Comparison
Beside alternatives: 7 options compared
Beside's app is well liked: 4.8 out of 5 from 9.2K ratings on the App Store (October 2026). The reasons to look at another AI receptionist or answering service are where it works and how it's priced: its lines are US and Canada only, and its $29 plan covers 30 AI-answered calls before the next step is $99.
At 75 two-minute calls a month, Beside costs $99 (October 2026). Below, seven alternatives, three of them with a phone app, with what each would cost at that volume, who each suits, and the catch.
The alternatives at a glance
| Service | Best for | Entry price | At 75 calls | Books and puts calls through at that price? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juney | Tradespeople in four countries, or 30 to 175 calls a month | $49 a month for 150 minutes | $49 | Yes |
| Rosie | A native app on top of a web dashboard | $49 a month for 250 minutes | $49 | Booking links by text; no booking or transfers |
| Ruby | Real people on every call, with an app | $250 a month for 50 minutes | $720 | Yes |
| Dialzara | UK or Australian numbers, set up on the web | $29 a month for 60 minutes | $72.20 | Blind transfers; no calendar sync |
| Frontdesk | Texting and a website chatbot in one bundle | $99 a month for 200 minutes | $99 | Yes |
| Upfirst | More languages and calendars, billed per call | $24.95 a month for 30 calls | $59.95 | Yes |
| Goodcall | Long calls and regular customers | $79 a month for 100 different callers | $79 | Yes |
US dollars a month, from each service's own pricing page (checked October 22, 2026). 75 calls of 2 minutes, on the cheapest plan for that month, before tax and carrier charges.
Why look for a Beside alternative?
Its reviews give few reasons. The App Store listing rates it 4.8 from 9.2K ratings; recent reviews praise it, with a few asking for features such as business hours or mentioning lag in conversations. Its Trustpilot page has four reviews (3.4), one describing a charge after canceling a trial (August 2026); too few to judge by. Both read October 2026.
The reasons are mostly in its plans and coverage:
- US and Canada only. Its business line, calls, texts and receptionist don't cover other countries.
- A big step after 30 calls. Baseline has no per-call rate past its cap, so the next option is the $99 plan.
- No trial on the entry plan. Baseline bills at checkout.
- Languages depend on the phone. Multilingual voices are iPhone only; on Android the receptionist speaks English.
When to stay with Beside: customers text you as much as they call, you run HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho or Follow Up Boss, several people share the line, or you take fewer than 30 or more than about 175 calls a month in the US or Canada.
The 7 alternatives
Juney: best for tradespeople in four countries, or 30 to 175 calls a month
Like Beside, it's run from a phone app, but with no web dashboard, and it's built for the trades. It answers business numbers in the US, UK, Australia and Canada by forwarding, so your number stays put. Instead of a 30-call cap it counts minutes, $49 a month for 150 minutes and top-ups of 100 for $20 after that: a 75-call month is $49 against Beside's $99. It books into Google Calendar, puts urgent callers through, and can ring you for about 15 seconds first.
The catch: calls only, with no text replies; English only; Google Calendar only; no CRM; one owner's app for now.
Rosie: best for a native app on top of a web dashboard
Rosie has a native iPhone and Android app with a call and text inbox, recordings and settings on the go, alongside the web dashboard where you set it up. It's $49 a month for 250 minutes, answers in English and Spanish, and offers a website texting add-on. At 75 calls it's $49.
The catch: that plan texts an appointment link but doesn't book or transfer; both start at $149. Its terms allow use in the US and Canada only, like Beside.
Ruby: best for real people on every call, with an app
Ruby has a phone app too, but puts people on the line: its receptionists answer every call, around the clock, and its well-rated native app covers calls, texts, routing and settings. There are no setup or activation fees. Billing is by the minute instead of Beside's flat plans, from $250 a month for 50 minutes, and a 75-call month of two-minute calls needs the 200-minute plan at $720.
The catch: it costs many times what an AI service does, and it serves the US, Canada and the US Caribbean only.
