Best Answering Service With Texting (2026)

The best answering services with texting are 1. Smith.ai 2. ServiceAgent 3. Ruby 4. My AI Front Desk 5. Abby Connect 6. Answering Service Care.

A phone call is only half of how customers reach a business now, and many would rather send a text. An answering service with texting, also called a text message answering service, answers the call and handles the message, so a text gets a reply instead of sitting unread. An sms answering service can reply both ways, not just forward the note to the business. The deciding factors are whether the service sends and replies to texts or only relays them, whether an AI or a live team handles the message, and the real cost.

Answering Services With Texting Compared

Prices and plans change. Check each provider's current details before buying.

How These Answering Services Were Evaluated

Each answering service was assessed on its live plans and how it handles a real call and text, then ranked the way an owner decides. The criteria below map to the columns above.

• Texting depth. Whether the service sends and replies to texts or only relays a message.
• Who handles it. Whether an AI or a live team answers the call and the text.
• Cost to start. The real entry price, free plan or trial included.
• Call and text in one. Whether voice and text run through the same service.
• After the message. Whether the service also books or follows up by text.

The 6 Best Answering Services With Texting

1. Smith.ai

Smith.ai is an answering service with text messaging that pairs an AI receptionist with a live team, so a business can answer calls and follow up by text. The AI answers, screens, and books, live agents step in for complex calls, and SMS notifications and text follow ups are available as add ons. It fits a business that wants AI speed with human backup and texting.

Key Features

• AI plus live human answering, so the AI handles the routine calls and texts while live agents step in for the ones that qualify.
• SMS notifications and a text follow up sent to the caller after the call ends.
• Screening and appointment booking, so a real customer is booked into the calendar and the spam callers are filtered out first.

Pros

• AI and human backup on calls, so a complex or high value caller is passed to a real person instead of the bot.
• Texts a short follow up message to the caller once the call ends.
• Books appointments and screens out the spam and robocall callers.
• Mature, widely used service, trusted by legal and healthcare offices with a long track record behind it.

Cons

• Texting billed as a per message add on, so a business that sends a lot of texts pays extra on top of the plan.
• Higher monthly base price than the entry AI only tools charge.
• Per call overage on plans, so a busy month runs past the included calls and the monthly bill climbs.

Who It's For

A fit for a business that wants AI answering with a human fallback and a text follow up. The draw is the hybrid model. Not the cheapest option for a small shop.

• Best for: An AI and human service with text follow up.
• Price: AI Receptionist from $300/mo (30 calls), then $11.50 per call; SMS and text follow up $0.50 each.

2. ServiceAgent

ServiceAgent is an answering service that texts customers a confirmation after it answers the call and books the job, all from one AI. The AI voice agent answers 24/7, replies across SMS, email, and chat, books into the calendar and CRM, and sends reminders and review requests by text. It starts free and charges only when the AI acts, so the texting is built in rather than a separate tool.

Key Features

• AI voice agent answer calls 24/7, even after hours and on weekends when the office is closed and no one is at the desk.
• Replies to a customer across SMS, email, and web chat from one place.
• Books jobs into the calendar and CRM, so the booking and the text follow up come from one AI with no double entry.
• Texts confirmations, reminders, and review requests to the customer.
• Free to start, usage based credits, so a business pays only for the calls the AI actually handles that month.

Pros

• Answers the call, books the job, and texts the customer from one AI.
• Texting is built in, not a per message fee, so every reply the AI sends to a customer costs nothing extra.
• Free plan to start, no per seat fee, so a slow month costs almost nothing while the phone still gets answered.
• Cost tracks call volume closely, billed by usage and not a flat fee.
• Runs the wider front office, not just the phone, so it books the job, sends the invoice, and follows up by text.

Cons

• Built for service businesses, not general offices, so the scripts fit a trade, not a corporate front desk.
• Credit costs rise in heavy call months, when the AI handles far more calls than it does in a slow stretch.
• Newer to the market than the established live answering services.

Who It's For

The strongest pick for a service business that wants each call answered, booked, and confirmed by text from one AI. The reason to choose it is the closed loop from ring to booking to text. Not built for a business that only wants a message relayed.

• Best for: An AI that answers, books, and texts the caller.
• Price: Free Launch plan; Core $39/mo, Growth $95/mo, plus usage based credits.

3. Ruby

Ruby is a live receptionist service that can call and text from the business number, so a customer gets a text back from a real person. The US based team answers 24/7, takes messages, and forwards calls, and the Ruby app sends and receives texts on the business line. It fits a business that wants live receptionists and business texting in one.

Key Features

• US based live receptionists answer the phone 24/7, every day of the year.
• Call and text from the business number, so a text reaches the customer from the brand's own line, not a strange number.
• Message taking and flexible call forwarding to any line the firm sets.
• Mobile app for calls and texts, so the owner sees call activity and texts a caller back right from a phone.

Pros

• Real people answer and text, so a customer gets a written reply from a person instead of an automated one.
• Texts come from the business number itself, not a shared or generic line.
• Flexible call forwarding that sends a caller to the right person.
• Strong service reputation, built over years of answering for firms that want a polished live voice.

Cons

• Higher starting price each month than the entry AI only tools.
• The entry plan includes a few minutes, so a busy line runs through them fast and has to move up a tier.
• Texting is handled by people, not an instant AI, so a reply can wait until an agent is free.

