Does Grasshopper Have an AI Receptionist? Yes, as an Add-On From $95 a Month
By Sharrk Team · November 2, 2026
Yes. Grasshopper sells a virtual receptionist add-on that can be AI, human or a mix of both. It runs through Grasshopper's partner SmithAI and starts at $95 a month, on top of a Grasshopper plan that starts at $14 a month billed annually. The base phone plans don't answer calls with AI. They give you greetings, extensions, a phone menu, schedules and call forwarding, plus AI call summaries and transcripts after the call.
We make Sharrk, so weigh our take accordingly; competitor details below come from each company's own site, checked November 2, 2026.
Does Grasshopper have an AI receptionist?
Yes, as an add-on. Grasshopper's virtual receptionist page says it "has partnered with SmithAI, a best-in-class virtual receptionist solution." You can have calls handled "by AI, human, or a mix of both," and the AI receptionist "Starts at $95/month." The same page lists appointment scheduling, and call playbooks that can book appointments.
The add-ons page lists Virtual Receptionists with a first-month discount, with answers from "your choice of AI, human, or a hybrid." So the AI receptionist is something you add and pay for separately. It isn't built into the phone plan.
What does a Grasshopper plan include without the add-on?
Grasshopper is a virtual phone system for small businesses. Its about page lists three plans:
| Plan | Price (billed annually) | Users | Phone numbers | Extensions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| True Solo | $14/month | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Solo Plus | $25/month | Unlimited | 1 | 3 |
| Small Business | $55/month | Unlimited | 4 | Unlimited |
It shows only the annual price for Small Business. The pricing page offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card.
Add-on prices on Grasshopper's site:
- Extra numbers: $9 a month each
- Extra extensions: $3 a month each
- Call Blasting (rings every line at once): $9 a month
- Voice Studio (greetings recorded by voice actors): $75 per order
For call handling, the plans give you call forwarding, extensions, a phone menu, and schedules that send callers somewhere different when you're closed. Grasshopper's support article on schedules says you record an away greeting first, then set open and closed hours.
What AI features does Grasshopper have?
Besides the receptionist add-on, Grasshopper's AI information page (last updated September 2026) lists:
- AI call summaries: key points and next steps from calls
- AI call transcripts: recorded calls turned into searchable text
- AI sentiment insights: caller tone and urgency across calls and voicemails
- AI-generated welcome and voicemail greetings
These help you review calls after they happen. Without the receptionist add-on, nothing answers the caller, asks questions or books a job. An unanswered call still goes to voicemail or forwards to your cell.
Grasshopper vs. Sharrk: how do they compare?
| Sharrk | Grasshopper | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI voice and text agents that answer, qualify and book | Virtual phone system (numbers, extensions, forwarding) |
| AI answers calls | Yes, 24/7 | Only with the SmithAI virtual receptionist add-on |
| Starting price | Free plan ($0, 2,500 one-time credits); Core $99/month | Plans from $14/month billed annually; AI receptionist from $95/month on top |
| Books appointments | Sharrk's calendar, Calendly, Cal.com or ServiceTitan | Through the receptionist add-on |
| Live transfer to a person | Yes | Through the receptionist add-on |
| Replies to new web and marketplace leads | Under 30 seconds (Angi, Thumbtack, Networx, web forms, webhooks) | Not listed |
| Automated follow-up | Strikes (follow-up sequences) and email campaigns | Not listed |
Grasshopper's strength is the phone system itself: a business number on your cell, extensions and simple routing at a low monthly price. To get an AI that answers calls, you pay for two products, the phone plan and the receptionist add-on. For more on how the add-on's provider compares, see Sharrk vs. Smith.ai.
Can you use Grasshopper and an AI receptionist together?
Yes. Grasshopper has call forwarding built in, so you can keep your Grasshopper number and forward calls to another answering service. A common setup:
- Keep your Grasshopper number on your website, trucks and Google profile.
- Set a schedule so after-hours calls, or calls you don't pick up, forward to the AI receptionist's number.
- Have the AI answer, ask your intake questions, and book the job or transfer urgent calls to you.
- Test it: call your own number after hours and check that the booking shows up.
Our guide to forwarding calls to an answering service walks through the forwarding options. For a similar breakdown of another phone system, see does OpenPhone have an AI receptionist.
What should a home-service business look for in an AI receptionist?
Answering the phone is only part of it. For HVAC, plumbing, roofing and similar trades, check that the AI receptionist can:
- Ask the questions you need before quoting (address, problem, how urgent, homeowner or renter)
- Put the appointment on the calendar you already use
- Transfer emergencies to a person right away
- Reply to leads from forms and marketplaces, not just phone calls
- Follow up on quotes that went quiet
If a tool only answers calls and takes messages, you still end up calling people back yourself.
How does Sharrk handle this?
Sharrk answers calls 24/7, asks your quote questions, and books the estimate or job onto Sharrk's calendar, Calendly or Cal.com, or into ServiceTitan. It can live-transfer a caller to a person when needed. New leads from Angi, Thumbtack, Networx, web forms and webhooks get a reply in under 30 seconds, and Jobber clients come in as leads. Strikes (automated follow-up sequences) chase quotes that went quiet, and Hunts can reach out to past customers on lists you have consent to contact. See how an AI receptionist works for home-service businesses.
Mako, the AI assistant inside Sharrk, builds your agents, follow-up and campaigns from plain English. Tell it "answer calls forwarded from my Grasshopper number after 5 pm, book furnace repairs onto my Calendly, and transfer no-heat calls to me" and it drafts the agent; you approve the changes before anything goes live.
Sharrk Free is $0 with 2,500 one-time credits to build and test agents with Mako, no card needed. Core is $99 a month ($990 a year) with 47,500 credits a month. There are no contracts or setup fees. Start free or schedule a demo.
Related on Sharrk: AI receptionist for HVAC, AI answering service, How much does an AI receptionist cost?
Sources
- Grasshopper, Virtual Receptionist Services for Small Businesses, no date shown, checked November 2, 2026.
- Grasshopper, Add-On Features for Your Business Phone System, no date shown, checked November 2, 2026.
- Grasshopper, Information About Grasshopper, no date shown, checked November 2, 2026.
- Grasshopper, Grasshopper AI Information Page, last updated September 2026, checked November 2, 2026.
- Grasshopper, Pricing, no date shown, checked November 2, 2026.
- Grasshopper, Grasshopper Phone System Features, no date shown, checked November 2, 2026.
- Grasshopper Support, Create a schedule, no date shown, checked November 2, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Does Grasshopper have an AI receptionist?
Yes, as a paid add-on. Grasshopper partners with SmithAI for a virtual receptionist that can be AI, human or a mix, and the AI receptionist starts at $95 a month per Grasshopper's site.
How much does Grasshopper cost?
Grasshopper plans start at $14 a month billed annually. True Solo is $14, Solo Plus is $25 and Small Business is $55 a month billed annually.
Is the AI receptionist included in Grasshopper plans?
No. The virtual receptionist is listed as an add-on, with the AI option starting at $95 a month on top of your Grasshopper plan.
What AI features come with Grasshopper?
Grasshopper lists AI call summaries, AI call transcripts, AI sentiment insights and AI-generated greetings. These help after the call; answering calls with AI requires the receptionist add-on.
Can I keep my Grasshopper number and use a different AI receptionist?
Yes. Grasshopper includes call forwarding and schedules, so you can forward after-hours or unanswered calls to another AI receptionist's number while keeping your Grasshopper number.