Every missed call is a missed chance to get a new job. For a busy plumber, electrician, or solo worker, that can make a big difference. When you are on a job, driving, or just busy, you can't always answer the phone. An answering service helps by acting like a front desk. It catches every lead, books jobs, and makes sure your customers always talk to someone.

Finding the best answering service for small business can be hard. They all say they are open 24/7 with good receptionists, but the small things matter. Some are great with both English and Spanish-speaking customers. Others link up with your booking software. For marketing teams, the right service needs good reports and call rules. Using sales call tracking software can also help you make more money by showing which leads are good and how your team is doing.

This guide will help you choose. We made a list of the top answering services. We review each one with its good and bad points. You will see pictures, links, and a clear chart to help you pick the right one for your business. We will show you how each service works for different types of jobs. This will help you stop sending customers to voicemail and start getting more work from every call.

1. Cira

Cira is the best answering service for small business owners who need a smart, low-cost, and helpful tool. It is an AI voice helper made for home-service businesses like plumbers, electricians, and contractors. Cira makes sure you never miss a lead by answering every call, 24/7, in a clear, friendly voice.

What makes Cira great is its fast, 10-minute setup. The AI learns about your services, hours, and work area from your Google Business Profile or website. This lets it start answering customer questions right away. It can also ask your own questions to see if a caller is a good fit. It can even book jobs or send links by text to schedule a time. This lets you focus on your work without worrying about the phone.

Pricing & Key Features

Cira has simple, flat-rate prices. You do not have to pay for each minute like with other services. The Starter plan is $59/month**, and the **Scale plan is $159/month. Both plans include unlimited call minutes. For many users, booking just one extra job pays for the whole month.

• 24/7 Answering: Answers every call, day or night.
• Bilingual Support: Speaks both English and Spanish to help more customers.
• Booking & CRM Integration: Can book jobs for you and connects with popular CRMs on the Scale plan.
• Call Inbox: Gives you call recordings, notes, and summaries to check later.

Cira is a new way to answer calls that costs less than a person or a call center. To see how it compares to others, you can learn more about Cira's advantages.

Best for: Solo workers, home service businesses (plumbers, roofers, cleaners), and any small business that needs to answer every call.

Pros:

• Low, flat-rate price with unlimited minutes.
• Very fast setup that learns from your business info.
• Helpful tools like bilingual support and appointment booking are included.
• Pays for itself fast by turning missed calls into booked jobs.

Cons:

• Extra features like CRM links and live call transfers are only on the more expensive plan.
• As an AI, it might have trouble with very strange or tricky questions.

Visit Website: https://www.hicira.com

2. Ruby

Ruby is a well-known service that uses real people to answer your calls. It is great for small businesses that want to make a good first impression. They offer 24/7 help with trained receptionists in the U.S. They can do everything from custom greetings and call screening to getting leads and booking jobs. They are set up to feel like a part of your own team.

A big plus for Ruby is its strong set of tools and mobile app. The app lets business owners handle calls, check messages, and update their status from anywhere. Ruby’s receptionists can also follow complex rules for handling calls. This makes them a good choice for businesses with special ways of getting new customers. They also offer HIPAA-safe services for doctors and a plan that includes live chat for your website.

Key Features & Benefits

• 24/7 Live Receptionists: Get help all day, every day from professional, U.S.-based receptionists, including on weekends and holidays.
• Mobile App & Integrations: A great mobile app keeps you in charge, and it works with other business software.
• Bilingual & HIPAA-Compliant Options: Full support for both English and Spanish, and special plans for healthcare needs.
• Lead Capture & Scheduling: Receptionists can qualify new leads and book appointments right on your calendar.

Pricing

Ruby’s price is based on how many minutes the receptionists spend on your calls each month. Plans start with Call Essentials for $219/month, which includes 50 minutes. The Connected plan is $349/month for 100 minutes, and the Engaged plan is $629/month for 200 minutes. If you go over your minutes, you pay for each extra minute.

Pros:

• Known for having high-quality, professional receptionists.
• Lots of features, including a good mobile app and optional live chat.
• Full 24/7/365 help with bilingual and HIPAA-safe options.

Cons:

• Paying by the minute can get expensive if you get a lot of calls.
• There is no plan with unlimited minutes, so your costs can change.

Best For: Law firms, doctor's offices, and other small businesses that need a top-quality, human-powered answering service and can pay for a great caller experience.

Learn more at ruby.com.

