Page checked 27 October 2026.
In the US-dollar plans in our table, paid AI answering plans for contractors start at US$24.95 a month. Human services start at US$99 a month for 50 minutes. The bigger difference is the 2am call about a burst pipe or a dead furnace. Some services pass it to your on-call person. Others send you a message.
We re-read the pricing pages of 29 answering companies and 7 job-software makers on 27 October 2026. Twenty-four of the 29 name contractors, construction, trades or home services on their own pages, and they are in the tables below. We compare what each company publishes. We have not trialled them. How we check prices is on the method page. HVAC means heating, ventilation and air conditioning. GST means goods and services tax.
Human, AI or hybrid: the short answer
Three types of service answer a contractor's phone. The table shows what the companies' own pages say about each, with US-dollar prices only so the ranges are comparable.
| Human | AI | Hybrid (human and AI) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What its pages say it does on a trade call | A person answers. PATLive and Ruby describe screening calls or routing them by urgency. Moneypenny describes an on-call escalation process. | Answers every call at any hour. Upfirst, Rosie and Smith.ai say they pass urgent calls on or alert you. | Abby Connect: "Each call is handled by a human or AI based on the call type or your instructions." |
| What its pages leave out | Most plans bill by the minute or call, so a busy week costs more. Ruby publishes no extra-minute rate. | Rosie's plumbing page says it "can't dispatch plumbers directly". Sameday and Rosie publish no extra-minute rate. | Abby prints no dollar rate for extra minutes: overage is "billed at your plan's Abby Minute rate". |
| Published price range (US$ a month, 27 October 2026) | Entry plans with calls or minutes included: US$99 to US$350. Five companies, five plans. | Paid entry plans: US$24.95 to US$449. Six companies, six plans. One free plan: Smith.ai, 25 calls. | Abby Connect from US$164 for 50 "Abby Minutes". Smith.ai's AI plan with human escalation: US$0 for 25 calls, then US$150 a month for the 75-call tier. |
| What the pricing is built around | A person on every call, paid for by the minute or the call. | Low call volumes: three of the six paid entry plans are under US$50 a month. | A person or an AI by call type, as Abby Connect describes it. |
At 200 minutes a month, the five human or hybrid plans we found cost US$349 to US$720. PATLive is lowest at US$349 and Ruby is highest at US$720, a gap of US$371. Each company counts a minute its own way, so check its definition before you compare.
By business size, the published prices show this:
- Sole trader. The paid plans with the lowest prices are AI plans, from US$24.95 a month. The lowest human plan with minutes included is US$99.
- Small crew. Human plans with 200 minutes run from US$349 to US$720 a month. AI plans are also sold by the minute or call, with paid entry plans from US$24.95 to US$449.
- Firm with an office. Upfirst, Sameday and Abby Connect describe overflow or after-hours cover. PATLive lists "Emergency Dispatch". Moneypenny names a "Call Dispatch Service".
Answering services for contractors, side by side
Each row is one company's service. Prices are what the company's own pricing page printed on 27 October 2026, in the currency it prints. US companies print "$"; we show US$. We did not convert anything.
No company pays us to be listed or for its place.
