Best AI receptionist for After-Hours Calls (2026)
4 AI receptionists in our list are relevant to After-Hours Calls (keyword-matched from their websites). Lowest published entry prices: Upfirst ($24.95/mo), Dialzara ($29/mo), Jobber Receptionist ($29/mo). This is a price sort, not a quality ranking. ReceptionistRatings tracks 37 AI receptionists, 27 of which publish prices.
Get matched for After-Hours Calls Estimate monthly cost
What to check for After-Hours Calls: can it answer and triage every call, transfer urgent ones to a person, book into the scheduling software you already use, and what do you pay per minute or call once you go past the included amount?
Affiliate disclosure: we earn a commission if you sign up for Marlie AI, Rosie through the links marked “affiliate link” on this page. We don’t link to other vendors; affiliate status never changes picks or order. Full disclosure.
Short answer: For after-hours calls, Marlie AI fits best when night and weekend calls can be emergencies: its after-hours page says it filters calls so only true emergencies reach you or your on-call staff (vendor claim, untested). Upfirst AI is the cheapest at light volume and can be set to answer only after-hours calls on every plan. Rosie adds waterfall transfers on its Growth plan.
Order rule: emergency escalation described on the vendor's own page first, then after-hours-only setup, then list price. Marlie AI and Rosie are affiliate partners; affiliation does not change the order. We have not test-called these tools.
Verdict
- Pick: Marlie AI
- Best for: service businesses that need real emergencies at night routed to an on-call person
- Starting price (verified): Basic $49/mo for 250 minutes, then $0.35 a minute; call transfers start on Standard at $99/mo for 500 minutes (marlie.ai/pricing; tools.json, checked 2026-10-19)
- Source: marlie.ai/solutions/after-hours-answering-service and marlie.ai/pricing, checked 2026-10-22
Visit Marlie AI (opens vendor site in new tab) (affiliate link)
Cost at 3-minute calls
Price table is generated from tools.json. Estimated monthly cost, cheapest plan, monthly list prices: - Marlie AI: $49 at 30 calls, $66.50 at 100, $199 at 300 (Basic takes messages; transfers need Standard, $99 at 30 and 100 calls). - Upfirst AI: $24.95 at 30, $69.95 at 100, $159.95 at 300. - Rosie: $49 at 30, $149 at 100, $149 at 300 (no published overage rate). Waterfall transfers are on Growth, $299. - Dialzara (Pro and up, first plan with after-hours rules): $99 at 30, $135 at 100, $349 at 300.
Assumptions: every call 3 minutes; minute plans bill calls × 3. After-hours call counts are usually lower than daytime. Script: batch6/calc.py.
Partner tools from this list, in page order:
Visit Marlie AI (opens vendor site in new tab) (affiliate link) Visit Rosie (opens vendor site in new tab) (affiliate link) AFFILIATE50: 50% off your first month checked 2026-10-20
Marlie AI
Marlie's after-hours page says it "intelligently filters calls so only true emergencies reach you or your on-call staff" and "Complex calls transfer instantly to your team with full call context." The Enterprise section of its pricing page also lists "Emergency and after-hours escalation workflows". Transfers to your team start on Standard (1 number); Pro and Premium allow unlimited numbers.
Source: marlie.ai/solutions/after-hours-answering-service and marlie.ai/pricing, checked 2026-10-22
Visit Marlie AI (opens vendor site in new tab) (affiliate link)
Upfirst AI
Every plan lists "Choose what your receptionist handles: every call, overflow only, or after hours." Its FAQ says you can forward "only the ones you get after hours", and its forwarding guide covers after-hours forwarding on business phone systems. Spam and calls under 15 seconds are not billed.
Source: upfirst.ai/pricing, upfirst.ai and upfirst.ai/docs/call-forwarding.md, checked 2026-10-22
Rosie
Rosie lists "Set an after-hours greeting so callers always know what to expect" and says it emails or texts you as soon as an emergency call comes in. Growth ($299/mo) adds "Waterfall transfers - Rosie tries multiple numbers until someone answers". Code AFFILIATE50: 50% off your first month (checked 2026-10-20).
