Need your business answered? An automated assistant can take the call.
Toolbelt Text's AI receptionist answers your business, takes a message or notes a time, and texts you the summary. Not a live person. CA$199/month, 7-day free trial, card required, no setup fee.
AI receptionist CA$199/mo · Solo CA$49/mo · Pro CA$99.99/mo
Prefer text-back only? Solo and Pro have a 7-day free trial. Call the text-back demo at (825) 479-6693.
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Toolbelt Text vs an answering service
Both deal with the calls you can't pick up. An answering service puts a person on the phone. Toolbelt Text's AI receptionist is an automated assistant that answers your business, takes a message or notes a time, and texts you the summary. Here's a clear comparison so you can pick the one that fits.
What each one does
| Answering service | Toolbelt Text AI receptionist | |
|---|---|---|
| Who handles the call | A person picks up live | An automated assistant answers. Callers hear that it is an assistant; it never pretends to be a person |
| What you get | A message taken by someone else | A summary by text and email. It can note a time from your hours; you confirm, decline, or suggest another from a text. Missed-call text-back is included |
| Nights and weekends | Many offer 24/7 answering1 | 24 hours a day, or only after hours — you choose |
| How it's billed | Usually a monthly plan with a set number of minutes or calls; busier months cost more1 | CA$199/month, flat. 7-day free trial, card required, no setup fee, no per-text fees. Cancel anytime |
| Emergencies | Handled the way you set up with the service | Burst pipe or no heat gets you an urgent alert right away. Anyone mentioning gas, smoke or sparking is told to call 911 first |
| Talks to callers live | Yes, a person | Yes, an automated voice. Not a live person |
When an answering service is the better fit
If every caller needs to hear a live person, or you take bookings over the phone that someone has to confirm on the spot, an answering service is the better fit. We'd rather say so.
When the AI receptionist is the better fit
If you want your business answered without hiring a person, you'll confirm times from a text, and you'd rather a flat monthly price, the AI receptionist does that. You keep your number. Auto-confirm is off unless you switch it on.
If you only want a text when a call is missed, and not a voice assistant on the line, Solo (CA$49/month) and Pro (CA$99.99/month) are still available, with a 7-day free trial.
Questions
Can I use both?
Some shops use a live answering service during office hours and the AI receptionist after hours, or the other way around. Set up call forwarding the way that suits you.
Will callers know it's automated?
Yes. It says so at the start of the call. It never pretends to be a person.
Do I need a new phone number?
No. You keep your number and forward your business to the local number we give you, or we give you a number to publish.
Can I try it before I pay?
Call (825) 435-4870 to hear the AI receptionist, or (825) 479-6693 and hang up to see missed-call text-back. Every plan has a 7-day free trial. A card is required.
1. Examples, from each company's own pricing page, checked October 18, 2026: Ruby sells plans by receptionist minutes per month, with 24/7 answering included; Smith.ai sells plans by calls per month (for example 30 calls for US$300) with a per-call charge over the plan, and live staff 24/7. Prices change; check the current page.