12 ranked · data checked October 26, 2026
Best AI Receptionist for Law Firms 2027
NextPhone ranks first of the 12 AI receptionists we scored for law firms, with 79.5 of 95 points from published prices and terms checked October 26, 2026. Upfirst is second (74.9) and Goodcall third (70.2). NextPhone connects natively to Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics.
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, MyCase, Lawmatics | Contract | Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NextPhone | $199 | $199 | Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics native | Cancel any time | 79.5 /95 | getnextphone.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 2 | Upfirst | $69.95 | $159.95 | Clio native, MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier | Cancel any time | 74.9 /95 | upfirst.ai read October 26, 2026 |
| 3 | Goodcall | $79 | $129 | Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier | Monthly, notice not stated | 70.2 /95 | goodcall.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 4 | Phonely | $75 to $85 | $150 | Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier | Not published | 55.6 /95 | phonely.ai read October 26, 2026 |
| 5 | My AI Front Desk | $114 | $189 | Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier | Cancel any time | 55.4 /95 | myaifrontdesk.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 6 | Smith.ai AI Receptionist | $212.50 | $385 | Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics native | Monthly, 30 days' notice | 52.8 /95 | smith.ai read October 26, 2026 |
| 7 | Dialzara | $135 | $239 | Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier | Cancel any time | 52.3 /95 | dialzara.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 8 | Rosie | $149 | $149 | Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics through Zapier | Cancel any time | 50.2 /95 | heyrosie.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 9 | RingCentral AI Receptionist | $149 | $299 | None documented | Not published | 36.3 /95 | ringcentral.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 10 | Simple Phones | $97 | not computable | None documented | Cancel any time | 33.1 /95 | simplephones.ai read October 26, 2026 |
| 11 | Go Answer AI Receptionist | $270 | $510 | Clio and MyCase native | Cancel any time | 31.0 /95 | goanswer.io read October 26, 2026 |
| 12 | Moneypenny AI Answering (US) | $199 | $418 | Clio through Zapier | Monthly, one calendar month's notice | 28.1 /95 | moneypenny.com read October 26, 2026 |
Ordered by score, highest first. 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.
For a law firm the integration decides much of the value: intake that lands in the practice management system without retyping. This list weighs only the legal tools we track (Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics), so a vendor strong on home-services software cannot win here on the side, and each entry shows how the connection is proven.
Why each vendor ranks where it does
Each entry shows what separates the vendor from the one under it, where it loses, and how it connects to Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics, with the kind of proof behind each connection.
Rank 1
NextPhone
79.5 /95
- Why it ranks here
- 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 9th lowest of the 12 here.
- Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics
- Clio native (Clio's own app directory); MyCase native (vendor docs); Lawmatics native (vendor docs). Evidence.
The catch
- Trial card terms not stated: its pages do not say whether the trial needs a card or turns into a paid plan.
Rank 2
Upfirst
74.9 /95
- Why it ranks here
- 4.7 points ahead of Goodcall: it gains 6 on contract terms and 3.3 on integrations and gives up 4 on bill predictability and 0.6 on price.
- Where it loses
- Its bill rises $90 a month when calls double from 100 to 200.
- Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics
- Clio native (Clio's own app directory); MyCase through Zapier (Zapier directory); Lawmatics through Zapier (Zapier directory). Evidence.
Rank 3
Goodcall
70.2 /95
- Why it ranks here
- 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
- Its bill rises $50 a month when calls double from 100 to 200.
- Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics
- Clio through Zapier (Zapier directory); MyCase through Zapier (Zapier directory); Lawmatics through Zapier (Zapier directory). Evidence.
The catch
- Billed per unique caller, not per call. Our arithmetic counts every call as a new caller, which is the most a month can cost; repeat callers bring it down.
Rank 4
Phonely
55.6 /95
- Why it ranks here
- 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
- Its bill rises $75 a month when calls double from 100 to 200.
- Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics
- Clio through Zapier (Zapier directory); MyCase through Zapier (Zapier directory); Lawmatics through Zapier (Zapier directory). Evidence.
The catch
- No published rule on spam calls. We score that as unknown, not as free.
Rank 5
My AI Front Desk
55.4 /95
- Why it ranks here
- 2.6 points ahead of Smith.ai AI Receptionist: it gains 17.6 on price and 1 on contract terms and gives up 10 on integrations, 3 on bill predictability and 3 on spam-call billing.