Source: heyrosie.com, heyrosie.com/pricing and heyrosie.com/industries/construction, checked 2026-10-22
Visit Rosie (opens vendor site in new tab) (affiliate link) AFFILIATE50: 50% off your first month checked 2026-10-20
Dialzara
Dialzara's plan table lists "After-hours rules & escalation" and warm transfers on Pro ($99/mo, 220 minutes) and above, not on Lite. It says no long-term contracts and cancel anytime.
Source: dialzara.com/pricing, checked 2026-10-22
Bottom line
If after-hours calls can be real emergencies, Marlie AI's emergency filtering to on-call staff fits best; choose Standard or higher so it can transfer. If you only need messages taken overnight, Upfirst AI in after-hours-only mode costs least at light volume. For lines where someone must pick up, Rosie's Growth plan tries several numbers.
Visit Marlie AI (opens vendor site in new tab) (affiliate link)
Not sure? Try /match.
Related
Which AI receptionists handle After-Hours Calls?
4 tools mention After-Hours Calls on their websites; they are listed below by entry price.
Country availability is shown only where the vendor publishes it (1 of 4 tools here). Choosing a country lists tools whose source names it first, then the rest under “availability not published”, each group in the same order. A tool is hidden only when its own source excludes that country.
Showing all 4 tools.
1. Upfirst
Sells in CanadaSells in UAE
AI receptionist
From $24.95/mo · Est. at 150 calls: $119.95/mo on Premium · Free trial: 14-day free trial · Not tested yet
Integrations mentioned (keyword-matched): CalendlyGoogle CalendarClioZapierAcuity
2. Dialzara
AI receptionist
From $29/mo · Est. at 150 calls: $199/mo on Business Plus · Free trial: 7-day free trial · Not tested yet
Integrations mentioned (keyword-matched): Zapier
3. Jobber Receptionist
AI receptionist inside field-service software
From $29/mo · Est. at 150 calls: not computable from published pricing · Free trial: Free trial · Not tested yet
Integrations mentioned (keyword-matched): Google CalendarJobberZapier
Compare alternatives to Jobber Receptionist Jobber Receptionist pricing details
4. Marlie AI Partner
AI receptionist
From $49/mo · Est. at 150 calls: $99/mo on Standard · Free trial: 14-day free trial · Not tested yet
Integrations mentioned (keyword-matched): Shopify
Visit Marlie AI (opens vendor site in new tab) (affiliate link) Marlie AI pricing details
Feature fields marked “keyword-matched” are mentions found on the vendor's website and haven't been independently verified yet. Prices are hand-copied from vendor pricing pages. How we make money.
What do people ask most?
These are the questions we get most, answered from published vendor data.
Can an AI receptionist answer only after hours?
Yes. Upfirst AI lists an after-hours-only option on every plan, and Jobber and Goodcall describe forwarding only when you don't answer. With any vendor you set this up with call forwarding on your phone or carrier.
Can it reach me for real emergencies?
Marlie says it filters so only true emergencies reach you or on-call staff; Rosie texts or emails you and offers waterfall transfers on Growth; Dialzara lists after-hours escalation from Pro.
Is an AI receptionist cheaper than an after-hours answering service?
Usually at list price, but it depends on volume. See the cost list on this page and our AI receptionist vs answering service comparison.
Is there a contract?
Marlie says no setup fees, cancellation fees or long-term contracts. Dialzara says cancel anytime. We did not find terms for Upfirst AI or Rosie on the pages we checked.
Can I try it first?
Marlie AI, Upfirst AI and Rosie all list free trials. Test a call outside your business hours.
Have you tested these?
Not yet. Test-call results are coming soon.
Other trades: best AI receptionist for plumbers · best AI receptionist for HVAC companies · best AI receptionist for electricians · best AI receptionist for dentists · best AI receptionist for salons · best AI receptionist for law firms · best AI receptionist for med spas · best AI receptionist for auto repair shops · best AI receptionist for medical offices · best AI receptionist for HIPAA-compliant practices · best AI receptionist for real estate agents · best AI receptionist for property managers · best AI receptionist for bilingual spanish calls · best AI receptionist for appointment booking · best AI receptionist for contractors · best AI receptionist for iphone