# JustCall vs Smith.ai: feature, pricing, and use-case comparison

> Canonical: https://dialzara.com/compare/justcall-vs-smith-ai  
> Summary: Reference comparison of JustCall (business phone system with ai voice agent add-on, starting at $29/user/month) and Smith.ai (ai + live agent hybrid for the front office) — pricing, features, strengths, and when each one fits.

## Summary

JustCall is business phone system with ai voice agent add-on, starting at $29/user/month. Smith.ai is ai + live agent hybrid for the front office. This page lists the structured differences in pricing, features, and target fit between the two so a reader can decide which is the better match for their use case.

## At a glance

| | JustCall | Smith.ai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Type** | ai-first | hybrid |
| **Starting price** | $29/user/month (Team plan, billed annually) | $95/month (AI Receptionist self-service) |
| **Pricing model** | Per-user monthly pricing plus per-minute AI Voice Agent add-on | Per-call pricing with self-service and guided annual plans |
| **Public pricing** | Yes | Yes |
| **Target market** | Sales teams and call centers needing a full phone system with AI dialers, coaching, and voice agents | Law firms and professional services needing AI plus live agent backup |

## Feature comparison

| Feature | JustCall | Smith.ai | Dialzara | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| AI Call Handling | Yes | Yes | Yes | JustCall AI Voice Agent answers calls 24/7, qualifies leads, books meetings; Dialzara does the same purpose-built for $29/mo |
| Appointment Booking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both book meetings from calls; JustCall connects to Google/Outlook Calendar / Smith.ai supports Calendly on AI Receptionist; Dialzara integrates with Google Calendar and others via Zapier |
| Lead Capture | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both capture leads; JustCall AI Voice Agent also qualifies leads with custom questions |
| Call Recording | Yes | Yes | Yes | Smith.ai includes recording on AI Receptionist; charges $0.25/call on Virtual Receptionists |
| Call Transfers | Unknown | Yes | Yes |  |
| Voicemail | Yes | Unknown | Yes |  |
| SMS Notifications | Yes | Yes | Yes | JustCall includes 500-1,000 SMS segments; Dialzara sends SMS notifications |
| Bilingual Support | Yes | No | Yes | JustCall AI Voice Agent supports 14 languages; Dialzara supports English and Spanish / Dialzara includes bilingual English/Spanish on all plans; Smith.ai charges $1.00/call extra for Spanish on Virtual Receptionists |
| HIPAA Compliance | Yes | Unknown | Yes | JustCall HIPAA compliance only on Business tier (custom pricing, 10-user minimum); Dialzara is HIPAA compliant on all plans starting at $29/mo |
| CRM Integration | Yes | Yes | Yes | JustCall offers 100+ native CRM integrations including Salesforce CTI; Dialzara connects via Zapier/Make / Smith.ai supports 143 integrations including HubSpot, Salesforce, Clio |
| Dedicated Phone Number | Yes | Yes | Yes |  |
| Custom AI Training | Yes | Yes | Yes | JustCall AI trains from help docs and website links; Dialzara trains from your website URL / Smith.ai supports up to 50 custom Q&A pairs on AI Receptionist |
| Custom Greetings | Unknown | Yes | Yes |  |
| Quick Setup | Unknown | No | Yes | Enter your URL and your AI agent trains on your business instantly; Smith.ai's guided plans take 48+ hours to set up |

## About JustCall

JustCall is a cloud phone system and sales communication platform offering voice, SMS, workflow automation, and AI coaching. Their AI Voice Agent is an add-on that answers inbound calls 24/7, qualifies leads, books meetings, handles FAQs, and routes calls. JustCall's base plans start at $29/user/month (Team) with unlimited calling, and the AI Voice Agent costs $0.99/minute on top. JustCall supports 14 languages, 100+ CRM integrations, and HIPAA compliance on the Business tier (custom pricing, 10-user minimum). However, the per-user plus per-minute AI pricing can add up quickly compared to Dialzara's flat $29/month.

