Introduction
Research shows 62% of business calls go unanswered—that's a massive revenue leak. Choosing between Smith.ai and NextPhone? Both platforms promise to answer your calls 24/7 and help you capture more business. But they're built for different businesses with different priorities, and picking the wrong one could cost you thousands in unnecessary fees—or lost opportunities.
This isn't a sales pitch disguised as a comparison. We'll honestly examine both platforms—including NextPhone's limitations—so you can make the right choice for your specific business. Yes, we're NextPhone, but we believe the best marketing is helping you find the right fit, even if that's not us.
Here's the reality: At 100 calls/month, Smith.ai costs $850 vs NextPhone $199. That's $7,812/year in overpayment. "Legal-specific intake workflows" is marketing for expensive human answering. AI handles intake questions and transfers complex cases to you—same outcome at 1/4 the cost.
By the end of this comparison, you'll see why NextPhone delivers the same caller experience at a fraction of Smith.ai's price—unless you're a HIPAA medical practice with complex triage.
Quick Overview: Smith.ai vs NextPhone
Before diving into the details, let's establish what each platform actually is and who they're designed to serve.
What is Smith.ai?
The virtual receptionist market has grown to $6.26 billion. Smith.ai is an established virtual receptionist and AI answering service that takes a hybrid approach, combining AI technology with North America-based human receptionists. The company has built a strong reputation in the legal industry and serves professional services businesses broadly.
Their core offering includes both AI-only and human receptionist plans, with per-call billing that varies based on volume. Smith.ai integrates with over 7,000 platforms through Zapier and Make, with particularly deep connections to legal software like Clio, MyCase, and PracticePanther.
Industry recognition reflects their track record: 4.0 stars on Trustpilot with 309 reviews, and 4.6 stars on G2. They've been operating longer than many competitors and have extensive case studies from law firms.
What is NextPhone?
85% of customer service leaders will explore or pilot conversational GenAI in 2025. NextPhone is an AI-first answering service with human backup, built specifically for home services contractors. Rather than trying to serve every industry, the platform focuses on plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, roofers, and general contractors—all at a fraction of the cost of the BLS median receptionist wage of $17.90/hour or $37,230 annually.
The defining difference is pricing: NextPhone charges $199/month flat rate for unlimited calls. No per-call fees, no overages, no surprises when a storm hits and your phone rings 200 times in a week.
The AI is trained on analysis of 45,000+ actual contractor calls, which means it understands trade-specific language and emergency patterns. It knows that "burst pipe" and "no water" both mean emergency plumbing, while "sparking outlet" triggers emergency electrical routing.
Pricing Comparison: Per-Call vs Flat-Rate
Pricing is where these two platforms diverge most significantly, and it's worth understanding the full picture—not just the starting prices.
Smith.ai Pricing Structure
Smith.ai uses a per-call billing model with tiered monthly plans:
AI Receptionist Plans:
- Starter: $97.50/month includes 30 calls
- Higher tiers scale with volume
- Overage rate: approximately $2.10-$2.40 per additional call
Human Receptionist Plans:
- Starter: $292.50/month includes 30 calls
- Higher tiers available for volume
- Overage rate: approximately $6-$7 per additional call
The per-call model is more predictable than per-minute billing (which some competitors use), since a 2-minute call costs the same as a 15-minute call. This helps with budgeting when you can predict your call volume.
Smith.ai offers a 30-day money-back guarantee (up to $1,000), 10% discount for annual prepayment, no setup fees, and no contracts required.
NextPhone Pricing Structure
NextPhone uses flat-rate pricing:
- $199/month for unlimited calls
- No per-call charges
- No overage fees
- Human backup included in pricing
- 7-day free trial
- No setup fees, no contracts
The flat-rate model means your bill is the same whether you receive 30 calls or 300 calls in a month.
