Per-call pricing sounds cheap — until your phone rings
Smith.ai's lowest plan is $292.50/mo for 30 calls. Call 31 starts the meter at $2.50–$3.90 each. CTI's Growth bundle is $597/mo flat. The break-even is closer than you'd think.
Real-numbers example
Mobile mechanic taking ~120 inbound calls per month
Smith.ai
$292.50 base (30 calls) + 90 × $3.50 ≈ $607/mo. CRM and MCTB extra.
Casson Technologies
$597 flat (Growth). 24/7, CRM, follow-up, text-back, niche scripts included.
By call 90, Smith.ai already costs more than CTI Growth — and that's before CRM or text-back add-ons.
Where CTI wins
- ✓All-inclusive pricing means call 31 doesn't cost extra. Smith.ai's per-call meter is real and adds up fast in a busy month.
- ✓AI is the default, not an afterthought — we built CTI on AI from day one. Smith.ai started human and is layering AI on top.
- ✓Bundled CRM + text-back + after-hours in one price.
- ✓Niche-tuned scripts for trades — not generic legal/professional-services scripting.
- ✓Live in <48 hours vs. Smith.ai's typical 1–2 week onboarding.
Where Smith.ai wins
We're not going to pretend the comparison is one-sided. Here's where Smith.ai is genuinely the better fit.
- •True human receptionists for clients who explicitly want a person, not AI.
- •Strong brand in the legal and professional services space.
- •Mature integrations with legal-vertical tools.
Head-to-head
| Casson Technologies | Smith.ai | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Base monthly | $597 (Growth) | $292.50 (30 calls) | |
| Cost per additional call | Included up to ~500 min | $2.50–$3.90/call | |
| AI-first or human-first | AI-first — natural conversational voice | Human-first with AI add-on | |
| Bundled CRM | Yes — full pipeline | Limited / integrations | |
| Missed-call text-back | Bundled | Not standard | |
| After-hours 24/7 | Bundled on Growth/Premium | Add-on | |
| Onboarding speed | <48 hours | 1–2 weeks typical | |
| Vertical specialization | Field-service trades | Legal / professional services |
Pricing figures from public Smith.ai pricing pages and third-party reviews. Subject to change — verify before contracting.
Pick CTI if you're…
Field-service operators with steady inbound call volume who want the CRM and automation bundled. Anyone who hates per-call meters.
See CTI pricing →Pick Smith.ai if you're…
Solo law firms, accountants, and professional-services operators who want a real human picking up and have the legal-tooling integration needs Smith built for.
Compare CTI to other answering services
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