(September 2026)
The best AI phone assistants of 2026, compared
The phone rings while your team is helping customers, preparing appointments, or out of the office. AI phone assistants can take incoming calls, answer common questions, and capture requests in a structured way. With the right integration, they can also check availability and complete bookings during the call.
In this overview, we compare AI phone assistant providers and show you which features matter in your day-to-day work. From a small service business to a larger customer service team, the requirements differ a lot. What counts is which tasks the assistant actually handles and how well it works with the systems you already use.
Key points at a glance:
AI phone assistants can answer calls, ask follow-up questions, and handle recurring requests.
Booking appointments directly requires a connection to your calendar or booking system.
Providers differ in how they handle conversations, integrations, call transfers, and billing by call or by minute.
What is an AI phone assistant?
An AI phone assistant is software that talks to people over the phone and handles defined tasks. It combines speech recognition, processing of what’s said, and voice output. Based on the company information and workflows you set up, the assistant can, for example, answer questions about opening hours, take down contact details, or prepare a callback.
Depending on its features and integrations, an AI phone assistant can also look up open time slots, create bookings, or transfer calls to the right team member. Call summaries help with follow-up. It’s important to distinguish between noting a requested appointment and making a confirmed booking in the connected system. Which tasks are possible depends on the provider, the plan, and how the process is set up.
How do I choose the right AI phone assistant provider?
Start with the calls your team handles every day. Which questions come up again and again, what information do you need, and when does a person have to take over? These criteria will help you choose:
Requests and call volume: Decide whether the assistant should mainly answer questions, take callback requests, book appointments, or prepare service cases. Consider typical call length, peak times, and simultaneous calls.
Conversation quality: Test how clear the answers are, how names and industry terms are pronounced, and how the assistant handles follow-up questions, interruptions, and unclear statements. Check the languages your customers actually need.
Bookings and integrations: Ask to see whether the assistant only notes requested appointments or checks availability live and makes confirmed bookings. Clarify how it connects to your calendar, booking system, or CRM and which actions it can take there.
Handoff to your team: Define which requests a person should handle. Check transfer targets, availability hours, and what happens when no one picks up. Your team should be able to follow the information the assistant captured.
Knowledge and data management: Check how you update company information, who can access call data, and what storage and deletion options exist. Ask the provider to explain its hosting and subprocessors.
Setup and costs: Compare the effort for configuration, testing, and ongoing maintenance. Factor in base fees, call or minute allowances, overage, and any extra costs for telephony or integrations.
AI phone assistants compared
This page was created by anny to provide an overview of various booking solutions (including anny). Brand and product names belong to their respective companies.
The evaluation is based on publicly available information (e.g., the provider’s website, user reviews on Capterra and G2, pricing pages, and feature overviews). When selecting the providers, functionality, pricing, ease of use, integrations, support, and mobile usage were taken into account. The providers are listed alphabetically.
(September 2026)
1.
anny
anny connects an AI phone assistant with a powerful booking and resource management platform. The anny Assistant takes calls 24/7, answers questions, and schedules bookings directly during the conversation. In doing so, the assistant fully respects real-time availability, pricing, and your custom booking rules. Whether it's a consultation, a class, a sports court, or a room rental—phone inquiries are processed instantly inside your booking system. For more complex requests, the anny Assistant can easily forward the call to your team.
Key features
Automatic call answering and multilingual conversations around the clock
Live checks of availability, booking rules, and dynamic pricing
Direct booking of appointments, classes, rooms, and other resources
Rescheduling and cancellations during the conversation
Recognition of existing customers by their phone number
Payment and signature links sent by SMS or WhatsApp
Use your existing business number through call forwarding
Call transcripts, email summaries, and an analytics dashboard
Advantages
Telephone support and booking management in one single platform
Less manual follow-up work thanks to directly created bookings
A wide range of booking types for services, rentals, and leisure activities
Get started quickly with a new phone number or keep using your existing business number via call forwarding
GDPR-compliant and securely hosted in the EU
Automatic import of website content to build your knowledge base
Shared knowledge and consistent guidelines for both your phone assistant and AI chat
Traceable conversations directly linked to the created booking
Who is anny perfect for
anny is the perfect fit for hybrid companies looking to book not just desks, but also meeting rooms, parking spaces, and equipment all in one place – instead of juggling multiple tools. anny is especially valuable if you have more employees than workstations and only want to pay for what is bookable, if data protection and hosting in Germany are important to you, or if you want high team adoption – thanks to anny Assistant, a quick message is all it takes to book a spot. However, anny is less suited for small teams who just want to book desks and nothing else.
