12 ranked · data checked October 26, 2026
Best Flat-Rate AI Receptionist 2027
One of the 12 AI receptionists we priced publishes plans with no usage meter at all: NextPhone ($199 a month), prices checked October 26, 2026. A flat plan is not the cheapest at every volume: at 100 calls, 8 of the 11 metered plans cost less; at 300 calls, 3 do.
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 | Rise, 100 to 200 | Meter | Past the allowance | Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NextPhone | $199 | $199 | $0 | None | No allowance (unlimited) | 77.7 /95 | getnextphone.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 2 | Rosie | $149 | $149 | $0 | Per minute | Moves you up a plan | 52.4 /95 | heyrosie.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 3 | Goodcall | $79 | $129 | $50 | Per unique caller | Published rate per extra unit | 69.8 /95 | goodcall.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 4 | My AI Front Desk | $114 | $189 | $75 | Per minute | Published rate per extra unit | 58.6 /95 | myaifrontdesk.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 5 | Phonely | $75 to $85 | $150 | $75 | Per minute | Published rate per extra unit | 56.0 /95 | phonely.ai read October 26, 2026 |
| 6 | Upfirst | $69.95 | $159.95 | $90 | Per call | Published rate per extra unit | 73.9 /95 | upfirst.ai read October 26, 2026 |
| 7 | Dialzara | $135 | $239 | $104 | Per minute | Voicemail, unless auto-recharge is on | 52.7 /95 | dialzara.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 8 | RingCentral AI Receptionist | $149 | $299 | $150 | Per minute | Published rate per extra unit | 36.3 /95 | ringcentral.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 9 | Smith.ai AI Receptionist | $212.50 | $385 | $172.50 | Per call | Published rate per extra unit | 51.4 /95 | smith.ai read October 26, 2026 |
| 10 | Moneypenny AI Answering (US) | $199 | $418 | $219 | Per call | Published rate per extra unit | 26.9 /95 | moneypenny.com read October 26, 2026 |
| 11 | Go Answer AI Receptionist | $270 | $510 | $240 | Per minute | Published rate per extra unit | 23.7 /95 | goanswer.io read October 26, 2026 |
| 12 | Simple Phones | $97 | not computable | n/a | Per call | Phone numbers released | 33.1 /95 | simplephones.ai read October 26, 2026 |
Vendors whose plans have no usage meter come first, by score. The rest follow by how much their bill rises when calls double from 100 to 200 a month, smallest rise first, 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, contract terms and spam billing; test-call scores are coming. How we rank.
No usage meterMetered (minutes, calls or callers)
Flat rate here means the monthly bill does not move when call volume does. Vendors with no usage meter at all come first; every other vendor follows in order of how much its bill rises when calls double from 100 to 200 a month, which is the number that matters if your volume swings. The chart draws each bill from 25 to 400 calls, so you can see where the lines cross.
Why each vendor ranks where it does
Each entry adds the bill at five volumes and how the vendor meters usage. The chart shows the same numbers as lines.
Rank 1
NextPhone
77.7 /95
- Why it ranks here
- The only vendor with no usage meter.
- Where it loses
- At 100 calls, 8 metered plans cost less than its $199.
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $199, $199, $199, $199, $199.
- The meter
- None: unlimited inbound calls on every plan.
Rank 2
Rosie
52.4 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Its bill does not change from 100 to 200 calls, against $50 for Goodcall.
- Where it loses
- Past its allowance it moves the account up a plan, which stays until you downgrade.
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $49, $149, $149, $149, $299.
- The meter
- Minutes: Scale includes 1,000. Past the allowance it moves the account up a plan, which stays until you downgrade.
Rank 3
Goodcall
69.8 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Its bill rises $50 from 100 to 200 calls, against $75 for My AI Front Desk.
- Where it loses
- It publishes no free trial.
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $79, $79, $129, $129, $129.
- The meter
- Unique callers: Starter includes 100, then $0.79 per caller. Past the allowance it keeps answering and bills a published rate per extra unit.
Rank 4
My AI Front Desk
58.6 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Same rise from 100 to 200 calls as Phonely; ahead on score by 2.5 points.
- Where it loses
- It publishes no rule on spam calls.
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $99, $114, $189, $264, $339.
- The meter
- Minutes: Business-in-a-Box includes 240, then $0.25 per minute. Past the allowance it keeps answering and bills a published rate per extra unit.
Rank 5
Phonely
56.0 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Its bill rises $75 from 100 to 200 calls, against $90 for Upfirst.
- Where it loses
- It publishes no rule on spam calls.
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $50, $75 to $85, $150, $225, $300 to $400.
- The meter
- Minutes: Starter includes 200, then $0.25 to $0.35 per minute. Past the allowance it keeps answering and bills a published rate per extra unit.
Rank 6
Upfirst
73.9 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Its bill rises $90 from 100 to 200 calls, against $104 for Dialzara.
- Where it loses
- Nothing in its published terms counts against it here; the test-call scores, when they exist, may.
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $54.95, $69.95, $159.95, $159.95, $234.95.
- The meter
- Calls: Premium includes 90, then $1 per call. Past the allowance it keeps answering and bills a published rate per extra unit.
Rank 7
Dialzara
52.7 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Its bill rises $104 from 100 to 200 calls, against $150 for RingCentral AI Receptionist.
