Honest comparison
Conduit vs Smith.ai: paying per call vs a fixed allowance
Smith.ai sells human receptionists and an AI receptionist; this page compares the AI receptionist, which is metered per call: the Free plan is $0/mo for 25 calls, then $3 per call; Pro is $150/mo at $2 per call; Enterprise $500 at $1.67; a card is required at signup (October 2026, per smith.ai/ai-receptionist; verified 2026-10-11). An escalation the AI starts to their human receptionists carries no fee, live-agent help on calls is a per-call add-on, and their human plans start at $300 for 30 calls. Check their site for current pricing.
Prices verified 2026-10-11 · source: smith.ai/ai-receptionist
Side by side
The same nine questions, asked of both
- Entry price and what it includes
- Smith.ai AI receptionistFree $0/mo — 25 calls, then $3 per call
- ConduitSolo $79/mo — 150 minutes, 300 texts, every capability
- What happens past the allowance
- Smith.ai AI receptionistPer call: $3 on Free, $2 on Pro, $1.67 on Enterprise; overages can be switched off
- ConduitMessage-taking; optional one-time packs; no overage billing, ever
- What counts against the allowance
- Smith.ai AI receptionistCounted per call, not per minute
- ConduitOnly a real person talking to the assistant; spam, robocalls and hang-ups under ten seconds are refunded
- Books into your calendar
- Smith.ai AI receptionistEvery AI plan, including Free (Calendly and more)
- ConduitEvery plan — two-way Google Calendar, capacity-aware, no double-booking
- Texting
- Smith.ai AI receptionistCustom SMS branding on Pro and up
- ConduitConfirmations, reminders, missed-call text-back, mid-call links — once carrier registration clears (we file and chase it)
- Emergency path
- Smith.ai AI receptionistEscalates to their human receptionists — no fee when the AI escalates; live-agent help is a per-call add-on
- ConduitPuts the caller through to you, then texts each emergency contact in turn until someone opens the alert
- Disclosure
- Smith.ai AI receptionistNot stated on their pricing page
- ConduitEvery call opens with the AI-and-recording sentence; it can't be removed
- Owner visibility
- Smith.ai AI receptionistCall recording, transcription and analytics on every AI plan
- ConduitEvery recording and transcript in Calls; one briefing every morning; every lead written down
- Trial / guarantee
- Smith.ai AI receptionistFree plan with a card on file; no contracts (their human plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee)
- ConduitNo trial; free setup; 30-day money-back on the first payment
Smith.ai AI receptionist pricing and features are read from their own published pages and were verified on 2026-10-11 (October 11, 2026). Plans change — check their site before deciding. Trademarks belong to their owners; named for identification only.
Smith.ai's AI receptionist starts at $0 for 25 calls a month with scheduling included — for a line taking fewer than 25 calls, nothing beats free. The meter is per call, $3 each after the 25 and $2 on the $150 plan, so a 60-call month costs $105 on Free and $150 on Pro; Conduit Solo's $79 covers about 150 minutes however many calls that is, refunds spam, and never bills an overage, while live-agent help at Smith.ai is a per-call add-on. Pick Smith.ai if you take a handful of calls or want the option of their human receptionists; pick Conduit if you'd rather know the bill in advance.
Compare further: every comparison · the best AI receptionists, ranked honestly · what an AI receptionist costs · Conduit pricing
Questions
Common questions
Is Smith.ai cheaper than Conduit?
Under 25 calls a month, yes — their AI plan is free to that point (October 2026, per smith.ai). After that it's $3 a call on Free or $150 a month at $2 a call on Pro. Conduit Solo is $79 a month for 150 minutes, and the bill doesn't move with call count.
Aren't people better on the phone than an assistant?
On the hardest calls, yes, and we won't pretend otherwise. Conduit tells every caller it's AI, and a real emergency is put through to you and then texted to your contacts in turn. The difference is which people: Smith.ai can route to its receptionists; Conduit routes to you and the people you choose.
Can I switch from Smith.ai to Conduit?
Yes. Your number stays yours: build your assistant free, pick a plan when you're ready, and point your call forwarding at your assistant's number. Forwarding is reversible, so switching back is pointing it back. Calls work from day one; texting switches on once carrier registration clears.
Prices on this page verified 2026-10-11 · Trademarks belong to their owners; named for identification only.