SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com vs Dialbox
The short answer
- SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com costs least: $90 through sales a month for 100 calls and $450 through sales for 500.
- Pick SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com if you want the lower bill, their own people to take over a call or a connection to your trade’s software (from the MyAssistant plan).
- Pick Dialbox if you want text conversations with callers.
 SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comsmall businesses wanting cheap AI answering with a human receptionist still on the callVisit site |  DialboxCanadian service businesses whose owner misses calls while with a customerVisit site | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| At 100 calls a month | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com$90 through salesLowest | DialboxCA$129about $91 |
| At 500 calls a month | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com$450 through salesLowest | DialboxCA$699about $492 |
| Advertised from | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com$10 a month | DialboxCA$129 (about $91) a monthabout $91 |
| The advertised plan covers | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNot counted | DialboxThe CA$129 (about $91) plan covers all 100 calls. |
| Bills | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comper call | Dialboxper call |
| Keeps answering past your allowance | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesCalls past the plan allowance keep being answered and are billed as overage at $1.10 each | DialboxPartlyNo overage rate is published: inbound gets usage alerts and a small grace buffer |
| Free trial or plan | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comPartlyA seven-day AI call answering free trial runs on your real diverted line | DialboxPartlyA 7-day trial lets you set up, hear a test call and forward your real line before paying |
| Month to month, cancel online | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesBilling is a rolling monthly subscription with no lock-in and no cancellation fee | DialboxYesPlans are month to month, cancellation is done from the dashboard without a phone call |
| On the call | ||
| Books appointments | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comPartlyThe AI product is described as message-taking and transferring only | DialboxYesThe AI checks availability and confirms the booking during the call |
| Transfers to a person | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesThe AI can transfer a caller through to you | DialboxPartlyCalls transfer live to the right team member by intent |
| Human receptionists as backup | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesA live receptionist takes over whenever the AI is stuck or a caller asks for a person | DialboxNoThere is no vendor-staffed human team behind the AI |
| After-hours rules | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comPartlyThe AI answers around the clock, so there is no after-hours gap | DialboxYesAnswering runs 24/7 and after-hours behavior is configurable |
| Urgent calls escalated | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNot stated | DialboxYesThe AI detects an emergency from the caller's intent |
| Texts your callers | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNoOutbound SMS exists only to deliver messages to your own listed staff mobiles | DialboxYesTwo-way SMS and MMS are included on every plan |
| Call summary by text | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesA full call summary with caller name, contact details | DialboxPartlyMessage alerts can be sent by SMS, email or both and sync to the dashboard |
| Language, privacy and trying it | ||
| Languages | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comPartlyEnglish and Spanish | DialboxYesOver twenty languages on all plans with real-time detection and mid-call switching |
| HIPAA, with a signed BAA | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNot stated | DialboxNot stated |
| Hear it before you buy | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesA dedicated live demo number lets you talk to the Ginger AI agent about the service | DialboxYesA public demo number is published in the site header |
| What it connects to | ||
| Google Calendar | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNoGoogle Calendar and Outlook are not named anywhere | DialboxYesGoogle Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Calendly, Acuity |
| Outlook | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNoGoogle Calendar and Outlook are not named anywhere | DialboxYesGoogle Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Calendly, Acuity |
| Calendly | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesCalendly, Acuity Scheduling, Setmore and Square Appointments are supported | DialboxYesGoogle Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Calendly, Acuity |
| Your trade’s software | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comPartlyTrade tools named are Clio for law firms and ResDiary for hospitality | DialboxNoThe published integration catalog covers calendars, CRM and productivity tools only |
| Keep your number | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesYou keep your advertised business number and divert it to the receptionist number issued | DialboxYesKeeping your existing number and provider and forwarding calls is the recommended route |
| In short | ||
| What it is | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comAnsweringService.com SmartMessage is an AI phone receptionist that answers calls 24/7 in English or Spanish, takes messages and transfers callers. A live receptionist takes over any call the AI cannot handle.All answers for SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com | DialboxDialbox is a Canadian AI receptionist that answers calls around the clock, qualifies callers, books appointments, routes urgent requests and texts customers. It bundles a business phone line, website and SMS intake, and shared customer history into one subscription.All answers for Dialbox |
| Checked | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comOctober 14, 2026 | DialboxOctober 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.