- Where it loses
- Past its allowance it sends callers to voicemail unless auto-recharge is on.
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $72.20, $135, $239, $349, $419.
- The meter
- Minutes: Business Pro includes 220, then $0.45 per minute. Past the allowance it sends callers to voicemail unless auto-recharge is on.
Rank 8
RingCentral AI Receptionist
36.3 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Its bill rises $150 from 100 to 200 calls, against $172.50 for Smith.ai AI Receptionist.
- Where it loses
- It publishes no rule on spam calls.
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $74, $149, $299, $449, $599.
- The meter
- Minutes: Standalone includes 100, then $0.50 per minute. Past the allowance it keeps answering and bills a published rate per extra unit.
Rank 9
Smith.ai AI Receptionist
51.4 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Its bill rises $172.50 from 100 to 200 calls, against $219 for Moneypenny AI Answering (US).
- 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).
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $75, $212.50, $385, $500, $717.
- The meter
- Calls: Pro (75 calls) includes 75, then $2.50 per call. Past the allowance it keeps answering and bills a published rate per extra unit.
Rank 10
Moneypenny AI Answering (US)
26.9 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Its bill rises $219 from 100 to 200 calls, against $240 for Go Answer AI Receptionist.
- 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).
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $99, $199, $418, $529.50, $718.50.
- The meter
- Calls: 100 calls includes 100, then $2.19 per call. Past the allowance it keeps answering and bills a published rate per extra unit.
Rank 11
Go Answer AI Receptionist
23.7 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Its rise from 100 to 200 calls is computable ($240); Simple Phones' is not.
- Where it loses
- It publishes no rule on spam calls.
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $142.50, $270, $510, $765, $960.
- The meter
- Minutes: AI Receptionist 300 includes 300, then $0.90 per minute. Past the allowance it keeps answering and bills a published rate per extra unit.
Rank 12
Simple Phones
33.1 /95
- Why it ranks here
- Last on this list by its order rule.
- Where it loses
- Past its allowance it releases your phone numbers.
- Bill at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 calls
- $97, $97, n/c, n/c, n/c.
- The meter
- Calls: Entry includes 100. Past the allowance it releases your phone numbers.
Which one fits your situation
Lowest flat price
NextPhone costs $199 a month at 100 calls.
Why it may not fit: At 100 calls, 8 metered plans cost less than its $199.
Smallest rise among metered plans
Rosie costs the same at 200 calls as at 100 ($149), on a metered plan.
Why it may not fit: Past its allowance it moves the account up a plan, which stays until you downgrade.
Lowest bill in a 300-call month
Goodcall costs $129 a month at 300 calls.
Why it may not fit: It publishes no free trial.
Flat rate, per caller, per call, per minute
Four billing units show up in this market, and the table names each vendor’s. A plan with no usage meter charges the same whatever the volume. Per unique caller charges once per phone number per month, so repeat callers are free. Per call charges every answered call, short or long. Per minute charges talk time, and the rounding differs by vendor, from per second to whole minutes, so long calls cost most.
What to check before you sign
- What “unlimited” excludes in the terms: fair-use limits, concurrent calls, or features on higher tiers.
- Your real call count: last month, your busiest month, and how many of those calls were spam.
- What the plan does past its allowance: a published rate, an automatic upgrade, or voicemail.
- Whether the trial needs a card, and whether it turns into a paid plan on its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a flat-rate AI receptionist cheaper than a per-minute one?
Not at every volume. The cheapest flat plan here costs $199 a month whatever the volume (checked October 26, 2026). At 100 calls, 8 of the 11 metered plans cost less; by 200 calls, Dialzara, RingCentral AI Receptionist and Simple Phones cost the same or more. A flat plan wins when your volume is high or swings, a metered plan when it is low and steady.
What happens when an AI receptionist runs out of minutes mid-month?
It depends on the vendor. On this list, NextPhone has no allowance to run out, Goodcall, My AI Front Desk, Phonely, Upfirst, RingCentral AI Receptionist, Smith.ai AI Receptionist, Moneypenny AI Answering (US) and Go Answer AI Receptionist keep answering and bill a published rate per extra minute, call or caller, Rosie moves the account up a plan, Dialzara sends callers to voicemail unless auto-recharge is on and Simple Phones releases your phone numbers, per their own pricing pages and terms (read October 27, 2026 or earlier, each quoted on the page).
Can I cancel an AI receptionist at any time?
NextPhone, Rosie, My AI Front Desk, Upfirst, Dialzara, Go Answer AI Receptionist and Simple Phones 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 and RingCentral AI Receptionist do not publish contract terms, so ask before you sign.
Can I try an AI receptionist for free?
Yes. Phonely and Smith.ai AI Receptionist have a permanent free plan. My AI Front Desk and Upfirst offer a free trial with no card. NextPhone, Rosie, Dialzara, RingCentral AI Receptionist and Simple Phones offer a free trial; card terms not stated. Go Answer AI Receptionist needs a card to start the trial. Goodcall offers no trial. Moneypenny AI Answering (US) publishes no trial terms. Forward real calls during a trial: a demo call you script yourself shows little.
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.
- 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.
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 Flat-Rate AI Receptionist 2027, data checked October 26, 2026, https://www.aireceptionistrankings.com/best-flat-rate-ai-receptionist/. The full dataset is on the data page (CC BY 4.0).