- Where it loses
- Its bill rises $75 a month when calls double from 100 to 200.
- Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics
- Clio through Zapier (Zapier directory); MyCase through Zapier (Zapier directory); Lawmatics through Zapier (Zapier directory). Evidence.
The catch
- Robocall filter blocks spam; billing of blocked calls not stated. We score that as unknown, not as free.
Rank 6
Smith.ai AI Receptionist
52.8 /95
- Why it ranks here
- 0.5 points ahead of Dialzara: it gains 10 on integrations, 3 on bill predictability and 3 on spam-call billing and gives up 13.5 on price and 2 on contract terms.
- 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, MyCase and Lawmatics
- Clio native (Clio's own app directory); MyCase native (MyCase's own app directory); Lawmatics native (Lawmatics's own app directory). Evidence.
The catch
- Spam is free only under its conditions. Known spam numbers are filtered before the AI answers; answered spam is billed past the 10% allowance. “Every call answered by your AI Receptionist counts toward your call quota by default.” (smith.ai, read October 5, 2026).
Rank 7
Dialzara
52.3 /95
- Why it ranks here
- 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
- Past the allowance, it sends callers to voicemail unless auto-recharge is on. “so you can turn on auto-recharge or buy extra minutes a la carte. If it hits zero, callers go straight to voicemail.” (dialzara.com, read October 27, 2026).
- Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics
- Clio through Zapier (Zapier directory); MyCase through Zapier (Zapier directory); Lawmatics through Zapier (Zapier directory). Evidence.
The catch
- No published rule on spam calls. We score that as unknown, not as free.
Rank 8
Rosie
50.2 /95
- Why it ranks here
- 13.9 points ahead of RingCentral AI Receptionist: it gains 6.9 on price, 5 on integrations and 5 on contract terms and gives up 3 on bill predictability.
- Where it loses
- Past the allowance, it moves the account up a plan, which stays until you downgrade. “Rosie will automatically upgrade the Subscriber to a higher Subscription Plan to cover the additional Services Minutes usage.” (heyrosie.com, read October 27, 2026).
- Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics
- Clio through Zapier (Zapier directory); MyCase through Zapier (Zapier directory); Lawmatics through Zapier (Zapier directory). Evidence.
The catch
- Blocked numbers use no minutes; calls its spam detection hangs up on: not stated. We score that as unknown, not as free.
Rank 9
RingCentral AI Receptionist
36.3 /95
- Why it ranks here
- 3.1 points ahead of Simple Phones: it gains 5.1 on price and 3 on bill predictability and gives up 5 on contract terms.
- Where it loses
- At 100 calls it costs $149, the 7th lowest of the 12 here.
- Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics
- No documented connection. Evidence.
The catch
- No published rule on spam calls. We score that as unknown, not as free.
Rank 10
Simple Phones
33.1 /95
- Why it ranks here
- 2.1 points ahead of Go Answer AI Receptionist: it gains 15.1 on price and gives up 10 on integrations and 3 on bill predictability.
- Where it loses
- Past the allowance, it releases your phone numbers. “If you cancel your plan, or you exceed the number of calls per month for your tier, your phone numbers will be released.” (simplephones.ai, read October 26, 2026).
- Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics
- No documented connection. Evidence.
The catch
- No published rule on spam calls. We score that as unknown, not as free.
Rank 11
Go Answer AI Receptionist
31.0 /95
- Why it ranks here
- 2.9 points ahead of Moneypenny AI Answering (US): it gains 8.3 on integrations, 6 on contract terms and 2 on spam-call billing and gives up 10.4 on price and 3 on bill predictability.
- Where it loses
- At 100 calls it costs $270, the most of the 12 here.
- Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics
- Clio native (vendor docs); MyCase native (vendor docs). Not documented: Lawmatics. Evidence.
The catch
- No published rule on spam calls. We score that as unknown, not as free.
Rank 12
Moneypenny AI Answering (US)
28.1 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Last on this list by its order rule.
- Where it loses
- Answered spam calls are billed. Only silent calls are free; any call where noise registers is charged, spam included. “If the caller does not speak to the AI Receptionist (i.e. no noise is registered), the call will not be charged.” (cdn.prod.website-files.com, read October 7, 2026).
- Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics
- Clio through Zapier (vendor docs). Not documented: MyCase and Lawmatics. Evidence.