3. Smith.ai

Smith.ai offers a flexible service that uses both live agents in North America and an AI helper. This makes it a great hybrid choice. The service is very good at connecting with other business tools. It works with thousands of CRMs, calendars, and other software to make your work flow smoothly. This is a good option for businesses that need more than just someone to answer the phone.

The service lets you control how calls are handled. You can choose to use AI first for simple questions and then send harder calls to a live person. This mix, along with paying for each call instead of each minute, means you often only pay for the calls that need a real person. This is different from plans that offer unlimited minutes. To see if an automated tool is right for you, learn more about an AI receptionist for small business.

Key Features & Benefits

• Hybrid AI & Live Agents: Choose between live people, an AI helper, or a mix of both.
• Extensive Integrations: Connects with thousands of business tools, like most CRMs and scheduling software.
• North American Agents: All live receptionists are based in the U.S. and Canada, so calls are high quality.
• Per-Call Pricing: Live plans charge for each call, not each minute, which makes it easy to understand costs for short calls.

Pricing

Smith.ai's live receptionist plans start at $285/month for 30 live calls. AI receptionist plans start at $145/month. There are extra costs for things like sending a call to a live person, which can be around +$3 per call.

Pros:

• Great for businesses that need to connect with their CRM and other software.
• You can choose between AI only, live only, or a mix of both.
• Clear per-call pricing is good for businesses with short calls.

Cons:

• Paying for each call can get costly with a lot of calls or long calls.
• The price can go up quickly if many calls need a live person.

Best For: Tech-friendly businesses and professional services (like law firms or IT companies) that need a receptionist to work closely with their other software.

Learn more at smith.ai.

4. PATLive

PATLive is a long-running, U.S.-based answering service that gives you live receptionists 24/7/365. It stands out because it includes a lot of features in its plans. It also focuses on helping you get started. A manager will help you create custom scripts so the agents sound like they are part of your company. This makes it a great choice for businesses that want a real person answering every call.

The service can do many things, from taking simple messages to booking appointments, getting lead info, and handling emergency calls. PATLive also offers live web chat support, so you can get leads from your website too. With month-to-month plans and a 14-day free trial, you can try it out without a long-term contract.

Key Features & Benefits

• 24/7/365 US-Based Live Agents: Every call is answered by a professional, U.S.-based receptionist, any time of day.
• Custom Scripting & Onboarding: PATLive helps you make detailed scripts for how to handle calls.
• Appointment Scheduling & Lead Intake: Receptionists can book appointments on your calendar and qualify new leads.
• Web Chat Support: Provides live chat agents to talk to people on your website and turn them into leads.

Pricing

PATLive uses a price model based on minutes. Plans start at $59/month for the Basic plan (50 minutes), and go up to $789/month for the Pro+ plan (1000 minutes). If you use more minutes than your plan allows, you will be charged for the extra time. All plans come with a 14-day free trial.

Pros:

• Lots of features that cover most small business needs.
• A good, personal setup process.
• All agents are based in the United States.

Cons:

• Paying by the minute can lead to bills that change each month.
• Help in other languages might cost extra.

Best For: Medical offices, law firms, and service businesses that need a professional, U.S.-based person to handle appointments, new clients, and emergencies.

Learn more at patlive.com.

5. Moneypenny (USA)

Moneypenny is a large, global answering service with a big team in the U.S. It offers a mix of live receptionists and AI tools. It is for small businesses that want a very professional and custom human touch from a trusted company. The service focuses on being a part of your team, with receptionists who learn your business and follow your scripts for handling calls.

Unlike AI services with a flat fee, Moneypenny charges for each minute of call time. This makes it a good choice for businesses that need a real person for complex tasks like detailed appointment setting or tricky customer service questions. It works best if you can guess how many call minutes you will use each month.

Key Features & Benefits

• Live Human & AI Options: You can choose between 24/7 live receptionists for a personal touch or an AI for simpler needs.
• Custom Call Scripting: Create detailed scripts so receptionists represent your brand just right.
• CRM & Calendar Integration: Connects with popular CRMs and calendars to book appointments and update customer info.
• Dedicated Receptionist Team: Gives you a small, dedicated team of receptionists who get to know your business.

Pricing

Moneypenny's pricing is based on minutes, with plans advertised to start from around $165 per month. Plans include a certain number of minutes. If you go over, you will pay a set rate for the extra time. This model means you need to watch your call time to manage costs.

Pros:

• High-quality, professional human receptionists.
• Clear pricing with well-explained plans.
• Offers both human and AI options from one company.

