Our pick for most Canadian small businesses: AskMuse
- From C$39.99 a month in Canadian dollars
- English and French on every plan
- Follows PIPEDA, with data stored in Canada
- 7-day free trial, no card
- Set up in minutes, and you keep your number
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The 8 compared at a glance
| Service | Price a month | You get | French | Priced in CAD | Canadian privacy (PIPEDA) | Free trial | Books jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AskMuse | C$39.99 | 40 calls | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ Follows PIPEDA | ✓ 7 days, no card | ✓ |
| Upfirst | US$24.95 (about C$35) | 30 calls | – | ✕ | – Not stated | ✓ 14 days, no card | – |
| Dialzara | US$29 (about C$41) | 60 minutes | – | ✕ | – Not stated | ✓ 7 days | – |
| Goodcall | US$79 (about C$112) | 100 unique customers | – | ✕ | – Not stated | ✓ free demo agent | – |
| My AI Front Desk | US$99 (about C$141) | 200 minutes | – | ✕ | – Not stated | ✓ 7 days | – |
| Dialbox | C$129 | 100 calls | ✓ Quebec | ✓ | ✓ Mentions PIPEDA and Law 25 | ✓ 7 days, card needed | ✓ |
| Ruby (live people) | US$250 (about C$355) | 50 minutes | – | ✕ | – Not stated | – | – |
| Smith.ai (live people) | US$300 (about C$426) | 30 calls | – | ✕ | – Not stated | ✕ 30-day refund | – |
Prices checked October 26, 2026 on each company's own page. Prices change, so confirm before you buy. US prices converted at about 1.42 (rate). A dash means the company's page does not say. Dialbox names PIPEDA and Quebec Law 25 on its privacy page.
AskMuse has the lowest starting price we found for a bilingual, CAD-priced AI receptionist.
Each one in a few lines
1. AskMuse
Best for: most Canadian small businesses that want English and French answered, in Canadian dollars.
Price: Solo C$39.99 (40 calls), Starter C$59.99 (100), Pro C$99.99 (200), Growth C$169.99 (350), Scale C$249.99 (650).
What we like: Muse books into your calendar or takes a message, follows PIPEDA with data stored in Canada, and the trial needs no card.
Watch out for: plans are sold by calls, so pick the size that fits your month. See pricing.
2. Upfirst
Best for: the lowest US-dollar entry price.
Price: US$24.95 a month for 30 calls. Annual billing is cheaper.
What we like: 14-day trial with no card, and 35+ languages.
Watch out for: priced in US dollars, and the page names neither French nor Canada. Source
3. Dialzara
Best for: low call volume priced by the minute.
Price: US$29 a month for 60 minutes. Extra minutes cost US$0.48.
What we like: low entry price and a 7-day trial.
Watch out for: the entry plan names English and Spanish. Source
4. Goodcall
Best for: owners who want to build and test before paying.
Price: from US$79 a month for 100 unique customers.
What we like: a free demo agent, and you pay only when you connect a phone number.
Watch out for: billing counts unique customers, not calls. Source
5. My AI Front Desk
Best for: one plan that bundles voice, chat and texts.
Price: US$99 a month for 200 voice minutes, 100 chats and 400 texts.
What we like: 7-day trial and a simple single plan.
Watch out for: the 20+ languages are not listed, so ask about French. Source
6. Dialbox
Best for: a Canadian, bilingual option for Quebec.
Price: C$129 a month for 100 calls.
What we like: priced in CAD, French (Quebec) listed, books into a connected calendar.
Watch out for: the trial asks for a card. Its privacy page names PIPEDA and Quebec Law 25. Source
7. Ruby
Best for: owners who want a real person on every call.
Price: US$250 a month for 50 minutes.
What we like: live receptionists, no setup fees listed.
Watch out for: the price is per minute and no free trial is listed. Source
8. Smith.ai
Best for: live-staffed answering with agents it says are not overseas.
Price: US$300 a month for 30 calls, then US$11.50 a call.
What we like: a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Watch out for: no free trial, and the page names English and Spanish. Source
How much does an AI receptionist cost in Canada?
For AI phone answering, entry plans run from about C$35 to C$129 a month. Live people cost more, from about C$355. Here is the entry plan divided by its included calls, for the services that sell by the call.
How to choose in 60 seconds
- French? Pick a service that names it, then test with a French call.
- Canadian privacy? Look for PIPEDA, and ask where call data is stored.
- Calls or minutes? Short calls fit per-call plans. Long chats add up by the minute.
- Booking? Make sure it books into your calendar, not just takes a message.
- Free trial? Test with your real number before you pay.
Questions owners ask
What is the cheapest AI receptionist in Canada? Upfirst has the lowest entry price we found, at US$24.95 a month (about C$35) for 30 calls. For a bilingual, CAD-priced AI receptionist, AskMuse has the lowest starting price we found: C$39.99 a month for 40 calls.
Is an AI receptionist priced per call or per minute? Both. AskMuse, Dialbox, Upfirst and Smith.ai count calls. Dialzara, My AI Front Desk and Ruby count minutes. Goodcall counts unique customers. Calls are easier to predict when your calls are short.
Is there a réceptionniste virtuelle that speaks French in Canada? Yes. AskMuse answers in English and French on every plan, and Dialbox lists French (Quebec). Test any service with a real French call before you commit.
Does an AI receptionist follow Canadian privacy rules like PIPEDA? AskMuse lists PIPEDA among the Canadian rules it follows, and its data is stored in Canada. Dialbox names PIPEDA and Quebec Law 25 on its privacy page. For any other service, ask in writing, because their pages did not name either law.
Can I try an AI receptionist for free? Yes. AskMuse gives you a 7-day free trial with no card. Upfirst gives 14 days with no card. Dialzara, My AI Front Desk and Dialbox offer 7-day trials, and Dialbox asks for a card.
Is an AI receptionist the same as a call answering service? No. A call answering service uses people to take your calls, and it costs more. An AI receptionist answers with software, books the job and sends you a summary. Many small businesses start with AI and add people later.
Try it on your own phone this week
Set up in minutes. 7-day free trial, no card. Keep your number.