Infercall vs Ruby and Smith.ai
Your next enquiry should not have to wait until you finish the job. Infercall answers questions, qualifies new enquiries and books appointments through supported calendars while you work. Its US Standard plan includes 500 minutes for US$49 a month.
If you are comparing Ruby or Smith.ai, the choice is straightforward: use Infercall for routine inbound work at a lower paid starting cost; pay for staffed reception when you need someone else's team to handle the conversation. Smith.ai also offers an AI service, including a free allowance for light usage.
What you get with Infercall
A caller can ask about your services, explain what they need and arrange the next step without waiting for a callback. Infercall uses your business information and the questions you want asked. With Google Calendar, it can create an appointment during the conversation. With Calendly, it gives the caller a scheduling link.
You decide which enquiries should reach you or your team. Recordings and transcripts let you review the conversation afterwards, rather than stop working to handle every routine question yourself.
Compare the monthly cost
US monthly plans, checked 12 October 2026. These figures are in US dollars. For Australia or the UK, see Infercall's regional plans.
| Service | Monthly plan | Included usage | Who handles the call? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infercall US Standard | US$49 | 500 minutes | AI receptionist; transfers to your nominated people |
| Ruby | US$250 | 50 minutes | Live receptionist |
| Smith.ai AI Free | US$0 | 25 calls; US$3 per additional call | AI receptionist; live-agent escalation advertised |
| Smith.ai AI Pro | US$150 | 75 calls; US$2.50 per additional call | AI receptionist; live-agent escalation advertised |
| Smith.ai human-first Starter | US$300 | 30 calls; US$11.50 per additional call | Live receptionist |
Infercall's plan includes one phone number. Additional minutes are purchased in prepaid blocks; additional numbers cost extra. Calls and minutes are different billing units, so the comparison below uses both.
A useful example: 75 calls, three minutes each
That is 225 minutes in a month. Infercall US Standard covers that workload for US$49. Smith.ai AI Free costs US$150 for the same call count: 25 included calls and 50 at US$3. Its 75-call Pro plan is also US$150, with dedicated onboarding and support.
At 25 calls or fewer, Smith.ai's free allowance can be the cheaper choice. At the illustrated workload, Infercall leaves more of your budget in the business. The example uses billable usage and excludes tax, optional services and any separately billed transfer activity.
Infercall or Ruby?
Choose Infercall when most calls concern your services, qualifying a job, arranging an appointment or reaching the right person. You get that routine work handled without buying a staffed reception service.
Ruby makes sense when having a human answer is itself a requirement. Its US plans include 24/7 staffed answering, scheduling and outbound assistance. Infercall handles inbound voice calls and transfers exceptions to your people; it does not supply an outsourced human team.
For a larger minute allowance, Ruby lists US$1,725 for 500 minutes, compared with Infercall US Standard at US$49 for 500 minutes. The allowance is the same size; the human-versus-AI service is different.
Infercall or Smith.ai?
Choose Infercall when you want a lower-cost paid plan for routine calls and suitable bookings, with your own team handling exceptions. Start with your website and hear how it answers questions about your business before connecting customer calls.
Smith.ai's AI service is worth considering for its free allowance or advertised live-agent escalation. Its separate human-first service suits businesses that want staffed reception from the start. Those are different offers, not one US$300 AI plan.
Keep your number and hear the difference
Forward your existing business number to Infercall using your carrier's available forwarding options. You can also use a new Infercall number. Review your business information, choose the enquiries it should handle and hear the receptionist before directing customer calls to it. Business calls require a paid plan and the applicable number checks.
For Australian alternatives, read Infercall vs Johnni. For unique-customer rather than minute billing, read Infercall vs Goodcall.
Sources
Infercall plans · Booking connections · Ruby US plans · Smith.ai AI plans · Smith.ai human-first plans.