Frontly vs Smith.ai
Both Frontly and Smith.ai answer calls for businesses. Frontly is Australian-built, Australian-hosted, ACMA compliant, and runs both inbound and outbound on a flat monthly rate. Smith.ai is a US-based hybrid AI+human service priced per call. Here is how they compare for Australian buyers.
- Australian data sovereignty and ACMA compliance (Smith.ai stores data offshore)
- Flat monthly rate with unlimited inbound calls (Smith.ai charges $2.40 per AI call or $9.75 per human call)
- Built for AU regulatory context: ACMA, Privacy Act 1988, Do Not Call Register
- Visual workflow builder + cross-call memory (neither available on Smith.ai)
- Outbound campaign manager with up to 200 AI agents per customer (Smith.ai is inbound-only)
- Bookings captured in your Frontly dashboard (Smith.ai relays messages)
- Local support hours and onboarding team in Australia
Australian Fit
| Feature | Frontly | Smith.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Data Hosting | Yes | No |
| ACMA Compliance Built In | Yes | No |
| Privacy Act 1988 Compliance | Yes | Unstated |
| Local AU Support Hours | Yes | US hours |
| Australian Onboarding Team | Yes | No |
Australian Data Hosting
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoACMA Compliance Built In
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoPrivacy Act 1988 Compliance
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
UnstatedLocal AU Support Hours
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
US hoursAustralian Onboarding Team
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoBilling & Value
| Feature | Frontly | Smith.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Flat-Rate Monthly | Yes | No |
| Unlimited Inbound Calls | Yes | No |
| Per-Call Billing | No | Yes |
| Human Receptionist Calls at $9.75 each | N/A | Yes |
| $0 Setup Fee | Yes | Yes |
| 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee | N/A | Yes |
Flat-Rate Monthly
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoUnlimited Inbound Calls
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoPer-Call Billing
Frontly
NoSmith.ai
YesHuman Receptionist Calls at $9.75 each
Frontly
N/ASmith.ai
Yes$0 Setup Fee
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
Yes30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Frontly
N/ASmith.ai
YesWorkflow & AI
| Feature | Frontly | Smith.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Workflow Builder | Yes | No |
| Cross-Call Memory | Yes | No |
| Hybrid AI + Human Receptionist | AI only | Yes |
| Natural Conversation AI | Yes | Yes |
| Knowledge Base (RAG) | Yes | Limited |
Visual Workflow Builder
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoCross-Call Memory
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoHybrid AI + Human Receptionist
Frontly
AI onlySmith.ai
YesNatural Conversation AI
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
YesKnowledge Base (RAG)
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
LimitedOutbound Capability
| Feature | Frontly | Smith.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Outbound Campaign Manager | Yes | No |
| Bulk Reminder / Recall Calls | Yes | No |
| ACMA-Compliant Outbound Dialling | Yes | N/A (US) |
Outbound Campaign Manager
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoBulk Reminder / Recall Calls
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoACMA-Compliant Outbound Dialling
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
N/A (US)Capture & Delivery
| Feature | Frontly | Smith.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Bookings captured in vendor's own dashboard | Yes | Message relay |
| Outbound campaign manager | Yes | No |
| Up to 200 outbound AI agents per customer | Yes | No |
| Email + SMS notifications as workflow tools | Yes | Yes |
| Cross-call memory of returning callers | Yes | No |
Bookings captured in vendor's own dashboard
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
Message relayOutbound campaign manager
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoUp to 200 outbound AI agents per customer
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoEmail + SMS notifications as workflow tools
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
YesCross-call memory of returning callers
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
NoSupport & Infrastructure
| Feature | Frontly | Smith.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Concurrent Calls | Yes | No |
| 24/7 Answering | Yes | Yes |
| Call Transcripts | Yes | Yes |
| Call Recording with Consent | Yes | Yes |
Unlimited Concurrent Calls
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
No24/7 Answering
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
YesCall Transcripts
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
YesCall Recording with Consent
Frontly
YesSmith.ai
YesDEEP DIVE
Key Differences Explained
Smith.ai's Per-Call Bill at Australian Volume
Smith.ai's Basic plan is $292.50/mo for 30 calls. Standard is $532.50/mo for 60 calls. Pro is $975/mo for 120 calls. Above that it's $9.75 per additional human call or $2.40 per AI call. An Australian dental or GP practice doing 60 calls per day hits Pro's limit in two days and then pays roughly $9.75 × 1,680 extra calls per month = $16,380 in overage. Frontly is flat rate with unlimited inbound calls included. Even at 60 calls per day, your monthly bill does not move.
Australian Compliance and Local Operations
Frontly is Australian-built, AU-hosted, ACMA-compliant on every call, and operated from Australia. Smith.ai is a US-based service with US-based humans on the hybrid tier and US-hosted infrastructure. For verticals where Privacy Act 1988 alignment, Do Not Call Register checks, and local audit trail matter (medical, legal, property management), the difference is material.
Data Sovereignty and ACMA Compliance
Smith.ai is a US company with infrastructure hosted outside Australia. Call recordings, transcripts, and caller data flow through US-hosted servers. For Australian property managers, medical practices, legal firms, or anyone handling sensitive data under the Privacy Act 1988, offshore storage is a compliance risk. Frontly is 100% Australian-hosted with explicit ACMA compliance, Privacy Act alignment, and audit trail on every call.
When Smith.ai Might Still Be Right For You
If you specifically need a human-in-the-loop hybrid service where a live US-based receptionist takes calls after business hours, Smith.ai's hybrid model is a differentiator. Frontly is AI-only. For Australian businesses that want 24/7 AI answering with AU accent and AU data hosting, Frontly is the match. For businesses that explicitly want a live human voice and are comfortable with offshore data, Smith.ai's hybrid model may suit.
Contact Us for Pricing
All features included. AU data hosting. No overage risk.
US-based. Per-call billing. Offshore data storage.
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