Smith.ai Alternatives for Canadian Businesses (2026 Prices)
Quick answer
For a business that gets 150 calls a month, Smith.ai's human receptionists work out to about US$1,440 a month and Ruby to US$1,725. AI options cost far less at the same volume: about US$270 for Smith.ai's own AI Receptionist, $299 CAD for Dialbox and C$99 to C$399 for Hey Jodie. The cheaper options are AI, so the real question is how many of your calls need a person.
Smith.ai is one of the best-known names in virtual receptionists, and a lot of Canadian owners look it up when they get tired of missing calls. The service is good. The catch for Canadian businesses is that it's priced in US dollars and per call, so the monthly bill climbs quickly once the phone gets busy.
Instead of listing plans side by side, I worked out what each option costs for one realistic business: about 5 calls a business day, or 150 a month, at 2 to 3 minutes per call. That's a typical clinic, trades company or small law firm.
What 150 calls a month costs
| Option | Plan that fits | Monthly cost | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.ai, human receptionists | Basic: US$810 for 90 calls, then US$10.50 per extra call | About US$1,440 a month | Plus US$1.50 for each call where they book an appointment |
| Smith.ai, AI Receptionist | Pro, 150-call tier at US$1.80 per call | About US$270 a month | Free plan covers 25 calls; humans aren't included |
| Ruby | 150 calls at 2 to 3 minutes is 300 to 450 minutes, more than the 200-minute plan | US$1,725 a month (500 minutes) | Or US$720 for 200 minutes plus overage, which Ruby doesn't publish |
| Dialbox (Canadian AI) | 300 calls a month | $299 CAD a month | Checked September 30, 2026 |
| Hey Jodie (AI, Canadian pricing) | Flat monthly, unlimited minutes | C$99 to C$399 a month | Tier depends on features. Checked September 30, 2026 |
| Leonyx AI (custom AI receptionist) | Built for your calls, in your name | From $750 CAD once, plus phone and call minutes at cost | No per-call markup |
Smith.ai and Ruby prices checked on their pricing pages on October 12, 2026; Dialbox and Hey Jodie on September 30, 2026. US-based services bill in US dollars. Prices change, so confirm with the provider before you sign.
Why the human plans cost so much more
Smith.ai's entry human plan is US$300 for 30 calls. That's about a week of calls for the business in this example. After that, every call costs US$8.50 to US$11.50 depending on the plan, and booking an appointment adds US$1.50. Ruby's entry plan is 50 minutes, which runs out after about 20 calls.
That's not a flaw in either service. A trained person costs money every minute they're on the phone. AI pricing is different because an extra call costs the provider very little, which is why Smith.ai itself now sells an AI plan at a fraction of its human price.
When Smith.ai or Ruby is still the right call
Most of your calls need judgment
Sensitive legal intake, medical questions, upset customers and complicated quotes are still better with a person. If that describes most of your calls, a staffed service is worth the price.
You get very few calls
If you only need cover for 20 or 30 overflow calls a month, a small staffed plan is easy to justify and the gap in cost is small.
When an AI alternative makes more sense
Most calls to a local business are routine: are you open, how much is it, can I book Tuesday. An AI receptionist answers those on the first ring, day or night, handles several calls at once and books straight into your calendar. It fits best when calls pile up during busy hours or after closing.
There are two kinds of AI option. Subscriptions like Dialbox and Hey Jodie are quick to start and priced in Canadian dollars, but they're generic. A custom build takes a couple of weeks and knows your services, your prices and exactly when to hand a call to a person.
Where Leonyx AI fits
We build custom AI receptionists for Canadian businesses from $750 CAD, plus phone and call-minute costs at cost, with no per-call markup. It's set up in your business's name, keeps your existing number and sends your team a summary after every call. See the virtual receptionist service, the after-hours answering service or, for law firms, the legal answering service. For a wider look at prices, including Canadian staffed services, read answering service vs AI receptionist costs in Canada.
Common questions
Does Smith.ai work in Canada?
Smith.ai's pricing is in US dollars and it doesn't publish Canadian plans, so a Canadian business pays the exchange rate on top of the listed price. Check with Smith.ai about Canadian phone numbers and French-language calls if you need them.
What is the cheapest alternative to Smith.ai?
For a business with about 150 calls a month, the AI answering services were the cheapest in our comparison: Smith.ai's own AI Receptionist at about US$270, Dialbox at $299 CAD for 300 calls, and Hey Jodie from C$99 a month. Staffed human plans from Smith.ai and Ruby cost US$1,440 to US$1,725 at the same volume.
Is Ruby or Smith.ai better?
They bill differently. Ruby charges by the minute and Smith.ai by the call. If your calls are short, Ruby's minutes go further. If your calls run long, Smith.ai's per-call pricing is easier to predict. At 150 calls a month, Smith.ai's human plan worked out cheaper in our example.
Should I use an AI receptionist or a person?
Use AI for the routine calls: booking, hours, prices and directions. Use a person for upset callers, sensitive intake and complex quotes. Many businesses set the AI to answer first and transfer the calls that need a human.
Want this math for your own calls?
Book a free 30-minute call. Tell us roughly how many calls you get and what they're about, and we'll show you what each option would cost and give you a fixed build price.
Written by Laith Nasrallah
Founder of Leonyx AI and an SEO specialist based in Mississauga, Ontario. Builds the SEO, AI receptionists and automation systems Leonyx AI ships for clients, and writes from firsthand implementation work rather than secondhand research.
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