The catch
- One full calendar month's notice to cancel. One full calendar month; cancelling after the 1st of a month adds another full month. “You may cancel your Services with Moneypenny at any time by giving one full calendar month advanced notice to Moneypenny.” (cdn.prod.website-files.com, read October 7, 2026).
Which one fits your situation
Most Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics connections
Tie: NextPhone and Smith.ai AI Receptionist, each with Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics native.
Why it may not fit: NextPhone: At 100 calls it costs $199, the 9th lowest of the 12 here. Smith.ai AI Receptionist: Cancelling takes 30 days of notice.
Lowest cost at 200 calls
Goodcall costs $129 a month at 200 calls.
Why it may not fit: Its bill rises $50 a month when calls double from 100 to 200.
Easiest to try and to leave
Tie: NextPhone and Dialzara. Both allow cancelling at any time, charge no setup fee and offer a free trial.
Why it may not fit: Dialzara: Past its allowance it sends callers to voicemail unless auto-recharge is on.
What the ABA rules ask before an AI answers your line
ABA Model Rule 1.6(c) says a lawyer “shall make reasonable efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to the representation of a client.” A caller describing an injury or a dispute is giving exactly that information to whoever answers.
Model Rule 5.3 asks partners to “make reasonable efforts to ensure that the firm has in effect measures giving reasonable assurance” that the conduct of nonlawyers the firm retains “is compatible with the professional obligations of the lawyer.” Read with your state’s version of the rules, that points to questions no pricing page answers: where recordings and transcripts are stored, who at the vendor can hear them, how long they are kept, and whether call data trains the vendor’s models. Ask for the answers in writing. This is not legal advice.
Intake that reaches Clio, MyCase or Lawmatics
A listing in the tool’s own app directory is the strongest public proof; a vendor’s own page is next. A native connection is set up and maintained by the vendor; a Zapier connection is one you build and maintain, often on a paid Zapier plan, and it breaks when a field changes on either side. Ask each vendor for its field map: caller, matter type, opposing party, how the caller heard of the firm, and urgency.
What to check before you sign
- Where call recordings and transcripts are stored, who can access them, and for how long.
- Whether call data is used to train the vendor’s models, and how to opt out.
- The intake field map into your practice management system, not a logo.
- Conflict screening: whether the AI collects opposing party names before any detail of the matter.
- Notice to cancel and what happens to your phone number when you leave.
- Whether the trial needs a card, and whether it turns into a paid plan on its own.
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 integrate with MyCase?
NextPhone, Smith.ai AI Receptionist and Go Answer AI Receptionist document a native MyCase connection, and Upfirst, Goodcall, Phonely, My AI Front Desk, Dialzara and Rosie connect through Zapier, per the integration pages we read (checked October 27, 2026). Smith.ai AI Receptionist is listed in MyCase's own app directory. A logo on a vendor page with no stated mechanism does not count.
Which AI receptionists integrate with Lawmatics?
NextPhone and Smith.ai AI Receptionist document a native Lawmatics connection, and Upfirst, Goodcall, Phonely, My AI Front Desk, Dialzara and Rosie connect through Zapier, per the integration pages we read (checked October 27, 2026). Smith.ai AI Receptionist is listed in Lawmatics's own app directory. A logo on a vendor page with no stated mechanism does not count.
How much does an AI receptionist cost a law firm?
For the 12 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. Simple Phones publishes nothing that covers 200 calls. 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.
Is an AI receptionist allowed to take legal intake calls?
The ABA Model Rules do not prohibit it, but Rule 1.6 asks lawyers to make reasonable efforts to protect client information and Rule 5.3 asks firms to supervise the nonlawyer assistance they retain. In practice that means knowing where the vendor stores call data and who can access it. Check your own state’s rules; this is not legal advice.
Sources
- Pricing pages are linked in the table’s Source column, each with its read date. The other pages quoted here:
- Smith.ai AI Receptionist: pricing page, read October 5, 2026.
- Dialzara: pricing page, read October 27, 2026.
- Rosie: terms, read October 27, 2026.
- Simple Phones: pricing page, read October 26, 2026.
- Moneypenny AI Answering (US): terms (PDF), 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.
- ABA Model Rule 1.6, Confidentiality of Information, read October 27, 2026.
- ABA Model Rule 5.3, Responsibilities Regarding Nonlawyer Assistance, read October 27, 2026.
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 Law Firms 2027, data checked October 26, 2026, https://www.aireceptionistrankings.com/best-ai-receptionist-for-law-firms/. The full dataset is on the data page (CC BY 4.0).