- **Type:** ai-first
- **Target market:** Sales teams and call centers needing a full phone system with AI dialers, coaching, and voice agents
- **Website:** https://justcall.io

### JustCall pricing

- **Model:** Per-user monthly pricing plus per-minute AI Voice Agent add-on
- **Starting price:** $29/user/month (Team plan, billed annually)
- **Public pricing:** Yes

| Tier | Price | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Team | $29/user/mo | Unlimited outbound & inbound minutes, 500 SMS segments, local numbers in 70+ countries, 100+ CRM integrations, IVR & call menus, analytics, API access. AI Voice Agent available as add-on. Minimum 2 users. |
| Pro | $49/user/mo | Everything in Team plus power dialer, bulk SMS, queue callback, intelligent call routing, Salesforce CTI, advanced analytics. Minimum 2 users. |
| Pro Plus | $89/user/mo | Everything in Pro plus AI coaching, real-time agent assist, AI call scoring, sentiment analysis, script compliance. Minimum 2 users. |
| Business | Custom pricing | Everything in Pro Plus plus unlimited calling & SMS, SSO, HIPAA/GDPR compliance, personalized onboarding, dedicated phone support. Minimum 10 users. |

AI Voice Agent is a separate add-on at $0.99/minute, available on all plans. All plans require a minimum of 2 users. Business plan (HIPAA-compliant) requires minimum 10 users with custom pricing. Annual billing shown; monthly pricing is higher. 14-day free trial available.

### Strengths

- Comprehensive phone system with unlimited calling, SMS, and 100+ CRM integrations
- AI Voice Agent answers calls 24/7, qualifies leads, books meetings, and routes calls
- Supports 14 languages for AI Voice Agent
- Power dialer and predictive dialer for outbound sales teams
- AI coaching, call scoring, and real-time agent assist on higher plans
- Local phone numbers available in 70+ countries
- Custom AI training from help docs and website links
- HIPAA and GDPR compliant on Business tier
- 14-day free trial

### Weaknesses

- Per-user pricing with 2-user minimum — Team plan starts at $58/month for 2 users
- AI Voice Agent costs $0.99/minute extra on top of base plan
- HIPAA compliance only on Business tier (custom pricing, 10-user minimum)
- Complex pricing with multiple tiers, add-ons, and minimums
- Designed for sales teams and call centers — overkill for small businesses needing basic answering
- AI Voice Agent is an add-on, not core to the product
- Higher plans ($49-$89/user/mo) needed for advanced features like routing and analytics

## About Smith.ai

Smith.ai offers two products: an AI Receptionist (AI-first with optional live agent handoff) and Virtual Receptionists (human-first live answering). Their AI Receptionist uses AI to handle calls with the option to escalate to one of 500+ live agents at $3 per call. Pricing is per-call, starting at $95/month for self-service plans and $500/month for guided annual plans. They support 143 integrations and are trusted by 5,000+ businesses.

- **Type:** hybrid
- **Target market:** Law firms and professional services needing AI plus live agent backup
- **Website:** https://smith.ai
- **Best for:** Law firms, Professional services, Marketing agencies

### Smith.ai pricing

- **Model:** Per-call pricing with self-service and guided annual plans
- **Starting price:** $95/month (AI Receptionist self-service)
- **Public pricing:** Yes
- **Source:** https://smith.ai/pricing
- **Last verified:** 2026-05-14

| Tier | Price | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Self-Service (~2 calls/day) | $95/mo | $1.90/call, month-to-month, no dedicated support, unused calls expire monthly, overages at $2.40/call |
| Self-Service (~5 calls/day) | $270/mo | $1.80/call, month-to-month, no dedicated support, unused calls expire monthly, overages at $2.40/call |
| Self-Service (~15 calls/day) | $800/mo | $1.60/call, month-to-month, no dedicated support, unused calls expire monthly, overages at $2.40/call |
| Guided Annual (~10 calls/day) | $500/mo | $1.50/call, billed annually, dedicated success manager, custom integrations, no overages |
| Guided Annual (~25 calls/day) | $1,000/mo | $1.33/call, billed annually, dedicated success manager, custom integrations, no overages |
| Guided Annual (~55 calls/day) | $2,000/mo | $1.20/call, billed annually, dedicated success manager, custom integrations, no overages |

