Vendor alternatives
NextPhone alternatives (2026)
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Last updated: 18 October 2026. NextPhone sells AI receptionist plans with unlimited inbound calls for one flat monthly price. Most pages ranking for NextPhone alternatives are written by rival vendors. This one is built from the AI Front Desk List directory, which lists 264 vendors as of today, and every table below is chosen by a rule we state next to it.
NextPhone at a glance
| Field | Our record |
|---|---|
| Starting price | $199/mo |
| Plans as published | Pro $199/mo; Growth $299/mo; Scale $599/mo; unlimited inbound calls, no per-minute or overage fees |
| Trial | Free trial, 7 days, card required |
| Integrations | Clio, Lawmatics, MyCase, HubSpot, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Calendly, Zapier |
- Starting price
- Our record: $199/mo
- Plans as published
- Our record: Pro $199/mo; Growth $299/mo; Scale $599/mo; unlimited inbound calls, no per-minute or overage fees
- Trial
- Our record: Free trial, 7 days, card required
- Integrations
- Our record: Clio, Lawmatics, MyCase, HubSpot, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Calendly, Zapier
NextPhone's record was checked 15 October 2026 against its own pricing page. Confirm current terms on NextPhone's site before you buy.
When unlimited is worth it
AI receptionists bill in one of three ways. Our cost guide covers each one in detail.
- Flat: one monthly price however many calls you take, within the vendor's own terms. NextPhone is flat: Pro $199/mo; Growth $299/mo; Scale $599/mo; unlimited inbound calls, no per-minute or overage fees.
- Per minute: a monthly allowance of minutes, then a rate for each extra minute. Long calls cost more.
- Per call: a monthly allowance of calls (or callers), then a rate for each extra one. Long and short calls cost the same.
A metered plan costs as much as NextPhone's entry plan (Pro $199/mo) once its overage adds up to the difference in price. The figures below are arithmetic on published list prices, computed from each entry plan's own allowance and overage rate. They leave out taxes, annual discounts, billing increments and plan upgrades, so treat them as a rough guide:
- Smith.ai Free: 25 calls included, then $3 each. 25 + ($199 - $0) / $3 = 91.3 calls a month, where it reaches the price of NextPhone Pro $199/mo.
- Upfirst Starter: 30 calls included, then $1.50 each. 30 + ($199 - $24.95) / $1.50 = 146 calls a month, where it reaches the price of NextPhone Pro $199/mo.
- Dialzara Business Lite: 60 minutes included, then $0.48 each. 60 + ($199 - $29) / $0.48 = 414.2 minutes a month, where it reaches the price of NextPhone Pro $199/mo.
- Marlie Basic: 250 minutes included, then $0.35 each. 250 + ($199 - $49) / $0.35 = 678.6 minutes a month, where it reaches the price of NextPhone Pro $199/mo.
- Goodcall Starter: 100 unique customers included, then $0.79 each. 100 + ($199 - $79) / $0.79 = 251.9 unique customers a month, where it reaches the price of NextPhone Pro $199/mo.
We show no figure for Phonely, Rosie and Frontdesk (My AI Front Desk), because their entry plan in our data does not state both an allowance and an overage rate. To run your own numbers, use the call volume calculator.
NextPhone alternatives compared
Two groups, each chosen by a rule over our vendor data, not by hand. Vendors listed for a single industry stay in when they meet the rule, so check the industry on each vendor page.
Other plans with unlimited calls or minutes
Rule: the vendor's pricing text says unlimited calls or minutes, and the vendor publishes a US-dollar monthly starting price. Records with no monthly start (founding offers only, pay per appointment, quote only) and records priced in other currencies are left out.
Unlimited from the entry plan, or on every plan as published: Jodie (Hey Jodie), RingReady, CatchyVoice, Ansa, SwaraOS and Echo.
