Smith.ai or Zatio: an AI receptionist for the UK
Smith.ai is a US company with an AI Receptionist priced per call and a free tier, alongside its human receptionist service. Zatio is an AI receptionist for the UK and Spain, priced per minute, with WhatsApp and website chat included. Here is how the two compare, using only what each company publishes. From £69 a month ex VAT, with phone, WhatsApp and web chat on every plan.
In short
Smith.ai
A US AI receptionist with a free tier of 25 calls and a Pro plan at $150 a month, priced per call, with SMS follow-up and integrations such as Clio and Zapier.
Zatio
One AI assistant for your phone, WhatsApp and website chat, sold in the UK and Spain in pounds and euros, with published monthly plans by the minute and no minimum term.
Who each suits
If you are in the US, want a free tier and follow up by SMS, Smith.ai is built for that. If you are in the UK or Spain and want WhatsApp and website chat alongside calls, with data in the EU, Zatio is built for that.
Side by side
Checked on 15 October 2026 against each company’s own pages. Numbers in brackets link to the sources below.
| Feature | Zatio | Smith.ai AI Receptionist |
|---|---|---|
| Who answers | An AI receptionist that says it is an AI at the start of every new conversation[4] | An AI receptionist; Smith.ai also sells a separate human-staffed service[1] |
| Market and currency | UK and Spain, in pounds and euros, with UK and Spanish numbers[2][3] | United States, in US dollars[1] |
| Channels | Phone, WhatsApp and website chat, same assistant, in every plan[2] | Phone, with SMS follow-up; WhatsApp and website chat not listed[1] |
| Published price | Essential £69, Professional £129, Growth £259 a month, plus VAT; extra minutes £0.10[2] | Free tier with 25 calls; Pro $150 a month, priced per call (around $2 a call)[1] |
| How usage is counted | By the minute: 400, 1,000 or 2,000 voice minutes a month, plus 300, 1,000 or 3,000 chat and WhatsApp conversations[2] | By the call, whatever its length[1] |
| Minimum term | Month to month, no minimum term[2] | Not published[1] |
| Free trial | Free 14-day trial, no card, plus a test call from our home page[3] | Free plan with 25 calls[1] |
| Set-up | Self-service from your website, no set-up fee; optional done-for-you set-up, £179 one-off[2] | Self-service sign-up[1] |
| Integrations | Bookings into Microsoft Bookings, Calendly or Cal.com. Leads to your CRM by CSV export or signed webhook (Make, Zapier, n8n, Zoho Flow)[4][5] | Clio, Zapier and others[1] |
| Languages | British English, Polish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch and Spanish[3] | Not published[1] |
| Data location | EU (Stockholm); calls are transcribed, not recorded[3][4] | Not published[1] |
Per call or per minute
Smith.ai prices its AI Receptionist per call: a free tier of 25 calls and a Pro plan at $150 a month, which works out at around $2 a call. Zatio prices by the minute: 400, 1,000 or 2,000 voice minutes a month in its three plans, with extra minutes at £0.10. The units and currencies differ, so we don’t claim either is lower: count your calls and their average length and compare.
US or UK and Spain
Smith.ai sells in the United States, in US dollars. Zatio sells in the UK and Spain, in pounds and euros, with UK and Spanish phone numbers, British English as the default voice in the UK and data stored in the EU (Stockholm).
SMS or WhatsApp
Smith.ai follows up by SMS, which fits the US market. In the UK and Spain customers write on WhatsApp: Zatio answers WhatsApp on the official WhatsApp Business API and your website chat with the same assistant, in every plan, with Meta’s conversation fees passed through at cost.
Human backup
Smith.ai also runs a human receptionist service, sold separately from its AI Receptionist. Zatio is an AI only: when a call needs a person it transfers it live to your own team or takes the details for a call back, with the summary and transcript in your dashboard.
When Smith.ai is the better choice
There are good reasons to choose it:
You are in the United States
Smith.ai is built for the US market, in dollars, with SMS follow-up. Zatio sells in the UK and Spain.
You want a free tier
Smith.ai’s free plan covers 25 calls. Zatio’s plans start at £69 a month plus VAT.
Short, predictable calls
If your calls are short and you prefer to pay per call rather than per minute, Smith.ai’s model fits.
Legal practice software
Smith.ai lists Clio among its integrations. Zatio connects to your CRM by signed webhook or CSV.
Questions
Does Smith.ai work in the UK?
Smith.ai sells to the US market in US dollars, with SMS follow-up (checked 15 October 2026). Zatio sells in the UK and Spain, with UK and Spanish numbers, in pounds and euros.
How much does Smith.ai cost?
According to its pricing page, checked 15 October 2026, the AI Receptionist has a free tier of 25 calls and a Pro plan at $150 a month, priced per call (around $2 a call).
How much does Zatio cost?
Essential £69, Professional £129, Growth £259 a month plus VAT, with 400, 1,000 or 2,000 voice minutes and WhatsApp and website chat included. Extra minutes are £0.10. Month to month, no minimum term.
Does either one answer WhatsApp?
Zatio does, in every plan, on the official WhatsApp Business API. Smith.ai’s AI Receptionist page lists phone and SMS, not WhatsApp.
Where is the data stored?
Zatio stores data in the EU (Stockholm), transcribes calls without recording them and signs a DPA. Smith.ai’s pricing page does not state a data location.
Can I use both?
In principle yes, for example Smith.ai for US callers and Zatio for UK and Spanish ones, but most businesses pick one. How you split calls depends on the forwarding options of your phone line.
Can I try Zatio for free?
Free 14-day trial with no card, including 30 voice minutes and 100 chat conversations. Your phone number arrives when your plan starts, and you connect WhatsApp yourself from your dashboard.
Sources, checked on 15 October 2026
- Smith.ai, AI Receptionist pricing: https://smith.ai/pricing/ai-receptionist
- Zatio, pricing: https://zatio.io/pricing
- Zatio, home page: https://zatio.io/
- Zatio, product: https://zatio.io/product
- Zatio, integrations: https://zatio.io/integrations
Smith.ai is a trademark of its owner. This page is independent and not endorsed by Smith.ai. Smith.ai’s details come from its own website, checked on 15 October 2026, and may change. If anything is out of date, email hello@zatio.io.
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