Short answer
Alternatives to Ruby Receptionists include Smith.ai (AI or human answering priced per call), GoHighLevel's AI Employee for CRM users, an in-house receptionist, and Oraculo, a managed AI employee that adds follow-up, invoicing and team tracking. Ruby stays a fine pick when a trained US-based human voice is what you want.
Why owners shop around
Ruby provides live, US-based virtual receptionists and live website chat. As of October 2026, receptionist plans run from $250 a month for 50 minutes up to $1,725 for 500, and larger plans go through sales. Chat plans start at $143 a month for 10 chats. Ruby's pricing page does not state overage rates, which is the detail that tends to prompt a search for alternatives.
The other usual triggers: a minute-based plan that feels tight when call volume jumps, a need for work beyond the phone, or a wish to pay per call instead. Here is what exists, with the tradeoffs spelled out.
Options compared
| Option | Who answers | Published price (Oct 2026) | Billing basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruby | Live US-based humans | $250/month for 50 minutes to $1,725 for 500 | Minutes or chats |
| Smith.ai (human) | Live human receptionists, 24/7 | Starter $300/month for 30 calls, $11.50 per extra | Per call |
| Smith.ai (AI) | AI receptionist | Free for 25 calls, then $3.00; Pro from $150/month | Per call |
| GoHighLevel AI Employee | Voice AI | $50 or $97/month per sub-account, plus HighLevel from $97/month | Subscription plus usage |
| In-house receptionist | Your employee | US median wage $18.27/hour (BLS, May 2025), before taxes and benefits | Salary |
| Oraculo | AI employee | From $12/hour; calls $0.19/minute | Hours of work |
Smith.ai: closest in spirit
Smith.ai is the most direct alternative because it also sells live human receptionists, plus an AI-first option. Human plans are billed per call, not per minute: Starter $300 a month for 30 calls, Basic $810 for 90, Pro $2,100 for 300. Spam is not charged, and add-ons include appointment booking at $1.50 per call and a Spanish line at $1.00 per call. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee and 10% off for a 12-month term.
The tradeoff is per-call billing: wonderful for short calls, less so for long intake conversations if you are used to buying minutes. Smith.ai's pricing pages do not mention HIPAA, whereas Ruby lists HIPAA-compliant services. See Smith.ai vs Ruby vs an AI employee.
GoHighLevel AI Employee
If you already use HighLevel's CRM, its AI Employee add-on includes Voice AI that answers inbound calls. It costs $50 or $97 a month per sub-account on top of a HighLevel plan (Starter $97, Unlimited $297, Agency Pro $497 a month). Phone numbers, SMS, email and calling are usage-billed, and WhatsApp is a $10 a month add-on. Outbound Voice AI calling requires registration and approval first.
It makes sense for agencies and businesses already inside HighLevel. For everyone else, it means adopting a platform to get a phone answerer.
Oraculo
Oraculo is a managed AI employee, not a receptionist service. It answers and places calls on your business line 24/7, sends texts, takes voicemail, confirms appointments and chases no-shows. It then follows up with every lead within minutes, sends invoices, takes payments, updates your site, posts to social and tracks your team's goals. It is reachable via WhatsApp, iMessage, Slack, Telegram, email and its app.
What you give up compared with Ruby is the live human on the call and a HIPAA claim; Oraculo makes neither. For a medical practice, see PhiClaw. Read the head-to-head in Oraculo vs Ruby Receptionists.
Hiring a receptionist yourself
A full-time hire gives you someone who greets visitors and handles odd tasks, but one person cannot cover nights, weekends and holidays, and the BLS median wage of $18.27 an hour excludes taxes, benefits and overhead. For a breakdown, read AI employee vs hiring a receptionist.
Questions to ask any alternative
- What counts as a call or minute? Ask about transfers, voicemails, hold time and repeat callers.
- What happens on overage? Ruby does not state its rates on the pricing page, so get yours in writing.
- How are sensitive callers handled? Decide up front which calls must reach a human.
- What do I still have to do after the call? List the follow-up, booking and invoicing steps and see who owns each one.
- How do I leave? Check contract length, notice and any guarantee before you sign.
When to switch from Ruby
| Your situation | Consider |
|---|---|
| You love the human touch but want per-call pricing | Smith.ai human plans |
| You mostly get short, simple calls | Smith.ai AI plans |
| You already run HighLevel | GoHighLevel AI Employee |
| Calls are covered but leads, invoices and staff are not | Oraculo |
| Callers are sensitive and expect a human | Stay with Ruby |
Oraculo costs $12 per hour on Starter (6-hour weekly minimum, about $312 a month) or $8 per hour on Business (43 hours a week, about $1,500 a month), $499 setup, and has a 30-day money-back guarantee. Book a 20-minute demo to compare it with your current Ruby invoice.
Key takeaway
Ruby is hard to beat for a polished human greeting. If you need cheaper-per-call options, a CRM bundle or a managed employee that works after the call, there are fair alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Ruby Receptionists?
For live humans, Smith.ai is the closest. For CRM users, GoHighLevel's AI Employee. For a managed AI employee that handles calls plus follow-up, invoices and team tracking, Oraculo.
Is there a Ruby alternative that charges per call?
Yes. Smith.ai bills per call, not per minute: human plans from $300 a month for 30 calls, and AI plans free for 25 real calls then from $150 a month, as of October 2026.
Are there HIPAA-ready alternatives to Ruby?
Ruby lists HIPAA-compliant services. Smith.ai's pricing pages do not mention HIPAA. Oraculo is not a medical product; PhiClaw is the HIPAA version for medical practices.
Does any alternative answer calls with a real human?
Smith.ai's human plans use live receptionists 24/7. In-house staff can too. Oraculo and GoHighLevel's Voice AI use AI to answer.
Is switching from Ruby risky?
Moderately. Run a trial or use a guarantee, such as Oraculo's 30-day money-back, and keep Ruby until you have seen real calls handled. Check contract terms first, which Ruby's pricing page does not state.