United States
| Service | Type | Starting price | Included, then extra | Its own pages name | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PATLive | Human | US$49 a month pay as you go; US$99 for 50 minutes | 50 minutes, then US$2.29 a minute. Pay as you go has no minutes included (US$2.99 a minute). Eleven plans shown, up to US$6,899 for 5,000 minutes; the page also has a "Show larger plans" control. Taxes extra. | "Home Services & Trades"; "Emergency Dispatch" | PATLive pricing |
| Moneypenny | Human | US$165 a month | 50 minutes, then US$2.85 a minute. 200 minutes US$422. 500 minutes US$985. | Plumbing; home services; "Call Dispatch Service" | Moneypenny pricing |
| Ruby | Human | US$250 a month | 50 minutes. 100 minutes US$395. 200 minutes US$720. 500 minutes US$1,725. Extra-minute rate not published. | "Roofers, plumbers, HVAC, landscapers, and contractors" | Ruby pricing |
| Smith.ai receptionists | Human | US$300 a month | 30 calls, then US$11.50 a call. Basic US$810 for 90 calls. Pro US$2,100 for 300 calls. Booking is US$1.50 a call extra. | Plumbers (on its plumbers page) | Smith.ai pricing |
| AnswerConnect | Human | US$350 a month (Entry) | 200 minutes, then US$2.50 a minute, plus a US$49.99 setup fee. Growth is US$395 for 300 minutes; the page conflicts with itself on that plan's setup fee. | "Construction and Builders"; "Commercial, residential home service providers" | AnswerConnect pricing PDF |
| Abby Connect | Human and AI | US$164 a month | 50 "Abby Minutes". 100 minutes US$329. 200 minutes US$599. 500 minutes US$1,380. Month to month, no setup fee. | Home Services; HVAC; Plumbing | Abby Connect pricing |
| Upfirst | AI | US$24.95 a month | 30 calls, then US$1.50 a call. 90 calls US$59.95. 300 calls US$159.95. No contract. | Contractors; HVAC; Plumbing; Emergency restoration | Upfirst pricing |
| Dialzara | AI | US$29 a month | 60 minutes, then US$0.48 a minute. 220 minutes US$99. 500 minutes US$199. 1,000 minutes US$349. No setup fees. | Plumbers (on its plumbing page) | Dialzara pricing and plumbing page |
| Rosie | AI | US$49 a month | 250 minutes. 1,000 minutes US$149. 2,000 minutes US$299. Extra-minute rate not published. | Construction; Plumbing; HVAC; Electricians; Home Services | Rosie pricing |
| Smith.ai AI receptionist | AI, human backup | US$0 a month | 25 calls, then US$3.00 a call. Pro is US$150 a month for the 75-call tier. | Plumbers (on its plumbers page) | Smith.ai AI pricing |
| Moneypenny AI | AI | US$99 a month | 50 calls, then US$2.39 a call. 100 calls US$199. 250 calls US$435. 500 calls US$775. | Plumbing; home services | Moneypenny pricing |
| Sameday AI | AI | From US$449 a month | Starts with 500 minutes. Scale starts at US$789 for 1,000 minutes. Extra-minute rate and term not published. | "home service business"; Plumbing; Electrician; HVAC; Roofing | Sameday AI pricing |
| Avoca | AI | No price printed | No price printed. | HVAC; Plumbing; Electrical; Roofing | Avoca |
United Kingdom
| Service | Type | Starting price | Included, then extra | Its own pages name | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayora | AI | £49 a month (early-bird price, rising to £79 once places go) | Month to month. "There's no VAT on the £49." A 7-day free trial. Unlimited minutes for early birds; later accounts get a call allowance with no figure printed. | Plumbers; electricians; roofers; builders; heating engineers | Sayora pricing |
Australia and New Zealand
| Service | Type | Starting price | Included, then extra | Its own pages name | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hey Jodie | AI | A$99 a month | Unlimited minutes. Professional A$199. Premium A$399. Month to month, no setup fee. "Prices exclude applicable taxes." | Plumbers; electricians; builders; Air Conditioning & HVAC | Hey Jodie pricing |
| Chime Labs | AI | A$99 a month + GST (a free plan allows test calls only) | 100 minutes, then A$0.25 a minute. Pro is A$399 + GST with uncapped minutes and booking into eight tools: ServiceM8, Simpro, ServiceTitan, Fergus, Jobber, AroFlo, Ascora and Acuity. Prices exclude GST. | "built for Australian trades"; plumbers; electricians; HVAC | Chime Labs pricing |
| Johnni | AI | A$44 a month + GST (card says "Paid annually") | 60 minutes, then A$0.50 a minute. Starter A$269 for 600 minutes. The FAQ and the Growth card print different Growth prices. | Tradies; plumbers; electricians; builders | Johnni pricing |
| Frontly | AI | $149 a month + GST (currency not named) | Up to 100 minutes, then $1.50 a minute. A $199 + GST setup fee applies. | "Trades & Home Services" | Frontly pricing |
| Valory | AI | A$149 a month | 100 minutes, then A$0.90 a minute. One-time setup from A$990. | Tradies | Valory pricing |
