What is an AI receptionist?

An AI receptionist is an autonomous voice agent that answers incoming calls, qualifies leads, books appointments, and integrates with your calendar and CRM. Our team deploys and manages the AI so you don't have to lift a finger.

How much does Sockly cost?

Pricing is custom based on your business needs, call volume, and integrations. Most engagements start with a one-time setup fee and a flat monthly management fee. Book a free audit for a custom quote.

How fast can Sockly be deployed?

Our team deploys your custom AI receptionist within 72 hours. We handle everything — script writing, voice training, calendar integration, phone routing. You just approve and go live.

Is Sockly HIPAA compliant?

Yes. All data transmission uses TLS 1.2+, recordings and transcripts are encrypted with AES-256 at rest, and we maintain a full BAA chain. We support HIPAA-compliant integrations with Dentrix, Eaglesoft, and other practice management systems.

What happens if the AI can't answer a question?

The AI follows a strict escalation protocol. If it can't resolve a question after two attempts, it warm-transfers the call to your designated staff member with full context. Emergency keywords trigger immediate transfer. Our team configures these rules for your business.

Can callers tell they're talking to AI?

Most callers cannot distinguish our AI from a human receptionist. We use neural voice synthesis with natural conversational patterns, contractions, and contextual responses. If directly asked, the AI will honestly disclose that it's an AI assistant.

What does the Free Phone Audit include?

We call your business as a mystery shopper, analyze your current call handling, and show you exactly how many calls you're missing and how much revenue that costs. It takes 15 minutes and there's zero obligation.

What integrations do you support?

Sockly integrates with Google Calendar, Outlook, Cal.com, Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Clio, ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro, and most major CRM/EHR/PMS systems. Our team handles all integration setup for you.

How does Sockly compare to Smith.ai on price?

Smith.ai charges per call — approximately $9.75/call on their starter plan, dropping to about $8.50/call on higher tiers. For 200 calls per month, Smith.ai costs roughly $1,700-$1,950 while Sockly costs $1,500 flat. At 500 calls/month, Smith.ai is approximately $4,250 compared to Sockly's unchanged $1,500.

Is Smith.ai or Sockly better for law firms?

Both serve law firms with HIPAA-compliant call handling and legal software integrations. Smith.ai offers human receptionists for complex intake conversations and integrates with Clio and MyCase. Sockly provides sub-1 second response (critical since 67% of callers hire the first attorney who answers), true 24/7 availability, and unlimited calls at a flat rate. For firms with high call volume or after-hours intake needs, Sockly delivers better ROI.

Does Smith.ai offer 24/7 coverage?

Smith.ai offers 24/7 coverage through their AI system, but human receptionists are only available during business hours. This means after-hours calls are handled by AI alone, not the hybrid model. Sockly's AI provides consistent quality 24/7 with the same conversational capability at any hour.

What does Smith.ai do better than Sockly?

Smith.ai excels at complex conversations requiring human judgment, particularly emotionally sensitive intake for personal injury or family law. They also offer outbound calling on select plans, which Sockly does not currently include. For low-volume businesses under 60 calls per month, Smith.ai's entry pricing is lower.

Can Sockly handle lead qualification like Smith.ai?

Yes. Sockly performs automated lead qualification including intake forms, screening questions, and lead scoring. The difference is that Sockly does this through AI conversation while Smith.ai uses human receptionists. Both approaches are effective, but Sockly's is instant and available 24/7 without per-call charges.

Honest Comparison

Sockly vs Smith.ai

Why businesses choose Sockly over Smith.ai

TL;DR

Smith.ai offers a strong hybrid model that blends AI screening with human receptionists, making it excellent for complex intake scenarios at low volume. However, their per-call pricing becomes expensive quickly. At 150+ calls per month, Sockly provides better value with faster response, true 24/7 AI-powered coverage, and no per-call fees.

Get Your Free Phone Audit (650) 460-3885

Feature by Feature

Feature Comparison

See how Sockly stacks up against Smith.ai on the features that matter most.