Pricing
anny AI is available in several packages with a monthly credit allowance; current prices can be found on our pricing page. Additional usage is billed based on your plan, and phone calls are charged per second. A separately billed anny plan (Essential or higher) is required. A free 7-day trial is available for AI Sidekick!
2.
Cognigy
Cognigy is a platform for developing and operating AI agents for customer service. For telephone applications, Cognigy Voice Gateway connects agents with existing telephony and contact center systems. Companies can create custom dialogue flows, integrate external systems, and hand over calls to employees as needed. The solution supports inbound and outbound calls as well as various voice services. The focus is on extensive service processes where call management, system integration, and collaboration between AI and human service staff are designed together.
Key features
AI-powered dialogues for incoming and outgoing phone calls
Smooth connection to telephony and contact center systems via Voice Gateway and SIP
Visual editor for designing custom call flows
Configurable speech recognition and text-to-speech with various providers
Multilingual voice dialogues and translation features
Smooth call handovers to human agents
Support for voice inputs, barge-in, and keypad entries
APIs and pre-configured endpoints for external applications
Pros
Existing contact center infrastructure can easily be integrated into your setup
Custom workflows allow you to map even the most complex service processes
A choice of various voice services enables application-specific configuration
A unified platform for voice agents and additional communication channels
Comprehensive technical documentation for smooth implementation and operation
3.
IONOS
The IONOS AI Phone Assistant takes incoming calls and supports businesses with recurring customer queries and organizational tasks. Company information can be imported from your own website and then supplemented or corrected. In the configuration area, businesses determine which information the assistant requests and when it forwards to a personal contact. Summaries are ready for post-call processing after each conversation. Depending on the plan, calendars for direct appointment booking and other applications can be connected via integrations (APIs). Your existing business number can continue to be used via call forwarding.
Key features
Automated call answering powered by your customized company knowledge base
Effortlessly import website content to build your knowledge base
Configurable request types with targeted prompts for all the information you need
Fully customizable greetings, voice options, and conversational style
Smart call forwarding to designated contacts based on your custom rules
Complete call history and convenient call summaries sent straight to your inbox
Plan-dependent resource booking integrated with Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, Cal.com, or Calendly
Plan-dependent API access and a smooth website widget
Pros
Guided setup with a test call before you launch
Keep your existing business number reachable via call forwarding
Website content easily enriches your company knowledge base
Defined queries perfectly prepare the subsequent handling of customer inquiries
Documented calendar integrations for smooth, direct bookings
4.
sipgate
sipgate offers AI Agents, an AI telephone assistant for the automatic processing of incoming calls. The assistant answers predefined customer questions and records inquiries, such as callback requests or service inquiries, in a structured format. The individual conversation steps and the required information can be defined using so-called playbooks. If necessary, calls are forwarded to team members. Call summaries and transcripts support follow-up work. Integration works both in the sipgate cloud telephone system and via call forwarding from other telephone systems. Webhooks can be used to transfer captured information to other applications.
Key features
Automated call answering and instant handling of FAQs
Custom call flows designed to capture contact details and customer requests
Smooth call forwarding to any phone number of your choice
Accurate call transcripts and summaries delivered straight to your inbox
Fully customizable voice, language, greeting, and tone
Easy integration into existing phone systems via call forwarding
Webhooks to instantly transfer call data to your favorite tools
Pros
Keep using your existing phone number and system smoothly
Structured queries make preparing for callbacks and service requests a breeze
Call logs ensure every inquiry is transparent and easy to track
Flexible call workflows tailored to different customer needs
Comprehensive Help Center for quick and easy setup and configuration
5.
Telfo AI
Telfo AI is an AI phone assistant designed for businesses with a regular volume of incoming calls. It gladly takes calls, answers standard inquiries, and captures details for requests or callbacks. The workflows can be easily tailored to any type of business, whether it’s a law firm, a craft business, or a hotel. Helpful call notes support your team with the subsequent follow-up. For smooth booking processes, calendar integrations can be set up. This allows the assistant to instantly check availabilities and book appointments directly, or simply collect booking requests for further coordination.
