# Julius Answer vs Ruby: pricing and features compared

Live receptionists or an AI receptionist? Here is what each costs at two call volumes, what you get, and when a human team is worth paying for.

Ruby and Julius Answer both answer your business calls, but with different staff. Ruby uses live human receptionists, billed per minute in 60-second increments with each call rounded up, from $250 a month for 50 minutes, and it has no AI-only plan. Julius Answer by DealsFlow is an AI receptionist from $79 a month for 300 minutes, so Ruby fits businesses where a person on every call is worth a higher price per minute, and Julius Answer fits owners who mainly need routine calls answered, booked and written up around the clock.

## How do Julius Answer and Ruby compare?

Both bill by the minute and both put every feature on every plan; the difference is a person versus an AI on the line. The table uses only what each company publishes.

Prices and features as listed on October 19, 2026
|  | Julius Answer | Ruby |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Monthly plan with included call minutes; each call counts in whole minutes, rounded up | Receptionist minutes, billed in 60-second increments with each call rounded up. Hold time and post-call work count; talk time after a transfer to you does not |
| Entry price | Starter: $79/month for 300 minutes. Pro: $199 for 1,000. Business: $399 for 3,000 | $250/month for 50 minutes. Also $395 for 100, $720 for 200 and $1,725 for 500 |
| Price per included minute (our arithmetic) | $0.26 (Starter) to $0.13 (Business) | $5.00 (50 minutes) to $3.45 (500 minutes) |
| What's included | Every feature on every plan; plans differ only in minutes and calls answered at once | The same features on every plan: scheduling, call forwarding, calling and texting from your business number, Spanish and bilingual handling, optional AI enhancements |
| Overage | Extra minute packs from $25 for 100 minutes; packs never expire. Unused included minutes don't roll over | Billed at your plan's overage rate; the rate is not stated on the pricing page or billing article. Unused minutes don't roll over |
| Free trial or guarantee | 7-day free trial with up to 150 call minutes; it starts when you add a card in the console and nothing is charged until it ends. No free plan | Money-back guarantee for first-time users if requested within 21 days of purchase, or before usage passes 500 receptionist minutes or 50 billable chats |
| Booking | Books into open times; you confirm each request with one tap. Google Calendar, or a calendar link for Apple Calendar and Outlook | Scheduling included on every plan |
| Transfers | Puts callers through to the right person on your team; takes a message if nobody can take it | Call forwarding included on every plan |
| Human agents | No; AI only | Yes; live receptionists answer, and AI is used only as an enhancement |
| CRM and integrations | Built-in CRM; Slack, Zapier, Make, webhooks, CSV export | Not stated on pricing page |
| Languages | American English; replies in Spanish or another language when the caller speaks it | 24/7 Spanish and bilingual call handling |
| Texting | Texts callers who agree, plus one text after a missed call, once your business is registered with US carriers; reminders and follow-ups by text or email | Calling and texting from your business number |
| Contract | Monthly, or yearly with two months free; cancel anytime in the console | No long-term contract; cancellation takes effect at the end of the billing month. Downgrades only after 3 billing periods on a plan. 3% fee on card payments |
| Calls answered at once | 1 (Starter), 3 (Pro), 10 (Business) | Not stated on pricing page |

Ruby's figures are as listed on its pricing page, billing help article and FAQ on October 19, 2026. Prices change, so check Ruby's site before you decide. Julius Answer's current plans are on the [pricing page](/pricing/).

## How much would each cost at 60 and 160 calls a month?

At 60 three-minute calls a month, Ruby's 200-minute plan is $720 and Julius Answer Starter is $79. At 160 calls, Ruby's 500-minute plan is $1,725 and Julius Answer Pro is $199.

Assumptions: each call bills 3 minutes on both services. On Ruby, hold time and after-call work also count, so real Ruby minutes may be higher. The examples stay inside Ruby's included minutes because its overage rate isn't published.

Monthly cost at two call volumes (3 billed minutes a call)
| Service | 60 calls a month | 160 calls a month |
|---|---|---|
| Julius Answer | 60 × 3 = 180 minutes, within Starter's 300: $79 | 160 × 3 = 480 minutes, within Pro's 1,000: $199. Or Starter plus two packs: $79 + 2 × $25 |
| Ruby | 180 minutes, within the 200-minute plan: $720 (by card: $720 × 1.03 = $741.60) | 480 minutes, within the 500-minute plan: $1,725 (by card: $1,725 × 1.03 = $1,776.75) |

The pack route suits a business that rarely gets two calls at once, since Starter answers 1 call at a time. Whether Ruby's higher price per minute is worth it depends on how much your callers value a human voice.