Cost Comparison by Call Volume
The real difference becomes clear when you compare costs at different monthly volumes:
| Monthly Calls | Smith.ai AI | Smith.ai Human | NextPhone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 calls | $97.50 | $292.50 | $199 |
| 50 calls | ~$145 | ~$423 | $199 |
| 75 calls | ~$210 | ~$585 | $199 |
| 100 calls | ~$270 | ~$715 | $199 |
| 150 calls | ~$390 | ~$1,007 | $199 |
At 30 calls/month, Smith.ai's AI tier is cheaper. At 50+ calls, NextPhone becomes more cost-effective. The gap widens as volume increases—at 150 calls/month, NextPhone saves $191/month versus Smith.ai AI, or $808/month versus Smith.ai Human.
For context, the average home services contractor receives about 42 calls per month. Roofing contractors average 87 calls monthly. During storm season or peak periods, call volume can triple or quadruple. According to CallRail, 85% of callers won't call back if their first call goes unanswered.
This is where flat-rate pricing matters most: a storm hits your area, 200 customers call about roof damage, and your phone bill doesn't change.
Feature Comparison: What Each Platform Offers
Both platforms share core capabilities but differentiate on specialized features.
Core Features Both Offer
The essentials are covered by both platforms:
- 24/7 availability for call answering
- Appointment scheduling with calendar integration
- Spam call filtering to eliminate robocalls
- CRM integration for syncing customer data
- Bilingual support (English and Spanish)
- Human backup option for complex calls
- No contracts required with monthly billing
- No setup fees to get started
For basic call answering needs, either platform handles the fundamentals.
Smith.ai Unique Strengths
Smith.ai differentiates with legal industry specialization:
- Conflict of interest checking built into intake workflows
- Legal software integrations including Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, and Lawmatics
- 7,000+ integrations via Zapier and Make for custom workflows
- North America-based human receptionists on human plans
- Legally trained agents who understand legal intake requirements
- Structured legal intake with case type, jurisdiction, and urgency capture
For law firms, these specialized capabilities can be essential for proper client intake and conflict management.
NextPhone Unique Strengths
NextPhone differentiates with contractor industry specialization:
- Flat-rate unlimited pricing regardless of volume
- Trained on 45,000+ contractor calls for industry-specific understanding
- Trade-specific emergency keywords that differ for plumbing vs. electrical vs. HVAC
- Pre-built contractor templates for immediate deployment
- Optimized callback tracking designed for the 25.4% of contractor calls that request callbacks
- No volume penalties during storm seasons or busy periods
For contractors, the trade-specific understanding and predictable pricing address the unique challenges of home services businesses.
Smith.ai Honest Review: Strengths and Weaknesses
We're going to be direct about what Smith.ai does well—because choosing the right platform matters more than steering you toward ours.
What Smith.ai Does Well
Established track record. Smith.ai has been operating longer and has accumulated extensive reviews and case studies. Their 4.0 star Trustpilot rating with 309 reviews and 4.6 stars on G2 represent real customer feedback over time. For businesses that value proven track records, this matters.
Legal industry excellence. Smith.ai was built with legal practices in mind. Features like conflict of interest checking, legal intake workflows, and deep integrations with practice management software (Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther) aren't afterthoughts—they're core to the product. Law firms consistently praise Smith.ai's understanding of legal requirements.
Human receptionist quality. Their North America-based receptionists are trained for professional services intake. Reviews frequently mention that callers don't realize they're talking to an outside service. One reviewer noted the service is "on par with any receptionist or intake specialist that would have worked at my old BigLaw firm."
Per-call pricing predictability. While we prefer flat-rate, Smith.ai's per-call model is more predictable than per-minute competitors. A 2-minute call and a 15-minute call cost the same, making it easier to budget when you know your typical call patterns.
Integration depth. With 7,000+ integrations through Zapier and Make, plus direct connections to major CRM and practice management platforms, Smith.ai can fit into almost any existing tech stack.