| AiDial | AI | $149 a month (currency not stated) | 60 calls, then $2.49 a call. A "Call Unit is a connected call of up to 10 minutes". Setup and minimum period are set in a scope of work. | "Trade Services" | AiDial pricing |
| Yes AI | AI | "From $3.50/day" (currency not stated) | No plans or included calls printed. No setup fees, no lock-in. | Tradies; plumbers; builders | Yes AI |
| TapBook | Booking tool with an AI add-on | A$299 a month for the "24/7 AI Agent" add-on | Standard booking plan A$169; Premium A$349. Calls and extra rates not published. "Prices in AUD, plus GST." Billed monthly, "No lock-in". | Electricians; Plumbers; Mechanics; Air conditioning | TapBook pricing |
| CallCatch | AI | A$79 a month, plus a one-time A$79 setup | Included calls not stated. | "For trades, clinics, salons..." | CallCatch pricing |
| Sophiie | AI | No price printed | Electricians; Plumbers; HVAC; "Construction & Trades" | Sophiie pricing | |
| Virtual Reception | Human | $25 a month pay as you go ($2.50 a call); currency not stated | Nine plans, up to $185 for 50 calls. Most entries add GST. Page last changed 9 December 2025, by its own metadata. | Construction; Contractors; Electrical; HVAC; Plumbing | Virtual Reception pricing |
| Waboom (New Zealand) | AI | NZ$0.95 a minute pay as you go, plus NZ$130 a month for the platform | You load credit: start with $500 for 525 minutes. "Prices exclude GST." | "Construction + Builders"; Plumbers; Electricians; HVAC | Waboom pricing |
We left out My AI Front Desk because the pages we read named no trade work. Goodcall names plumbing only in an example scenario on its home page. We could not read Dialbox or Ah Va, and goldfish.ai was a parked domain.
Four calls every contractor gets
Every contractor gets four kinds of call. For each one, here is what the companies say on their own pages. We did not test any of these claims.
1. A new-job enquiry while you are on the tools. PATLive says it will "collect caller details and pass them along so you can follow up and win the work". Abby Connect says its receptionists "handle inquiries, book appointments, and screen leads". Among the AI services, Sameday says it "answers, books, and logs every opportunity".
2. An after-hours emergency. This is the call a person must hear. Moneypenny says it keeps emergency jobs "in the safe hands of real people after business hours". Smith.ai says its AI "escalates emergency calls" to human receptionists. Upfirst says its agent will "connect the caller to the right person when needed". Rosie says it emails or texts you when an emergency call comes in, and its plumbing page says it "can't dispatch plumbers directly".
3. A caller who wants a rough price now. Most pages do not say. Rosie says it "can give pricing estimates in the Growth Plan". Ruby says its receptionists set up appointments "for installations, repairs, and estimates", which is booking, not pricing.
4. An existing customer chasing a start date. No page we read says it answers job-status questions. PATLive says it handles "reschedules, and cancellations" in your calendar. Ruby says its receptionists field "questions related to an ongoing job".
Already on Jobber, ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro or ServiceM8?
Four job-software makers name their own answering product. We read each one's pages on 27 October 2026. Housecall Pro sells CSR AI itself, so we list it as a seller.
| Software | Product | Price printed | What the page says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jobber | Receptionist (add-on) | US$29 a month ("All prices in USD") | "Provide 24/7 customer service over call or text." Books jobs in your calendar. Calls and extra rate not stated. |
| Housecall Pro | CSR AI | No price printed | Answers calls and chats. Logs "call summaries, booking details, and customer info" in your call log and calendar. Text answering is marked "coming soon". |
| ServiceTitan | AI Virtual Agent; Contact Center Pro | No price printed ("Request Pricing") | Both appear only as menu links with no description. |
| ServiceM8 | Phone Agent | Connect Plus $49 a month; Unlimited $199 a month (currency not stated) | 500 call minutes on Connect Plus, then "8c/min Overage". The page says staff can create a job from a call; it does not say the AI Phone Agent does. |
Stand-alone services also name these tools. PATLive names Jobber and ServiceTitan. Moneypenny names Jobber, Housecall Pro and ServiceTitan. Abby Connect names Jobber, Housecall Pro and ServiceTitan. Smith.ai and Upfirst name ServiceTitan. Sameday names ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro. Chime Labs' Pro plan names eight: ServiceM8, Simpro, ServiceTitan, Fergus, Jobber, AroFlo, Ascora and Acuity.
