked October 27, 2026). NextPhone, Upfirst and Smith.ai AI Receptionist are listed in Clio's own app directory. A logo on a vendor page with no stated mechanism does not count.
Which AI receptionists are listed in the Clio App Directory?
NextPhone, Upfirst and Smith.ai AI Receptionist are listed in Clio's own App Directory (checked October 27, 2026). A directory listing is the strongest public evidence that a connection exists; every other connection here rests on the vendor's own pages.
How much does an AI receptionist with Clio cost?
For the 10 AI receptionists on this list, the cheapest published plan for three-minute calls costs $69.95 to $270 at 100 calls and $129 to $510 at 200 calls a month, prices checked October 26, 2026. Each cost is the vendor's cheapest plan for that volume plus its published rate past the allowance; taxes, setup and add-ons are not included.
Can I cancel an AI receptionist at any time?
NextPhone, Upfirst, Go Answer AI Receptionist, My AI Front Desk, Dialzara and Rosie state that you can cancel at any time. Smith.ai AI Receptionist asks for 30 days of notice; Moneypenny AI Answering (US) asks for one full calendar month's notice. Phonely does not publish contract terms, so ask before you sign.
Sources
- Pricing pages are linked in the table’s Source column, each with its read date. The other pages quoted here:
- NextPhone: product page, read October 27, 2026.
- Upfirst: product page, read October 27, 2026.
- Smith.ai AI Receptionist: pricing page, read October 5, 2026; product page, read October 27, 2026.
- Go Answer AI Receptionist: product page, read October 7, 2026.
- Goodcall: help center, read October 27, 2026.
- Phonely: help center, read October 27, 2026.
- My AI Front Desk: integration page, read October 27, 2026.
- Dialzara: home page, read October 27, 2026.
- Rosie: pricing page, read October 27, 2026.
- Moneypenny AI Answering (US): integration page, read October 7, 2026.
- Integrations: the vendors' own integration pages and the tools' app directories, checked October 27, 2026. Every connection's evidence is on the data page.
Data changes for vendors on this list
- October 27, 2026: Upfirst: cancellation notice recorded as none. Its pricing FAQ says "You can cancel, upgrade, or downgrade anytime, no questions asked," the same strength as other cancel-anytime terms. Its setup-fee summary now reads "None stated": no page says there is no fee. No price changed.
- October 27, 2026: My AI Front Desk: the 1,000 monthly overage credits its pricing page lists as included ("Extra credits you get each month in case you go over your included usage") now count as 40 included minutes, so Business-in-a-Box covers 240 minutes before the $0.25 rate applies (was 200). Phonely: noted that its Professional plan card says 650 minutes and its comparison table 750; the card is used. Cost arithmetic: when two plans tie on their lowest cost, the one with the narrower range is chosen, so Phonely at 10 calls a day prices on Professional alone.
How to cite: AI Receptionist Rankings, Best AI Receptionist for Clio 2027, data checked October 26, 2026, https://www.aireceptionistrankings.com/best-ai-receptionist-for-clio/. The full dataset is on the data page (CC BY 4.0).