Cons:

• Paying by the minute can lead to changing costs, especially with long calls.
• Can be more expensive than AI-only options if you get a lot of calls.

Best For: Professional service firms, law offices, and small businesses that need a top-quality, human-powered front desk and are okay with paying by the minute for complex calls.

Learn more at moneypenny.com/us.

6. Go Answer

Go Answer offers a flexible and low-cost 24/7 live answering service. This makes it a great choice for small businesses watching their budget. The platform gives you both live and AI receptionist options. This lets you find the right mix of human help and automation. They stand out with low prices, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and a clear plan structure that helps you guess your monthly costs.

Each plan includes custom scripts, CRM connections, and spam filtering. You also get a dedicated manager to help you get set up. Some key features like call recording and bilingual support cost extra. But the basic service gives you a solid way to get leads and improve customer service. This lets businesses start with a low-cost plan and add more features as they grow.

Key Features & Benefits

• 24/7 Live Answering: Makes sure your business never misses a call, day or night, with live human agents.
• Hybrid AI & Live Options: Choose between a live receptionist, an AI one, or a mix of both for the most flexibility.
• CRM Integrations: Connects with popular CRMs to make sure lead info is saved and organized automatically.
• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Gives you a risk-free trial period to test the service and make sure it fits your needs.

Pricing

Go Answer’s pricing starts at $75/month** for the Startup 100 plan, which includes 100 live agent minutes. Plans go up to the Corporate 500 plan at **$275/month for 500 minutes. The cost for extra minutes is low on the bigger plans. They also offer AI-only plans that start at a lower price.

Pros:

• Low prices, especially for plans between 100 and 500 minutes.
• Clear plan structure makes it easy to choose and guess costs.
• The money-back guarantee lowers the risk for new customers.

Cons:

• Key features like call recording and bilingual agents cost extra.
• You might need to buy add-ons to get the same features as other services.

Best For: Small businesses looking for a low-cost live answering service that offers a money-back guarantee and clear, predictable pricing.

Learn more at goanswer.io.

7. Abby Connect

Abby Connect offers a flexible service with a personal touch. It mixes dedicated live human receptionists with AI options. It's made for small businesses that want a top-quality setup process and the choice to use either people or AI for calls. This makes it a unique choice for companies whose needs change. For example, you might want a person for sensitive calls and an AI for simple ones.

The service gives you a dedicated team of receptionists who know your business. This ensures callers have a good and consistent experience. Abby Connect also works with tools like Calendly for easy appointment booking. It offers HIPAA-safe plans for doctors' offices. Their personal setup helps make sure the service fits your business from the start.

Key Features & Benefits

• Hybrid Human & AI Plans: Choose between live receptionists, an AI receptionist, or a plan that mixes both.
• White-Glove Onboarding: Abby Connect gives you a very personal setup process to customize call scripts and other rules.
• Bilingual & HIPAA-Compliant: Full English/Spanish support is available, along with plans that meet HIPAA security rules for medical offices.
• Scheduling Integration: Works with scheduling software like Calendly to book appointments for callers in real time.

Pricing

Abby Connect’s price is based on receptionist minutes. The Abby AI plan starts at $49/month for 100 minutes. Live receptionist plans start at $279/month for the Abby 100 plan (100 minutes). They go up to $2399/month for the Abby 2000 plan (2000 minutes). If you go over your minutes, you pay for each extra minute.

Pros:

• Offers both human and AI options to fit different needs.
• A personal setup process ensures it is tailored to you.
• Strong integration and compliance features (Calendly, HIPAA).

Cons:

• Minute-based pricing can get expensive with a lot of calls.
• Live receptionist plans cost a lot more than AI-only options.

Best For: Medical practices, law firms, and service businesses that need a very professional, reliable answering service and are willing to pay for a top-quality, personal experience.

Learn more at abby.com.

8. Nexa

Nexa is a live virtual receptionist service that focuses on certain industries, like home services, healthcare, and legal. This focus lets them offer trained agents who understand these fields. This makes them a great choice for businesses that need more than just basic message-taking. Their service is built to answer calls 24/7/365, so no call is ever missed.

The platform helps businesses with custom scripts, lead qualification, appointment booking, and connections with popular CRM systems. A special part of Nexa is that it can handle both incoming and outgoing calls. This means they can make follow-up calls or appointment reminders for you. This makes Nexa a good choice for businesses that want a more complete communication partner that knows their industry.