Key features
Telephone logging of inquiries and callback requests
Answering pre-defined questions about services and processes
Configurable queries tailored to different industries and call reasons
Transcription and structured call summaries
Forwarding inquiries to the right team
Simultaneous call handling within your booked plan limits
Appointment booking and smooth transfer to CRM or calendar systems, depending on your plan and setup
Pros
Structured call notes make team collaboration and follow-ups effortless
Customizable workflows for recurring booking and service requests
Calendar integrations can minimize manual entry of appointment requests
Smooth connection to your existing workflows through tailored integrations
Why compare AI phone assistants?
Answering calls automatically says little about how much work an AI phone assistant takes off your team. The real differences show up in the full workflow, from the first sentence to the booking, transfer, or follow-up:
Less follow-up work: Check whether the call ends in a fully captured task. A callback note, a new ticket, and a confirmed booking solve different problems.
The right conversation flow: A quick call about opening hours needs a different flow than a booking with several options. The assistant should ask for exactly the information it needs and confirm the details.
Up-to-date information: Compare how prices, services, and availability are maintained or pulled from connected systems. Changes need to be reflected in the conversation.
Clear handoffs: Look at what information your team receives after a call and how they continue the case. Also test situations where the AI can’t answer a question or can’t complete a booking.
Comparable total cost: Calculate each offer with the same expected number of calls and call length. A low entry price only means something once allowances, required features, and extra costs are included.
Find the AI phone assistant that fits you best
Pick two or three providers that meet your most important requirements and test them with realistic call scenarios: a simple question, a new booking request, a change, and a request your team should handle personally. After each test, check what information was saved and whether the requested action was actually carried out in the connected system.
That shows you which AI phone assistant fits your customers and workflows. If you want to connect phone requests directly to booking appointments, classes, rooms, or other resources, take a look at anny AI. The AI phone assistant uses the availability, services, and booking rules stored in anny and can create, change, or cancel bookings during the call.
What is an AI phone assistant, and how does it work?
An AI phone assistant is software that answers calls and holds conversations in natural language. It processes spoken requests, uses the company information you provide, and answers by voice. Depending on the setup, it answers common questions, takes contact details, prepares callbacks, or transfers calls to your team. With the right integration, it can also check availability and book appointments. The features depend on the provider, the plan, and how the workflow is set up.
Which AI phone assistant is the best fit for your business?
The best AI phone assistant fits your call reasons, existing systems, and budget perfectly. Compare call quality, routing, booking features, integrations, and total costs. For appointments and resources managed directly within anny, the anny Assistant is your go-to choice. sipgate, Telfo AI, and IONOS offer great solutions for recurring phone inquiries, while Cognigy is ideal for more extensive contact center processes. Be sure to test your key use cases and check which features are included in each plan.
How much does an AI phone assistant cost?
The cost of an AI phone assistant depends on the plan, call volume, and the features you need. Common models are monthly base fees with included calls or minutes plus overage charges. Extensive integrations or contact center projects may require a custom quote. Compare the total cost based on the same number of calls and average call length. Also factor in setup, calendar and CRM integrations, telephony costs, and whether prices include taxes.
Can an AI phone assistant automatically book, reschedule, and cancel appointments for you?
Yes! As long as the AI phone assistant is connected to a compatible calendar or booking system that supports these actions. A complete booking experience includes checking real-time availability, gathering the required details, and securing the reservation directly in the system. Rescheduling and cancellations will depend on the specific integration and your booking rules. The anny Assistant can smoothly create, modify, and cancel bookings directly within anny. Be sure to check with other providers whether they actually process the booking or simply take down a callback request for your team.
Can I use an AI phone assistant with my existing phone number?
With many providers, you can keep your existing business number by setting up call forwarding. Incoming calls are then forwarded to the AI phone assistant’s number. Depending on your phone line, you can choose whether forwarding applies always, when busy, or when unanswered. For larger phone systems, SIP integrations are an option. Check your carrier’s support, possible forwarding costs, and whether the original caller ID is passed through if you want to recognize customers or match callbacks correctly.
Which businesses benefit from an AI phone assistant?
An AI phone assistant can pay off for businesses that regularly miss calls or spend a lot of time on recurring phone requests. Typical users are service businesses, studios, trades, room rental providers, and customer service teams. It’s especially helpful when calls turn directly into bookings or fully captured requests. Whether it pays off depends on call volume, time saved, and running costs. With few calls or mostly complex advisory conversations, the benefit may be smaller.
