Conduit vs Rosie: answering the phone vs running the office
Rosie is a well-regarded AI receptionist — it answers calls, takes messages, and books appointments at a lower price point (around $49–99/mo as of July 2026; check their site for current plans). If all you need is the phone answered, it's a fair choice. Conduit is a different category: the call is where our work starts, not where it ends.
| Rosie-class AI receptionist | Conduit | |
|---|---|---|
| Answers calls 24/7, takes messages | Yes — this is the core product | Yes — with a named, personality-tuned assistant |
| Books real appointments | Yes, into connected calendars | Yes — against your real capacity, with confirmations and reminders texted |
| Missed-call text-back | Varies by plan | Included — seconds after the missed call |
| Quotes: drafted, sent, followed up | Not offered | Drafted from your price book, sent on your approval, chased on day 2, 5, and 10 |
| Invoice reminders & aging | Not offered | Included — friendly, firm, quiet-hours aware |
| Emergency escalation chain | Message or transfer, depending on plan | Owner called immediately, then backup, then SMS blast — never voicemail-and-done |
| Morning owner briefing | Call summaries | One daily brief: what happened, what's booked, what needs a decision |
| Price integrity | Varies | Structural: the assistant cannot state a price that isn't in your price book |
If your problem is 'the phone rings and nobody answers,' Rosie solves it for less. If your problem is 'my evenings disappear into callbacks, quotes I haven't sent, and invoices nobody paid' — that's the job Conduit was built for, and why it costs what an answering product plus a follow-up product plus a bookkeeper's hour would.
Common questions
Is Conduit more expensive than Rosie?
Usually yes — Rosie-class receptionists run $49–99/mo (July 2026), Conduit's Full Office is $499/mo. The comparison to make is against a receptionist PLUS a missed-call-text-back tool PLUS quote follow-up and invoice chasing, which is $399–650/mo bought separately — or hours of your own evening, every week.
Can I switch from Rosie to Conduit?
Yes — setup is about 15 minutes, and going live is re-pointing your call forwarding. Nothing about your number changes.