Operator vs Smith.ai
Smith.ai offers live receptionists priced per call, with appointment booking and payment collection charged as per-call extras, alongside AI options. Operator is an AI receptionist on a monthly plan: it answers every call, books your calendar and takes a deposit to your own Stripe account, with no per-call booking fee. Plans and sources are below.
Plans and what they include
Each Smith.ai price is from its own pricing page on the date shown. Operator’s prices are live from our pricing today.
| Plan | Price a month | Includes | Over the limit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.ai Starter (human receptionists)Month to month; appointment booking is $1.50 per call and payment collection $1.00 per call extra | $300 | 30 calls$10 per call | $11.50 per call over 30 | smith.aiChecked Sep 25, 2026 |
| Smith.ai Basic (human receptionists) | $810 | 90 calls$9 per call | $10.50 per call over 90 | smith.aiChecked Sep 25, 2026 |
| Operator Starter | $49 | 5,000 creditsAbout 200 answered minutes; booking and deposits included | Top up any time at one cent a credit | heyoperator.ai/pricingLive Sep 26, 2026 |
| Operator Pro | $129 | 15,000 creditsAbout 600 answered minutes; booking and deposits included | Top up any time at one cent a credit | heyoperator.ai/pricingLive Sep 26, 2026 |
| Operator Scale | $299 | 40,000 creditsAbout 1,600 answered minutes; booking and deposits included | Top up any time at one cent a credit | heyoperator.ai/pricingLive Sep 26, 2026 |
What each one does
Smith.ai
From Smith.ai’s own pages. Where their page is silent, we say so.
- Offers human receptionists available 24/7, and AI-first as well as human-first options Source
- Prices its receptionist plans by the number of calls Source
- Charges appointment booking and payment collection as extras per call Source
- Includes lead screening, qualification and intake, and a 30-day money-back guarantee Source
Operator
Every item is live in the product today.
- Answers every call in a natural voice, day or night, and several calls at once
- Lets your own phone ring first and picks up only the calls you miss, if you prefer
- Answers callers’ questions from the information you give it
- Texts the caller a price built from your own rates; it never states a price on the phone
- Books into your real calendar, including Google Calendar events already on it
- Takes a deposit you set, paid to your own Stripe account
- Texts back missed calls with a link to your booking page
- Gives you a booking page and a chat button for your website
- Puts every call in one inbox with the recording, a summary and the caller’s number
- Puts a live call through to your phone with one tap during your business hours
Which one to choose
Choose Smith.ai if
- You want a person on every call, such as for legal intake or sensitive conversations
- Your call volume is low and predictable, so a per-call price stays small
Choose Operator if
- You want a monthly plan where booking and deposits are included rather than charged per call
- You get more calls in busy seasons and do not want the bill to rise with each one
- You want quotes from your own rates, a booking page and missed-call text back in one inbox
For every vendor side by side, see how much an answering service costs or all comparisons.
FAQ
Questions about Operator and Smith.ai
Is Operator cheaper than Smith.ai?
It depends on your volume. Smith.ai prices by the call with booking and payments as extras; Operator is a monthly plan with credits, and booking and deposits are included. Compare the plans in the table, each linked to its source.
Does Operator use real people?
No. Operator is an AI receptionist. During your business hours it can put a caller straight through to your own phone with one tap when a person is needed.
Can Operator collect payment on a call?
Operator never takes card details on the phone. It texts the caller a link where they book and pay the deposit, and the money settles to your own Stripe account.
How much does Operator cost?
Operator is free for 14 days with no card to start. Plans start at $49 a month on Starter, which covers about 200 answered minutes, and there is no booking fee on any plan.
Let Operator answer your next call
Free for 14 days. Keep your current number.