Conduit vs Smith.ai: per-call receptionists vs a flat-rate AI office
Smith.ai is one of the most established names in virtual reception — a per-call service (with AI-first and human-first options) whose published plans start at $300/mo for 30 calls, $810 for 90, and $2,100 for 300, with per-call overage rates around $8.50–11.50 (August 2026, per smith.ai; check their site for current pricing). It's a serious, well-reviewed product aimed at firms that want people in the loop. Conduit makes a different bet: software pricing, one AI assistant that does the follow-through itself, and your own humans — not a call center — as the escalation path.
| Smith.ai-class virtual reception | Conduit | |
|---|---|---|
| Who answers | Receptionists with AI assistance — human-first or AI-first, your choice | One named AI assistant that always discloses it's AI |
| Pricing shape | Per call: published plans from $300/mo for 30 calls, overage per call | Flat monthly with included minutes — spam free, no overage billing, ever |
| Cost at volume | Scales with every call — a busy month costs more | Flat — a busy month costs the same |
| Books real appointments | Yes, with scheduling add-ons and integrations | Built in — real availability, conflict-checked, confirmation and reminders texted |
| Missed-call text-back & text threads | Available via add-ons and campaigns | Included — from your own business number, once carrier registration clears |
| Emergency escalation | Transfer and intake rules you define | Owner called immediately, then backup, then SMS blast — your people, not a queue |
| The hard, strange call | A trained human is still the gold standard | Honest limits: it takes a message or escalates to you rather than improvising |
Smith.ai-class virtual reception 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. Smith.ai is a trademark of its respective owner; references here are for identification and comparison only.
If your callers expect a person — a law firm's intake, sensitive consultations — Smith.ai's human-in-the-loop model is worth its per-call price, and we'll say so plainly. For an owner-run service business, the math is different: at $300/mo for 30 calls, one busy week can cost more than a month of software. Conduit prices like software, does the booking and text-back itself, and escalates to the only humans your callers actually want — you.
Compare further: the best AI receptionists, ranked honestly · what an AI receptionist costs · Conduit pricing
Common questions
Is Conduit cheaper than Smith.ai?
Usually much cheaper at comparable volume. Smith.ai's published plans work out to roughly $7–10 per call before overage (August 2026, per smith.ai). Conduit's plans are flat monthly with included talk minutes, spam calls free, and no overage billing — at the cap the assistant takes messages instead of charging you.
But aren't humans better on the phone than an AI?
On the hardest calls, yes — and Conduit doesn't pretend otherwise: it discloses it's AI on every call, and anything urgent or beyond its brief reaches a human immediately. The difference is which humans: Smith.ai routes to its receptionists; Conduit routes to you and your backup, the people who can actually make the call.
Can I switch from Smith.ai to Conduit?
Yes — set up Conduit (about 30 minutes), then re-point your forwarding. Your number never changes, so there's nothing to port and nothing to lose if you switch back.
Facts on this page last verified August 24, 2026