SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com vs KiwiAgent.ai
The short answer
- KiwiAgent.ai costs least: NZ$147 (about $82) a month for 100 calls and NZ$692 (about $388) for 500.
- SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com has the lowest advertised price, $10, but costs $90 through sales at 100 calls.
- Pick SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com if you want their own people to take over a call or a connection to your trade’s software (from the MyAssistant plan).
- Pick KiwiAgent.ai if you want the lower bill or bookings made during the call.
 SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comsmall businesses wanting cheap AI answering with a human receptionist still on the callVisit site |  KiwiAgent.aiNZ trades, salons, cafes and clinics that miss calls while workingVisit site | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| At 100 calls a month | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com$90 through sales | KiwiAgent.aiNZ$147about $82Lowest |
| At 500 calls a month | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com$450 through sales | KiwiAgent.aiNZ$692about $388Lowest |
| Advertised from | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.com$10 a month | KiwiAgent.aiFree, then NZ$49 (about $27) a monthabout $27 |
| The advertised plan covers | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNot counted | KiwiAgent.aiThe NZ$49 (about $27) plan covers 33 of 100 calls.67 cost extra. |
| Bills | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comper call | KiwiAgent.aiper minute |
| 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 | KiwiAgent.aiYesPast the plan allowance every extra minute is a flat NZ$0.49 (about $0.27) plus GST on all paid plans |
| Free trial or plan | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comPartlyA seven-day AI call answering free trial runs on your real diverted line | KiwiAgent.aiPartlyA standing free plan gives 30 answered minutes every month with no card |
| Month to month, cancel online | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesBilling is a rolling monthly subscription with no lock-in and no cancellation fee | KiwiAgent.aiYesMonthly plans are month to month and cancellable from the dashboard or by email |
| On the call | ||
| Books appointments | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comPartlyThe AI product is described as message-taking and transferring only | KiwiAgent.aiYesThe agent checks the connected calendar during the call |
| Transfers to a person | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesThe AI can transfer a caller through to you | KiwiAgent.aiYesCalls can be routed to a team member and the AI briefs that person on who is calling |
| Human receptionists as backup | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesA live receptionist takes over whenever the AI is stuck or a caller asks for a person | KiwiAgent.aiNoNo vendor-staffed human agents sit behind the AI |
| After-hours rules | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comPartlyThe AI answers around the clock, so there is no after-hours gap | KiwiAgent.aiYesBehavior can differ by time of day, with separate rules for business hours |
| Urgent calls escalated | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNot stated | KiwiAgent.aiPartlyUrgent callers are escalated to a mobile or an on-call roster |
| Texts your callers | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNoOutbound SMS exists only to deliver messages to your own listed staff mobiles | KiwiAgent.aiPartlyThe agent sends outbound SMS confirmations, booking reminders and summaries |
| Call summary by text | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesA full call summary with caller name, contact details | KiwiAgent.aiYesCall messages and summaries are pushed straight after the call by email |
| Language, privacy and trying it | ||
| Languages | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comPartlyEnglish and Spanish | KiwiAgent.aiNot stated |
| HIPAA, with a signed BAA | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNot stated | KiwiAgent.aiNot 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 | KiwiAgent.aiYesYou can talk to the demo agent in the browser or have it ring your phone |
| What it connects to | ||
| Google Calendar | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNoGoogle Calendar and Outlook are not named anywhere | KiwiAgent.aiNoGoogle Calendar and Outlook are named in prose as live calendar syncs |
| Outlook | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comNoGoogle Calendar and Outlook are not named anywhere | KiwiAgent.aiNoGoogle Calendar and Outlook are named in prose as live calendar syncs |
| Calendly | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesCalendly, Acuity Scheduling, Setmore and Square Appointments are supported | KiwiAgent.aiNoGoogle Calendar and Outlook are named in prose as live calendar syncs |
| Your trade’s software | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comPartlyTrade tools named are Clio for law firms and ResDiary for hospitality | KiwiAgent.aiNoNo trade or practice software is supported |
| Keep your number | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comYesYou keep your advertised business number and divert it to the receptionist number issued | KiwiAgent.aiYesYou keep your existing business number and forward it to the KiwiAgent number |
| 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 | KiwiAgent.aiKiwiAgent.ai is a New Zealand AI phone answering service that answers business calls around the clock, books appointments, takes messages and transfers callers to staff. The team configures each agent from a contact-form inquiry rather than self-serve signup.All answers for KiwiAgent.ai |
| Checked | SmartMessage by AnsweringService.comOctober 14, 2026 | KiwiAgent.aiOctober 15, 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.