Ruby's human receptionists are lovely — and priced by the minute ($245–$1,640/mo). Viva's AI receptionist answers 24/7 for a flat $99/mo, and it's part of a free platform that also books appointments, updates your CRM and manages reviews.
| Viva | Ruby | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $99/mo flat on free tools | $245–$1,640/mo by the minute* |
| Who answers | AI (24/7) | Human receptionists |
| Pricing model | Flat monthly | Per minute |
| Cost rises as you get busier | No | Yes |
| Books into your calendar | Built in | Yes (scheduling) |
| Updates your CRM | Built in | Via integration |
| Website, reviews & marketing | Included, free | No (answering only) |
| Get found on AI search | Free audit | No |
Ruby has earned its reputation: real, friendly people answering your calls, no hidden setup fees, a service businesses genuinely like. If a human voice on every call is the point, Ruby does it well.
The trade-off is the meter. Ruby is priced by the minute, so a good month — more calls, longer conversations — is a bigger bill, and coverage runs from $245/mo up to $1,640/mo. Viva's AI receptionist answers 24/7 for a flat $99/mo, and it does more than answer: it books the appointment and logs the lead in your CRM, then hands off to the rest of your marketing — all on a platform that's otherwise free.
Fair is fair: if the human touch on every call is central to your brand — a law firm, a high-end service, calls that carry real emotion or nuance — Ruby's trained receptionists deliver something an AI can't, and clients feel it. For some businesses that's worth every metered minute.
But if most of your calls are routine and what you really need is to stop missing them — 24/7, booked, logged, followed up — a flat-rate AI receptionist inside a platform that also runs your marketing is the smarter spend. That's Viva.
Yes, especially if you want 24/7 coverage without a per-minute bill. Ruby uses human receptionists priced by the minute ($245–$1,640/mo). Viva's AI receptionist answers around the clock for a flat $99/mo and, because it's part of a full free platform, also books appointments, updates your CRM and works with your website and reviews.
As of July 2026, Ruby's call plans run about $245/mo for 50 minutes, $385/mo for 100 minutes, $705/mo for 200 minutes, up to about $1,640/mo for 500 minutes. Chat plans are separate (from about $140/mo). Check ruby.com for current pricing.
For 24/7 coverage, booking, common questions and capturing leads, a modern AI receptionist does the job at a fraction of the cost. Ruby's human receptionists have the edge on complex, high-empathy calls. Many businesses use AI for the bulk of calls and keep a human option for exceptions.
Yes — a flat $99/mo, on top of Viva's free marketing tools, with no per-minute meter. Ruby prices by the minute, so busier months cost more.
An AI receptionist that answers 24/7, books, logs to your CRM and runs inside your whole free toolkit. Pay only for AI-enhanced features.
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