Home / Blur vs Smith.ai
Blur vs Smith.ai in 2026: which fits a trades owner
Pick Smith.ai if you want to start free and set it up yourself. Pick Blur if you want after-hours calls answered and booked, set up and run for you, at a flat monthly price.
Looking for a Smith.ai alternative? Short answer: Smith.ai is cheaper on calls alone and lets you start free. Blur is for trades owners who want the setup and running done for them. We sell Blur. This page compares it with Smith.ai. Blur serves most of the US; check coverage for your area.
Key takeaways
- Smith.ai lists a Free AI plan with 25 calls a month and $3.00 per call after that, and a Pro plan at $150 a month for 75 calls.
- Smith.ai Pro is described as "set it up yourself with dedicated support". Blur builds and runs it for you.
- Blur is $297 a month flat, with $897 setup or $0 setup on a 12-month plan. No per-call math.
- Blur's core is calendar booking and a text summary to the owner. Emergency transfer and Spanish are add-ons on request.
- At 75 calls a month, Smith.ai Pro costs less in year one. Blur's case is done-for-you, not price.
The decision
A 9 pm call comes in for a quote next week. You can let a self-serve AI receptionist handle it under a per-call plan you configure, or pay a flat monthly fee for a service that is built and run for you and books the job on your calendar. Smith.ai's AI plans are priced per call with included call bundles. Blur is one flat price.
How we compared
We read each company's public pricing and product pages on 2026-10-15. Documented means read on their site. Nothing on this page is marked tested: we have not run Smith.ai or recorded a test call for this comparison. We have no client results to show yet, so there are none here.
Same job, both ways (documented only)
Documented only. These steps come from each company's own published pages. We have not tested either product for this page.
Smith.ai
- You create the AI receptionist and configure it yourself; Pro includes dedicated support and a Quality Studio to test before going live (Smith.ai pricing).
- Calls are counted against your plan's monthly bundle.
- See Smith.ai's pricing page for what each plan handles on a call.
Blur
- We build Nora for your business name, greeting, jobs and calendar rules, set up call forwarding with you, and run test calls (pricing).
- After hours, Nora answers and books an open slot by your rules.
- You get a text summary of the call.
Side by side
Source link in each cell. Checked 2026-10-15.
| Row | Smith.ai | Blur |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar booking (Blur core) | Included on AI plans; see plan details (source) | Yes, books jobs on your calendar by your rules (pricing) |
| Owner summary (Blur core) | See plan details (source) | A text summary of every after-hours call (pricing) |
| Integrations | See Smith.ai's pages for supported tools (source) | We have no built CRM integrations. We log in and run it inside the tools you already use. |
| Dashboard | Analytics and call history listed (source) | No customer dashboard |
| Emergency transfer, Spanish | See plan details (source) | Available on request and not included in the plan: emergency transfer, missed-call text-back (only once texting registration is approved), Spanish, daytime overflow and callback. Priced on request (pricing). |
| Price and setup | Free $0/mo for 25 calls, $3.00/call after; Pro $150/mo for 75 calls; Enterprise $500/mo for 300 calls (source) | $297 a month, plus $897 setup (non-refundable) month to month, or $0 setup on a 12-month plan. If you cancel the 12-month plan early, the waived $897 becomes due (pricing) |
Which fits your situation
| If | Choose |
|---|---|
| You want to try free and tune it yourself | Smith.ai Free |
| You are a trade wanting after-hours jobs booked, done for you | Blur |
| Your volume fits in 25 calls a month | Smith.ai Free |
| You want one flat monthly number | Blur |
Pricing scenario
Scenario A: 75 real calls a month, one location, first year. Smith.ai Pro: $150 x 12 = $1,800 if you stay within 75 calls (source). On calls alone, Smith.ai is cheaper at this volume.
Blur month to month, year one: $897 setup + 12 x $297 = $4,461. Setup is non-refundable.
Blur 12-month plan, year one: 12 x $297 = $3,564 with $0 setup. If you cancel early, the waived $897 becomes due (pricing).
Add-ons such as emergency transfer or Spanish are priced on request and not included above.
Switching
Forwarding your number is usually enough. Copy your greetings and FAQs, connect your calendar, run test calls, and keep the old service live until the test calls pass. Blur's month-to-month setup fee is non-refundable.
FAQ
How much does Smith.ai cost per call?
Smith.ai lists $3.00 per call after the 25 included on its Free AI plan, and $2.00 per call on Pro at $150 a month for 75 calls (Smith.ai pricing).
Is there a Smith.ai alternative with flat monthly pricing?
Blur is $297 a month flat, plus $897 setup or $0 setup on a 12-month plan (pricing). It does not count calls.
Does Blur book appointments into my calendar?
Yes. Calendar booking by your rules is one of Blur's two core features, along with a text summary of every after-hours call.
Who sets up the AI receptionist?
With Blur, we do: greeting, jobs, calendar rules, call forwarding and test calls. Smith.ai Pro is described as set it up yourself with dedicated support.
Can I keep my business phone number?
Yes. You forward your existing number after hours, so callers dial the number they already know.
What happens to calls after hours?
Nora answers, books an open slot by your rules, and you get a text summary. Emergency transfer is an add-on on request.
Hear it before you decide
Blur answers your line after hours, books jobs on your calendar by your rules, and texts you a summary of every after-hours call. $297 a month, plus $897 setup (non-refundable) month to month, or $0 setup on a 12-month plan. If you cancel the 12-month plan early, the waived $897 becomes due (pricing). Call the demo line, (816) 683-2229, to hear Nora. It is a demo and does not book. After the demo you talk with John.