The right AI receptionist for the trades, without the guesswork.
We test and compare the AI receptionists and answering services built for contractors, so the phone gets answered, the lead gets captured, and the job gets booked. Even at 2 a.m.
Vendor-neutral. We make money on referrals, not on telling you what to think.
After hours. Crew already gone home.
Greets the caller, captures name + address.
Tuesday 9 AM. Confirmation texted.
That call goes to voicemail, then to your competitor.
Pick your trade
An AI receptionist that speaks your business
The best fit for a plumber is not the best fit for a garage door company. We break it down by trade, with the call types, integrations, and providers that actually fit each one.
How it works
What an AI receptionist actually does
Answers every call
Picks up on the first ring, 24/7, including nights, weekends, and while you are already on a job.
Qualifies the caller
Holds a real conversation, captures the name, number, and service address, and figures out what they need.
Books the job
Schedules the appointment and drops it into your CRM, so it is on the calendar before you call back.
Hands off when needed
Routes emergencies or complex calls to a human, and texts you a summary of everything else.
Start here
Four ways in, depending on what you need
By trade
The providers, call flows, and integrations that fit HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing and more. Start where your business lives.
Browse by trade →What it costs
Flat plans vs per-call pricing, provider by provider, with the break-even points so you know what you will actually pay.
See the numbers →Comparisons & reviews
Head-to-head breakdowns and honest reviews of the AI receptionists and answering services built for contractors.
Compare providers →Missed calls & after-hours
What a missed call really costs a contractor, and how 24/7 answering turns after-hours calls into booked work.
Do the math →The real cost
A missed call is a booked job going to the next company on the list.
Home-service callers rarely leave a voicemail. They dial the next result. For a trade where one job can be worth hundreds or thousands, a handful of missed calls a week adds up fast. Put in your numbers and see what it is costing you.
Open the missed-call calculatornights, weekends, on-the-job
industry-typical booking rate
you set this to your trade
Why trust this
We run contractor marketing for a living
This guide is written by operators who manage lead generation for home-service businesses, not by a review farm chasing affiliate clicks. We test each provider against a real contractor call flow, publish the pricing we actually find, and tell you where each one falls short. When we get paid a referral, we say so.
How we review● We test the call, not the brochure
Each provider is put through a trade scenario: after-hours emergency, price shopper, and a booking.
● Pricing you can verify
We list current, sourced pricing and flag when a provider hides it behind a demo.
● Clear on how we earn
Referral-supported, vendor-neutral, and never pay-to-win placement.
Skip the research
Tell us your trade. We will match you to the right AI receptionist.
Two minutes, no cost, no pressure. We line up the providers that fit your call volume, your CRM, and your budget, so you can go straight to a demo that makes sense.
Get matched nowCommon questions
AI receptionists, answered plainly
What is an AI receptionist?
An AI receptionist is a voice agent that answers your business phone, holds a natural conversation, captures the caller's details, answers common questions, and books the job or routes the call. For contractors it runs 24/7, so calls that come in while your crew is on a job or after hours still get answered instead of going to voicemail.
How much does an AI receptionist cost?
Two main models: flat monthly plans and per-call or per-minute billing. Flat plans for small contractors commonly land in the low hundreds per month. Per-call services can run over a dollar per answered call once you pass the base plan. The right number depends on your call volume, which is why our cost breakdown compares the models and shows the break-even points.
Does it work for HVAC, plumbing, and other trades?
Yes, and the trades are one of the strongest fits, because so much revenue rides on answering the phone. A trade-focused AI receptionist qualifies the caller, captures the service address, handles after-hours and emergency calls, and books the appointment into a field-service CRM like Housecall Pro or Jobber. See our guides by trade.
Is an AI receptionist better than a traditional answering service?
A traditional answering service takes a message. A modern AI receptionist can answer questions, qualify the lead, and book the job around the clock, usually at a lower monthly cost than a live-agent service. Complex or emotional calls still benefit from a human, so the strongest setups hand those off cleanly.
Will it sound like a robot to my customers?
The current generation of voice agents holds a natural back-and-forth and most callers do not clock it as automated. Quality varies a lot by provider, which is exactly what we test for and report on.