Glow Line is made by the Glow Tally team, so this comparison is our own. Every fact about another product links to that product's own page.
Smith.ai is an AI receptionist service backed by more than 500 North America-based live receptionists, and its Free plan answers 25 real calls a month at no charge, which Glow Line's Free plan (no card, paid for by agreeing to marketing from us and our partners) does not do at all. The catch for an Australian salon is in the detail: a card is taken at sign-up, prices carry no currency label, the live receptionists are based in North America, cancelling needs 30 days' notice, and none of the pages we read mention Australia or Australian numbers. If those points do not bother you and you take under 25 calls a month, Smith.ai's Free plan is worth a look. If you want an Australian number, an Australian voice reading your own price list and a booking request texted to you, Glow Line's Line plan at $29 is the one to compare.
The two services in one table
| Glow Line | Smith.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| No-cost plan | Free: a booking page (10 requests a month) and an enquiry inbox (20 a month), no phone line; no card, paid for by agreeing to marketing emails and calls from us and our partners | Free: $0 a month, 25 real calls, plus 25 test calls and 50 simulated calls; card required at sign-up, not charged unless you turn on overages |
| Cheapest paid plan | Line: $29 a month, No GST, 40 answered calls | Pro: from $150 a month for 75 calls ($2.00 a call) |
| Currency and tax | Australian dollars; GST is not charged | Shown as "$" with no currency named; tax not stated |
| Extra calls | Answered up to 80 on Line (400 on Salon), marked; no per-call charge | Free: $3.00 a call. Pro: $2.50, $2.30 or $2.17 a call depending on tier |
| Larger plans | Salon: $84 a month, 200 calls | Pro at 150 calls ($1.80 each) or 300 calls ($1.67 each); Enterprise from $500 a month |
| People behind it | None: AI only, takes a message if asked for a person | Calls can escalate to 500+ North America-based receptionists; a per-call add-on, with no fee when the AI starts the escalation |
| Languages | Australian English | English and Spanish |
| Phone number | A new Australian number; divert missed calls to it | A dedicated number on every plan; country not stated |
| Bookings | A booking request texted to you; you confirm | AI scheduling with Calendly "and more" |
| Records | Words exchanged, a summary, the number and times; no audio | Recording, transcription and summaries |
| Support | Email, answered by a person within one business day | Free: no live phone, email or chat support. Pro adds it |
| Cancelling | Any month from Billing; the plan runs to the end of the period paid | Month to month, with 30 days' notice |
| Mentions Australia | Yes: an Australian number, an Australian voice and Australian-dollar prices | Not on its pricing or AI receptionist pages |
| Suits | Australian salons and studios that want missed calls answered from their price list | Businesses happy with unlabelled-currency pricing and North America-based backup, or with under 25 calls a month |
Free against Free, honestly
The two Free plans are not the same kind of thing. Smith.ai's answers phone calls. Ours does not: Glow Line's Free plan, which costs no money and needs no card because you agree to marketing emails and calls from us and our partners, is a booking page at your own link and an enquiry inbox. There is no phone line until you move to Line. The details are on what the Free plan costs.
So if the test is "can I have my calls answered for nothing", Smith.ai passes and Glow Line does not. Smith.ai's version asks for a card at sign-up and keeps overages off until you allow them, so you will not be billed by surprise. Its page does not say what a 26th call in a month gets while overages are off, so ask before you rely on it.
A month's cost at three volumes
Smith.ai's figures below are as shown on its page, in an unnamed currency. If they are US dollars, the Australian-dollar amount is higher, and your bank may add a foreign transaction fee.
| Calls a month | Glow Line | Smith.ai |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Line, $29 | Free, $0 |
| 40 | Line, $29 | Free with 15 extra calls at $3.00: $45 |
| 150 | Salon, $84 | Pro at 150 calls: $270 |
At 20 calls Smith.ai costs nothing and Glow Line costs $29. At 40, Glow Line is lower by at least $16 even if Smith.ai's dollars were Australian. At 150, the gap is $186 a month before any currency conversion.
What callers hear
Glow Line opens with "Thanks for calling", your business name and that it is the virtual assistant for the team. It answers in plain Australian English from the services, prices, hours and notes you saved, and nothing else. When it does not know, it says so and that the team will confirm. See what the assistant says.
Smith.ai's page lists lead qualification, call routing and scheduling on its Free plan, with English and Spanish conversation. Custom AI prompting is on neither Free nor Pro; it comes with Enterprise. Ask how your service menu and prices would be loaded before you rely on it to quote a lash fill.
Where Smith.ai is the better choice
- You take fewer than 25 calls a month and want them answered at no charge.
- You want a live receptionist available when the AI cannot help.
- Some of your clients speak Spanish.
- You want call recordings, transcripts and analytics in one place.
- You already book through Calendly or use one of the business tools it connects to.
When Glow Line suits better
- You want an Australian number and a price in Australian dollars with no GST added.
- You want callers told the prices and durations you typed.
- You want to stop at the end of any paid month without a notice period.
- You want a booking page on the same account.
Smith.ai's prices sit next to Australian services on the salon receptionist comparison.
FAQ
Is Smith.ai really free?
Its Free plan is $0 a month for 25 real calls. A card is required at sign-up, and it is charged only if you turn on overages, which are off by default.
Does Smith.ai work for Australian businesses?
Its pricing and AI receptionist pages do not say either way. They do not mention Australia or Australian phone numbers, and its live agents are described as North America-based. Ask Smith.ai directly before you divert an Australian number to it.
What does Glow Line's Free plan include?
A booking page with up to 10 requests a month and an enquiry inbox with up to 20 enquiries a month. It has no phone line. It needs no card and is paid for by a marketing consent you tick at sign-up.
Can I switch from Smith.ai to Glow Line?
Yes. Give Smith.ai its 30 days' notice, set up your services and hours in Glow Line, choose Line, press Get my phone line, and point your divert at the new number once Smith.ai stops. See get your phone line.
How we checked
Smith.ai's plans and terms were checked on Smith.ai's own pages in October 2026. Glow Line's facts are from our pricing page.