Aira vs Bea by Be Connect
The short answer
- Aira costs least at 100 calls a month: $69.95.
- Bea by Be Connect costs least at 500: NZ$419 (about $235).
- Pick Aira if you want the lower bill at 100 calls or a summary by text after each call.
- Pick Bea by Be Connect if you want the lower bill at 500 calls.
 Airaservice businesses losing calls while staff are with customers or on a jobVisit site |  Bea by Be ConnectNZ and Australian trades and clinics that miss calls while workingVisit site | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| At 100 calls a month | Aira$69.95Lowest | Bea by Be ConnectNZ$137.50about $77 |
| At 500 calls a month | Aira$299 | Bea by Be ConnectNZ$419about $235Lowest |
| Advertised from | Aira$24.95 a month | Bea by Be ConnectNZ$79 (about $44) a monthabout $44 |
| The advertised plan covers | AiraThe $24.95 plan it advertises covers 30 of 100 calls. Premium costs less for all 100. | Bea by Be ConnectThe NZ$79 (about $44) plan covers 40 of 100 calls.60 cost extra. |
| Bills | Airaper call | Bea by Be Connectper minute |
| Keeps answering past your allowance | AiraPartlyCalls past the allowance keep being answered and bill as overage at a per-call rate | Bea by Be ConnectYesCalls past the allowance keep being answered |
| Free trial or plan | AiraNot stated | Bea by Be ConnectPartlyA seven-day free trial lets you run Bea on your existing business number before paying |
| Month to month, cancel online | AiraPartlyBilling is month to month with no long-term contract required | Bea by Be ConnectPartlyBilling is month to month with no annual lock-in |
| On the call | ||
| Books appointments | AiraPartlyWith a supported scheduling connection it checks real availability | Bea by Be ConnectPartlyBooking into a connected calendar is real but needs the Business plan or above |
| Transfers to a person | AiraYesCalls transfer to your team and the agent briefs them with the caller's name | Bea by Be ConnectPartlyTransfers to your team are included from the entry plan and rule-driven |
| Human receptionists as backup | AiraNoEscalation goes to your own staff, not to a human agent working for Aira | Bea by Be ConnectNoNo human receptionists sit behind the AI |
| After-hours rules | AiraPartlyIt answers 24/7 including evenings, weekends and holidays | Bea by Be ConnectYesAnswering runs round the clock including public holidays |
| Urgent calls escalated | AiraYesPriority criteria you define trigger a transfer to a named person or number | Bea by Be ConnectPartlyEmergency recognition is configurable and escalation follows your rules |
| Texts your callers | AiraPartlyIt texts callers mid-call with a booking link, address or custom message | Bea by Be ConnectPartlyBea can send an SMS during call handling and do SMS follow-up on Pro |
| Call summary by text | AiraYesSummaries arrive by SMS, email or both straight after the call | Bea by Be ConnectPartlyA written summary follows every call, but the entry plan lists summaries |
| Language, privacy and trying it | ||
| Languages | AiraYes31 languages | Bea by Be ConnectNot stated |
| HIPAA, with a signed BAA | AiraNoThe vendor states plainly that it is not HIPAA covered and signs no BAA on any plan | Bea by Be ConnectNot stated |
| Hear it before you buy | AiraNot stated | Bea by Be ConnectPartlyThe site embeds switchable recorded demo scenarios and a 'Talk to Bea' widget |
| What it connects to | ||
| Google Calendar | AiraYesGoogle Calendar, Outlook and Calendly are all named for booking | Bea by Be ConnectNot stated |
| Outlook | AiraYesGoogle Calendar, Outlook and Calendly are all named for booking | Bea by Be ConnectNot stated |
| Calendly | AiraYesGoogle Calendar, Outlook and Calendly are all named for booking | Bea by Be ConnectNot stated |
| Your trade’s software | AiraPartlyField service and legal software are covered | Bea by Be ConnectPartlyThe only named third-party business system is Xero accounting on the Pro plan |
| Keep your number | AiraYesYou keep your existing business number and forward calls to Aira | Bea by Be ConnectYesYou keep your existing business number and forward it to Bea |
| In short | ||
| What it is | AiraAira is an AI phone answering service for small service businesses that answers calls 24/7, captures caller details, books appointments and routes or transfers callers. It is sold in four per-call plans alongside the vendor's other business agents.All answers for Aira | Bea by Be ConnectBea is an AI phone receptionist sold to New Zealand and Australian small businesses by telco Be Connect. It answers inbound calls around the clock, captures caller details, books appointments and transfers calls under rules the business configures.All answers for Bea by Be Connect |
| Checked | AiraOctober 14, 2026 | Bea by Be ConnectOctober 14, 2026 |
Costs are for 100 or 500 calls a month of 2½ minutes each, on the cheapest public plan. How we price
“About” figures are converted at the European Central Bank rate of Oct 15, 2026.