Dialzara: best for uK or Australian numbers, set up on the web
Dialzara offers US numbers, with UK and Australian numbers on request, so it's one of the few options here outside North America. It's $29 a month for 60 minutes, with transfers on that plan; calendar sync with Google or Outlook, warm transfers and Spanish start at $99. At 75 calls it's $72.20, or $99 with booking.
The catch: no app on either store, so setup and everything after it is in a web dashboard.
Frontdesk: best for texting and a website chatbot in one bundle
Frontdesk (formerly My AI Front Desk) is the closest match here for Beside's texting: its one plan, $99 a month for 200 minutes, includes two-way texting with 400 texts and a website chatbot with 100 conversations, plus transfers and 20+ languages. At 75 calls it's $99, and its pricing page says its 7-day trial needs no card; its terms say usage fees apply and a subscription starts automatically afterward.
The catch: it's a responsive web app with no native store listing, bookings go into its own calendar (synced with Google), and extra minutes come from credit top-ups.
Upfirst: best for more languages and calendars, billed per call
Upfirst lists 35+ languages on every plan and books into Google, Outlook, Calendly, Acuity, Square and Clio. Unlike Beside, its overflow mode uses carrier forwarding for the calls you don't answer. It's $24.95 a month for 30 calls, and doesn't bill spam or calls under 15 seconds, so 75 calls cost $59.95.
The catch: it's set up on the web, it answers calls rather than texts (it can send a text during a call), and busy months climb: $119.95 at 150 calls.
Goodcall: best for long calls and regular customers
Goodcall bills per different caller rather than on Beside's flat plans: $79 a month for 100 different callers, with no minute limit, and a repeat caller counts once. That puts 75 calls from about 60 people at $79, against Beside's uncapped $99. It books into Google Calendar, can take missed calls using carrier no-answer forwarding (Beside rings its app instead), and transfers work down a list of up to three people.
The catch: English only, set up in the browser rather than an app, a demo agent instead of a timed trial, and its FAQ describes its numbers as local US numbers.
Which Beside alternative should you pick?
- You're in Australia or the UK: Juney, or Dialzara on request.
- You want an app, not a dashboard: Juney, Rosie (with a dashboard behind it) or Ruby (human receptionists).
- Customers text as much as they call: Frontdesk, or stay with Beside.
- Callers speak other languages: Upfirst.
- Your calls are long or from regulars: Goodcall.
- Some callers need a real person: Ruby.
How to Set Up an AI Receptionist Without a Computer covers what to check if you want to run it all from your phone, and Missed Call Text Back vs Answering the Call explains where texting fits next to answering.
How do you switch from Beside?
- Check where your number lives. If you ported it to Beside, ask how to move it back to a phone carrier before you rely on forwarding elsewhere.
- Decide what happens to texts: most alternatives answer calls only.
- Start the new service's trial while Beside is still answering.
- Test it with calls of your own: a booking, a price question, an urgent job.
- Move your forwarding and watch the first week's call notes.
- Cancel Beside where you subscribed: in the App Store or Google Play if you bought it there.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Beside alternative for Australia or the UK?
Yes. Juney works with business numbers in Australia, the UK, the US and Canada, and Dialzara offers UK and Australian numbers on request (October 2026). Beside's lines are US and Canada only.
Which Beside alternatives have a phone app?
Juney is set up and run entirely in its app, with no web dashboard. Rosie has a native app alongside its dashboard, and Ruby, a human service, has one for calls and routing. The others here are set up on the web.
Which Beside alternative handles texts?
Frontdesk's one plan includes two-way texting with 400 texts a month and a website chatbot (October 2026). Juney answers calls only; the booking links and follow-ups she texts are no-reply.
What does Beside cost after 30 calls?
Beside's $29 plan covers 30 AI-answered calls and has no pay-as-you-go rate, so past that you move to its $99 plan, which has no cap (October 2026). At 75 two-minute calls, Juney costs $49.