Tradify, Fergus and simPRO did not name an AI phone product on the pricing pages we read.
Find the page for your trade
This page covers contractors in general. Plumbing answering services compared goes deeper on plumbers: burst-pipe calls and the services that name plumbing. To work out what your own call volume would cost, use the cost calculator. To see every AI service in one list, go to all AI answering services compared.
Questions to ask before you sign
Ask each company these questions. The pages we read show how much they differ.
- Setup fee. Frontly prints a $199 + GST setup fee. Valory prints "one-time setup from A$990". CallCatch prints A$79. Abby Connect, Hey Jodie and Dialzara print none.
- Contract length. Pages differ. Frontly says "Every plan is month to month." Hey Jodie says "All Jodie plans are month-to-month." Upfirst says "no contract". Waboom says "There is no contract." Virtual Reception says "No Lock In Contract". Rosie's pricing page says "Cancel anytime" and Sameday's page description says "no long-term contracts". Ruby does not say on the pages we read.
- Extra calls or minutes. Smith.ai charges US$11.50 a call over the Starter plan's 30. PATLive charges US$2.29 a minute over its 50-minute plan. Ruby publishes no rate.
- Tax. PATLive says "Plus government taxes and fees". Several Australian prices exclude GST.
- How a minute is counted. Abby Connect sells "Abby Minutes". AiDial counts a "Call Unit" as a connected call of up to 10 minutes.
- How messages reach you. PATLive's pricing page says updates arrive "by email, text message, our apps". It adds that they can come "through an integration with software you already use." Upfirst's contractors page says notifications arrive "by email or text".
This page does not say whether recording calls is legal where you work. That depends on the place and the call.
Questions
What does an answering service for contractors do?
It answers your phone when you cannot. The service collects the caller's details, books appointments if you set that up, and passes on urgent calls. PATLive, for example, says it will "collect caller details and pass them along". Abby Connect says its receptionists "screen leads".
Is an AI answering service good enough for a contractor?
We have not tested any, so we cannot say. The published facts differ by service. Smith.ai says its AI sends emergency calls to human receptionists. Rosie says it cannot dispatch plumbers directly. Read the four-calls section above for the calls that matter to you.
Which type of answering service suits a contractor?
The published prices make AI the lower-cost start at a low call volume. Human and hybrid services are the ones that put a person on the call. Entry AI plans start at US$24.95 a month; entry human plans start at US$99. Neither type is better in every case.
How does an answering service work?
Calls reach the service in one of two ways. You can forward your business number to it, which Chime Labs calls "phone diversion". Or you get a new number from the service, as Virtual Reception offers with a "Free local number". The service then answers, takes the details and sends them to you.
Do answering services make you sign a contract?
Many do not. Smith.ai says "Smith is a month-to-month service." Frontly, Hey Jodie and Sayora say plans run month to month. Moneypenny, Upfirst, Chime Labs, TapBook, Waboom, Virtual Reception and Yes AI say there is no contract or no lock-in. Rosie says "Cancel anytime" and Sameday says "no long-term contracts". Ruby does not say on the pages we read.
About this page: written by Trades AI Guide from each company's own pricing page (linked on this page) and checked against those pages. Prices named on this page checked 27 October 2026.
General information only, not financial, legal or purchasing advice for your business. Prices and features are taken from each company's own pages on the date shown, in that company's currency, and may change or leave out tax: check the company's page before you buy. We have not signed up for or tested these products.