Feeling overwhelmed by all the options when choosing between Retell and Smith AI? You’re not alone—sifting through long lists of features, confusing pricing, and mixed reviews can make anyone’s head spin. But don’t worry—by the end of this article, you’ll have everything you need to make a confident choice. We’ll be breaking down:
Key features, pros, and cons of Retell and Smith AI
Easy pricing comparisons and what real users are saying
Who each tool is best for, plus a BETTER alternative you won’t want to miss
We’ll keep it simple, helpful, and focused on what matters most to you. Ready to clear the confusion? Let’s jump in!
Why Ringly.io is the better choice ; )
Built for e-commerce
With experience in both AI and e-commerce, we set out become the best AI phone agent platform for online stores.
Stupid-simple user interface
Super easy to work with, and you can set up things even if you're not tech savvy. If you create a free account you can see it for yourself though!
Quick and easy setup
Pre-built AI phone agents and will have your online store automated in minutes- not hours.
Retell vs Smith AI – TL;DR
Product Area
Retell
Smith AI
Ringly.io
Setup & Onboarding
Engineering skills needed
Fast, non-technical onboarding
Minutes, no coding required
AI vs. Human Handling
AI-only calls
Mainly live agents
Advanced AI, no humans
E-commerce Tools
Standard cart/order support
No native cart/order tools
Best abandoned cart/order support
Integrations
APIs, some no-code tools
CRM/calendars; tech help needed
7,000+ no-code integrations
Pricing & Flexibility
Usage, no platform fees
Premium; per-call/chat fees
Simple, month-to-month
Analytics & Insights
Basic call stats
Summaries after calls
Real-time, detailed analytics
User Experience
Natural AI, but tech-heavy
Professional, human service
Very human-like, fast AI
Retell - a quick overview
Founded in 2023 in Saratoga, California by Todd Li, Evie Wang, Bing Wu, Weijia Yu, and Zexia Zhang, Retell AI is transforming business communication with advanced AI phone agents. The platform empowers organizations to build and deploy human-like voice agents for contact centers and customer service operations—offering features like real-time call routing, multilingual support, CRM integrations, appointment management, knowledge base integration, and seamless telephony compatibility.
Retell AI’s scalable architecture supports businesses of all sizes with pay-as-you-go pricing and robust monitoring tools for optimizing agent performance. Recognized as an outperformer among leading voice AI platforms by CB Insights and included in multiple expert collections on artificial intelligence innovation, Retell has quickly gained traction among developers and enterprises seeking efficient customer engagement solutions. In the next section we’ll compare Retell’s features, pros/cons, pricing models, and user reviews against Smith AI and Ringly.io to help you choose the best fit for your needs.
Retell's features
AI-Only Call Handling Retell is a fully AI-driven phone agent platform, meaning all customer calls are handled by artificial intelligence without human backup. This can be efficient for straightforward queries but may struggle with complex or sensitive issues where Smith AI’s live agent fallback or Ringly.io’s smart transfer options provide more flexibility.
Knowledge Base Integration You can upload business information to Retell so its AI agents answer questions using your content. This helps reduce misinformation and repetitive queries, similar to Smith AI and Ringly.io. However, unlike Ringly.io, Retell does not highlight daily auto-updates from your website or advanced context handling for e-commerce specifics.
Abandoned Cart Recovery Calls Retell offers automated outbound calls to recover abandoned carts—a valuable feature for e-commerce brands looking to boost sales. While this matches both Smith AI and Ringly.io in basic function, Ringly.io stands out by reporting over 35% recovery rates and providing proven templates that work across major platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce.
Order Status Checking During Calls Customers can call in and ask about their order status; Retell’s system checks this mid-call through integrations with platforms like Shopify. This reduces manual lookups but doesn’t offer the real-time conversational updates or friendly explanations found in Ringly.io’s approach.
