Comparison
Reply vs. Smith.ai
Smith.ai is a hybrid AI + live-human service, strong when callers demand a real person — but general-purpose and pricey, from ~$300/mo for 30 calls with ~$8.50–$11.50 per-call overages. Reply is AI-first and built only for HVAC; Core is $299/mo for 100 calls (plans from $150/mo).
At a glance
Choose Reply if…
- ✓Most of your calls are routine residential bookings and scheduling.
- ✓You want predictable cost during peak season.
- ✓You want HVAC-specific intake out of the box.
Choose Smith.ai if…
- •You handle high-value commercial accounts where a live human lifts close rate.
- •You have callers who flatly refuse to talk to a bot.
Bottom line
For the routine, high-volume calls that fill an HVAC shop's day, Reply books them at a fraction of the per-call cost. Smith.ai earns its premium on the smaller slice of complex calls. Many shops find Reply covers the 90% and is far cheaper at volume.