We compared the top AI and hybrid receptionist services for professional firms — pricing, features, compliance, and real-world performance. Here's the unfiltered breakdown.
| Feature | PresNa ✦ | Smith.ai | Ruby | My AI Front Desk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing & Value | ||||
| Starting price | $199 / $349 / $599 flat — generous minutes included | $285/mo + overages | $235/mo + overages | $65/mo |
| Per-minute / per-call billing | Flat plan + 300–1,500 min included · $0.40/min after | $3.13–$3.50/min from minute one | $2.30–$3.00/min from minute one | Flat, fewer features |
| Free trial | 14 days | Promo only | 14-day money back | 7 days |
| Setup fee | None — done for you | $100–$500 | None | None |
| AI & Automation | ||||
| Pure AI (no human agents) | 100% AI | Hybrid AI + human | Primarily human | 100% AI |
| 24/7 availability | Always on | Yes | After-hours extra | Yes |
| Web chat widget | Included | Included | Not available | Included |
| Email AI assistant | Professional & Pro+ — included | Add-on | Not available | Not available |
| Voice AI answering | Included in all plans | Core feature | Core feature | Included |
| CRM integration | Included (Professional & Pro+) | Enterprise only | Not available | Not available |
| Custom AI training | +$79/mo (Professional) · Incl. (Pro+) | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Lead scoring & summaries | Included | Basic | Not available | Basic |
| Custom AI training per firm | White-glove setup | Templates only | Script-based only | Self-serve |
| Compliance & Security | ||||
| HIPAA-ready (medical) | Yes — BAA available | Yes | Limited | Not advertised |
| Attorney-client privilege guardrails | Built in | Partial | Script-dependent | Not available |
| Data used to train AI models | Never | Anonymized | No | Unclear |
| SOC 2 aligned | Yes | Yes | In progress | Not disclosed |
| Vertical Specialization | ||||
| Law firm specific intake | Pre-built | Yes | Generic scripts | Configurable |
| Medical / dental intake | Pre-built + HIPAA | Yes | Limited | Basic only |
| Accounting firm intake | Pre-built | Generic | Not specialized | Not specialized |
| Real estate intake | Pre-built | Generic | Not specialized | Configurable |
| Support & Onboarding | ||||
| White-glove setup (done for you) | Every plan | Enterprise only | Self-serve | Self-serve |
| Go-live time | Under 24 hours | 3–5 business days | 1–2 days | Same day |
| Dedicated account manager | Pro+ plan | Yes | Enterprise | No |
| Firm Type | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Solo / small law firm | PresNa | Flat rate, compliance guardrails, white-glove setup — no tech skills needed |
| Multi-attorney firm (10+ staff) | PresNa or Smith.ai | PresNa Pro+ for AI-first; Smith.ai if you want human backup on complex calls |
| Medical / dental practice | PresNa | HIPAA-ready, BAA available, pre-built patient intake — My AI Front Desk lacks compliance |
| Accounting firm (tax season) | PresNa | Pre-built tax FAQ handling, seasonal volume spikes don't trigger overages |
| Real estate brokerage | PresNa or My AI Front Desk | Both handle high inquiry volume; PresNa wins on lead scoring and compliance |
| Budget-conscious small firm | My AI Front Desk | $65/mo entry point is hard to beat — but you get what you pay for on compliance |
| Firm that wants human agents | Smith.ai | Best hybrid option — real agents available for complex escalations |
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Start Free Trial Calculate Your ROIThis comparison was last updated May 2026. Pricing and features change frequently — verify directly with each provider before purchasing. PresNa pricing is listed as the list price at presna.io. Competitor pricing sourced from publicly available websites and may not reflect all plan tiers or promotional pricing.