Call Transfer (AI Routing) Retell supports smart call transfers based on triggers you set—helpful when a query is too complex for the bot alone. However, it lacks the nuanced warm/cold transfer options with detailed summaries that help teams prepare before taking over a call as seen with Smith AI and especially with Ringly.io.
SMS Sending During Calls The platform allows sending text messages (links, codes) while on a call—removing friction from processes like checkout or support follow-ups. While effective, personalization options are less robust than those offered by competitors who let you use dynamic variables for tailored messaging mid-conversation.
Custom Actions & Integrations You can connect Retell to other business tools via no-code integrations (like Zapier), enabling actions such as ticket creation during calls. While useful for automating workflows, the breadth of supported custom actions appears narrower compared to what power users achieve on platforms like Ringly.io which boasts 7,000+ integrations.
AI Voicemails Retell automatically detects voicemail boxes during outbound calls and leaves pre-set messages instead of hanging up silently—a standard feature among leading solutions today but lacking advanced personalization found elsewhere.
Call Analysis Dashboard A dashboard provides insights into why calls succeed/fail using basic analytics such as resolution status or mood detection. For deeper insights—like keyword searchability across transcripts or actionable improvement suggestions—Ringly.io delivers more comprehensive analysis tools that drive continuous optimization.
Automations & Workflow Triggers End-to-end workflow automation lets you trigger phone journeys from external systems via API/Zapier connections—a must-have for scaling support without extra staff overheads. Still, ease-of-use remains an area where other products shine: setup speed is often slower than “minutes-not-hours” onboarding promised by top competitors.
In summary: Retell covers all core features expected of modern AI phone agents—including knowledge base use, cart recovery calling, order tracking integration, SMS sending during conversations, custom action triggers via Zapier/Make.com-style connectors—and offers solid automation capabilities suited for growing businesses focused on efficiency over deep customization or human touchpoints.
Retell Pros and Cons
Easy to use – Users consistently praise how simple it is to set up voice agents with an intuitive dashboard that makes onboarding fast.
Excellent customer support – Many reviewers highlight the responsive support team, noting quick help with integration or troubleshooting.
Seamless integration – The platform integrates well with APIs and major voice tech providers (like Eleven Labs, Deepgram, Twilio), making it easy to build custom solutions.
Fast response times – Voice agents respond quickly in conversations, which helps reduce call volumes for human teams and improves customer satisfaction.
Flexible pricing model – No platform fees; users only pay for API usage. This makes it cost-effective compared to some competitors.
Frequent updates & improvements – New features are released regularly as the product evolves rapidly in response to user needs.
High-quality conversational AI – The natural-sounding voices often make customers forget they’re speaking with an AI agent; this boosts engagement rates.
Missing or limited features – Some users mention gaps in functionality that can hinder scaling or require workarounds (e.g., limited customization options for certain voices).
Occasional latency issues – There are reports of delays during calls that can impact the overall experience when handling high volumes or complex interactions.
Engineering-heavy setup required – While powerful for developers, non-engineering teams may find deployment challenging due to a lack of no-code tools or visual builders. This slows down iteration if you don’t have technical resources available—a drawback Ringly.io addresses by offering more accessible workflows out-of-the-box.
Limited number of deployable agents at once – Some reviewers note restrictions on how many voice agents can be run simultaneously without additional configuration or costs.
Unresponsive to feature requests at times – A few users feel their feedback isn’t always acted upon quickly enough by the vendor’s product team—something Ringly.io strives to improve through transparent roadmaps and open communication channels with customers.
These insights reflect what actual Retell customers experience day-to-day: a robust engineering-focused platform that excels in flexibility but may require extra effort from less technical teams. Where these drawbacks exist—especially around ease-of-use for non-developers—Ringly.io aims to provide smoother onboarding and broader accessibility without sacrificing power.