Key Features & Benefits

• Industry Specialization: Agents are trained for specific areas like healthcare and home services, so they can have better conversations.
• 24/7/365 Live Answering: All plans include round-the-clock help from live, U.S.-based receptionists.
• Inbound & Outbound Calling: Besides answering calls, Nexa can make outbound calls for appointment reminders and lead follow-ups.
• Full Integration: Connects with your current CRM and scheduling software to make work easier and keep data in sync.

Pricing

Nexa’s pricing is based on bundles of minutes, but they do not list the exact prices on their website. Plans are made based on your call volume and the services you need. You must contact their sales team for a custom price. Plans start from 100 minutes per month and go up to 1,000+ minutes.

Pros:

• Expert knowledge in key service industries (legal, medical, home services).
• Offers outbound calling services, which is not common for answering services.
• Provides 24/7 live help on all plans.

Cons:

• Pricing is not clear and you have to call for a quote.
• Paying by the minute can lead to changing monthly costs.

Best For: Home service, legal, or medical businesses that need special call handling and can use outbound follow-up services.

Learn more at nexa.com.

9. MAP Communications

MAP Communications is a U.S.-based call center that provides a traditional, human-powered answering service all day and night. It stands out because it follows strict security rules, with HITRUST and PCI-DSS certifications. This makes it a very good choice for businesses in areas like healthcare and finance that handle private information. Every call is answered by a live agent in the United States, with bilingual support for both English and Spanish callers.

The service can be changed to fit your needs, with custom scripts to make sure agents handle calls exactly how you want. MAP Communications offers a secure client website for managing your account and checking call data. Unlike many others that hide their prices, they show clear, per-minute billing plans. They do not require long-term contracts, which is rare in the industry.

Key Features & Benefits

• US-Based Human Agents: All calls are handled 24/7 by professional agents based in the United States.
• Compliance & Security: HITRUST and PCI-DSS certifications make it a secure choice for HIPAA needs and financial data.
• Custom Scripting: Tailor call handling rules to fit your specific business processes and brand.
• Bilingual Support: Agents are available to help both English and Spanish-speaking customers.

Pricing

MAP Communications offers several per-minute plans. The Standard plan is $49/month and includes 70 minutes. The Business plan is $179/month for 200 minutes, and the Executive plan is $289/month for 350 minutes. All plans offer a 7-day free trial to test the service.

Pros:

• Strong security for healthcare and sensitive data.
• Clear, published pricing plans.
• A 7-day free trial is available to try the service.

Cons:

• Paying by the minute can lead to high costs for businesses with a lot of calls.
• The pricing model is less predictable than flat-rate AI options.

Best For: Medical practices, law firms, and financial services that need certified security, data safety, and the professional touch of a live human agent.

Learn more at mapcommunications.com.

10. ReceptionHQ

ReceptionHQ is a global 24/7 answering service that stands out for its very low-cost entry plans. This makes it a great choice for very small businesses, startups, or those with few calls. It offers a simple, human-powered service that focuses on key tasks like taking messages, transferring calls, and basic appointment booking. With month-to-month billing and a 7-day free trial, it is a flexible, low-risk option for businesses that need help with calls sometimes.

The service has clear plans, starting with basic message plans. You can move up to more complete Virtual Assistant services that can handle CRM updates and other admin tasks. This lets businesses pay only for the features they need. While U.S.-based agents handle calls during normal business hours, after-hours calls may be sent to their global teams.

Key Features & Benefits

• Low-Cost Entry: Basic message-taking plans start at one of the lowest prices available.
• Month-to-Month Flexibility: No long-term contracts are needed, so it is easy to try the service or use it for busy seasons.
• Scalable Service Tiers: Easily upgrade from simple message-taking to virtual assistant services with CRM and scheduling features.
• 7-Day Free Trial: A short but useful trial period lets businesses check out the service with no risk.

Pricing

ReceptionHQ offers several plans. The MyReceptionist Message plan is just $25/month for 25 minutes. The MyReceptionist Transfer plan starts at $45/month for 50 minutes. Their MyAssistant virtual assistant plans offer more advanced support. All plans have per-second billing, and extra minutes are charged at a set rate.

Pros:

• Very affordable starting price for basic message-taking.
• Flexible month-to-month terms are great for seasonal businesses.
• Clear service plans make it easy to choose the right one.

Cons:

• Paying by the second and extra charges can make monthly costs hard to predict.
• After-hours calls are often handled by teams outside the U.S.

Best For: Solo business owners and very small businesses that need a simple, low-cost way to take messages and handle extra calls without a long-term contract.

Learn more at receptionhq.com.

