VettedCalls vs Smith.ai: which is right for you?
Smith.ai pairs human virtual receptionists with an AI Voice Assistant tier. They answer calls, qualify leads, and integrate with CRMs. VettedCalls is an AI-first call-screening service built for solopreneurs whose phone is their pipeline. They are not the same product, and the right pick depends on what you actually need.
Try VettedCalls — from $19.99/moWho each is built for
Smith.ai is best for
Law firms and B2B service businesses that want a human-first answering experience with optional AI handling.
VettedCalls is best for
Solopreneurs whose biggest call problem is spam and missed real leads — not "I need someone to answer for me." Built so you keep your own voice on the phone, with the AI as a screen, not a substitute.
Side-by-side
| Feature | Smith.ai | VettedCalls |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing (entry) | ~$255/mo (30-call plan)* | $19.99/mo (VettedCalls Pro) |
| Per-call cost (overage) | ~$8–10 per call* | $0.07/min inbound, $0.20/min AI receptionist |
| Voice quality | Human + AI Voice Assistant | AI screener (Polly Generative + ElevenLabs Convai for receptionist tier) |
| Spam blocking | Pre-screen rules | Cross-client spam registry shared across all clients |
| Per-trade tuning | Configurable scripts | 56 verticals, each with its own AI prompt + emergency keywords |
| You answer first | You can opt to take calls | You always answer first; AI only fires when carrier forwards |
| Setup time | Multi-step onboarding | ~5 min (forward code + activation file) |
| Cancel anytime | Yes | Yes |
* Pricing references reflect publicly listed entry plans on each provider's marketing site at time of writing. Always confirm current pricing on the provider's own page.
Where each one wins
Pick Smith.ai if…
- You want CRM integrations Smith.ai already supports (Clio, MyCase, etc.)
- You want hybrid human + AI from day one and have the budget for 30+ calls/mo
- You want outbound campaigns and proactive outreach, not just inbound vetting
Pick VettedCalls if…
- Your call problem is "spam filters are stealing real leads," not "I need an answering service"
- You answer your own calls 90% of the time — you just need a backstop
- Trade-specific intelligence matters (a real-estate AI vs a roofing AI vs a notary AI — Smith.ai is configurable but not pre-trained per vertical)
- You want a $20/mo entry instead of $255/mo entry
The honest take
Smith.ai is a solid product if your problem is "I need a real human answering my phone every time it rings." That is a real problem with a real solution, and they solve it. But for solopreneurs whose actual pain is "carrier spam filters are silently rejecting my customers and my unknown-caller settings are making it worse," VettedCalls is the smaller, faster, cheaper purpose-built tool. We are not better at being a receptionist — we are better at being a call screener. Different jobs.
Ready to try it?
Live in about 5 minutes. Keep your number. Cancel anytime.
Get started — from $19.99/mo