A shared business phone number for small teams, with an AI agent named Sona that answers calls around the clock on every plan.
Communication comparison
Quo (formerly OpenPhone) vs Smith.ai
Pricing, pros, cons, and ideal use cases — side by side.
Smith.aiFreemium
Hybrid AI + human receptionist — handles calls, chats, and lead qualification with human backup.
At a glance
| Quo (formerly OpenPhone) | Smith.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | PaidStarter $19/user/month monthly, $15 annual. Business $33/month, $23 annual. Scale $47/month, $35 annual. The Sona AI agent is included on all plans with 1,000 automation credits per month (roughly 10 calls); AI call summaries and transcripts cover Sona-handled calls on Starter and all calls on Business and Scale. AI call tagging is Scale-only. | FreemiumTwo ladders. AI Receptionist: Free for 25 calls/month ($3.00 per call after), Pro $150/month for 75 calls, Enterprise $500/month for 300 calls, with higher call blocks priced on the page. Human virtual receptionists: Starter 30 calls for $300/month, Basic 90 calls for $810/month, Pro 300 calls for $2,100/month, with per-call overage and 10% off on a 12-month term. As read on the vendor's pricing pages in early October 2026. |
| Category | Communication | Communication |
| Ideal for | Solo operators and teams under about 20 peopleBusinesses that run on texting as much as callingAgencies and consultancies needing a shared client-facing numberAnyone who wants published pricing instead of a demo call | Law FirmsDentalMed SpaProfessional Services |
Pros & cons
Quo (formerly OpenPhone)
Pros
- Full price ladder published — no demo required to evaluate
- AI phone agent included on every tier, not an add-on
- Shared inbox for calls and texts across the team
- Sub-$20 entry point on annual billing
- Connects to Claude and ChatGPT for analysing calls and contacts
Cons
- Included AI credits cover only about 10 calls a month — high call volume needs a different tool
- Full transcripts and summaries require Business or above
- Not a contact center: no advanced routing, queueing, or workforce management
- Recent rebrand means older documentation, integrations, and reviews still say OpenPhone
Smith.ai
Pros
- AI + human hybrid model
- High call quality
- Lead qualification built-in
- Bilingual support
Cons
- Expensive
- Per-call pricing adds up
- Less control than pure AI
Which should you choose?
Smith.ai is the lighter-weight option (Freemium), while Quo (formerly OpenPhone) sits higher on the pricing ladder (Paid). Quo (formerly OpenPhone) is built around solo operators and teams under about 20 people; Smith.ai leans more toward law firms. Shortlist the one whose strengths line up with your biggest constraint.
Still deciding between Quo (formerly OpenPhone) and Smith.ai?
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