Founded in 2015 in Los Altos, California, Smith.ai was created by Aaron Lee and Justin Maxwell, veterans from tech giants like Google, Apple, and Home Depot. The company specializes in AI-driven virtual receptionist services that handle calls, texts, web chats, lead qualification, appointment scheduling, and customer intake to help businesses save time and grow efficiently.
Serving over 3,000 customers with a team of more than 600 employees across North America, Smith.ai blends advanced AI technology with live agents to provide seamless customer engagement around the clock. Their platform integrates with CRMs and calendars for smooth workflow automation while supporting multiple communication channels.
In the following section, we’ll explore Smith.ai’s features, pros and cons, pricing models, and user reviews compared to Retell AI and Ringly.io to help you understand how these solutions stack up for your business needs.
Smith AI's features
Virtual Receptionists – Smith AI offers 24/7 live virtual receptionists who answer calls, screen leads, schedule appointments, and transfer calls to your team. This is ideal for businesses needing a human touch on every call and ensures no opportunity is missed. Unlike Retell’s fully automated voice agents or Ringly.io’s advanced AI phone agents that can handle complex queries with real-time knowledge base integration, Smith AI relies on trained human agents for nuanced conversations.
Call Screening & Spam Blocking – Their system automatically screens out spam and unwanted calls before they reach your business. This saves time for busy teams by ensuring only qualified callers get through. While Retell uses branded caller ID and spam prevention in its outbound campaigns, Ringly.io focuses more on customer engagement automation rather than manual screening.
Lead Qualification & Intake – Smith AI receptionists qualify leads using custom scripts tailored to your business needs, collecting essential information before passing them along. This helps sales teams focus only on high-value prospects. In contrast, Retell allows deep workflow customization via APIs but requires technical setup, while Ringly.io automates lead capture directly from phone interactions using up-to-date website content—removing the need for manual script updates.
Appointment Scheduling – The platform integrates with popular calendar tools (like Google Calendar) to book appointments in real time during calls or chats. This reduces back-and-forth scheduling friction—a feature also available in both Retell (via workflow automation) and Ringly.io (as part of broader call automations), though Ringly.io enables end-to-end booking flows triggered by customer actions without any agent intervention.
Outbound Calling Campaigns – Smith AI can make outbound follow-up calls to web form submissions or missed callers, helping businesses re-engage potential clients quickly. While this matches some of Retell’s batch campaign capabilities, it lacks the abandoned cart recovery automation found in Ringly.io—which proactively recovers lost sales through personalized follow-up calls tied directly into e-commerce platforms.
Multichannel Support (Phone & Chat) – Their service covers both phone answering and website chat support under one roof, providing a unified experience across channels. Retell supports omni-channel workflows including SMS integration, but typically requires more technical configuration; meanwhile, Ringly.io extends multichannel engagement further by enabling instant SMS follow-ups during live calls—removing friction from checkout or support processes entirely.
CRM Integration & Call Summaries – All call data syncs with major CRMs like Salesforce or HubSpot so you never lose track of conversations; detailed summaries are provided after each interaction for easy review by your team. While both competitors offer CRM integrations—Retell via API/workflow builder and Ringly.io through no-code connectors—the latter stands out by auto-generating actionable insights from every call using advanced conversation analysis tools built-in as standard.
Bilingual/Multilingual Support – Smith AI provides bilingual receptionist services (English/Spanish), making it accessible to a wider audience segment without extra setup required from users—a useful feature also present in Retell’s multilingual voice agent capabilities supporting over seven languages out-of-the-box. However, unlike either competitor's automated translation pipelines that update dynamically based on caller language preference (as seen with Retell), Smith relies primarily on staffing availability per language pair.
Smith AI excels at blending live human expertise with basic automation across inbound/outbound calling scenarios—making it an approachable choice if you want hands-on control without heavy tech investment upfront. For businesses seeking deeper self-service options powered entirely by their own knowledge base content—with daily updates—and robust e-commerce automations like abandoned cart recovery or instant order status checks over the phone, solutions like Ringly.io deliver greater efficiency at scale while reducing repetitive workload even further than hybrid models allow.
