AnswerBot questions, answered.
Everything trades ask before they sign up: what it does, what it costs, what it will never do to your customers. If yours is not here, email [email protected].
Updated 19 October 2026
The basics
- What is missed-call text-back?
- Missed-call text-back is a service that automatically sends a text message to anyone who calls your business and doesn't reach you. Instead of going to voicemail, the caller gets a text back. AnswerBot is a missed-call text-back service that gathers the basics, like the closest intersection and a photo of the issue, and emails the lead to the business owner. For trades and service businesses, it stops leads from going to voicemail or to the next number on Google.
- How is this different from an AI receptionist?
- An AI receptionist tries to hold a voice conversation. AnswerBot doesn't pick up the phone at all. It sends an SMS the moment a call goes unanswered. Customers usually prefer a text they can read between jobs over an AI voice they don't trust. It also costs a fraction of an AI receptionist.
- Does AnswerBot try to diagnose the problem?
- No, that's the point. It collects the closest intersection and a photo of the issue, then tells the caller you'll be in touch. You diagnose the job. We've seen customers prefer this. They'd rather a real tradesperson assess it than an AI guessing.
- Do I need to change my phone number?
- No. You keep your existing business number. AnswerBot gives you a dedicated SMS number paired with your line. Your customers see a text from a real local number, not a shared shortcode.
- How long does setup take?
- Most customers are live in about ten minutes. You sign up, point your missed calls to the number we issue, set the reply tone, and AnswerBot starts emailing you leads.
- What's the catch with the credit card on the trial?
- Honestly, the catch is bot signups. Asking for a card filters out automated trial farming so we can keep the trial generous. You're not charged until day 15, and you can cancel anytime.
- Can I control what the AI says to my customers?
- Yes. On Growth and Pro plans you write FAQ answers in your own words (your hours, service area, what jobs you take on) and the AI draws on exactly what you wrote when texting callers back. Pro adds fully custom intake questions. You edit everything anytime in your dashboard and changes take effect on the next call. And the AI never quotes prices or promises time frames, on any plan.
- What if it doesn't work for me?
- If you're not happy in your first paid month, email us and we refund it. No forms.
Pricing and technical
- How much does AnswerBot cost?
- Three plans. Starter is $129 CAD/month with 25 engaged callers. Growth is $199 CAD/month with 75 engaged callers and adds photo capture. Pro is $349 CAD/month with unlimited engaged callers. USD is the same number. Every plan includes a 14-day free trial.
- Can I pay annually?
- Yes. Prepay the year and save 15%: Starter works out to $109/month, Growth $169/month, Pro $296/month, billed once annually. Same 14-day free trial, same features, same cancel-anytime on renewal.
- AnswerBot vs Twilio (DIY), when is each right?
- Twilio is right if you have a developer on staff and want to build, host, and maintain your own SMS workflow, brand registration, retry logic, opt-out compliance, and reply layer. AnswerBot is right if you'd rather have all of that done for you for the price of a phone bill.
- Is automated SMS legal in Canada and the US?
- Yes, when used correctly. A customer who calls your business is initiating contact, which gives you implied consent to reply by text under both CASL in Canada and TCPA in the US. AnswerBot includes the required sender identification and one-tap unsubscribe on every message, and registers your brand and campaign through A2P 10DLC for US traffic. You don't have to think about any of it.
- What about after-hours and weekend calls?
- AnswerBot replies the same way 24/7. After-hours and weekend missed calls are often the highest-value leads because callers have urgent needs and fewer options. AnswerBot captures these immediately instead of letting them go to whoever answers next.
- Where do leads go?
- To whatever email address you set, in any inbox you already use. Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, your business email, the shared address on the truck's tablet. No separate app to log into.
Still deciding?
Text the demo line on the home page and watch it answer you the way it would answer a customer whose call you missed.