| Vendor | Starts at | Unlimited terms as published | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jodie (Hey Jodie) | $49/mo | US pricing page advertises unlimited minutes on every plan | Free trial, 7 days, no card required |
| RingReady | $59/mo | Professional $59/mo flat unlimited calls (no per-minute) | Free trial, 4 days, no card required |
| CatchyVoice | $199/mo | Starter $199/mo list (AI voice receptionist, unlimited inbound calls, 1 phone number, SMS notifications and email summaries, without appointment scheduling or calendar integration) | Not stated |
| Ansa | $297/mo | Self-serve $297/mo unlimited calls | Not offered |
| SwaraOS | $299/mo per location | unlimited calls, phone and text | Not offered |
| Echo | $499/mo, plus a one-time onboarding fee, quoted | Unlimited AI calls, month to month | Trial with conditions (not free) |
- Jodie (Hey Jodie)
- Starts at: $49/mo
- Unlimited terms as published: US pricing page advertises unlimited minutes on every plan
- Trial: Free trial, 7 days, no card required
- RingReady
- Starts at: $59/mo
- Unlimited terms as published: Professional $59/mo flat unlimited calls (no per-minute)
- Trial: Free trial, 4 days, no card required
- CatchyVoice
- Starts at: $199/mo
- Unlimited terms as published: Starter $199/mo list (AI voice receptionist, unlimited inbound calls, 1 phone number, SMS notifications and email summaries, without appointment scheduling or calendar integration)
- Trial: Not stated
- Ansa
- Starts at: $297/mo
- Unlimited terms as published: Self-serve $297/mo unlimited calls
- Trial: Not offered
- SwaraOS
- Starts at: $299/mo per location
- Unlimited terms as published: unlimited calls, phone and text
- Trial: Not offered
- Echo
- Starts at: $499/mo, plus a one-time onboarding fee, quoted
- Unlimited terms as published: Unlimited AI calls, month to month
- Trial: Trial with conditions (not free)
Unlimited only on a higher plan: Beside, Aruon, CallBird AI, Sadie and Wellgrow. The starting price in this table is the entry plan, which is not the unlimited plan; the unlimited plan and its own price are in the next column.
| Vendor | Starts at (entry plan, not unlimited) | Plan with unlimited calls or minutes, as published | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beside | $29/mo | Unlimited $99/mo (unlimited AI Receptionist calls) | Free trial, 7 days, card required |
| Aruon | $49/mo | Scale $299/mo (unlimited minutes, multi-location, human fallback) | Free trial, 15 days |
| CallBird AI | $99/mo | Enterprise $499/mo (unlimited calls, multi-language, API) | Free trial, 7 days, no card required |
| Sadie | $149/mo | Orders $349/mo (unlimited minutes) | Not stated |
| Wellgrow | $199/mo | Professional $299/mo (unlimited calls, Instagram DM, WhatsApp) | Not offered |
- Beside
- Starts at (entry plan, not unlimited): $29/mo
- Plan with unlimited calls or minutes, as published: Unlimited $99/mo (unlimited AI Receptionist calls)
- Trial: Free trial, 7 days, card required
- Aruon
- Starts at (entry plan, not unlimited): $49/mo
- Plan with unlimited calls or minutes, as published: Scale $299/mo (unlimited minutes, multi-location, human fallback)
- Trial: Free trial, 15 days
- CallBird AI
- Starts at (entry plan, not unlimited): $99/mo
- Plan with unlimited calls or minutes, as published: Enterprise $499/mo (unlimited calls, multi-language, API)
- Trial: Free trial, 7 days, no card required
- Sadie
- Starts at (entry plan, not unlimited): $149/mo
- Plan with unlimited calls or minutes, as published: Orders $349/mo (unlimited minutes)
- Trial: Not stated
- Wellgrow
- Starts at (entry plan, not unlimited): $199/mo
- Plan with unlimited calls or minutes, as published: Professional $299/mo (unlimited calls, Instagram DM, WhatsApp)
- Trial: Not offered
UK note, prices in GBP and not compared with the US-dollar tables: IONOS AI Receptionist: £99/mo bestselling tier (unlimited calls and forwardings, API, website widget); Phone Phoebe: All plans include unlimited minutes, AI phone answering, email and text notifications, and calendar bookings; Sayora: Unlimited minutes under fair use.
Lower-volume metered plans
Rule: vendors that have their own alternatives page here and are tagged for small businesses, whose entry plan states a call, minute or caller allowance, with a published US-dollar start (a free plan counts) below NextPhone's entry plan, and whose pricing text does not say unlimited calls or minutes.