## Where Ruby is the better choice

Ruby is the better choice when a trained person on every call matters more to you than cost.
- **A human on every call.** Calls that need judgment, reassurance or a long conversation reach a live receptionist. Julius Answer is AI and says so at the start of each call.
- **Calling and texting from your own number.** Ruby includes calling and texting from your business number. Julius Answer texts from your Julius Answer number, only after your business is registered with US carriers, and doesn't place calls.
- **Website live chat.** Ruby sells chat plans from $143 a month for 10 chats, or $115 when bundled with a receptionist plan.
- **Bilingual people.** Ruby lists 24/7 Spanish and bilingual call handling by its receptionists.
- **Transferred calls stop the clock.** Talk time after Ruby transfers a call to you doesn't count toward your minutes.

## Where Julius Answer fits better

Julius Answer fits small businesses whose calls are mostly routine: hours, prices, service area, bookings and messages. It answers them at any hour for a fraction of a live receptionist's per-minute price.
- **More minutes for the money.** Included minutes cost $0.26 or less, against $3.45 to $5.00 on Ruby's plans, by our arithmetic.
- **More than one call at a time.** Pro answers 3 calls at the same time and Business 10; Starter answers 1 at a time.
- **A record of every caller.** Each caller becomes a client record in the built-in CRM, and you can ask questions in plain English, such as "Who called about a water heater?"
- **Returning callers.** It recognizes them by caller ID, greets them by first name and remembers what they needed last time.
- **Try it free.** Julius Answer has a 7-day free trial; Ruby's FAQ describes a money-back guarantee for first-time users.

What Julius Answer does not offer: live human agents or backup, calling from your business number, website chat plans, HIPAA compliance or a free plan. If you need one of those, Ruby may be the better fit.

## Switching to Julius Answer

You can run Julius Answer alongside Ruby, test it, then move your calls over.
1.

### Sign up

Create an account on the website, then add a card in the console to start the 7-day free trial. A local number in your area code is included on every plan.
1.

### Describe your business

Type or talk to the setup assistant in the console: services, hours, prices you share, and who on your team takes which calls.
1.

### Forward your number

Forward all calls, or only unanswered or busy ones, to Julius Answer. See [how to forward business calls](/guides/how-to-forward-business-calls/), then cancel Ruby for the end of its billing month.

## Answer every call without paying by the receptionist minute

Start a 7-day free trial and hear Julius Answer on your own test calls before you switch.

[Start free trial](/signup/) [See pricing](/pricing/)

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does Ruby receptionist service cost?

As listed on Ruby's pricing page on October 19, 2026: $250 a month for 50 receptionist minutes, $395 for 100, $720 for 200 and $1,725 for 500. Ruby's billing help article adds a 3% processing fee on card payments. Check Ruby's site for current prices.

### How does Ruby count minutes?

Ruby bills in 60-second increments and rounds each call up. Hold time and post-call work count toward your minutes; talk time after a call is transferred to you does not. Unused minutes don't roll over.

### Does Ruby have an AI-only plan?

No. Ruby's calls are answered by live receptionists. It offers AI only as an enhancement, such as transcripts, sentiment and AI-assisted call flows, at no extra cost.

### What is Ruby's overage rate?

Ruby says overages are billed at your plan's overage rate, but we found no published rate on its pricing page or billing article on October 19, 2026. Ask Ruby before you pick a plan.

### Is an AI receptionist as good as a live receptionist?

For routine calls such as hours, bookings, messages and routing, an AI receptionist can handle the job around the clock. For calls that need human judgment, a live service like Ruby is the better fit. Julius Answer tells callers it is an AI and takes a message when it can't help.

### Can I keep my number if I switch from Ruby?

If the number is yours, yes: keep it and forward calls to Julius Answer, either all calls or only unanswered and busy ones. Ruby's cancellation takes effect at the end of the current monthly billing period. See [how to forward business calls](/guides/how-to-forward-business-calls/).

## Sources
1. [Ruby pricing](https://www.ruby.com/pricing/), Ruby, 2026
1. [Ruby billing basics](https://rubyhelpcenter.helpjuice.com/billing/ruby-billing-basics), Ruby Help Center, 2026
1. [Ruby FAQs](https://www.ruby.com/faqs/), Ruby, 2026

Checked October 19, 2026. Third-party prices and features change; check the vendor before you buy.

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Source: https://julius.dealsflow.ai/compare/julius-answer-vs-ruby/
Updated: 2026-10-20