Some owners want a real person on the phone, and Ruby is built for that: live receptionists answer your calls. The price shows it. With Ruby, 100 minutes a month costs $395. Cally24 answers with an AI receptionist for $99 a month, with 240 minutes included. So the real question is whether a person on the line is worth about four times the price for your business.
Prices checked October 25, 2026 on Ruby's pricing page and FAQ. Prices change, so check there before you buy.
A person or an AI: what changes on the call
With Ruby, a live receptionist takes the call. They answer day and night, including weekends and holidays, and Spanish and bilingual call handling are available. Booking callers into a calendar is possible too, as an optional scheduling feature.
With Cally24, an AI receptionist takes the call, also 24/7, in English and Spanish. It books callers into your calendar during the call and sends you a short summary and the full transcript of every call. It answers up to 20 calls at the same time, so a busy hour doesn't leave anyone waiting. If a caller asks, Cally says it's an AI receptionist.
What the price difference means
The gap grows with every minute you use, because Ruby's plans go up in steps and Cally24 includes 240 minutes, then adds $0.29 a minute.
| Your month | Ruby | Cally24 |
|---|---|---|
| 100 minutes | $395 | $99 |
| 200 minutes | $720 | $99 |
| A year at 100 minutes a month | $4,740 | $1,188 |
That gap is the cost of having a person on the line. For many small businesses, it's the reason they leave calls to voicemail instead.
$99 a month. Cancel anytime.
Side by side
| Ruby | Cally24 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who answers | Live receptionists (people) | AI receptionist |
| 100 minutes a month | $395 | $99 |
| Other plans | 50 minutes $250, 200 minutes $720, 500 minutes $1,725 | One plan, extra minutes $0.29 per minute |
| Extra minutes | Billed at your plan's per-minute rate (the rate isn't shown on the pricing page) | $0.29 a minute |
| Setup fee | None ("no additional or hidden fees for activation, onboarding, setup") | None |
| Contract | No long-term contract | Month to month, cancel anytime |
| 24/7 | Yes, including nights, weekends and holidays | Yes |
| Spanish | Spanish and bilingual call handling available | English and Spanish |
| Booking | Scheduling is an optional feature | Books into Google, Outlook, iCloud, Calendly, Cal.com, Zoho, Square |
| How messages arrive | Ruby App and online portal, can also be emailed | Email, dashboard and phone alert |
| Calls at once | Not listed | Up to 20 |
Where Ruby is strong
If your callers expect a human voice, or your calls need judgment that you'd only trust to a person, Ruby gives you that. There's no setup fee and no long-term contract, and Spanish-speaking callers are covered. For some businesses that's worth the higher price.
Where Cally24 fits better
Most small businesses mainly need every call answered and the job booked. Cally24 does that for $99 a month with 240 minutes, every feature included. Callers book a free time on the call, and urgent calls are flagged and put through to you. Every lead reaches you by email, in your dashboard and as a phone alert. When ten people call after a storm or an ad, up to 20 of them can talk to Cally at once.
Switching from Ruby
You keep your phone number. Point your call forwarding to your Cally number, make a test call and check that it shows up in your dashboard. Your callers keep dialing the number they know. See how to forward calls.
The best way to decide is to listen. Hear your own Cally receptionist, built from your website in 30 seconds. Then see Cally24 pricing, or read our guide to an AI receptionist vs an answering service.
Common questions
Will callers know Cally is not a person?
Cally sounds friendly and natural. If a caller asks, it's honest that it's an AI receptionist.
What happens with a call Cally can't handle?
Cally takes the caller's details and sends them to you right away. Urgent calls are flagged and put through to you.
How do I switch?
Point your call forwarding to your Cally number. Your callers keep dialing the number they know.
