Conduit vs My AI Front Desk: budget receptionist vs full front office
My AI Front Desk is one of the most affordable self-serve AI receptionists: its published Business-in-a-Box plan runs $99/mo with 200 voice minutes (a $20 entry tier includes no voice minutes), with custom pricing for agencies (August 2026, per myaifrontdesk.com; check their site for current pricing). It answers, takes messages, and handles basic scheduling links. Conduit costs more because it's doing a bigger job: real calendar booking with conflict checks, texting from your own number, lead capture, emergency escalation, and a morning brief.
| My AI Front Desk–class AI receptionist | Conduit | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing shape | Published: $99/mo with 200 voice minutes; $20 tier has no voice minutes | Flat monthly with included minutes — spam free, no overage billing, ever |
| Answers calls 24/7 | Yes | Yes — a named assistant that always discloses it's AI |
| Books real appointments | Scheduling via links and integrations | Built in — real availability, conflict-checked, confirmation and reminders texted |
| Texting | SMS features bundled with its plans | Two-way texting and missed-call text-back from your own number, once carrier registration clears — with quiet hours and opt-outs handled |
| Emergency escalation | Transfer rules you configure | Owner called immediately, then backup, then SMS blast — never voicemail-and-done |
| Industry knowledge out of the box | You script your business into it | Industry playbooks preloaded — services, urgency triage, and the questions callers actually ask |
| Owner visibility | Dashboards and call records | Full call log with recordings and transcripts, plus one morning briefing |
My AI Front Desk–class AI receptionist pricing and features are drawn from publicly available information as of August 24, 2026 and may change — check their own website for current details. Comparisons reflect general plan categories, not every tier. My AI Front Desk is a trademark of its respective owner; references here are for identification and comparison only.
If you want the cheapest credible AI answering your line and you're happy to script it, wire up the integrations, and handle the follow-through yourself, My AI Front Desk is a fair budget pick. Conduit is for the owner who wants the follow-through done — the visit booked against a real calendar, the missed caller texted, the lead captured, the morning brief waiting — without assembling it from parts.
Compare further: the best AI receptionists, ranked honestly · what an AI receptionist costs · Conduit pricing
Common questions
Why pay more for Conduit when My AI Front Desk starts at $99?
Because the price gap is the work gap. A budget receptionist ends the call with a message; you still do the booking, the text-back, and the follow-up. Conduit's plans include that follow-through as the product. If you'd genuinely do none of it anyway, the cheaper tool is the right buy — we'd rather say that than sell you the wrong thing.
Is setup harder on one or the other?
Both are self-serve. The practical difference is starting material: Conduit begins from an industry playbook — services, urgency triage, caller questions — that you confirm and personalize in about 30 minutes, rather than a blank script.
Can I switch later?
Yes, in either direction. Your number never changes with Conduit — going live is re-pointing your call forwarding, and switching away is pointing it back.
Facts on this page last verified August 24, 2026