Pros
Professionalism & Quality of Service – Users consistently praise Smith AI’s virtual receptionists for being professional, detailed, and courteous with callers. This high level of service reflects well on client businesses.
Responsiveness & Reliability – Many reviewers highlight that calls are answered promptly and reliably—even during peak times or when in-house staff are unavailable—helping businesses avoid missed leads.
No Long-Term Contracts & Flexible Plans – Clients appreciate the month-to-month contracts with no long-term commitment required, making it easy to try out the service without risk.
User-Friendly Setup & Integration – The onboarding process is described as smooth, with easy integration into existing workflows (including CRM systems), plus clear chat transcripts sent via email.
Spam Filtering Saves Money & Time – Several users note that spam or non-lead calls aren’t billed against their plan limits—a cost-saving feature not always found elsewhere.
Bilingual Support Available (English/Spanish) – The option for bilingual agents is a standout benefit for businesses serving diverse clientele.
24/7 Availability Across Channels (Phone & Chat) – Businesses value having both phone answering and live chat support available around-the-clock to capture every lead—even after hours or on weekends.
Cons
Pricing Can Be High For Small Businesses or Startups – Multiple reviews mention that while ROI can be strong, pricing feels premium—especially if you have low call volumes or are just starting out. Some features require higher-tier plans to access.
Sporadic Missed Calls During Off-Hours/Weekends Reported By Some Users – While rare according to most feedback, a few users have experienced occasional missed calls outside regular business hours.
No Dedicated Mobile App Yet – There’s currently no standalone mobile app; notifications come via email or CRM integrations instead. This can be less convenient if you prefer managing everything from your phone on-the-go.
Certain Technical Questions May Stump Live Chat Agents – A few clients noted that live chat agents sometimes struggle with highly technical questions unless provided very specific scripts or training upfront.
A Few Limitations With Customization Of Widgets Or Scripts – Some reviewers wish there were more options to customize how the chat widget appears on their website or tweak scripts further without contacting support.
AI-Generated Responses Sometimes Feel Robotic If Not Fine-Tuned – Automated responses may occasionally sound unnatural unless carefully tailored by the business owner first.
Pricing - Retell vs Smith AI
Note: The pricing information below is accurate at the time of writing and may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date pricing, please visit each company's pricing page.
Overage Fees: Virtual Receptionist: ~$3.75–$4.25 per extra call depending on plan. Live Chat: ~$6–$7 per extra chat depending on plan.
Key Features by Plan: All plans include spam blocking, lead capture/screening, CRM/calendar integrations (first integration free), after-hours handling options. Higher tiers offer more included volume and additional routing/customization options.
Contract Length: Month-to-month billing; no long-term contracts required for any product. Users can upgrade/downgrade or cancel at any time with no penalties—just finish out the current prepaid month.
Annual Discount: Yes — Save 10% if you commit to a full year upfront.
Cancellation Fees / Penalties: No cancellation or downgrade fees; simply finish your current billing period if you cancel mid-cycle.
Refund Policy / Money-back Guarantee: Yes — New clients get a risk-free trial with a money-back guarantee: Full refund of first payment within the first 14 days of service (up to $1,000), excluding overages. Applies to all standard plans for both receptionist and chat services. No refunds after this window closes.
Overage charges apply only when you exceed your monthly quota.
Spam/junk calls/chats are not billed as long as caller ID is enabled or spam is reported/blockable.
Custom high-volume plans are available upon request.
This summary reflects Smith.ai’s published pricing structure as of June 2025. For detailed feature breakdowns or custom quotes beyond standard tiers, consult their official website or sales team directly.
Ringly.io pricing
Ringly.io has simple, usage-based pricing with no hidden fees or long-term commitments. Test drive it risk-free for 14 days, then scale up or down on month-to-month terms—or book a demo for fully tailored enterprise support.