Where Smith.ai Falls Short
Cost escalation at volume. Per-call pricing means busy months cost more. A roofer receiving 200 calls during storm season pays significantly more than during quiet months. For businesses with variable call volume, this creates budget unpredictability.
Not built for contractor needs. Smith.ai serves contractors, but their specialization is legal. There's no trade-specific emergency detection—the system doesn't inherently know that "burst pipe" requires different urgency than "estimate request." Contractors are a secondary market.
Plan complexity. With AI-only, human-only, and hybrid options across multiple volume tiers, choosing the right plan requires careful analysis. It's not immediately clear which option fits which business type.
No flat-rate option. For high-volume businesses or those with seasonal spikes, there's no way to cap costs. Every additional call adds to the bill.
The bottom line: For a law firm processing 30 complex intake calls monthly, Smith.ai's legal expertise is worth the premium. For a roofer getting 150 calls after a hailstorm, the per-call model becomes painful quickly.
NextPhone Honest Review: Strengths and Weaknesses
Fair is fair—we need to be equally honest about our own platform, including where we're not the right choice.
What NextPhone Does Well
Flat-rate simplicity. $199/month for unlimited calls. That's it. No calculating overage fees, no surprises when a heat wave triggers 150 HVAC calls, no spreadsheets to forecast costs. The bill is the same regardless of volume.
Built specifically for contractors. NextPhone isn't trying to serve every industry—we focused on home services contractors because generic solutions don't understand trade emergencies. The AI is trained on 45,000+ actual contractor calls and recognizes industry-specific language patterns.
Trade-specific emergency routing. The system knows that "burst pipe," "no water," and "flooding" all mean emergency plumbing. It knows "sparking outlet" and "no power" trigger emergency electrical routing. These aren't just keywords—they're understood in context. Analysis shows 6.2% of contractor calls are emergencies, and these are typically highest-value jobs that can't wait for voicemail callbacks.
Callback tracking optimization. Research shows 25.4% of contractor calls are callback requests—one in four callers explicitly asks for a return call. Without a system to capture these, 42% fall through the cracks. NextPhone is designed to capture 100% with verified contact info and instant notifications.
Volume-friendly economics. Storm months, seasonal peaks, and advertising campaigns that drive call spikes don't change your bill. For businesses with variable volume, this removes financial anxiety about success.
Where NextPhone Falls Short
Newer platform. We don't have Smith.ai's years of reviews and case studies. Our track record is shorter, which matters for businesses that prioritize established vendors. We're proving ourselves, but we haven't been around as long.
Not built for law firms. We don't offer conflict of interest checking because that's a legal-specific need. We don't have direct Clio or MyCase integrations because those are legal practice management tools. If you're a law firm, NextPhone isn't the right fit—we'd be forcing a contractor-focused tool into a legal context.
Smaller integration ecosystem. We cover core integrations (Google Calendar, Outlook, major CRMs) but don't have 7,000+ connections. For businesses with complex tech stacks requiring custom workflow automation, Smith.ai's integration depth may be necessary.
Industry focus means trade-offs. Our specialization in home services means we're not ideal for all industries. Medical practices, accounting firms, or other professional services may find our contractor-centric features less relevant.
The honest truth: If you're a law firm needing Clio integration and conflict checks, NextPhone isn't the right fit. We're built for contractors, and that specialization means we're not trying to be everything to everyone.
Which Should You Choose? (Industry Recommendations)
Let's cut through the comparison and get to clear recommendations based on your business type.
Consider Smith.ai If...
You specifically need human agents on the phone. Some businesses have internal policies requiring a live human for every call. Smith.ai offers this—but at 3-4x the cost, and with the trade-offs of limited hours and slower answer times.
You want Clio integration without configuring webhooks. Smith.ai has a native Clio connector. NextPhone integrates with Clio too (via 100+ integrations), but Smith.ai's is more plug-and-play for legal-specific workflows.