Who It's For

A fit for a business that wants live receptionists who also text from the business number. The draw is the human touch on call and text. Not the cheapest option for a light line.

• Best for: Live receptionists that call and text.
• Price: Starts at $250/mo (50 receptionist minutes); higher minute plans available.

4. My AI Front Desk

My AI Front Desk answers across voice, text, and chat, so a caller can reach the business by phone or by message. The AI answers, books appointments, texts, and connects to a CRM and Zapier, and it can warmly transfer a call when a person is needed. There is a 7 day trial. It fits a business that answers and texts across more than one channel.

Key Features

• Answers across voice, text, and chat, so a lead that comes in by phone, message, or website is picked up.
• An SMS texting agent that holds a two way text conversation with a customer, not just a one way notice.
• Appointment booking and answering the common questions callers ask.
• Warm transfer to a live person on the team when a call needs one.

Pros

• Texts and calls from one AI, so a lead is answered on the same channel it came in on, without a second tool.
• Multi channel, not just the phone, so a text or web chat lead is captured the same as a call.
• Sets up in minutes from a website, with no developer or code needed.
• 7 day free trial with full access to every feature to test first.

Cons

• Voice minutes capped on the base plan, so a busy line hits the cap and pays overage after that.
• No permanent free plan on offer, only the short 7 day trial.

Who It's For

A fit for a business that answers and books by phone, text, and chat from one tool. The draw is the multi channel texting. Not the right fit for a high call line that would pass the minute cap.

• Best for: An AI that answers across voice and text.
• Price: Business plan from $79/mo billed annually (200 voice minutes, 400 texts); monthly billing costs more; 7 day trial.

5. Abby Connect

Abby Connect is a US based live receptionist service that follows up with callers by call or text in its app. A small, trained team answers in the business name, screens, and books, and the AbbyGO app lets the business text a caller back. It fits a business that wants a dedicated live team and simple texting.

Key Features

• A dedicated US based team of live receptionists on every account.
• Call and text follow up in the AbbyGO app, so a caller is reached back by call or by text either way.
• Custom call handling and booking, so the team answers and schedules the way the business wants it done.

Pros

• A small, dedicated team learns the business, so answers get more accurate the longer they handle the calls.
• Follow up with a caller by call or by text right in the app.
• US based receptionists on the account, not an overseas pool.
• Custom answering hours, so the team covers exactly the hours the business chooses and nothing more.

Cons

• The entry plan includes only a small block of minutes each month.
• Costs more than AI only tools, since a dedicated live team is more expensive to run than an automated one.

Who It's For

A fit for a business that wants a dedicated US based team that also texts callers back. The draw is the personal team. Not the cheapest option for a light line.

• Best for: US based receptionists with app texting.
• Price: Starts at $165/mo (50 minutes); higher minute plans available.

6. Answering Service Care

Answering Service Care is a live answering service with two way SMS, so agents answer calls and handle texts around the clock. The US based, bilingual team answers, relays messages, and replies to texts, with SMS relays included on every plan. It fits a business that wants live agents covering both the phone and the text line.

Key Features

• 24/7 US based live agents, so calls and texts are answered around the clock, even overnight.
• Two way SMS answering, so agents hold a real text conversation with a customer, not just take a message.
• SMS and email message relays come included on every paid plan.
• Bilingual English and Spanish speaking operators on the team.

Pros

• Live agents on calls and texts, so both the phone line and the text line are covered by a real person.
• SMS message relays come included on all of the paid plans.
• Bilingual English and Spanish answering on every inbound call.
• No long term contract, so a business can leave after any month without paying a penalty to cancel.
• Published, per minute plans, so the rate is on the website and there is no quote to chase down.

Cons

• Per minute rate adds up at volume, so a high call month can cost more than a flat rate AI plan would.
• A one time $50 start up fee to get the account set up.
• Starter plan includes no minutes, so every minute is billed from the very first call onward.

Who It's For

A fit for a business that wants a live team covering calls and texts at all hours. The draw is the two way SMS with real agents. Not the cheapest option once minutes climb.

• Best for: A two way SMS service with live agents.
• Price: Starter $40/mo (0 min, then $1.75/min); Small Business $179/mo (100 min); Pro $329/mo (250 min); $50 start up fee.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing an Answering Service With Texting

• Confusing a relay with a reply. Some services only forward a text to the business, while a true texting service replies to the customer.
• Missing the per message fee. Texting can be a paid add on, so add the per message cost to the plan.
• Splitting call and text across tools. Running voice on one service and texting on another doubles the setup and the bill.
• Settling for a message. A relayed note keeps the lead warm, but a booked appointment closes it.

How to Choose the Right Answering Service With Texting

• Texting depth. Check whether the service replies to texts or only relays a message.
• AI or live. An AI texts instantly, while a live team adds a human touch on harder messages.
• One service or two. A service that runs call and text together is simpler than two tools.
• Follow up. A text confirmation or reminder cuts no shows, so check what the service sends.

Final Recommendation

There is no single best answering service with texting, only the best fit for how a business handles calls and messages. A business that wants live receptionists is well served by Ruby or Abby Connect, and a two way sms answering service with agents around the clock by Answering Service Care.

A service business that wants each call answered, booked, and confirmed by text from one AI gets more from ServiceAgent, where texting is built in instead of a separate tool or a per message fee. Most of these start free or with a trial, so the fastest test is to run a real day of calls and texts through each. ServiceAgent is free to start.