| Vendor | Starts at | Entry plan as published | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phonely | $0 (free plan) | Free $0 (100 min) | Free plan; 100 minutes |
| Smith.ai | $0 (free plan) | Free $0/mo (25 calls, then $3.00/call) | Free plan, card required; 25 calls/month, free forever (not a trial) |
| Upfirst | $24.95/mo | Starter $24.95/mo (30 calls, $1.50/extra) | Free trial, 14 days |
| Dialzara | $29/mo | Business Lite $29/mo (60 min, $0.48/min over) | Free trial, 7 days |
| Marlie | $49/mo | Basic $49/mo (250 min, then $0.35/min) | Free trial, 14 days, card required |
| Rosie | $49/mo | Professional $49/mo (250 min) | Free trial, 7 days, no card required |
| Goodcall | $79/mo | Starter $79/mo (100 unique customers, then $0.79 each) | No free trial; free demo agent until you connect a number |
| Frontdesk (My AI Front Desk) | $99/mo | Business-in-a-Box $99/mo or $79/mo billed annually (200 voice minutes; extra minutes about $0.25 from credit pool) | Free trial, 7 days, no card required |
- Phonely
- Starts at: $0 (free plan)
- Entry plan as published: Free $0 (100 min)
- Trial: Free plan; 100 minutes
- Smith.ai
- Starts at: $0 (free plan)
- Entry plan as published: Free $0/mo (25 calls, then $3.00/call)
- Trial: Free plan, card required; 25 calls/month, free forever (not a trial)
- Upfirst
- Starts at: $24.95/mo
- Entry plan as published: Starter $24.95/mo (30 calls, $1.50/extra)
- Trial: Free trial, 14 days
- Dialzara
- Starts at: $29/mo
- Entry plan as published: Business Lite $29/mo (60 min, $0.48/min over)
- Trial: Free trial, 7 days
- Marlie
- Starts at: $49/mo
- Entry plan as published: Basic $49/mo (250 min, then $0.35/min)
- Trial: Free trial, 14 days, card required
- Rosie
- Starts at: $49/mo
- Entry plan as published: Professional $49/mo (250 min)
- Trial: Free trial, 7 days, no card required
- Goodcall
- Starts at: $79/mo
- Entry plan as published: Starter $79/mo (100 unique customers, then $0.79 each)
- Trial: No free trial; free demo agent until you connect a number
- Frontdesk (My AI Front Desk)
- Starts at: $99/mo
- Entry plan as published: Business-in-a-Box $99/mo or $79/mo billed annually (200 voice minutes; extra minutes about $0.25 from credit pool)
- Trial: Free trial, 7 days, no card required
Starting prices and trial terms come from our vendor data, refreshed whenever the directory is rebuilt.
Pick by situation
Each pick follows the rule in brackets, applied to the rows above.
- High call volume (rule: the unlimited plan with the lowest published US-dollar start where unlimited calls or minutes start on the entry plan): Jodie (Hey Jodie) ($49/mo; US pricing page advertises unlimited minutes on every plan).
- Low call volume (rule: the metered plan with the lowest published US-dollar start in the lower-volume table): Phonely (Free $0 (100 min)); Smith.ai (Free $0/mo (25 calls, then $3.00/call)).
- You want human backup (rule: rows whose description or features mention live agents, human receptionists or human fallback): Aruon (Human escalation fallback); Smith.ai (AI receptionist backed by live North America-based agents that answers, qualifies, books and routes calls, with strong focus on law-firm intake).
- Law firm intake (rule: rows tagged for law firms that list a legal practice management integration): Smith.ai (Lists Clio); Upfirst (Lists Clio).
How to choose
Pull a month of call logs before you compare. Count answered calls, total minutes and unique callers, because the plans above bill on different units. A flat plan only saves money once your volume passes the arithmetic above; under it, a metered plan or a free plan costs less.
Check what "unlimited" covers on each vendor's site. NextPhone's record says unlimited inbound calls; outbound calls and texts sit on higher tiers. For law firms, also check the practice management sync: see our law firm page and NextPhone vs Smith.ai.
FAQ
How much does NextPhone cost?
NextPhone's published plans, checked 15 October 2026: Pro $199/mo; Growth $299/mo; Scale $599/mo; unlimited inbound calls, no per-minute or overage fees. Trial: Free trial, 7 days, card required.
Is NextPhone worth it at low call volume?
It depends on your volume. For the lower-volume plans on this page with a published allowance and overage rate, the arithmetic above shows where each one reaches the price of NextPhone's entry plan. Below that volume, the metered plan is the smaller bill. Free plans in that table: Phonely and Smith.ai (Free $0 (100 min) and Free $0/mo (25 calls, then $3.00/call)).
What is the cheapest NextPhone alternative?
Among paid plans, the lowest start on this page is $24.95/mo (Upfirst: Starter $24.95/mo (30 calls, $1.50/extra)). A free plan can cost less still at very low volume: Phonely and Smith.ai (Free $0 (100 min) and Free $0/mo (25 calls, then $3.00/call)). Compare the allowance, not just the price.
Which NextPhone alternatives also offer unlimited calls?
From the entry plan, or on every plan as published: Jodie (Hey Jodie), RingReady, CatchyVoice, Ansa, SwaraOS and Echo. Only on a higher plan: Beside, Aruon, CallBird AI, Sadie and Wellgrow. Check each vendor's fair-use terms before you rely on unlimited calls.
Does NextPhone have a free trial?
Free trial, 7 days, card required. See our free trial guide for other vendors that let you test before you pay.
Related pages
- NextPhone listing and NextPhone vs Smith.ai
- Smith.ai alternatives, Upfirst alternatives, Goodcall alternatives and Phonely alternatives
- AI receptionist cost guide, call volume calculator and 2026 pricing report
- Free trial guide and law firms
- Methodology and submit a correction
Disclosure
Prices, plans and trial terms come from our vendor records, rebuilt with the directory. Confirm current terms on each vendor's site before buying. Picks and order are never sold. Paid placements are always labelled Sponsored. AI Front Desk List is independent and is not affiliated with these vendors. Questions: hello@aifrontdesklist.com.