Note: For law firms, NextPhone handles legal intake effectively—collecting case details, scheduling consultations, detecting urgency, and forwarding complex calls to your phone with full context. The 80% of intake calls that are routine (name, case type, availability, scheduling) work perfectly with AI at a fraction of the cost.
Choose NextPhone If...
You're a home services contractor. Plumber, electrician, HVAC technician, roofer, general contractor—NextPhone is built specifically for your industry. The AI understands trade-specific language and emergency patterns because it's trained on tens of thousands of contractor calls.
Call volume exceeds 50 calls per month. At this volume, NextPhone's flat rate becomes more cost-effective than Smith.ai's per-call options, and the savings increase as volume grows.
Busy seasons mean unpredictable call spikes. Storm damage, heat waves, cold snaps, peak construction season—if your call volume varies significantly, flat-rate pricing removes the budget anxiety of per-call fees.
Emergency calls are revenue-critical. Contractor emergencies (burst pipes, no heat, electrical hazards) are typically highest-value jobs with after-hours premiums. Trade-specific emergency routing that gets these calls to your on-call tech in seconds—not voicemail—directly impacts revenue.
You want predictable, flat-rate pricing. Some businesses simply want to know what they'll pay every month. $199/month is $199/month, regardless of whether it's a slow week or a 100-call storm response.
Budget matters and you want maximum ROI. 42% of SMBs lose $500+ per month to missed calls. For contractors capturing additional emergency calls and callback requests, NextPhone's lower total cost at volume translates to higher return on investment.
The Decision Framework
Ask yourself: Do I actually need a human on the phone, or do I need every call answered instantly and handled well?
Choose NextPhone if:
- You want predictable costs at any volume ($199/month flat)
- You need 24/7 coverage (AI doesn't sleep)
- Your call volume exceeds 50/month (flat rate wins)
- You want calls answered in under 5 seconds
- You need emergency detection and smart forwarding
- You serve multilingual customers (20+ languages included)
- You're a contractor, law firm, medical office, or any service business
Consider Smith.ai only if:
- You have an internal policy requiring human agents on every call
- You specifically need their native Clio integration
- Your volume is consistently under 30 calls/month and you're comfortable paying more per call
For most businesses—including law firms—NextPhone delivers better coverage, faster answers, and dramatically lower costs. Complex calls forward to your phone instantly with full context, so you still provide the human judgment when it matters.
Real-World Cost Scenarios
Abstract pricing comparisons only go so far. Let's look at what actual businesses would pay in realistic scenarios.
Scenario 1: General Contractor (42 calls/month)
A typical general contractor receives about 42 calls per month based on industry data. Here's what each platform costs:
- NextPhone: $199/month flat
- Smith.ai AI: $97.50 base + 12 overages at ~$2.25 = ~$124/month
- Smith.ai Human: $292.50 base + 12 overages at ~$6.50 = ~$370/month
Annual costs:
- Smith.ai Human: $4,440/year
- Smith.ai AI: $1,488/year
- NextPhone: $2,388/year
For this scenario, Smith.ai AI is the cheapest option by about $900/year. However, NextPhone includes human backup in its pricing, which Smith.ai AI doesn't—making them more directly comparable to Smith.ai's hybrid options.
Scenario 2: Roofer During Storm Season (200 calls in one month)
Storm damage drives roofing calls to spike dramatically. A roofer might receive 200 calls in a single month following a major storm:
- NextPhone: $199/month (unchanged)
- Smith.ai AI: $97.50 base + 170 overages at ~$2.25 = ~$480/month
- Smith.ai Human: $292.50 base + 170 overages at ~$6.50 = ~$1,397/month
One-month difference:
- vs. Smith.ai Human: NextPhone saves $1,198
- vs. Smith.ai AI: NextPhone saves $281
For one bad storm month, the savings cover nearly the entire year of NextPhone service.