AI Receptionist pricing shown above. Smith.ai also offers a separate Virtual Receptionists product (human-first live answering) with its own pricing. Live agent handoff on the AI Receptionist costs an additional $3 per call. Many features like appointment booking ($1.50/call), SMS notifications ($0.50/call), and Spanish support ($1.00/call) are add-on charges on the Virtual Receptionist product. Self-service plans require a $2,000 add-on for custom configuration that annual plans include free.

### Strengths

- Hybrid model with 500+ live agents available for handoff when AI can't handle a call
- 143 integrations including deep CRM support (HubSpot, Salesforce, Clio)
- Established brand trusted by 5,000+ businesses with high review ratings (4.8+ on Clutch and G2)
- Outbound calling and web chat products available
- Strong presence in legal industry with specialized intake workflows

### Weaknesses

- AI Receptionist starts at $95/month — more than 3x Dialzara's $29/month entry price
- Per-call pricing model means costs scale up quickly with call volume
- Many features are paid add-ons: scheduling ($1.50/call), SMS alerts ($0.50/call), Spanish ($1.00/call), call recording ($0.25/call)
- Live agent handoff costs an additional $3 per call on top of base pricing
- Best pricing requires annual commitment starting at $500/month ($6,000/year)
- Self-service plans lack dedicated support, custom integrations, and require a $2,000 add-on for custom configuration
- Guided annual plans take 48+ hours to set up with a 30-90 day ramp period
- Complex pricing structure across multiple products and add-ons can be confusing

### Common user complaints

- Per-call pricing with add-on fees for scheduling, SMS, and Spanish adds up fast
- Self-service plans require a $2,000 add-on for custom configuration
- $3-per-call live agent handoff fee on top of base plans
- Unused calls expire monthly on self-service plans
- Annual guided plans require a 12-month commitment

### Review sources

- [G2](https://www.g2.com/products/smith-ai/reviews)
- [Capterra](https://www.capterra.com/p/smith-ai/)

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the main difference between JustCall and Smith.ai?

JustCall is business phone system with ai voice agent add-on, starting at $29/user/month. Smith.ai is ai + live agent hybrid for the front office. JustCall targets sales teams and call centers needing a full phone system with ai dialers, coaching, and voice agents, while Smith.ai targets law firms and professional services needing ai plus live agent backup. Both offer AI-powered call handling, but they differ in pricing, features, and target audience.

### Which is cheaper, JustCall or Smith.ai?

JustCall starts at $29/user/month (Team plan, billed annually), while Smith.ai starts at $95/month (AI Receptionist self-service). Per-user monthly pricing plus per-minute AI Voice Agent add-on. Per-call pricing with self-service and guided annual plans. The total cost depends on your call volume, team size, and which features you need.

### Does JustCall or Smith.ai offer HIPAA compliance?

JustCall offers HIPAA compliance, but Smith.ai does not advertise HIPAA compliance. If you need HIPAA compliance for healthcare or regulated industries, JustCall is the better choice between these two.

### Which is better for small businesses, JustCall or Smith.ai?

It depends on your specific needs. JustCall's strengths include: comprehensive phone system with unlimited calling, sms, and 100+ crm integrations, ai voice agent answers calls 24/7, qualifies leads, books meetings, and routes calls. Smith.ai's strengths include: hybrid model with 500+ live agents available for handoff when ai can't handle a call, 143 integrations including deep crm support (hubspot, salesforce, clio). Consider your call volume, budget, and which features matter most to your business when choosing between them.

### Is there a better alternative to both JustCall and Smith.ai?

There are several AI phone answering services on the market beyond JustCall and Smith.ai. Dialzara is one option worth considering — it's a purpose-built AI answering service starting at $29/month with bilingual support, appointment booking, and HIPAA compliance on all plans. Browse our comparison pages to evaluate all your options.