Lightspire vs a phone answering service
Lightspire or a phone answering service?
An answering service puts a person on the line when you can't pick up. Lightspire puts an AI voice agent there that can answer questions and book the job. Here's how they compare.
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All comparisonsSide by side
| What | Lightspire | Answering service |
|---|---|---|
| What callers get | Lightspire: Answers about your services, prices and hours from what you've taught it, and a booking in your calendar on the same call. | Answering service: Usually a person who takes a message. What else they can do depends on the service and the plan. |
| Cost | Lightspire: A$49, A$129 or A$299 a month (GST included), with 100, 300 or 800 minutes of talking time. Top-ups when you need more. Enterprise, with custom integrations for groups and franchises: talk to us. | Answering service: Varies by provider and plan. Check what's included and what counts as a call. |
| Who answers | Lightspire: An AI agent with an Australian voice. If a caller asks, it says it's an AI assistant for your business. | Answering service: A person, often answering for several businesses. |
| Getting the details | Lightspire: An email the moment a booking lands, and every call in your dashboard with its summary. | Answering service: A message by email or text, depending on the service. |
| Records | Lightspire: A recording, transcript and summary of every call. | Answering service: The message taken. Recordings depend on the provider. |
Last checked 16 October 2026. The answering service column describes the kind of service in general, not any one provider; prices and features vary, so check with the provider. Lightspire's prices include GST.
Which suits you?
Lightspire is the better fit when
- Most calls are bookings and the same few questions.
- You want the job booked on the call, not a message to call back.
- You want a recording and transcript of every call.
A phone answering service is the better fit when
- Your callers expect a person every time.
- Calls are often sensitive or unusual, so a script won't cover them.
Stop losing the calls you can't take
Get a free demo made for your business, then try it on your own calls for 14 days, no card needed, and nothing is charged when it ends. Or sign up, hear your agent and choose a plan from A$49 a month, and cancel from your billing page any time.