Feature	Sockly	Smith.ai
Response Time	Sub-1 second	3-10s (AI), 10-30s (human)
Availability	24/7/365	24/7 (AI), limited hours (human)
Concurrent Calls	Unlimited	Limited by agent availability
Pricing Model	$1,500/mo flat, unlimited	$292-$1,950/mo for 30-120 calls
Per-Call Overage	None	$8.50-$16.25/additional call
Setup Fee	$2,500 one-time	None
AI + Human Hybrid	Full AI with human escalation	AI screens, humans handle complex
Outbound Calls	Not included	Available on some plans
Lead Qualification	Automated intake + scoring	Human-led intake
CRM Integration	Direct API integration	Salesforce, HubSpot via Zapier
HIPAA Compliance	Yes, with BAA	Yes, with BAA
Languages	50+ languages	English + Spanish

Pricing

Pricing Comparison

Sockly's flat-rate pricing means no surprises — no matter how many calls you get.

Tier	Sockly	Smith.ai
30 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	$292
60 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	$585
120 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	$1,170
200 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	$1,950
500 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	~$4,250
1,000 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	~$8,500

Honest Assessment

Smith.ai: Pros & Cons

We believe in transparency. Here's an honest look at Smith.ai.

Strengths

Hybrid AI + human model handles complex conversations well
No setup fee required
Outbound calling capability on select plans
Strong legal vertical expertise (Clio, MyCase integrations)
Lower entry cost for businesses with under 60 calls/month

Weaknesses

Per-call pricing ($8.50-$16.25/call) makes costs unpredictable at scale
Human receptionist availability limited to business hours
200+ calls/month exceeds $1,950 before overage charges
AI-only after-hours coverage lacks full conversational ability
Limited language support (English and Spanish only)

Our Verdict

The Bottom Line

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to switch from Smith.ai?

Find out how many calls your business is missing — and how much revenue you're leaving on the table.

Get Your Free Phone Audit Call (650) 460-3885

Or call our AI demo line

(650) 460-3885

Sockly

(650) 460-3885 Get Free Phone Audit

(650) 460-3885

Honest Comparison

Sockly vs Smith.ai

Why businesses choose Sockly over Smith.ai

TL;DR

Get Your Free Phone Audit (650) 460-3885

Feature by Feature

Feature Comparison

See how Sockly stacks up against Smith.ai on the features that matter most.

Feature	Sockly	Smith.ai
Response Time	Sub-1 second	3-10s (AI), 10-30s (human)
Availability	24/7/365	24/7 (AI), limited hours (human)
Concurrent Calls	Unlimited	Limited by agent availability
Pricing Model	$1,500/mo flat, unlimited	$292-$1,950/mo for 30-120 calls
Per-Call Overage	None	$8.50-$16.25/additional call
Setup Fee	$2,500 one-time	None
AI + Human Hybrid	Full AI with human escalation	AI screens, humans handle complex
Outbound Calls	Not included	Available on some plans
Lead Qualification	Automated intake + scoring	Human-led intake
CRM Integration	Direct API integration	Salesforce, HubSpot via Zapier
HIPAA Compliance	Yes, with BAA	Yes, with BAA
Languages	50+ languages	English + Spanish

Pricing

Pricing Comparison

Sockly's flat-rate pricing means no surprises — no matter how many calls you get.

Tier	Sockly	Smith.ai
30 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	$292
60 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	$585
120 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	$1,170
200 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	$1,950
500 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	~$4,250
1,000 calls/mo	$1,500 flat	~$8,500

Honest Assessment

Smith.ai: Pros & Cons

We believe in transparency. Here's an honest look at Smith.ai.

Strengths

Hybrid AI + human model handles complex conversations well
No setup fee required
Outbound calling capability on select plans
Strong legal vertical expertise (Clio, MyCase integrations)
Lower entry cost for businesses with under 60 calls/month

Weaknesses

Per-call pricing ($8.50-$16.25/call) makes costs unpredictable at scale
Human receptionist availability limited to business hours
200+ calls/month exceeds $1,950 before overage charges
AI-only after-hours coverage lacks full conversational ability
Limited language support (English and Spanish only)

Our Verdict

The Bottom Line

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to switch from Smith.ai?

Find out how many calls your business is missing — and how much revenue you're leaving on the table.

Get Your Free Phone Audit Call (650) 460-3885

Or call our AI demo line

(650) 460-3885