Mercvox vs. Smith.ai
General-purpose receptionist service vs purpose-built AI for trades
Smith.ai is a solid general-purpose service, with AI plans from $150/mo (75 calls) and live receptionists from $300/mo (30 calls). Mercvox includes 70 calls from $79/mo with $1 per extra call, and is built specifically for plumbing, HVAC, and electrical calls.
| Feature | Mercvox | Smith.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | From $79/mo (70 calls included) | AI: free (25 calls) or $150/mo (75 calls). Live: $300/mo (30 calls) |
| Extra Calls | $1 per call over your monthly included calls | AI: $2.17–$3.00 per call. Live: $8.50–$11.50 per call |
| Appointment Booking | Included on all plans | Included on AI plans; +$1.50 per booking on live plans |
| Industry Focus | Built for plumbing, HVAC, electrical | General small business (strong in legal and professional services) |
| Emergency Detection | Trade-specific triage (gas smell, flooding, no heat) | Rule-based routing you configure |
| 24/7 Coverage | Included | Included |
| Pickup Speed | <1 second | Not publicly stated |
| Setup | About 10 minutes with trade templates | Guided onboarding (dedicated setup on paid AI plans) |
Pricing Comparison
Mercvox
From $79/mo
Starter: $79/mo (70 calls/mo). Growth: $149/mo (140 calls/mo). Pro: $299/mo (290 calls/mo). $1 per extra call. All features included on every plan.
Smith.ai
AI from $150/mo · Live from $300/mo
AI Receptionist: Free (25 calls, $3/extra call), Pro $150/mo (75 calls, ~$2–$2.50/call), Enterprise $500/mo. Live receptionists: Starter $300/mo (30 calls, $11.50/extra), Basic $810/mo (90 calls), Pro $2,100/mo (300 calls). Booking on live plans is $1.50 per appointment.
Pricing and features last verified: October 2026
Why Contractors Are Switching
- Lower cost per call — Mercvox Starter includes 70 calls for $79 (about $1.13 each) and extra calls are $1. Smith.ai AI Pro works out to about $2 per call, and live receptionists cost $10 per call.
- At 100 calls a month, Mercvox costs about $109. Smith.ai AI Pro runs about $213, and Smith.ai live receptionists about $1,105.
- Built for trades — Mercvox asks trade-specific intake questions (job type, urgency, access details) out of the box.
- Emergency detection for trade language like "burst pipe," "gas smell," and "no heat," with instant alerts to you.
- Booking is included on every plan, with SMS confirmations sent to the caller.
General-Purpose vs Built for Trades
- Smith.ai serves many industries, with deep integrations for legal and professional services. Mercvox is designed around how plumbers, HVAC techs, and electricians actually take calls.
- Mercvox ships with trade service templates and pricing, so you are live in minutes instead of writing scripts from scratch.
- Emergency triage understands trade urgency — a flooded basement is handled differently from a tune-up request.
- Flat monthly plans with $1 extra calls keep busy-season bills predictable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Smith.ai has a free AI plan. Why pay for Mercvox?
Smith.ai's free plan covers 25 calls a month, then charges $3 per call. Most contractors get well over 25 calls a month — at 70 calls, that free plan would cost about $135. Mercvox Starter covers 70 calls for $79, with trade-specific intake and emergency detection built in.
Is Smith.ai better because it offers human receptionists?
Smith.ai's live receptionists are a good option if you want a human on every call, but they start at $300/mo for 30 calls ($10 per call), plus $1.50 per booked appointment. Mercvox handles the same booking and intake work for about $1 per call, 24/7, and can transfer callers to you whenever a human is needed.
How does Mercvox compare at high call volumes?
Mercvox Growth includes 140 calls for $149, and 200 calls would cost $209 ($1 per extra call). Smith.ai's AI Pro plan is priced around $2 per call, and its live receptionist plans range from about $7 to $11.50 per call depending on volume.
Does Smith.ai integrate with my scheduling software?
Smith.ai integrates with general tools like Calendly, Clio, and Zapier. Mercvox syncs with Google Calendar and books with job details pre-filled — service type, urgency, and customer information — with Jobber and Zapier integrations coming soon.
Can I try Mercvox before canceling Smith.ai?
Yes. Set up Mercvox in about 10 minutes and forward calls to test it. Run both services in parallel until you're confident. No contracts, cancel anytime.
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