Quick Answer
Allo is a business phone system for teams. Its AI Receptionist is an add-on at $32 a month per agent, billed yearly, on top of a $32 Business seat. If you want a cheap phone system your team runs, keep Allo. If you want calls answered and jobs booked without running anything, look at a done-for-you service like Sockly.
We read withallo.com/pricing on November 12, 2026. The page says its pricing is early and can still change, so check it again before you buy. Every number below is from that page, from the alternatives' own pricing pages, or from our own scan of public reviews.
What Allo is
Allo sells phone lines per seat to teams under 250 people: calling apps for mobile, desktop and web, call recording, texting, transcripts and summaries, and CRM sync. The Solo plan ($10 a seat billed yearly) is marked "coming soon", so today the entry point is Business at $32 a seat a month billed yearly, or $45 month to month. The AI Receptionist is turned on from inside Allo once you are on a paid plan. Allo's page says it answers day and night, picks up several calls at once, books appointments, takes messages and sends a text follow-up.
What one person with an AI receptionist pays
One Business seat plus one AI Receptionist agent comes to $64 a month billed yearly, or $90 a month billed monthly. Sending US texts also needs a one-time $24 business texting registration. The page offers a 3-day free trial, no setup fees and no contract. No call cap is stated for the AI Receptionist.
Where Allo wins
Price, and the phone system itself. If your team makes and takes calls all day from laptops and phones, Allo replaces your carrier, your dialer (a Power Dialer is a flat $50 a month for the whole team) and your call notes in one app. Nothing on this page is cheaper for a team that wants to run its own phones.
When to look at something else
Allo is software you set up and run. These are the cases where that is the wrong fit.
- You don't want to switch phone systems. Allo works best when your calls live in Allo. Sockly works on the number and carrier you already have; you forward the line.
- Nobody has time to write the AI's script, test it and fix it. Sockly is set up for you.
- You want a person, not AI, on most calls. Moneypenny and ReceptionHQ sell live receptionists by the minute or by the call.
- You get hundreds of calls a month and want one flat price. Sockly is billed by calls, up to 500, never by the minute.
For an HVAC company
Search Console shows people asking for the best Allo alternative for an HVAC company. What matters for a contractor is the call that comes in while everyone is on a roof or in an attic. In our scan of 117 independent HVAC companies, 11 (9%) had a review of 3 stars or fewer from the last 12 months saying the caller couldn't get through or got no call back. Test any option the same way: call it at 7 pm from your cell, say your AC is out, and see whether you end up with a booked visit or a message.
What Sockly does instead
Sockly answers your existing number in your business's name, asks the questions you approve, books the job on your Google Calendar or Outlook and texts you a summary of every call. It costs more than Allo: $997 a month for up to 500 calls, $0 setup. Right now it's 2 months for $997, month two on us. You're live this week, you can cancel anytime, and there's a 30-day money-back window after activation.
Allo and alternatives, from each vendor's own pricing page (November 12, 2026)
| Option | What it is | Published price | Billed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allo Business + AI Receptionist | Team phone system you run, AI answering as an add-on | $64/mo billed yearly, $90 monthly (1 seat + 1 AI agent) | Seat and agent |
| Moneypenny AI Answering | AI answering with human escalation | $99/mo for 50 calls to $775/mo for 500 | Call |
| Moneypenny live receptionists | People answering 24/7 | $165/mo for 50 minutes to $985/mo for 500 | Minute |
| ReceptionHQ MessageExpress | People taking messages | $25/mo + $1.99 per call | Call |
| Sockly | Done-for-you AI front office on your number | $997/mo for up to 500 calls, $0 setup | Call |
Prices read on November 12, 2026 from withallo.com/pricing, moneypenny.com/us/pricing, receptionhq.com/pricing and sockly.ai/pricing. Allo's page says its pricing can still change. Before taxes; check each page before you buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Allo cost?
On November 12, 2026, Business is $32 a seat a month billed yearly ($45 monthly), Ultra is $100 ($120 monthly), and Solo at $10 is marked coming soon. The AI Receptionist add-on is $32 a month per agent billed yearly.
Is Allo an answering service?
No. It is a phone system with an AI Receptionist you can add. An answering service, AI or human, answers calls on your existing line without replacing your phones.
Can I keep my number if I leave Allo?
Allo's page says porting a number in is free. Ask Allo how porting out works before you move your main line, as you would with any carrier.
Why is Sockly so much more than Allo?
Because it is a done-for-you service, not a tool. The setup, the script, the calendar booking and the changes after launch are handled for you, and the price covers up to 500 calls a month.
Call 470-280-8910 and say your business name. You'll hear your own phone answered and a job booked.
Ready to Never Miss Another Call?
Live on your number this week. $997/month for up to 500 calls, $0 setup, 30-day money-back guarantee.
Get it on your numberOr hear it first: call 470-280-8910 and say your business name.
Related Resources
Published: November 12, 2026
Last Updated: November 12, 2026