8 Best AI Tools for Answering Phone Calls in 2025 (Perfect for SMBs)

51% of consumers now prefer bots over humans for instant service—and for small and medium-sized businesses, that shift is game-changing.

AI answering services give SMBs the ability to handle inbound calls automatically, 24/7, with no need to hire extra staff. In 2025, these tools are smarter than ever—using voice AI to personalize conversations, route calls intelligently, and even follow up automatically.

Let’s take a look at the top AI answering solutions SMBs are turning to this year.

Key Takeaways

• AI answering services give SMBs 24/7 coverage without the cost of hiring extra staff, improving customer responsiveness and retention.
• Modern AI phone answering tools now offer natural conversations, smart routing, and CRM integration—making them far more than just voicemail.
• 76% of customers call to talk to a real person—but with the right AI, businesses can meet that need instantly, even outside working hours

8 Best AI Answering Phone Calls Solutions for

1. Rosie

Rosie is one of the most intuitive AI answering services on the market. It learns from your company’s website, reviews, and documents to provide tailored, human-like responses. Rosie can book appointments, follow up with texts, and even escalate emotional or complex calls to human agents.

Features & Benefits:

• Learns from your business data automatically
• Books appointments, asks for reviews, sends follow-ups
• Emotion-aware responses and seamless escalation
• Easy call forwarding via a dedicated Rosie number

Best for: SMBs that want fast setup and a natural-sounding AI receptionist

2. CloudTalk

CloudTalk stands out for its dual focus: AI-driven outbound calling and automated inbound call handling via a built-in auto-attendant system.

On the outbound side, CloudTalk’s AI Voice Agent helps sales, support, and operations teams automate repetitive tasks like lead qualification, appointment confirmations, and customer follow-ups—freeing your team to focus on high-value work.

For inbound calls, CloudTalk offers a fully customizable Auto Attendant phone system that greets callers, plays messages, and routes calls based on time, intent, or team availability. 

While it’s not yet a full conversational AI, it provides the same core routing functionality you’d expect from a virtual receptionist. CloudTalk also integrates seamlessly with 40 including Salesforce, Hubspot, Zendesk and Pipedrive. 

Features & Benefits:

• AI-powered outbound call automation for sales and support
• Inbound call answering and routing with customizable Auto Attendant
• Lead follow-ups, scheduling, and CRM-integrated call flows
• Smart dialers, call tagging, and analytics dashboards
• Built for SaaS, legal, healthcare, education, and more

Best for: SMBs that want to automate both outbound conversations and inbound call routing without sacrificing personalization

3. Zendesk Answer Bot

Zendesk Answer Bot enhances customer support with built-in AI that integrates deeply with its broader platform. It can handle voice, chat, and email, create summaries, route calls intelligently, and generate personalized responses based on its massive CX dataset.

Features & Benefits:

• Generative AI for summaries & transcriptions
• Intelligent call routing
• Unified voice + chat experience
• Works out of the box for Zendesk users

Best for: Zendesk customers needing AI to scale across multiple channels

4. RingCentral Virtual Receptionist

RingCentral’s virtual receptionist handles customer queries using conversational AI and transfers calls when needed. It offers real-time routing, appointment scheduling, and live agent fallback—all backed by RingCentral’s reliable phone service.

Features & Benefits:

• Human-like conversations
• Appointment setting & basic support
• Call routing & escalation
• CRM-friendly integrations

Best for: SMBs already using RingCentral for voice and messaging

5. Goodcall

Goodcall is a GPT-powered voice AI that answers FAQs, routes calls, and even captures leads—without missing a single call. It supports unlimited simultaneous conversations and connects with tools like Zapier and major CRMs.

Features & Benefits:

• Unlimited call volume at one price
• Smart routing + appointment scheduling
• CRM and Zapier integrations\
• Lead capture during calls

Best for: Small teams needing scalable, cost-effective AI phone coverage

6. Abby Connect

Abby Connect blends live receptionists with AI analysis, giving businesses the warmth of human service with the insights of AI. It’s highly personalized and designed for law firms, healthcare providers, and high-touch customer environments.

Features & Benefits:

• Live receptionist support
• AI-assisted personalization and insights
• 24/7 availability

Best for: Legal, medical, or luxury service SMBs needing a personal touch

7. IsOn24

IsOn24 acts as a voice, SMS, and online chat assistant—capable of scheduling, messaging, and answering calls in natural language. With voice cloning and a simple setup, it’s great for trades, salons, and hospitality.

Features & Benefits:

• 24/7 virtual receptionist
• Call, chat, and SMS support
• Personalized voice options
• Seamless scheduling integration

Best for: Local businesses with limited staff who want full call coverage

8. Simple Phones

Simple Phones lives up to its name by offering straightforward AI voice agents to handle FAQs, route calls, and alert teams. It also supports outbound calling (a bonus for follow-ups).

Features & Benefits:

• Answer + transfer calls
• Follow-ups & outbound support
• Alerts via email or SMS
• Affordable pricing plans

Best for: Startups and solo operators needing basic automation at low cost

Why Use an AI Phone Answering phone calls in 2025?

Using an AI phone answering service in 2025 isn’t just a tech upgrade—it’s a strategic move for growing SMBs. Here’s why:

• 24/7 availability: AI answering systems ensure you never miss a call, even after hours or during high-volume periods.
• Faster response time: AI can answer calls instantly, reducing hold times and boosting customer satisfaction.
• Automated routine handling: Tasks like FAQs, booking appointments, and call routing are handled without human effort.
• Scalable support: Handle multiple calls at once without hiring more agents—ideal for busy periods or growing teams.
• Personalized, human-like conversations: Advanced AI phone answering assistants can adapt to tone, intent, and caller history.
• Call data & insights: Conversations are recorded and transcribed, giving you analytics to refine your phone answering strategy.

Choose the Best AI Answering Service for Your Business

AI answering services help SMBs save time, reduce missed calls, and deliver faster, more consistent customer experiences—all without hiring more staff. Whether you’re automating outbound call tasks or streamlining routine follow-ups, adopting an AI phone answering service in 2025 is a practical step toward scaling your support and sales operations.

As you evaluate your options, think about your business size, the complexity of your workflows, and how easily a tool can integrate with your existing systems. For small and medium-sized teams, our AI Voice Agents for SMBs are built to reduce busywork and boost efficiency—handling lead outreach, appointment confirmations, and customer callbacks with minimal setup.

Powered by CloudTalk’s robust telephony infrastructure, CloudTalk AI delivers speed, reliability, and clarity with every call—freeing your teams to focus on more strategic work.

Sources:

1. Zendesk.es 
2. Contactcentresummit.co