11. Posh Virtual Receptionists

Posh Virtual Receptionists provides a fully U.S.-based, live agent answering service. It is made for small businesses that need a professional human touch all the time. The service highlights its team of friendly, well-trained receptionists. They can handle everything from taking messages and transferring calls to booking appointments and getting lead info. A key feature is its mobile app and online portal, which lets business owners easily update their status and call rules from anywhere.

The platform is built to work with other tools. It connects with popular CRMs and offers services like outbound calling and bilingual support to cover many business needs. Their clear pricing chart makes it simple to understand costs and choose a plan that fits your expected call volume. You can also scale up as your business grows. This mix of a U.S.-based team and modern tools makes it a strong choice in the live answering market.

Key Features & Benefits

• 24/7 US-Based Live Agents: Ensures every call is answered by a professional, U.S.-based receptionist, no matter the time of day.
• App & Portal Control: Easily manage your account, update your status, and change call forwarding rules from your phone or computer.
• Appointment Scheduling & CRM Integration: Receptionists can book appointments on your calendar and sync call data with your CRM.
• Bilingual Services: Offers support for both English and Spanish-speaking callers to reach more customers.

Pricing

Posh offers several plans based on bundled minutes, starting around $149/month for 100 minutes. Plans scale up to 500 minutes and more, with extra minutes billed at a per-minute rate. They often offer a free trial to test the service.

Pros:

• A fully U.S.-based team provides a high-quality, professional caller experience.
• The mobile app gives you great control over your service.
• Clear, tiered pricing makes it easy to choose and scale a plan.

Cons:

• Minute-based billing can lead to unpredictable costs compared to flat-rate AI options.
• Published pricing can change, so it is best to check current rates directly.

Best For: Law firms, medical offices, and service businesses that need a reliable, professional human agent and want easy control over their call handling with a mobile app.

Learn more at posh.com.

Top 11 Small-Business Answering Services Comparison

Make Every Call Count

Choosing the right answering service is about more than just stopping your phone from ringing. It's about catching every chance to get a new customer, giving great service, and freeing yourself to do what you do best: run your business. We have looked at eleven great options, from big names like Ruby and Smith.ai to special services like Nexa and Posh. Each one has its own mix of features, prices, and skills.

The first step to finding the best answering service for small business is to know what you need. Are you a solo plumber who needs help after hours and on weekends? Or are you a growing marketing team that needs to connect with your CRM and qualify leads for your clients? Answering these questions first will make your choice much easier.

Your Final Checklist Before You Decide

Before you sign up, go through this final checklist. It covers the most important things from this guide and will help you compare your top choices.

• Core Functionality: Does the service do what you need most? This includes being open 24/7, taking messages, and forwarding calls. Make sure they offer help in other languages if your customers need it.
• Specialized Features: Do you need more advanced tools? Look for appointment booking, lead capture, taking payments, or connecting with your specific CRM (like Jobber or ServiceTitan).
• Industry Expertise: Does the company have experience in your type of work? A service that knows the words used by plumbers, electricians, or lawyers will represent your brand better.
• Pricing Structure: Does the plan charge by the minute, by the call, or a flat fee each month? Understand what is included and, more importantly, what costs extra. Surprise fees can make a low price not so great.
• Onboarding and Support: How easy is it to start? A smooth setup is key. Ask about how they train their receptionists and how you can update your scripts.

Making the Right Choice for Your Business

Let’s think about your specific needs.

For the solo worker or home service pro, your main goal is to stop missing calls when you are on a job. You need a reliable service that can book appointments and get lead info correctly. A simple, minute-based plan like those from PATLive or ReceptionHQ might be a perfect, low-cost fit.

For small businesses that want to grow fast, especially those with customers who speak different languages, the choice is more important. You need a partner that acts like a real part of your team. This is where a service like Cira is great. With its strong CRM connections, knowledge of specific industries, and great bilingual support, Cira is made not just to answer calls, but to help you manage and grow your business.

In the end, paying for an answering service is an investment in your customer's experience. When a potential customer calls, that first conversation sets the mood for their whole relationship with your brand. A professional, helpful, and quick answer builds trust from the start. This focus on the customer is the key to all effective customer retention strategies, making sure that a first-time caller becomes a customer for life.

Your phone is your business’s lifeline. By choosing the right answering service, you make sure that every call is a chance you take, not a lead you lose. Take the next step today: make a short list of your top two or three choices, sign up for their free trials, and see for yourself which one feels like the best fit for your team. You’ll be surprised at how good it feels to know every call is in good hands.