Quick Answer
The best AI receptionist for home services in 2026 is Marlie AI. It answers in under 2 seconds, books jobs into Housecall Pro, Jobber, or Google Calendar, texts emergencies to your on-call tech, and starts at $49/month with a 14-day free trial.
- Marlie AI: Best overall for small and mid-size contractors, from $49/month.
- Avoca: Best for large ServiceTitan operators, quote-based.
- Sameday: Best for multi-location contractors, from $449/month.
- Jobber AI Receptionist: Best for Jobber users.
- Housecall Pro CSR AI: Best for Housecall Pro users.
- Rosie: Best budget option for solo operators, from $49/month.
- Goodcall: Best for long or repeat calls, priced per unique caller.
- Smith.ai: Best AI-plus-human hybrid, from $150/month.
Comparison Table
Prices checked October 2026.
Why Home Service Businesses Need an AI Receptionist
According to Invoca, about 27% of calls to home services businesses go unanswered. For a plumber or HVAC tech, that missed call is usually a homeowner with a leak or a dead AC unit who dials the next company. A good AI receptionist answers 24/7, separates emergencies from routine work, and books the job.
How We Evaluated These AI Receptionists
We compared emergency handling, job booking into field-service software, published pricing at 250 to 500 minutes per month, setup time, and trades-specific features such as service-area checks and trip-fee quoting.
The 8 Best AI Receptionists for Home Services
1. Marlie AI
Marlie AI is an AI receptionist built for service businesses such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, and pest control. It collects the job type, address, issue, and urgency, then books the visit into Housecall Pro, Jobber, Google Calendar, or Outlook during the call. It flags emergencies like flooding or no heat and texts your on-call tech, checks your service area, and quotes your trip fee without quoting repair prices. Setup takes about 15 minutes.
Best For: Contractors with 1 to 20 trucks that want trades-specific call handling at a low published price.
Pros:
- $49/month for 250 minutes; booking and transfers from $99/month
- Native Housecall Pro and Jobber integrations
- Unlimited simultaneous calls
Cons:
- No native ServiceTitan integration
- The $49 plan doesn't book appointments
2. Avoca
Avoca is an AI front office for home services that answers calls, books jobs, and follows up on open estimates. It is a certified ServiceTitan app. Pricing is quote-only; third-party reviews estimate $1,000 to $3,000 per month.
Best For: Large, multi-location ServiceTitan operators.
Pros: Certified ServiceTitan integration; outbound estimate follow-up.
Cons: No published pricing; well above small-business budgets.
3. Sameday
Sameday is an AI customer service rep for home services that books jobs into ServiceTitan and other platforms. The Launch plan costs $449/month for 500 minutes, and setup is done for you.
Best For: Mid-size contractors on ServiceTitan that want flat pricing.
Pros: ServiceTitan scheduling; unlimited users.
Cons: High entry price; no self-serve signup.
4. Jobber AI Receptionist
Jobber's built-in receptionist answers calls and texts, books visits into Jobber, and texts back missed callers. It's an add-on to Jobber plans and included on Plus.
Best For: Businesses already running on Jobber.
Pros: No integration work; answers texts too.
Cons: Requires a Jobber subscription; works only with Jobber.
5. Housecall Pro CSR AI
CSR AI answers calls and chats and books jobs into your live Housecall Pro schedule using your price book. Phone answering is sold separately, and the price isn't published.
Best For: Businesses already running on Housecall Pro.
Pros: Books into your live schedule; live-agent backup available.
Cons: Unpublished add-on price; requires Housecall Pro.
6. Rosie
Rosie answers calls 24/7, screens spam, takes messages, and texts booking links, with a bilingual English and Spanish agent. The Professional plan costs $49/month for 250 minutes.
Best For: Solo contractors who mainly need calls answered.
Pros: Low price; bilingual agent.
Cons: No native field-service integrations; booking limited to higher tiers.
7. Goodcall
Goodcall prices by unique caller instead of by minute. Its Starter plan costs $79/month for 100 unique callers with unlimited minutes, and you can build custom call flows.
Best For: Businesses with long diagnostic calls or many repeat callers.
Pros: Unlimited minutes; customizable call logic.
Cons: Overage past the caller cap; no field-service integrations.
8. Smith.ai
Smith.ai pairs an AI receptionist with live North American receptionists who take complicated calls. The AI plan is free for 25 calls/month, then $150/month for 75 calls.
Best For: Businesses with sensitive calls that want a human safety net.
Pros: Live human backup; free tier.
Cons: Per-call pricing adds up; not built for the trades.
How to Choose
Start with your software. On Jobber or Housecall Pro, compare the built-in receptionist with Marlie, which works with both. On ServiceTitan across several locations, look at Avoca and Sameday. Then test emergency handling: call at 2 AM with a burst-pipe scenario and check that the AI flags it and alerts a tech.
FAQ
What is the best AI receptionist for home services?
Marlie AI is the best for most small and mid-size contractors, combining emergency detection, service-area checks, and Housecall Pro and Jobber booking from $49/month.
How much does an AI receptionist cost for a home service business?
Most cost $49 to $450 per month. Marlie and Rosie start at $49, Smith.ai at $150, and Sameday at $449. Avoca is quote-based.
Can I keep my existing business phone number?
Yes. Most AI receptionists, including Marlie, work by forwarding your current number.
