At a glance
Side by side.
| Feature | Ruby | Blumeo. |
|---|---|---|
| Who answers | Live US-based receptionists; no AI-only plan | AI receptionist (it tells callers it's automated), with emergencies and anything it can't handle passed to you |
| Starting price | $250/month | $197/month (Starter) |
| Included each month | 50 receptionist minutes (plans up to 500 minutes for $1,725) | 100 calls and 500 texts on Starter; spam, wrong numbers and hang-ups aren't counted |
| Past the allowance | Billed at your plan's overage rate, which isn't published | $1 a call |
| Setup fee | None | None |
| Contract | Month-to-month | None, cancel any time |
| Free trial | No free trial; a money-back guarantee for new customers within 21 days or 500 minutes | 7 days |
| Hours | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Spanish | Bilingual service included | Yes |
| Books appointments | Yes, in calendars it supports, such as Google Calendar and Calendly | Yes, into Google Calendar |
| Emergencies | Urgent calls escalated or transferred to you or your techs | Passed to your on-call phone |
| Texts back missed callers | Messages are texted or emailed to you; an automatic text back to the caller isn't stated | Yes, within a minute, on every plan |
Ruby's details come from its own website, checked on November 12, 2026. Prices and plans change, so check Ruby's site before you decide. Blumeo wrote this page.
Which one fits
Who should pick which.
Ruby is the better pick if
- You want a person, not an AI, on every call.
- Your calls are short and few, so a minutes plan stays small.
- You also want live chat on your website from the same company.
Blumeo is the better pick if
- You want a set monthly price per call rather than per minute, so a long no-heat call costs the same as a short one.
- You want every caller texted back within a minute and the job booked straight into your calendar.
- You'd like to start for $197 a month with 100 calls, and try it free for 7 days.
- You want review requests and estimate follow-up in the same plan (Pro and up).
Questions
Blumeo vs Ruby: what owners ask.
How is Ruby billed compared with Blumeo?
Ruby bills by the receptionist minute, rounded up, starting at $250 a month for 50 minutes; time on hold counts. Blumeo bills by the call: Starter is $197 a month for 100 calls, $1 for each one after that, and spam, wrong numbers and hang-ups aren't counted. Check Ruby's pricing page for its current plans.
Is a person or an AI better for contractor calls?
A person handles unusual calls well; an AI picks up on the first ring, takes several calls at once and costs less per call. Blumeo tells callers it's an automated assistant and sends emergencies and anything it can't handle straight to you.
Can I try Blumeo before switching from Ruby?
Search for your business on blumeo.ai and Blumeo builds a receptionist from your Google listing in about 30 seconds. You can talk to it before you sign up, then forward only the calls you miss to start.
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Sources, checked November 12, 2026
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