Smith.ai vs. XBert AI: 2026 Answering Service Comparison

Automated receptionists are one of the fastest-growing technologies in business communications in 2026. Instead of a phone tree with menus and hold music, an AI agent answers the call. It can book appointments, answer common questions, and send each request to the right place on its own.

This guide compares two options in that space. The first is XBert, a popular AI employee for customer and sales calls. The second is Smith.ai, a service that blends AI with live human agents.

They look similar at a glance. But they differ in ways that change what you get and what you pay.

XBert: A well-rounded AI receptionist software

XBert is Nextiva's AI receptionist solution. It answers calls, texts, and web chat 24/7. It books and reschedules appointments, qualifies leads, and passes anything it can't handle to a live team member, along with a full call summary.

XBert doesn't lean on generic answers pulled from the internet. It learns your business from your website, Google Business Profile, FAQs, hours, and policies. That keeps its answers correct and on-brand.

Nextiva, the maker of XBert, was founded in 2006 and is based in Arizona. XBert launched as part of its agentic AI Employee lineup, which also includes Agent Assist (real-time coaching for human agents) and an AI Voice Agent.

Popular XBert AI receptionist features

• All channels in one place: one AI agent handles voice, SMS, and web chat in a single inbox, so calls, texts, and chats stay together instead of in separate tools.

• Appointment scheduling: it syncs with your calendar, sends confirmations and reminders, and lets people reschedule on their own to cut no-shows.

• Lead capture and CRM sync: it collects caller details and sends them to Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, and other connected tools.

• Smart handoff: it escalates sensitive requests to the right person, with a summary attached so customers don't repeat themselves.

• Transcripts and analytics: every call and chat is recorded, transcribed, summarized, and scored for sentiment.

• Fast, no-code setup: Nextiva says most businesses go live in under five minutes, using their website or Google Business Profile to get started.

• Enterprise-grade compliance: Hosted on Nextiva's enterprise platform, which is SOC 2 Type II audited, ISO 27001 certified, and PCI DSS compliant, and HIPAA-eligible with a signed Business Associate Agreement.

XBert AI receptionist pricing

XBert is $99 per month for up to 100 AI conversations. Extra conversations cost $0.99 each. Nextiva posts this price on its site, so you don't need a sales call to see it.

What counts as a conversation? A call of 30 seconds or more, or a text or chat thread with three or more AI replies. Short calls and one-message chats don't count.

There are no long-term contracts, and every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

XBert AI is flexible about how you buy it. You can use it as a standalone with your existing phone system or add it to an existing Nextiva plan. Either way works, so you're not locked into the full platform to get the AI receptionist.

Smith.ai overview

Smith is a receptionist and client intake service. It was founded in 2015 and is based in Los Altos, California.

Its main draw is a hybrid model. AI answers your calls first. If a call gets complex, it can be passed to a live agent based in North America. So you get automation with a human as backup.

Smith.ai handles inbound calls, web chat, and SMS. It also does outbound follow-up, appointment scheduling, and new-client intake. It is popular with law firms and other professional services.

Setup is guided. Smith.ai offers a free tier to test the AI before you go live. Paid plans add dedicated onboarding and live support. It connects with tools like Clio, Salesforce, HubSpot, and CallRail, plus thousands of apps through Zapier.

Smith.ai has two tracks. One is AI-first, where AI leads and humans step in when needed. The other is human-first, where trained receptionists answer most calls. The two are priced differently.

Here's where the two differ:

Channels. XBert puts voice, SMS, and web chat into a single shared inbox by default. Smith.ai covers similar channels, but web chat and calls are often set up and billed separately.

Pricing. XBert charges $99 per month for up to 100 conversations, billed by conversation. Smith.ai's AI Receptionist bills by the call. Its Pro plan starts at $150 per month for 75 calls, with a free tier for testing. A single call can cover more than one channel touch, so the two units are not the same.

Human agents vs pure AI. This is Smith.ai's clearest edge. Its plans can route hard calls to a live person. XBert hands off to your own team rather than to a paid outside agent pool.

Platform fit. XBert is built on Nextiva's business phone and communication platform. If you already use Nextiva or want a single vendor for phone and AI, that is a plus. Smith.ai works alongside your existing phone setup as a standalone service.

XBert vs. Smith.ai comparison table

Feature	XBert	Smith.ai
Parent company (founded, city)	Nextiva, founded 2006, Scottsdale, Arizona	Smith.ai, founded 2015, Los Altos, California
G2 Reviews	4.5 (3,622)	4.7 (21)
Product type	AI receptionist and customer service assistant	Hybrid AI plus live human receptionist and intake service
Starting price	$99 per month for up to 100 conversations	Free tier ($0); Pro from $150 per month for 75 calls
Billing unit	Per conversation ($0.99 each after 100)	Per call ($2.00 per extra call on Pro)
Channels	Voice, SMS, and web chat in one inbox	Calls, web chat, SMS, and outbound follow-up
Human agents included	No; hands off to your own team	Yes; live North America-based agents on call routing
CRM integrations	Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, and more	Clio, Salesforce, HubSpot, CallRail, Zapier, and more
Setup	No-code; Nextiva says most go live in under five minutes	Guided setup; free tier to test before going live
Contract terms	Free trial, no long-term contract; 30-day money-back guarantee	Month-to-month; 30 days' notice to cancel

XBert or Smith.ai: which to choose

XBert is best if you want a single AI agent to handle voice, text, and chat in a single place. The flat $99 price is easy to plan around, and you can see it without a sales call. Setup is fast, and you can buy it on its own or add it to an existing Nextiva plan.

XBert is also a strong pick if compliance matters. It runs on Nextiva's enterprise platform, which is SOC 2 Type II audited, ISO 27001 certified, and PCI DSS compliant, with HIPAA eligibility under a signed agreement.

Smith.ai fits best if you want a real person to take over when a call gets tricky. Its live agent network is a genuine strength, and law firms and professional services often value that human touch during client intake.

Smith.ai can also suit teams that want help with the setup itself. Its paid plans include dedicated onboarding and support, which some buyers prefer over a self-serve approach.

So which should you pick? If you want an omnichannel, self-serve AI receptionist with clear flat pricing, start with XBert and try the demo. If you want live human agents to back up your calls, look at Smith.ai. The best move is to test both against your real call flow before you commit.

XBert and Smith.ai FAQs

Can I buy XBert on its own, or do I need the full Nextiva platform? 

You can do either. XBert works as a standalone product, or you can add it to an existing Nextiva plan. You are not locked into the full platform to use the AI receptionist.

What counts as a conversation with XBert?

 A conversation is a call of 30 seconds or more, or a text or chat thread with three or more AI replies. Short calls and one-message chats do not count toward your limit.

Does Smith.ai use real people or just AI? 

Both. Its AI Receptionist answers first, then can pass a hard call to a live agent based in North America. That human backup is a core part of what Smith.ai offers.

How is the pricing counted for each one?

 XBert bills by conversation at $99 per month for up to 100, then $0.99 each after that. Smith.ai bills by the call, with a free tier and a Pro plan that starts at $150 per month for 75 calls.

Do either of them lock me into a contract?

 No. XBert has no long-term contract and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Smith.ai is month-to-month and asks for 30 days' notice to cancel.

Which one is better for a law firm?

 It depends on what you value. Smith.ai is popular with law firms that want live agents for client intake. XBert may suit a firm that wants one AI agent across voice, text, and chat with flat, public pricing.