Smith.ai Alternatives for Therapists and Mental Health Practices
Smith.ai is a well-known receptionist service with AI, hybrid, and human plans. Its product is built around law firm intake. A therapy practice that tries it usually wants three things it doesn't put front and center: a published BAA, behavioral health crisis handling, and booking across therapy EHRs beyond SimplePractice.
Short answer
Alternatives to Smith.ai for a therapy or mental health practice include Stable, an AI receptionist built for behavioral health that books in the EHR or collects the request, signs a BAA, and transfers crisis calls to on-call or 988; Ruby, a live receptionist service; and Weave, whose AI Receptionist books automatically only with dental systems. Smith.ai's homepage doesn't mention healthcare or HIPAA, though it lists a SimplePractice integration.
What Smith.ai does well
- Three ways to answer. AI-first, hybrid with live agents for complex calls, or human receptionists.
- Per-call pricing. You pay per call rather than per minute.
- English and Spanish. Conversational in both.
- Legal intake depth. Named integrations with legal practice management tools such as Clio and MyCase.
Why therapy practices look elsewhere
- Healthcare isn't on its list. Its site centers on law firms and other industries; healthcare isn't named.
- HIPAA status not published. Its site doesn't say, and third-party reviews conflict. Confirm whether it will sign a BAA before routing patient calls.
- Narrow EHR coverage. Smith.ai lists a SimplePractice integration; ask whether AI or live receptionists make the booking, and about TherapyNotes or other EHRs.
- Crisis calls. Behavioral health crisis handling isn't described.
The alternatives
| Option | Built for | Books in your EHR | BAA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stable | Behavioral health practices | Yes, or collects the request | Yes |
| Ruby | Small businesses, healthcare included | No EHRs named | Ask; site lists HIPAA-compliant receptionists |
| Weave AI Receptionist | Dental and medical | Qualified dental systems | Ask |
| Phreesia VoiceAI or Assort Health | Medical groups and health systems | Assort names four EHRs; Phreesia doesn't list them | Ask |
Vendor details checked against each company's own website on November 4, 2026. Confirm specifics, including BAA terms, with each vendor before deciding.
Where Stable fits
Stable answers every call and text in English and Spanish, checks insurance, books in your EHR or collects the request, routes calls to staff, and transfers crisis calls to the number your practice provides, such as your on-call clinician, or to 988. It signs a BAA and is priced as software. See AI receptionists for mental health practices, compared.
Frequently asked questions
Is Smith.ai good for therapists?
Smith.ai is built around law firm intake. It lists a SimplePractice integration, but its site doesn't publish its HIPAA status. A therapy practice should confirm a BAA and how bookings reach its EHR first.
Does Smith.ai sign a BAA?
Its site doesn't say, as of November 2026. Ask Smith.ai directly before routing patient calls.
What is the best Smith.ai alternative for a mental health practice?
An AI receptionist built for behavioral health, such as Stable, which books in the EHR or collects the request, signs a BAA, and transfers crisis calls to on-call or 988.
Does Stable answer in Spanish like Smith.ai?
Yes. Stable answers in English and Spanish.
Built for therapy practices, not law firms.
See Stable answer, check insurance, and book a new patient call in your EHR.
Book a Demo