Average Rating: Not explicitly stated, but reviews are generally positive with some notable criticisms.
Platforms with Reviews: G2 (no verified reviews found on Capterra, Trustpilot, or Product Hunt as of now).
What users are saying about Retell:
"Easy to build" – Anonymous Reviewer, Tech Lead The tool offers a unique combination of products out there delivering a ready-to-use voice AI... It's easy to build, integrate and manage the Voice AI. They've been providing us with support regularly as we use the tool literally on a daily basis...
"Not a reliable vendor" – Anonymous Reviewer The product is the same as others on the market -- we would switch instantly if there were no switching cost, these guys are not a reliable vendor...
Other highlights from G2 include praise for low latency and natural-sounding conversations, but some users mention occasional latency issues and slow responses to feature requests. There is also feedback that while customer service is strong, rapid changes can be disruptive due to its startup nature.
Smith.ai
Total Reviews: 34 (Capterra)
Average Rating: 4.7/5 (Capterra)
Platforms with Reviews: Capterra (no verified reviews found on G2 or Trustpilot at this time).
What users are saying about Smith.ai:
"A huge asset" – Anonymous Reviewer My experience with the Chat Service and Smith altogether has been tremendous... Their customer support is outstanding, personalized and very quick...
"Clients could not understand..." – Anonymous Reviewer There were a few calls where clients complained that they could not understand the person answering the phone and that message was incorrect...
Other reviewers highlight easy setup, helpful integrations for law firms in particular, customizable chatbots that reduce workload for staff, but note confusion between live agents vs bots for end-users and rare instances where after-hours bots get confused. Some critical comments mention inconsistent call quality compared to competitors.
*Retell's average rating isn't clearly published; sentiment appears mostly positive but mixed regarding reliability.
If you need more in-depth comparisons or additional review sources become available in future updates—especially from Trustpilot or Product Hunt—they should be checked before making any final decisions. Always approach new platforms carefully if independent user feedback remains limited.
What users are saying about Ringly.io:
Ringly.io is known for its simplicity, and a focus on e-commerce, with features like abandoned cart recovery and order status lookups. It has a 4.8 star rating from 12 reviews on Product Hunt and other platforms.
"it stands out significantly ahead" - Bertrand, Director. We are at the initial stage of testing and have made only a few calls so far. Consequently, I have rated the product with four stars for now. However, I must express that the product has shown significant promise. When compared to competitors, it stands out significantly ahead.
"This is such a great product" - Jim Miranda, Founder. This is such a great product. I have been with you for less than a week and already closed 3 deals with it."
"It really sounds like a human" - Laix, Founder. Tried Ringly.io today and the quality of the phone calls surprises me! It really sounds like a human, and it reacts really fast. Will need to deploy it in action to see the full capabilities.
Tech-savvy teams and developers who want full control over their AI voice agents and aren’t afraid to get technical with integrations and workflows.
Businesses looking for pure AI automation where all calls are handled by artificial intelligence, with limited need for live human backup.
Companies wanting flexible, usage-based pricing without platform fees or commitment, making it easy to scale as needed and only pay for what you use.
Startups or brands comfortable troubleshooting and iterating fast, who value new features and quick platform improvements but can handle a “move fast” environment.
Who Smith AI is best for…
Small to midsize service businesses (like law firms, home services, or clinics) who need a real human touch on every call and prefer talking to live agents.
Companies with higher budgets who want a tried-and-true, high quality receptionist service that takes care of lead screening, appointment booking, and call transfer—no matter the time of day.
Teams that prefer traditional workflows and less tech setup, with easy onboarding and reliable support instead of heavy customization or complex automations.
Businesses needing bilingual agents or strong spam filtering, especially in English and Spanish, to make sure everyone gets a great caller experience.
Who Ringly.io is best for…
E-commerce brands of any size that want to automate customer service, recover abandoned carts, and let customers check order status right over the phone—without any extra work.
