Compare · checked 14 November 2026
MaeDay vs Smith.ai for property management
Last updated
Checked 14 November 2026
The short answer
Smith.ai is a general AI receptionist billed per call, with a free plan for 25 calls and a live agent as a paid add-on. MaeDay is built only for property managers and billed by the second, with each property's emergency list and on-call ladder set up. Choose Smith.ai for very low volume, MaeDay when after-hours emergencies are the job.
How do they compare side by side?
| MaeDay | Smith.ai AI Receptionist | |
|---|---|---|
| Billed by | The second | The call |
| Entry price | $197 a month for 500 minutes | Free for 25 calls a month, then $150 a month for 75 calls |
| Higher volume | $397 for 1,250 minutes; $797 for 2,500 | $500 a month for 300 calls |
| Over your allowance | $0.25 to $0.35 a minute | $1.67 to $3.00 a call |
| Setup fee | $297 on monthly plans, free on annual | None |
| Contract | [[CONTRACT: month to month]] | Month to month, no contract on self-serve plans |
| Who sets it up | We build it with you after a setup call | You, with dedicated support, on Pro; full-service setup on Enterprise |
| A person takes over | No. Emergencies go to your own on-call team | A live agent is available as a per-call add-on |
| Spanish | Not yet | English and Spanish on every plan |
| Built for | Property managers only: emergency list per property, on-call ladder with retries, leasing and owner routing | Businesses in many industries. Ask Smith.ai how it handles on-call ladders |
Smith.ai figures from its AI Receptionist pricing page and its own comparison page, checked 14 November 2026. Sources: Smith.ai AI Receptionist page, Smith.ai's own comparison page. Prices change, so follow the links for today's figures.
Which should you pick?
Smith.ai AI is the better choice if
- You get fewer than 25 calls a month and the free plan covers it
- You want a live agent able to step in on calls, as a paid add-on
- You need Spanish on the line today
- You run several kinds of business on one line, not just rentals
MaeDay is the better choice if
- After-hours maintenance emergencies are most of your calls
- Your on-call tech, backup and manager need calling in order, with retries
- Different properties have different rules
- You want per-second billing and a timestamped log for owners
What would 150 calls a month cost?
At about 3 minutes a call, 150 calls is around 450 minutes, which fits inside MaeDay Starter at $197. Smith.ai's $150 Pro plan includes 75 calls, with larger call bundles and $2.00 a call over the allowance, and the $500 Enterprise plan includes 300 calls. Your own numbers will differ: we run them on the setup call.
Common questions
Is Smith.ai cheaper than MaeDay?
Can a person take over a call with MaeDay?
Does MaeDay answer for businesses that are not property managers?
Still deciding? Hear Mae handle a burst pipe first.
On a 20-minute setup call we go through your properties, your emergency list and who is on call. You leave with a plan and a price.