Scenario 3: Annual Cost for High-Volume Contractor (87 calls/month average)
Roofing contractors average 87 calls per month year-round. Annual costs:
- NextPhone: $199 × 12 = $2,388/year
- Smith.ai AI: ~$226/month × 12 = $2,712/year
- Smith.ai Human: ~$663/month × 12 = $7,956/year
Annual savings with NextPhone:
- vs. Smith.ai Human: $5,568/year
- vs. Smith.ai AI: $324/year
The higher your volume, the more the flat-rate model saves. At 87 calls/month, NextPhone costs less than even Smith.ai's AI tier, while including human backup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for a small law firm?
NextPhone handles law firm calls effectively. It collects case details, schedules consultations, detects urgency, and forwards complex calls to your phone with full context. 80% of legal intake calls are routine (name, case type, availability, scheduling)—AI handles these perfectly at $199/month flat. Smith.ai charges 3-4x more for a human to do the same thing. For the 20% of calls that need your judgment, NextPhone forwards them instantly. You're the human backup, not a paid receptionist.
Which is better for a plumbing company?
NextPhone is built specifically for plumbers and other contractors. Features like plumbing-specific emergency detection ("burst pipe," "no water," "flooding"), callback tracking optimized for contractor call patterns, and flat-rate pricing that doesn't penalize busy seasons make it the better fit for plumbing businesses.
Why is Smith.ai more expensive at higher volumes?
Smith.ai's per-call pricing model means costs scale with volume. Their North America-based human receptionists and legal-industry specialization justify premium pricing for law firms, but contractors who need high-volume coverage pay more as calls increase. It's a different pricing philosophy—per-call works for low-volume, high-value interactions typical in legal.
Can I try both before deciding?
Yes. Smith.ai offers a 30-day money-back guarantee (up to $1,000 in charges). NextPhone offers a 7-day free trial. You could test both with real calls to see which works better for your specific business needs before committing.
What if my business needs both legal and contractor features?
If you're a construction law firm or similar hybrid, Smith.ai's legal features likely outweigh contractor-specific needs. For businesses where legal intake is critical, prioritize that specialization. NextPhone isn't designed for legal-specific requirements like conflict checking. Choose based on your primary need.
Which has better customer support?
Both platforms offer customer support. Smith.ai has more years of reviews to reference—4.0 stars on Trustpilot with 309 reviews and 4.6 stars on G2. NextPhone is newer with fewer reviews but provides responsive support. For support quality based on historical data, Smith.ai has more documented track record to evaluate.
The Bottom Line
Both Smith.ai and NextPhone are legitimate platforms solving real problems—but they're built for different businesses with different priorities.
Smith.ai excels when:
- Legal-specific features like conflict checking matter
- You need deep legal software integrations
- Volume is predictably low
- Established reputation outweighs cost concerns
NextPhone excels when:
- You're a home services contractor
- Volume exceeds 50 calls/month or varies seasonally
- Trade-specific emergency routing is revenue-critical
- Flat-rate pricing and predictable costs matter
The worst choice is forcing a platform to fit a use case it wasn't designed for. Law firms will struggle with NextPhone's lack of legal features. Contractors will overpay with Smith.ai's per-call model during busy seasons.
If you're a law firm needing Clio integration and conflict checks, go with Smith.ai—they've earned their reputation in legal. If you're a contractor who can't afford to miss emergency calls during storm season, NextPhone's flat-rate model and trade-specific AI make more sense.
We built NextPhone specifically for contractors because we saw generic solutions failing to understand trade emergencies, seasonal call spikes, and the reality of running a home services business. If that describes your world, try us free for 7 days and see what specialized AI can do.
If it doesn't describe your world, we hope this comparison helped you find the right fit—even if it's not us.
About This Comparison
This analysis was created by the NextPhone team with the goal of providing genuinely useful information for businesses choosing between answering service options. We've made every effort to represent Smith.ai's offerings accurately based on their public pricing and feature documentation, though pricing and features may change. For current Smith.ai details, visit smith.ai directly.