Modern online businesses who need a smart AI that learns from their website and updates daily, so answers are always fresh and accurate.
Teams with limited technical resources (or just want it to “work out of the box”)—Ringly.io offers fast onboarding, powerful workflows, and no-code integrations, making setup a breeze.
Companies ready to scale—from solo shops to fast-growing enterprises—thanks to simple, monthly pricing, instant free trial, and over 7,000 integrations with tools you already use.
While all three products have their strengths, Ringly.io stands out as the best all-around choice for most businesses. You get modern AI that sounds human, easy setup, proven e-commerce tools like cart recovery, and a friendly platform that grows with you—without the technical headaches or high costs found elsewhere.
Why Ringly.io is a Better Choice
Highly Rated: 4.8/5
Founded in 2024 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, by Maurizio Isendoorn and Ruben Boonzaaijer, Ringly.io is revolutionizing e-commerce customer service with AI phone agents. Designed for online businesses, Ringly handles customer calls on autopilot—solving support issues, recovering abandoned carts, and even boosting sales—at just 20% of the cost of human agents.
With 1,300+ customers, Ringly.io is the go-to solution for e-commerce stores looking to scale without scaling their support team. With award-winning technology (BubbleCon 2024's "Most Innovative App"), Ringly.io transforms your phone system into a revenue-driving powerhouse—without the headaches of traditional call centers.
Features that make Ringly.io the #1 alternative to Retell and Smith AI:
No-code setup, instant results – Ringly.io is ready to go in minutes. Just add your website, docs, or text—no engineering required—and your AI phone agent instantly understands your business. It even updates automatically as your website changes.
AI-powered sales & support – Ringly.io does both inbound and outbound calls. Recover 35%+ of abandoned carts with automated follow-up calls, provide real-time order tracking from Shopify, and convert more customers with personalized AI-driven conversations—not just reactive support.
Advanced analytics for smarter decisions – Ringly.io gives you real-time call data, customer intent tracking, and performance reports—helping you optimize support and sales strategies.
Scalable pricing without enterprise contracts – Ringly.io offers transparent, scalable pricing—pay for what you use, no locked-in contracts.
Conclusion: Choosing Your Next AI Phone Agent
Picking the right AI phone solution comes down to your team’s skills, business goals, and how hands-on you want to be with your customer support. All three tools—Retell, Smith AI, and Ringly.io—bring something unique to the table, but one stands out as the clear winner for modern online businesses looking for instant results.
Retell: Best for tech-focused teams who want full control and don’t mind rolling up their sleeves. Retell is flexible, developer-friendly, and competitively priced, but may feel overwhelming for non-engineers or fast-paced e-commerce teams who want a turnkey solution.
Smith AI: Ideal if you need that human touch. Smith AI combines live agents with basic automation—great for service-based businesses and those wanting white-glove professionalism. However, it comes at a premium cost and lacks instant AI-driven features that supercharge sales or real-time order handling.
Ringly.io: The top choice for most e-commerce and modern digital brands. With an unbeatable blend of easy setup, real human-like conversations, e-commerce-ready tools (like abandoned cart recovery and instant order lookups), and no-code simplicity, Ringly.io puts powerful phone automation in anyone's hands—no IT department required.
So, when should you choose each one?
Use Retell if your team loves tinkering with APIs, needs custom call flows, and is comfortable with occasional DIY troubleshooting.
Use Smith AI if you need live agents answering every call, 24/7 bilingual support, and are willing to pay extra for white-glove service.
Choose Ringly.io if you want a ready-to-go, AI-powered phone agent that instantly understands your business, drives sales, and keeps customers happy—without technical headaches or long onboarding times.
At the end of the day, all three options can help your business. But for forward-thinking brands that want to automate, scale, and delight customers from day one—Ringly.io is the clear winner.
Ready to see it in action? Start your free trial today and join the next generation of AI-powered customer engagement.
Want to compare other players in the market? Check out our other comparisons:
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