What's the main difference between AnswerConnect and Smith.ai?

AnswerConnect is human agents; Smith.ai is ai + human backup. That is the real decision here, not the price.

AnswerConnect vs Smith.ai

Smith.ai starts $350/mo cheaper than AnswerConnect.

Both pages checked by August 19, 2026

AnswerConnectHuman agents: $350/mo; Entry plan; AnswerConnect (AnywhereWorks, Inc. dba AnswerConnect) is a 24/7 live answering and virtual receptionist service sold in monthly minute buckets, staffed entirely by remote human receptionists, with the company publicly pledging not to use AI agents on calls.
Smith.aiAI + human backup: $0/mo; AI Receptionist — Free plan; Smith.ai sells small and mid-sized businesses two products off one platform: an AI Receptionist that answers, qualifies and books 24/7 with escalation to its North America-based Live Agent Network, and a fully human Virtual Receptionist service, both billed per call rather than per minute.

AnswerConnect is human agents; Smith.ai is ai + human backup. That is the real decision here, not the price.
Smith.ai offers a trial (AI Receptionist Free tier: "$0 mo", "25 calls/mo ($3.00/call after that)", described as "try it free forever". Virtual Receptionist: "30-day money-back guarantee to all new clients" — "a full refund of your plan and any add-on services, regardless of how many calls or chats you have used, up to $1,000" (overage excluded).); AnswerConnect advertises none.

Capability	AnswerConnect	Smith.ai
Live transferCan hand a hot caller to a human mid-call.	Yes	Yes
Books appointmentsWrites to a real calendar, not just a message.	Yes	Yes
Text follow-upSends the caller a text — link, quote, confirmation.	Yes	Yes
Outbound callsCalls leads back, not just answers.	Yes	Yes
SpanishHandles a Spanish-speaking caller end to end.	Yes	Yes
Human backupA person takes over when the bot is stuck.	Yes	Yes
Call recordingsYou can listen to what it actually said.	Yes	Yes
TranscriptsSearchable text of every call.	Yes	Yes
Spam screeningKills robocalls before they reach you.	Yes	Yes
Custom voicePick or clone the voice callers hear.	unstated	Yes
APIWire it into your own systems.	Yes	Yes

"unstated" means the vendor doesn't claim it in their own documentation. It is not the same as no — it means nobody will put it in writing.

Plan	Published price	Includes	Over that
Entry	$350 per month	200 min	$2.50 per additional minute
Growth	$395 per month	300 min	$1.85 per additional minute
Standard	$575 per month	400 min	$1.85 per additional minute
Larger plan — 550 minutes	$795	550 min	$1.85
Larger plan — 750 minutes	$1,050	750 min	$1.85
Larger plan — 950 minutes	$1,325	950 min	$1.85
Larger plan — 1,200 minutes	$1,625	1200 min	$1.85
Larger plan — 1,500 minutes	$2,025	1500 min	$1.85
Larger plan — 2,500 minutes	$3,375	2500 min	$1.85
Larger plan — 5,000 minutes	$6,650	5000 min	$1.75
Larger plan — 7,500 minutes	$9,950	7500 min	$1.75
Larger plan — 9,000 minutes	$11,950	9000 min	$1.75
Larger plan — 15,000 minutes	$19,950	15000 min	$1.75
Larger plan — 25,000 minutes	$33,150	25000 min	$1.75
Larger plan — 50,000 minutes	$66,250	50000 min	$1.75
Larger plan — 100,000 minutes	$132,950	100000 min	$1.75

Plan	Published price	Includes	Over that
AI Receptionist — Free	$0 mo	25 calls	25 calls/mo ($3.00/call after that)
AI Receptionist — Pro (75 calls)	$150 /mo — $2.00/call (~2–3 calls/day)	75 calls	$2.50
AI Receptionist — Pro (150 calls)	$270/mo	150 calls	$2.30
AI Receptionist — Enterprise (300 calls)	$500 /mo — $1.67/call (~10 calls/day)	300 calls	$2.17
AI Receptionist — Enterprise (500 calls)	$800/mo	500 calls	$2.10
AI Receptionist — Enterprise (1,000+ calls)	Custom	—	Custom
Virtual Receptionist (human) — Starter	$300 / month	30 calls	Overage: $11.50/call over 30
Virtual Receptionist (human) — Basic	$810 / month	90 calls	Overage: $10.50/call over 90
Virtual Receptionist (human) — Pro	$2,100 / month	300 calls	Overage: $8.50/call over 300
Virtual Receptionist (human) — Enterprise	Custom	—	—